Finding better rates for Homer auto insurance can be hard for people who are new to buying insurance online. There are so many options available that it can quickly become a real challenge to compare prices in Homer.
These discounts can slash auto insurance rates
Car insurance companies don’t necessarily list every discount very clearly, so we took the time to find both the well known and the harder-to-find discounts you could be receiving.
- Drive Less and Save – Driving fewer miles can earn lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
- Good Student – Getting good grades can save 20 to 25%. This discount can apply until age 25.
- Drivers Ed for Students – Have your child take driver’s ed class in high school.
- Clubs and Organizations – Belonging to a civic or occupational organization is a good way to get lower rates on your policy.
- Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles with anti-theft systems help deter theft and will save you 10% or more.
- No Accidents – Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay less as compared to accident-prone drivers.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you could save 5% or more.
- Own a Home – Being a homeowner may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because of the fact that having a home shows financial diligence.
- Discount for Swiching Early – Select companies give a discount for switching policies prior to your current policy expiring. The savings is around 10%.
Keep in mind that most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way.
Learn How to Lower your Rates
Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that go into determining your auto insurance rates. Understanding what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.
- Women pay lower rates – Statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. Now that doesn’t mean men are worse drivers. Women and men have accidents at about the same rate, but the men tend to have more serious accidents. Men also statistically receive more costly citations like reckless driving and DUI.
- High deductibles save money – Physical damage insurance, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. A few examples of covered claims are a windshield shattered by a rock, damage caused by hail, or theft. Deductibles for physical damage are how much you are willing to pay before a claim is paid by your company. The more you have to pay, the less your auto insurance will be.
- Rural vs Urban Areas – Residing in small towns and rural areas can save you money when insuring your vehicles. Urban drivers regularly have traffic congestion and much longer commute distances. Lower population translates into fewer accidents.
- Please use or commuting – The more miles you rack up on your car in a year the higher your rates will be. The majority of insurers charge to insure your cars based upon how you use the vehicle. Autos used primarily for pleasure use can get a lower rate as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Double check that your auto insurance policy properly reflects how each vehicle is driven, because it can save money.
- Poor credit can mean higher rates – Having a bad credit score is a large factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. If your credit is lower than you’d like, you could save money insuring your by improving your rating. Drivers with excellent credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than those with poor credit.
- Never go without insurance – Letting your insurance expire will be a guaranteed way to trigger a rate increase. Not only will you pay more, failure to provide proof of insurance might get you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
- Poor driving leads to higher costs – Your driving record has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Drivers who don’t get tickets receive lower rates than bad drivers. Even a single citation can bump up the cost forty percent or more. Drivers who get serious violations like DUI or reckless driving may be required to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
When might I need the advice of an agent?
When choosing the best auto insurance coverage, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Each situation is unique.
For instance, these questions may help you determine whether you could use an agent’s help.
- What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
- When would I need rental car insurance?
- Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
- How much liability do I need to cover my assets?
- Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form.
Even more information can be found at the Alaska Division of Insurance website. Consumers can find a variety of consumer forms, read state legal mandates and laws, learn about specific coverages, and view a list of available companies.
Additional helpful sites include this page for auto insurance prices in Alaska and this link which helps you find a Homer agent.
Summing up your auto insurance search
Drivers change insurance companies for many reasons like policy non-renewal, poor customer service, questionable increases in premium or even lack of trust in their agent. No matter why you want to switch, finding a new auto insurance company is not as hard as you think.
In this article, we presented a lot of tips how to reduce auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. Drivers may discover the most savings is with the smaller companies.
As you shop your coverage around, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are a lot of situations where an accident victim reduced physical damage coverage and discovered at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The ultimate goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price while still protecting your assets.