Is Your Topeka, KS Auto Insurance Costing Too Much?

Finding low-cost Topeka auto insurance on the web can be somewhat difficult for consumers new to shopping for insurance online. Since there are so many choices, how can consumers have a chance to compare every one to find the lowest price?

If you currently have car insurance, you should be able to lower your premiums substantially using this strategy. This article will familiarize you with how to get online quotes and some tips to save money. Although Kansas vehicle owners must understand the way companies price insurance differently and take advantage of how the system works.

What impacts Topeka insurance rates?

It’s important that you understand the factors that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.

The following are some of the factors that factor into prices.

• Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? – The majority of companies will give a discount to customers who buy several policies from them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. This can amount to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even with this discount, it’s still a good idea to compare rates to verify if the discount is saving money.
• More performance means more cost – The performance of the vehicle you drive makes a big difference in the rate you pay. Economy passenger vehicles receive the most favorable rates, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
• Allowing your policy to lapse raises rates – Driving your car without having proper coverage is a misdemeanor and as a result your rates will increase for letting your insurance expire. And not only will insurance be more expensive, getting caught without coverage can result in a revoked license or a big fine.
• Your credit rating is important – A driver’s credit score is a big factor in your rate calculation. If your credit history is lower than you’d like, you could pay less to insure your by improving your rating. Consumers who have good credit tend to be less risk to insure than those with poor credit.
• Add-on coverages can add up – There are a ton of add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying on your auto insurance policy. Coverages like vanishing deductibles, accidental death and motor club memberships are examples of these. They may seem like a good idea initially, but if you don’t need them get rid of them and save.
• Don’t sacrifice liability coverage – Liability coverage is the protection in the event that a court rules you are at fault for damages caused by your negligence. Liability insurance provides legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. Liability is cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not cut corners here.
• Your auto insurance rates can be influenced by your job – Occupations like lawyers, architects and dentists have the highest average rates attributed to job stress and long work days. Other jobs such as pilots, historians and the unemployed get better rates.

Discounts are available to cut your rates

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but you can get discounts to help offset the cost. Some discounts apply automatically at the time of quoting, but a few need to be inquired about before being credited.

• Homeowners Discount – Simply owning a home may earn you a small savings due to the fact that maintaining a home demonstrates responsibility.
• More Vehicles More Savings – Buying coverage for multiple cars or trucks on one policy could earn a price break for each car.
• Seat Belts Save – Requiring all passengers to use a seat belt could cut 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
• Air Bag Discount – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings of more than 20%.
• New Vehicle Savings – Putting insurance coverage on a new car can cost up to 25% less due to better safety requirements for new cars.
• Organization Discounts – Being a member of a qualifying organization is a good way to get lower rates when buying auto insurance.
• One Accident Forgiven – Some insurance companies permit an accident without raising rates as long as you don’t have any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
• Good Student – This discount can earn a discount of 20% or more. This discount can apply up until you turn 25.

Consumers should know that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. Just because it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you’re out of luck. Any amount of discount will help reduce the amount you have to pay.

What about my local Topeka agents?

Certain consumers would rather buy from a licensed agent. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is you may find the best rates and still choose a local agent. And providing support for local insurance agencies is especially important in Topeka.

After filling out this quick form, your information is emailed to participating agents in Topeka who will return price quotes for your business. You won’t need to leave your house since price quotes are sent to your email. How’s that for easy! You can find better rates and an insurance agent to talk to.

The different types of insurance agents

If you’re trying to find a good Topeka insurance agent, you must know there are a couple types of agencies that you can select. Agencies in Topeka are either independent (non-captive) or captive.

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

These agents are not employed by any specific company so they can insure your vehicles with lots of companies and potentially find a lower price. To transfer your coverage to a different company, an independent agent can move your coverage and that require little work on your part. When shopping rates, it’s recommended you contact at a minimum one independent agency to have the most options to choose from. Most have the option of insuring with lesser-known insurance companies which may provide better rates.

Below are Topeka independent insurance agencies that can give you price quote information.

• Larry Haas Agency Inc – 5304 SW 17th St – Topeka, KS 66604 – (785) 273-1511
• Earl Mc Intosh Agency Inc – 3732 SW Burlingame Cir – Topeka, KS 66609 – (785) 267-7311
• ABK Insurance – 1607 SW 37th St – Topeka, KS 66611 – (785) 862-9500
• Douglas Cafer Agency Inc – 201 NW Us Highway 24 # 170 – Topeka, KS 66608 – (785) 235-0707
• Salsbery Insurance Svc – 6761 SW Fountaindale Rd – Topeka, KS 66614 – (785) 478-3883

Agency Captives

Captive insurance agents work for only one company and some examples include AAA, Allstate and State Farm. These agents are not able to place coverage with different providers so they have to upsell other benefits. They are very knowledgeable on the products they sell which helps them compete with independent agents. Some consumers prefer to purchase coverage from captives partially due to loyalty to the company and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.

Shown below are captive agents in Topeka that are able to give comparison quotes.

• Allstate Insurance – 2611 SW 21st St – Topeka, KS 66604 – (785) 228-2889
• Farmers Insurance Group – 3105 SW 29th St # 204 – Topeka, KS 66614 – (913) 248-3900
• Shelter Insurance – 1129 SW Wanamaker Rd # 100 – Topeka, KS 66604 – (785) 272-3791
• Farm Bureau Insurance – 3801 SW Wanamaker Rd – Topeka, KS 66610 – (785) 478-3090
• American Family Mutual Ins – 1300 SW Arrowhead Rd – Topeka, KS 66604 – (785) 273-5120
• State Farm Insurance – 1251 SW Arrowhead Rd – Topeka, KS 66604 – (785) 271-4700

To view a full list of captive insurance agencies in Topeka, go to this page.

Choosing an insurance agency requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. Some important questions to ask are:

• Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
• Which company do they place the most coverage with?
• What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
• Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
• How are claims handled?
• Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
• Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?

Upon receiving satisfactory answers to these questions and an affordable coverage quote, most likely you have located a car insurance agent that is a good match to adequately provide auto insurance.

When might I need an agent?

When buying the right insurance coverage, there isn’t really a “perfect” insurance plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.

Here are some questions about coverages that might help in determining if you might need an agent’s assistance.

• Should I buy more coverage than the required Kansas minimum liability coverage?
• How much underlying liability do I need for an umbrella policy?
• What is the minimum liability in Kansas?
• Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
• Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
• Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?

If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.

More information is located on the Kansas Insurance Department website found here. Kansas consumers can file complaints about a company, read state legal mandates and laws, and learn about specific coverages.

Better coverage you can count on

We’ve covered some good ideas how you can shop for auto insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may be surprised to find that the best prices are with a small mutual company.

Discount auto insurance can be purchased on the web and with local Topeka insurance agents, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who do not offer online quoting and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.

People change insurance companies for any number of reasons including poor customer service, extreme rates for teen drivers, policy non-renewal and delays in paying claims. Regardless of your reason, finding a great new company is easier than you think.