Learn How to Pay Less for Jerome, ID Auto Insurance

Overwhelmed by the crazy number of auto insurance choices in Jerome? You’re not alone. People have so many options that it can be more work than you anticipated to find the lowest price.

Finding affordable coverage in Jerome is easy if you know what you’re doing. If you currently have car insurance, you will most likely be able to save some money using these methods. Idaho consumers just need to understand the proper way to shop their coverage around on the web.

Free Jerome Auto Insurance Quotes

Most companies allow you to get prices directly from their websites. Obtaining pricing is fairly straightforward as you simply type in the amount of coverage you want as detailed in the form. Upon sending the form, the company’s rating system will obtain your credit score and driving record and generates pricing information determined by many factors.

Quoting online makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the work required to visit a lot of sites and fill out multiple forms can be a bit repetitive. But it’s absolutely necessary to perform this step if you want to find the lowest possible prices on auto insurance.

A quicker way to locate the lowest prices uses one simple form to obtain quotes from multiple companies. It saves time, eliminates repetitive work, and makes comparison shopping much more enjoyable and efficient. After sending the form, your coverage is rated and you can select any or none of the quotes that you receive. If you find a better price you simply finish the application and buy the policy. The entire process just takes a couple of minutes and you will find out if you’re overpaying now.

If you want to compare pricing, click here and enter your information. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended you complete the form with the insurance coverages exactly as shown on your declarations page. This helps ensure you are getting a price comparison using the exact same coverages.

Take advantage of discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don’t always list every discount in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list some of the best known and also the lesser-known ways to save on auto insurance. If they aren’t giving you every credit possible, you’re just leaving money on the table.

Anti-lock Brakes – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes prevent accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Claim Free – Claim-free drivers can earn big discounts compared to frequent claim filers.
New Vehicle Savings – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can save up to 30% because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
Employee of Federal Government – Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off depending on your company.
Defensive Driver – Taking part in a defensive driving course could save 5% or more if you qualify.
Good Student Discount – A discount for being a good student can earn a discount of 20% or more. This discount can apply until age 25.
Discount for Swiching Early – Select companies give a discount for switching policies before your current expiration date. The savings is around 10%.

Drivers should understand that some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears it’s possible to get free car insurance, you’re out of luck.

To choose insurance companies with the best auto insurance discounts in Idaho, follow this link.

Neighborhood insurance agents

Some people would rather talk to a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Educated insurance agents can help determine the best coverages and give you peace of mind. The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is the fact that you can find lower rates but also keep your business local.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this simple form, the quote information is emailed to agents in your area who will compete to get your business. You don’t have to leave your computer since price quotes are sent to the email address you provide. How cool is that?!

Choosing an provider needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. These are valid questions to ask:

Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
Can glass repairs be made at your home?
Does the agency support the community they serve?
If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
What insurance company do they write the most business with?
How often do they review policy coverages?

Captive or Independent: There is a difference

When finding a reliable agent, there are two different agency structures from which to choose. Agencies in Jerome are categorized either captive or independent (non-captive). While both can insure your vehicles, but it’s worth learning the differences since it can impact buying decisions.

Captive Agents

Captive agents are contracted to one company and some examples include American Family, Liberty Mutual and AAA. They usually cannot provide prices from multiple companies so always compare other rates. Captive agencies are well schooled on their products and sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers often buy from captive agents primarily because of the prominence of the brand and strong financial ratings. compare rates in Jerome

Below are Jerome captive insurance agencies who may provide you with price quotes.

Farmers Insurance Group – 476 W Main St – Jerome, ID 83338 – (208) 324-2741
Farm Bureau Insurance – 200 E Avenue A – Jerome, ID 83338 – (208) 324-4378

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent agencies are not required to write business for one company so they have the ability to put coverage with lots of companies depending on which coverage is best. To transfer your coverage to a different company, the agent simply finds a different carrier without you having to go to a different agency.

When comparison shopping, you should always get quotes from several independent insurance agents for maximum quote selection. They also have the ability to place coverage with different regional companies which may provide better rates.

The following are independent insurance agents in Jerome who can help you get comparison quotes.

Dulling Agency Inc – 706 S Lincoln Ave – Jerome, ID 83338 – (208) 324-3131
Farm Bureau Insurance – 200 E Avenue A – Jerome, ID 83338 – (208) 324-4378
Jerry Haney Insurance – 101 W Main St # 3 – Jerome, ID 83338 – (208) 324-7910

For a full directory of licensed insurance agents in Jerome, visit this link.

Upon receiving answers to your satisfaction to all your questions and an affordable coverage quote, you’ve probably found an insurance agency that meets your needs to properly service your auto insurance policy.

When might I need the advice of an agent?

When choosing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.

These are some specific questions may help highlight if your situation might need an agent’s assistance.

When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
Does my personal policy cover me when driving my company car?
Am I covered when driving someone else’s vehicle?
Is Idaho a no-fault state?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can provide invaluable advice.

Why you might pay higher rates in Jerome

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

The list below includes a partial list of the pieces that factor into premiums.

Do you need the policy add-ons? – There are a lot of add-on coverages that can waste your money if you aren’t careful. Insurance for personal injury protection, accident forgiveness and additional equipment coverage are examples of these. They may seem good when talking to your agent, but now you might not need them so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
Traffic citations inflate rates – Your driving citation history has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Just one moving violation may increase your cost by twenty percent. Drivers with clean records get better rates compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who have flagrant citations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may need to file a SR-22 with the DMV in their state in order to keep their license.
Your location is important – Being located in a small town can be a good thing when insuring your vehicles. Less people living in that area means a lower chance of having an accident as well as less vandalism and auto theft. Drivers who live in large Idaho cities regularly have much more traffic to deal with and much longer commute distances. Higher commute times can result in more accidents.
More claims means more premium – Auto insurance companies in Idaho give better rates to people who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can look forward to either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Your insurance policy is designed for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
Pleasure use saves money – The higher the mileage driven in a year the higher your rates will be. Almost all companies price each vehicle’s coverage based on how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks that are left in the garage receive lower rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Verify your auto insurance declarations sheet shows the correct usage for each vehicle, because improper ratings can cost you money.
High performance equals high price – The performance level of the vehicle you own makes a significant difference in determining your rates. The lowest base rates tend to be for low performance passenger cars, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.

Auto insurance myths debunked

Idaho drivers can’t get away from ads for the lowest price auto insurance by companies like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive. They all seem to have a common claim that you can save if you switch to them.

How can each company say the same thing?

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the right customer that makes them money. A good example of a preferred risk could possibly be between the ages of 40 and 55, has no prior claims, and has a short commute. Any driver who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to pay quite a bit less when switching companies.

Consumers who do not match the requirements must pay more money which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ad wording is “drivers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that kind of money. That is how insurance companies can claim big savings. This illustrates why you absolutely need to quote coverage with many companies. It’s just too difficult to predict the company that will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Best coverage at the best price

Budget-conscious auto insurance is available online as well as from independent agents in Jerome, so you should compare both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some companies don’t offer you the ability to get quotes online and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you shop your coverage around, make sure you don’t skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many cases, someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits and learned later that it was a big error on their part. The proper strategy is to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.

Consumers change insurance companies for many reasons like not issuing a premium refund, delays in responding to claim requests, an unsatisfactory settlement offer or high prices. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a new auto insurance company is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.

Consumer auto insurance information in Idaho

Even more information is located at the Idaho Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to find disaster information, find a variety of consumer forms, find out which companies have the most complaints, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.

Additional helpful sites include this resource for Idaho auto insurance prices and this list of insurance agents in Jerome.