New Strategies for Paying Less for on Hot Springs Arkansas Auto Insurance

No one likes having to buy auto insurance, especially when they are paying too much. Popular companies such as Progressive, State Farm and GEICO persitently shower you with catchy ads and it is challenging if not impossible to ignore the flashy ads and take the time to shop coverage around.

If you have insurance now or are just looking to switch companies, you will benefit by learning to cut your premiums and still get good coverage. Buying car insurance in Hot Springs is not rocket science. Arkansas drivers only need an understanding of the most efficient way to buy auto insurance on the web.

Fast and Easy Hot Springs Auto Insurance Quotes

Effectively comparing auto insurance prices can be a daunting task if you don’t utilize the fastest way to get free quotes. You can waste a lot of time talking about coverages with insurance agencies in Hot Springs, or you can utilize the web for quick rates.

Many popular insurance companies belong to an insurance system that enables customers to submit their information once, and each participating company then gives them pricing determined by their information. This eliminates the need for quotation requests to every company. To access this free quoting program, click here to open in new window.

The single downside to comparing rates this way is you don’t know exactly which providers to receive prices from. If you wish to select specific providers to compare prices, we have assembled a list of companies who write auto insurance in Arkansas. View list of Arkansas insurance companies.

Whichever way you use, ensure you’re using identical coverages and limits for every quote you compare. If you have different deductibles it’s not possible to find the best deal in Hot Springs.

Auto insurance ads bend the truth

Arkansas consumers constantly see and hear ads for cheaper car insurance by Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm. They all make the same claim about savings if you switch to their company.

How does each company make almost identical claims? It’s all in the numbers.

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that makes them money. A good example of a profitable customer could possibly be a mature driver, owns a home, and chooses high deductibles. A customer getting a price quote who meets those qualifications will get very good rates and as a result will probably cut their rates substantially.

Drivers who don’t measure up to this ideal profile must pay a higher premium and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ad wording is “drivers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much money. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently claim big savings. This illustrates why you should get as many quotes as possible. Because you never know which auto insurance company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Car insurance companies don’t necessarily list all their discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we took the time to find some of the more common and the more hidden discounts you could be receiving. If they aren’t giving you every credit possible, you are paying more than you should be.

• Driver Safety – Taking part in a course teaching defensive driving skills could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
• Lower Rates for Military – Having a deployed family member could be rewarded with lower premiums.
• Payment Discounts – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you can actually save on your bill.
• Passive Restraints – Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts of more than 20%.
• Life Insurance Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with better rates if you take out a life insurance policy as well.
• Drivers Education – Require your teen driver to take driver’s ed class if offered at their school.
• Discount for Good Grades – This discount can save 20 to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you until age 25.
• Discounts for Safe Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than their less cautious counterparts.

Drivers should understand that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. Most only reduce individual premiums such as comp or med pay. Just because it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it just doesn’t work that way.

To choose insurance companies offering auto insurance discounts in Hot Springs, click here.

Shop online but buy locally

Some consumers would rather buy from a local agent and that is OK! Licensed agents can help determine the best coverages and help file insurance claims. The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is you may find better rates but still work with a licensed agent.

After filling out this quick form, the quote information is emailed to participating agents in Hot Springs who will battle to get your business. There is no need to leave your house as quotes are delivered to your email. It doesn’t get any easier!

Selecting an insurance company should depend on more than just the premium amount. These questions are important to ask:

• Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
• Is assistance available after office hours?
• If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
• If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
• Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?

Different types of insurance agencies in Hot Springs

If you’re trying to find local Hot Springs agents, there are two different agency structures from which to choose. Agencies in Hot Springs can either be captive or independent (non-captive). While both can insure your vehicles, but it’s good to learn how they are different because it can impact your selection of an agent.

Agency Captives

These agents can only place business with one company and some examples include Allstate, State Farm and Farmers Insurance. Captives cannot place coverage with different providers so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captives are very knowledgeable in insurance sales which can be an advantage.

Below are Hot Springs captive agents who may provide you with comparison quotes.

Farmers Insurance Group – 1401 Malvern Ave # 180 – Hot Springs, AR 71901 – (501) 623-1331
Allstate Insurance – 458 W Grand Ave – Hot Springs, AR 71901 – (501) 623-7173
Farm Bureau Insurance Svc – 1923 Albert Pike Rd – Hot Springs, AR 71913 – (501) 624-5277
State Farm Insurance – 1403 Central Ave – Hot Springs, AR 71901 – (501) 623-8878
Shelter Insurance – 5401 Central Ave # D – Hot Springs, AR 71913 – (501) 525-9444

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent insurance agents are not required to write business for one company so they can insure your vehicles with any number of different companies depending on which coverage is best. If your agent finds better pricing, your agent can switch companies and that require little work on your part. When searching for an agent, you should always contact at a minimum one independent agency for the best price selection.

The following are independent agencies in Hot Springs that can give you price quote information.

Tim Dean Insurance – 590 W Grand Ave – Hot Springs, AR 71901 – (501) 623-4455
Brown Agency – 2802 Albert Pike Rd – Hot Springs, AR 71913 – (501) 767-6864
Direct General Ins Agency – 1500 Central Ave – Hot Springs, AR 71901 – (501) 318-1616
First Arkansas Insurance – 175 Harmony Park # B – Hot Springs, AR 71913 – (501) 525-2600
Wethington Agency – 211 Exchange St – Hot Springs, AR 71901 – (501) 624-5593

For a complete listing of Hot Springs insurance agents, please view this page.

Upon receiving reasonable responses to any questions you have in addition to an acceptable price estimate, you’ve probably found a car insurance agent that meets your needs to provide auto insurance coverage.

There’s no such thing as the perfect policy

When choosing coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a “perfect” insurance plan. Every situation is different so your insurance needs to address that. For example, these questions might point out if your situation could use an agent’s help.

• Are all vehicle passengers covered by medical payments coverage?
• When would I need additional glass coverage?
• Is my vehicle covered for smoke damage?
• When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
• Is my teen driver covered when they drive my company car?
• Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
• Is my custom paint covered by insurance?
• How much underlying liability do I need for an umbrella policy?
• What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
• Should I file a claim if it’s only slightly more than my deductible?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but one or more may apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.

More detailed Arkansas auto insurance information is located at the Arkansas Insurance Department website. Arkansas consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, discover disciplinary actions, and get help finding coverage.

Shop smart and save

As you shop your coverage around, you should never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There have been many cases where an insured cut liability coverage limits and found out when filing a claim that the savings was not a smart move. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.

Throughout this article, we presented a lot of ways to shop for auto insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may be surprised to find that the best price on auto insurance is with some of the lesser-known companies. Smaller companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than their larger competitors like State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.