Learn How to Shop For Burlington, IA Car Insurance Like an Informed Consumer

Searching for affordable Burlington car insurance on the internet can be difficult for beginners to buying insurance on the web. With such a large number of insurance companies available, how can anyone possibly compare them all to find the best available price?

You should take the time to take a look at other company’s rates occasionally since rates are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Just because you found the best price a few years ago you can probably find a better price now. So forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because it’s time to teach you how to quote online to lower your annual insurance bill.

Free Burlington Car Insurance Quotes

Most major insurance companies give coverage prices directly from their websites. Getting online rates is fairly simple as you simply enter your personal and coverage information as detailed in the form. When the form is submitted, their system pulls your driving and credit reports and gives you a price quote determined by many factors.

Online quotes helps simplify price comparisons, but having to visit multiple sites and enter the same data into a form can get tiresome after awhile. Unfortunately, it is important to have as many quotes as possible if you want to find a better rate.

Isn’t there an easier way to compare rates?

The preferred way to compare car insurance pricing requires only one form to obtain quotes from many companies. This type of form saves time, reduces the work, and makes online quotes much simpler. After sending your information, it is rated and you are able to buy your choice of the price quotes you receive. If you find a better price you can click and sign and purchase the new policy. The whole process takes 15 minutes at the most and you will know how your current rates stack up.

To find out how much you’re overpaying now, click here to open in new window and submit your coverage information. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you copy the limits and deductibles just like they are on your policy. Doing this assures you are getting a price comparison based on similar coverages.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don’t always list all their discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we break down some of the more common as well as the least known ways to save on car insurance. If they aren’t giving you every credit you deserve, you are paying more than you should be.

Federal Employees – Employees or retirees of the government can earn a discount up to 10% with certain companies.
Safety Course Discount – Taking a driver safety course could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.
Lower Rates for Military – Being deployed with a military unit could be rewarded with lower premiums.
Life Insurance – Some companies give a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
One Accident Forgiven – Certain companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums if your claims history is clear for a set time period.
Payment Method – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of paying each month you could save 5% or more.
Multi-policy Discount – When you have multiple policies with the same company you will save approximately 10% to 15%.
Discount for New Cars – Insuring a new car is cheaper due to better safety requirements for new cars.
More Vehicles More Savings – Having multiple cars or trucks with the same company qualifies for this discount.

It’s important to 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 comp or med pay. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it just doesn’t work that way.

Get Cheaper Rates by Understanding Pricing

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. Understanding what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that will entitle you to lower car insurance prices.

Car features impact rates – Driving a car with an alarm system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Theft prevention devices such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all hinder auto theft.
How’s your driving record? – Your driving record has a big impact on rates. Drivers who don’t get tickets tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. Even one speeding ticket 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 proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state motor vehicle department in order to continue driving.
Frequent car insurance claims increase rates – Companies in Iowa give better rates to policyholders who do not file claims often. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can definitely plan on higher rates. Insurance coverage is designed for the large, substantial claims.
Extra coverages can waste money – There are a ton of add-on coverages you can purchase if you aren’t careful. Things like rental car reimbursement, better glass coverage and term life insurance are some examples. These may sound like a good investment at first, but if they’re wasting money remove them from your policy.

But buying car insurance online seems impersonal

A small number of people just want to talk to a local agent and that is a personal choice. Agents can answer important questions and help file insurance claims. The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is you may find the lowest rates but still work with a licensed agent.

To find an agent, once you fill out this form (opens in new window), the quote information gets sent to local insurance agents in Burlington who will battle for your business. There is no reason to even leave your home as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. It doesn’t get any easier!

Deciding on a company needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:

Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?
Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?

Burlington insurance agencies come in two flavors

If you’re trying to find a good Burlington insurance agent, you need to know there are two different types of agents from which to choose. Burlington agents are classified as either independent (non-captive) or captive. Both properly insure your vehicles, but it’s good to learn the differences since it may influence the selection process.

Agency Captives

Captive insurance agents can only write with one company and some examples include Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They are unable to shop your coverage around so they have to upsell other benefits. Captive agencies are trained well 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 the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.

Shown below is a list of captive agencies in Burlington who can help you get price quote information.

Shelter Insurance – 160 S Central Ave – Burlington, IA 52601 – (319) 752-6771
State Farm Insurance – 2723 Mount Pleasant St – Burlington, IA 52601 – (319) 752-1236
Allstate Insurance – 218 Jefferson St # 1a – Burlington, IA 52601 – (319) 752-3530
American Family Insurance – 601 Jefferson St – Burlington, IA 52601 – (319) 752-1479

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent agents are not required to write business for one company so they can insure your vehicles amongst many companies and potentially find a lower price. If you are not satisfied with one company, an independent agent can move your coverage and that require little work on your part.

When comparing rates, you should always include price quotes from at least one independent agent to get the best comparison. They also have the ability to place coverage with different regional companies which can be an advantage.

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

Mark Warth Agency – 1707 Mount Pleasant St – Burlington, IA 52601 – (319) 753-0986
Mutual Of Omaha Insurance Co – 822 Harrison Ave – Burlington, IA 52601 – (319) 752-7470
R L Preis Agency – 218 N 3rd St # 711 – Burlington, IA 52601 – (319) 753-1212
Bob Green Insurance – 825 N 6th St # 2 – Burlington, IA 52601 – (319) 752-3620

For a full directory of licensed insurance agents in Burlington, view this link.

Upon receiving positive feedback to any questions you have and locked in a price quote, chances are good that you have found an auto insurance agent that meets your needs to adequately provide car insurance.

More detailed Iowa car insurance information is located at the Iowa Insurance Division website. Iowa drivers can view a list of available companies, learn about insurance regulations, read state legal mandates and laws, and find disaster information.

The following articles may also be useful.

Top 6 Ways to Save on Car Insurance in South Burlington, VT

Advertising myths

Consumers constantly see and hear ads that promise big savings from companies such as State Farm and Allstate. They all have a common claim about savings if you switch your policy.

How can each company make the same claim?

All companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that earns them a profit. For example, a desirable insured could be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Potential customers who don’t qualify for the “perfect” profile will be quoted a higher premium which leads to the customer not buying. The ads say “customers that switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much. This is how companies can truthfully state the savings. This emphasizes why you need to get as many comparisons as possible. You cannot predict which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

Do the work, save more money

Affordable car insurance can be sourced both online and also from your neighborhood Burlington agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best selection. Some insurance providers may not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

In this article, we covered quite a bit of information on how to compare car insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the lowest premiums are with a smaller regional carrier.

People who switch companies do it for many reasons like an unsatisfactory settlement offer, denial of a claim, extreme rates for teen drivers and even high rates after DUI convictions. Whatever your reason, finding the right car insurance provider is actually quite simple.