Top 8 Ways to Save Money on Car Insurance in Ogden

Overpriced car insurance can drain your checking account and force you to make sacrifices. Comparison shopping is a smart way to make sure you’re not throwing money away.

Lots of auto insurance companies contend for your insurance dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates and get the definite best price available.

You need to get comparison quotes before your policy renews because prices are rarely the same from one policy term to another. If you had the best deal a couple years back you can probably find a lower rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you’re about to learn the right way to eliminate unnecessary coverages and save money.

Policy discounts you shouldn’t miss

Companies do not list every available discount very well, so here is a list both well-publicized and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving.

• Student in College – Children living away from home attending college and don’t have a car may qualify for this discount.
• Good Student – Performing well in school can earn a discount of 20% or more. This discount can apply up to age 25.
• Accident Forgiveness – A handful of insurance companies permit an accident before your rates go up if your claims history is clear prior to the accident.
• New Car Discount – Insuring a new car can cost up to 25% less because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
• Anti-theft Discount – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems help deter theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
• Club Memberships – Belonging to a civic or occupational organization could trigger savings on your policy.
• Low Mileage – Fewer annual miles can qualify you for a substantially lower rate.
• Use Seat Belts – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could save 15% off your medical payments premium.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So when it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, you won’t be that lucky.

Online quotes with a local Ogden insurance agent

A small number of people just want to sit down with an agent and that is just fine! One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is that you can obtain the best rates and still have an agent to talk to.

For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, your coverage information is instantly submitted to agents in your area who will return price quotes for your business. There is no reason to even leave your home due to the fact that quote results will go to your email. Now that’s easy! You can find the lowest rates AND a local agent.

Deciding on an provider requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. Here are some questions to ask:

• What insurance company do they write the most business with?
• Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
• Will your rates increase after a single accident?
• Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
• Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
• Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
• Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
• What insurance companies do they work with?

What types of car insurance agents are in Ogden?

When searching for a local agent, there are a couple of different agency structures that you can select. Agents are classified as either captive or independent (non-captive).

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agents work for only one company and examples are AAA, State Farm, Farmers Insurance and Allstate. They are unable to compare other company’s rates so they have no alternatives for high prices. They are well schooled on their products and sales techniques which helps them compete with independent agents.

Listed below are captive agencies in Ogden who may provide you with price quote information.

State Farm Insurance – 4699 Harrison Blvd # 302 – Ogden, UT 84403 – (801) 479-5600

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent insurance agents do not work for one specific company but rather can write business with many different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To transfer your coverage to a different company, your agent can switch companies and you won’t have to switch agencies.

When comparing rates, it’s a good idea to include price quotes from multiple independent agents to ensure the widest selection of prices.

Listed below are Ogden independent agents willing to provide price quotes.

Stewart Douglas Insurance – 1309 16th St – Ogden, UT 84404 – (801) 475-1900
Wright Insurance Inc – 555 E 5300 S # 8 – Ogden, UT 84405 – (801) 476-0057

To view a full list of car insurance agents in Ogden, visit this site.

Upon receiving reasonable responses for all questions you ask and locked in a price quote, chances are good that you have found an auto insurance agent that is a good match to insure your vehicles.

Don’t listen to company ads

21st Century, Allstate and State Farm continually stream television and radio advertisements. All the companies say the same thing that you’ll save big after switching to them. How does each company claim to save you money? It’s all in the numbers.

All companies have a certain “appetite” for the driver that earns them a profit. For example, a preferred risk could possibly be a mature driver, has no tickets, and has a high credit rating. A customer getting a price quote that hits that “sweet spot” will get very good rates and is almost guaranteed to pay quite a bit less when switching companies.

Potential insureds who fall outside the “perfect” profile must pay a higher premium which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. The ad wording is “customers that switch” not “people who quote” save that much money. That’s why insurance companies can advertise the way they do. This illustrates why it’s extremely important to get as many comparisons as possible. Because you never know which car insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Car insurance coverages explained

Learning about specific coverages of a car insurance policy can help you determine the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Listed below are the usual coverages found on the average car insurance policy.

Comprehensive insurance – This will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like rock chips in glass, theft and falling objects. The most a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Liability auto insurance – Liability coverage can cover damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property by causing an accident. It protects you against claims from other people, and does not provide coverage for damage to your own property or vehicle.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see policy limits of 100/300/100 which means a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and a limit of $100,000 paid for damaged property.

Liability insurance covers things such as medical expenses, loss of income and attorney fees. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying higher limits if possible. Utah requires drivers to carry at least 25,000/65,000/15,000 but you should think about purchasing more coverage.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – Med pay and PIP coverage kick in for short-term medical expenses for things like nursing services, hospital visits, chiropractic care and rehabilitation expenses. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP coverage is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits (which is 25/65/15), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family.

Collision coverages – Collision insurance covers damage to your vehicle caused by collision with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision coverage protects against claims such as rolling your car, sideswiping another vehicle, damaging your car on a curb and backing into a parked car. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Even more information is located at the Utah Insurance Department website. Utah drivers can find disaster information, read state legal mandates and laws, find a variety of consumer forms, and discover disciplinary actions.

Also read more on Auto Insurance 101 and this page of Ogden insurance agents.

In conclusion

Cheaper car insurance can be bought from both online companies in addition to many Ogden insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some companies do not provide online quoting and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When shopping online for car insurance, don’t be tempted to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In many instances, someone sacrificed liability coverage limits and discovered at claim time that they should have had better coverage. Your focus should be to buy the best coverage you can find at an affordable rate.