Know How to Find the Lowest Price on Springfield Auto Insurance

Comparison shopping for Springfield auto insurance is nearly impossible for people who are new to comparing rates online. There are so many companies to choose from that it can easily become a lot of work to find the best price in Springfield.

If you are paying for car insurance now, you will be able to save some money using this information. This information will instruct you on how to get online quotes and some money-saving tips. Although Illinois drivers need to have an understanding of how the larger insurance companies market insurance on the web and use this information to your advantage.

Comprehensive Springfield Auto Insurance Comparison Quotes

To find the best auto insurance prices, there are several ways to get quotes and find the best price. By far the easiest way to find the cheapest insurance rates consists of shopping online. This can be done in several different ways.

1. The most efficient way consumers can make multiple comparisons is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This type of form saves time by eliminating separate quotes to each individual auto insurance company. Completing one form gets you price quotes .It’s the quickest way to get rates.
2. A slightly less efficient method to shop for auto insurance online is spending the time to visit each individual company website to request a price quote. For instance, we’ll pretend you want comparison quotes from Allstate, Progressive and Travelers. To find out each rate you need to spend time on each company’s site to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is more popular.

   For a handy list of car insurance company links in Springfield, click here.

It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but be sure to compare the exact same deductibles and coverage limits for every quote you compare. If you have differing limits it will be impossible to make an equal comparison in Springfield. Having just a slight variation in limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. And when comparing auto insurance rates, know that comparing more company’s prices will increase your chances of finding the best offered rates.

Don’t pay full price with these discounts

Car insurance companies don’t necessarily list all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so we break down some of the best known as well as the least known auto insurance savings.

• Auto/Life Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with lower rates if you buy life insurance from them.
• Low Mileage – Low mileage vehicles can qualify you for better rates on cars that stay parked.
• Paperwork-free – A handful of insurance companies may give you up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up on their website.
• Homeowners Discount – Owning a home in Springfield can help you save on auto insurance because maintaining a house demonstrates responsibility.
• Multi-policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with the same company you may save up to 20% off your total premium.
• Government Employees – Employees or retirees of the government can save as much as 8% depending on your company.
• Memberships – Affiliation with a qualifying organization may earn a discount on auto insurance.

It’s important to understand that some credits don’t apply the the whole policy. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.

To choose insurers offering auto insurance discounts in Springfield, click here to view.

Smart Consumers Save More

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.

Shown below are a few of the “ingredients” companies use to determine prices.

• Discounts for married couples – Getting married can actually save you money when buying auto insurance. Having a spouse usually means you are more mature and responsible and statistics show being married results in fewer claims.
• Do you know your deductibles? – Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. Physical damage insurance, also known as collision and other-than-collision, protects your car from damage. A few examples of covered claims would be colliding with a building, damage from fire, or theft. The more you have to pay, the lower your rates will be.
• Poor driving leads to higher costs – Your driving record has a big impact on rates. Even a single speeding ticket can increase rates by twenty percent. Good drivers get better rates than their less careful counterparts. Drivers who get dangerous violations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may be required to file a SR-22 with the DMV in their state in order to prevent a license revocation.
• Little extras can really add up – There are a lot of add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying on your auto insurance policy. Insurance for personal injury protection, accidental death and membership fees may be costing you every month. They may seem like a good idea when you first buy your policy, but your needs may have changed so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
• Too many auto insurance claims drive up costs – If you file claims often, you can definitely plan on higher rates. Auto insurance companies in Illinois provide lower rates to policyholders who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Insurance coverage is meant to be used in the event of major claims that would cause financial hardship.
• Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance – Safer cars tend to have better insurance rates. The safest vehicles result in less severe injuries and lower injury rates translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims passed on to you as lower rates.
• Where you live is a factor – Being located in small towns and rural areas has it’s advantages when it comes to auto insurance. Fewer drivers means reduced accidents. Drivers who live in large Illinois cities have to deal with congested traffic and longer commute times. More time on the road can result in more accidents.
• Liability coverage protects you – Your policy’s liability coverage provides coverage in the event that a jury decides you are liable for damages caused by your negligence. It will provide legal defense coverage starting from day one. Liability is cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not cut corners here.

Additional detailed information can be read at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Illinois drivers can read consumer alerts, read state legal mandates and laws, learn about specific coverages, and find a variety of consumer forms.

Auto insurance ads bend the truth

Companies like Allstate and Progressive consistently run ads in print and on television. All the ads make an identical promise that you can save if you change your policy. How does each company make almost identical claims?

All companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of customer they prefer to insure. A good example of a desirable insured could be a mature driver, has no tickets, and chooses high deductibles. Any driver that hits that “sweet spot” will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who don’t measure up to this ideal profile will be quoted a higher premium which leads to the customer not buying. The ads state “people who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. That’s why insurance companies can confidently claim big savings. This emphasizes why you need to compare many company’s rates. Because you never know which company will fit your personal profile best.

The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest

In this article, we covered a lot of ways to compare auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. You may even discover the lowest priced auto insurance comes from the smaller companies.

When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s very important that you do not buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In many instances, someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits and discovered at claim time that it was a big error on their part. The aim is to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate.

Drivers who switch companies do it for many reasons like an unsatisfactory settlement offer, extreme rates for teen drivers, unfair underwriting practices and even lack of trust in their agent. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new company can be easy and end up saving you some money.