New Strategies for Saving Money on on Eau Claire Car Insurance

If you’re new to shopping for car insurance online, it’s easy to be confused by the hoards of companies competing for business in Eau Claire.

Finding the best rates in Eau Claire is not that difficult. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you should be able to reduce your rates substantially using this strategy. Wisconsin drivers only need to know the proper way to compare price quotes on the web.

Compare Car Insurance Today

Most major insurance companies give price estimates directly from their websites. Getting online rates is quite easy as you just type in your coverage information as requested by the quote form. When the form is submitted, their rating system automatically orders reports for credit and driving violations and generates a price based on these and other factors.

This makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the time required to go to different websites and type in the same information is monotonous and tiresome. But it is imperative to do this in order to get the best price on car insurance.

The quickest way to get multiple rate quotes uses one simple form to get prices from multiple companies. It saves time, requires much less work on your part, and makes quoting online much more enjoyable. After your information is entered, your coverage is rated and you can select any or none of the returned quotes. If you find a better price you can click and sign and buy the policy. It just takes a couple of minutes and can result in significant savings.

If you want to compare rates now, click here to open in a new tab and submit your coverage information. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended that you enter your coverages exactly as shown on your declarations page. Using the same limits helps guarantee you’re receiving a fair comparison using the same coverage and limits.

Don’t overlook these discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don’t always publicize all available discounts very clearly, so we took the time to find some of the more common and the more hidden discounts you could be receiving. If you’re not getting every credit you deserve, you are paying more than you should be.

Military Rewards – Being deployed with a military unit could mean lower rates.
Passive Restraints – Vehicles with factory air bags or automatic seat belts can get savings of more than 20%.
Paperless Signup – Certain companies will give a small break for buying a policy and signing up online.
Multiple Cars – Having all your vehicles on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt could cut 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.

A little note about advertised discounts, some credits don’t apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only apply to individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when the math indicates adding up those discounts means a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way.

To see a list of companies offering car insurance discounts in Wisconsin, follow this link.

Lower your Eau Claire Car Insurance Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that help determine the rates you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates enables informed choices that will entitle you to lower car insurance prices. Car insurance in Eau Claire

The following are a partial list of the pieces car insurance companies consider when setting prices.

What are your deductibles? – The deductibles represent how much money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. Physical damage coverage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, protects your car from damage. Some instances where coverage would apply are colliding with a building, damage from fire, and windstorm damage. The more money you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the bigger discount you will receive.
Safer cars are cheaper to insure – Cars with high safety ratings get lower rates. Safer cars reduce injuries and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts and thus lower rates.
What type of vehicle do you drive? – The make and model of the car you own makes a significant difference in the rate you pay. Economy passenger cars usually have the lowest rates, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
Little extras can really add up – There are a ton of additional coverages you can purchase on your car insurance policy. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, better glass coverage and motor club memberships are some examples. These coverages may sound good at first, but if you don’t need them eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
High numbers of claims are not good – If you file claims often, you can look forward to either higher rates or even cancellation. Insurance companies in Wisconsin give discounts to policyholders who file claims infrequently. Car insurance is meant to be used in the event of larger claims.
Lower miles equals lower premium – The more miles you rack up on your car in a year the more you will pay for car insurance. Most companies charge to insure your cars based on their usage. Autos not used for work or commuting qualify for better rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Ask your agent if your car insurance policy is rated on how each vehicle is driven.
One company can mean more discounts – Most car insurance companies will award you with lower prices to insureds who carry more than one policy in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even if you’re getting this discount it’s in your best interest to compare other company rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
Protect your assets with liability insurance – The liability section of your policy will protect you if ever you are found to be at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It provides legal defense starting from day one. This coverage is very inexpensive compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.

What happened to insurance agents?

Certain consumers would prefer to get advice from a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Agents can point out coverage gaps and help you file claims. One of the great benefits of comparing rates online is the fact that you can find lower rates and still choose a local agent.

To help locate an agent, after submitting this simple form, your coverage information is sent to agents in your area who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to drive around as quotes are delivered to the email address you provide. How cool is that?!

Deciding on an insurance company needs to be determined by more than just the price. Agents should be asked these questions:

Who are their largest clients?
What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
How are they compensated?
Do they regularly work with personal auto policies?
How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?

Best insurance agency in Eau Claire

When finding a reputable insurance agent or broker, there are a couple of types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agents are either independent (non-captive) or captive. Both types can do a good job, but it’s worth mentioning the difference between them because it can impact the selection process.

Captive Insurance Agents

These agents are contracted to one company and examples are AAA, Allstate and State Farm. These agents are unable to give you multiple price quotes so it’s a take it or leave it situation. They are well schooled on their products and sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Some consumers prefer to choose to use a captive agent mainly due to the prominence of the brand and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.

Listed below is a list of captive agents in Eau Claire that are able to give rate quotes.

State Farm Insurance – 419 S Barstow St – Eau Claire, WI 54701 – (715) 835-4328
Farmers Insurance Group – 3321 Golf Rd – Eau Claire, WI 54701 – (715) 834-8123
American Family Insurance – 3119 Golf Rd – Eau Claire, WI 54701 – (715) 834-6626

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

These agents are not required to write business for one company so they can insure your vehicles amongst many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, they simply move the coverage in-house and you won’t have to switch agencies. When comparing rates, it’s a good idea to get quotes from several independent insurance agents to ensure the widest selection of prices.Many can place coverage with different regional companies which can be an advantage.

Below is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Eau Claire willing to provide comparison quotes.

Indianhead Insurance Inc – 3806 Oakwood Hills Pkwy # 1 – Eau Claire, WI 54701 – (715) 833-7181
Daniel J Flynn Agency – 1903 Keith St # 2 – Eau Claire, WI 54701 – (715) 839-7346
Nathan Norgaard Agency – 2440 London Rd – Eau Claire, WI 54701 – (715) 834-6286
Burstad Insurance – – Eau Claire, WI 54701 – (715) 858-9035
Cayo Agency – 336 Water St – Eau Claire, WI 54703 – (715) 839-0019

For a complete listing of licensed insurance agents in Eau Claire, view this link.

Upon getting satisfactory answers to any questions you have as well as a affordable price, chances are good that you have found a car insurance agent that is a good match to insure your vehicles.

More detailed Wisconsin car insurance information is located at the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance website. Wisconsin consumers can report car insurance fraud, view agent and company licensing information, and view a list of available companies.

Compare but don’t skimp

Consumers switch companies for a number of reasons such as extreme rates for teen drivers, high rates after DUI convictions, high prices or being labeled a high risk driver. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding the right car insurance provider is easier than you think.

As you shop your coverage around, it’s a bad idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to regret at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. Your goal should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford.

Cheaper car insurance is attainable from both online companies and with local Eau Claire insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best selection. There are still a few companies who do not offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.