Tricks for Lowering Your Rawlins Auto Insurance Rates

Have you fallen victim to an overpriced auto insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you you are not the only one feeling buyer’s remorse.

Online insurance companies like State Farm, Progressive and GEICO increase brand awareness with fancy advertisements and it is difficult to not get sucked in by the cute commercials and find the best price available.

You should make it a habit to shop coverage around occasionally due to the fact that insurance rates are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Just because you had the lowest rates two years ago there may be better deals available now. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because we’re going to demonstrate the fastest way to eliminate unnecessary coverages and save money.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you should be able to lower your premiums substantially using these techniques. Buying car insurance in Rawlins is easy if you know what you’re doing. But Wyoming drivers do need to learn how the larger insurance companies sell insurance online and apply this information to your search.

Why your price might be higher

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get lower auto insurance prices.

Shown below are a partial list of the pieces used by your company to calculate your rates.

Do you have a high stress job? – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for auto insurance? Occupations like judges, executives and financial analysts are shown to have higher average rates in part from high stress levels and lots of time spent at work. Conversely, occupations like farmers, engineers and homemakers pay the least.
High performance equals high price – The performance of the vehicle you drive makes a big difference in determining your rates. Economy passenger vehicles generally receive the lowest base rates, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
Multi-policy discounts can save money – The majority of companies will award you with lower prices to insureds who carry more than one policy such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can be anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even if you’re getting this discount you may still want to compare other company rates to verify if the discount is saving money.
Battle of the sexes – Statistics have proven women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, this does not mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Men and women tend to get into accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species have costlier accidents. Men also tend to have more aggressive citations such as reckless driving. Youthful male drivers tend to get in the most accidents and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
Being married is a good thing – Having a spouse actually saves money on auto insurance. It is viewed as being more mature and it’s statistically proven that being married results in fewer claims.
Drive less and save money – The higher the mileage driven in a year’s time the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most insurance companies charge to insure your cars determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars used primarily for pleasure use receive lower rates than those used for commuting. Double check that your auto insurance declarations sheet is rated on the correct usage for each vehicle, because improper ratings can cost you money.
Your age impacts your rates – Older drivers are viewed as being more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers. Teen drivers are statistically proven to be more careless behind the wheel therefore auto insurance rates are much higher.
Lower rates with optional equipment – Choosing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft features such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can thwart your vehicle from being stolen.

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

When shopping for auto insurance there are multiple ways to compare rate quotes from auto insurance companies in your area. The recommended way to find the cheapest insurance rates is to get quotes online. This can be done in a couple of different ways.

The fastest way to get the best comparison quotes is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This easy form keeps you from doing separate forms for each company you want a rate for. Completing one form compares rates from multiple companies.
A different way to obtain and compare quotes online requires visiting each company website to request a price quote. For instance, let’s say you want to compare rates from USAA, Farmers and Allstate. You would have to go to every website and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is more popular.
For a handy list of car insurance company links in Rawlins, click here.
The least recommended method of comparing rate quotes to different Rawlins agent offices. Shopping for auto insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you have a need for the trained guidance of a licensed agent. You can, however, find lower rates online but still have the advice of a local agent and we’ll talk about that later.

Whichever method you choose, be sure to compare the exact same information on every quote you get. If you use differing limits it will be next to impossible to determine the best price in Rawlins. Just a small difference in coverages can mean a large discrepancy in price. Just keep in mind that comparing a large number of companies will enable you to find the best offered rates.

The fine print in auto insurance ads

Auto insurance providers like Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm consistently run ads on TV and radio. They all say the same thing of big savings if you change your policy. How does each company claim to save you money?

Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that makes them money. For example, a driver they prefer could be between 30 and 50, has no prior claims, and drives newer vehicles. A customer who fits that profile gets the lowest rates and therefore will pay quite a bit less when switching companies.

Consumers who don’t meet the “perfect” profile will be charged higher prices and ends up with the customer not buying. The ads state “customers that switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much money. That is how companies can advertise the way they do. That is why drivers should get quotes from several different companies. It’s not possible to predict which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Discounts are basically free money

Companies offering auto insurance don’t always advertise every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we researched both well-publicized and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving.

No Claims – Drivers who don’t have accidents pay much less as compared to frequent claim filers.
Distant Student – Children living away from home attending college without a vehicle on campus may qualify for this discount.
Senior Citizens – Older drivers may qualify for a discount up to 10%.
Multi-policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with one company you may earn approximately 10% to 15%.
Student Driver Training – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver’s ed class in school.
More Vehicles More Savings – Buying coverage for multiple cars or trucks on the same auto insurance policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
One Accident Forgiven – A few companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums if you are claim-free prior to the accident.
Payment Method – By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.

Drivers should understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So when the math indicates having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you’re out of luck.

For a list of insurance companies offering auto insurance discounts in Rawlins, click here.

Shop online but buy locally

Some consumers just want to visit with an insurance agent and that is just fine! The best thing about price shopping on the web is you may find lower rates and still have an agent to talk to.

After completing this short form, your insurance data is instantly submitted to local insurance agents in Rawlins who will give you bids for your business. You don’t have to drive around because quoted prices will be sent immediately to your email address. Now that’s easy! Get lower rates AND an agent nearby.

Choosing an insurance company should depend on more than just a low price. Here are some questions to ask:

Is assistance available after office hours?
Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
Are they full-time agents?
Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
How long has their agency been open in Rawlins?
Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
If you have an accident, will your rates go up?

Listed below are Rawlins insurance companies that may be able to provide rate quotes.

Dabb Insurance – 316 E Cedar St, Rawlins, WY 82301 – (307) 324-4755
State Farm Insurance – 205 W Cedar St, Rawlins, WY 82301 – (307) 324-6677
Allen Insurance & Real Estate – 501 W Buffalo St, Rawlins, WY 82301 – (307) 324-6611
Brown Agency Inc – 600 N Higley Blvd, Rawlins, WY 82301 – (307) 324-2100

After getting answers to your satisfaction to these questions as well as a affordable price, you may have just found an provider that is a good match to provide auto insurance coverage.

More tips and info about auto insurance is located at the Wyoming Insurance Department website. Consumers can download brochures, file complaints about a company, view agent and company licensing information, and learn about specific coverages.

One last thing about your coverage

In this article, we presented some good ideas how you can save on auto insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers may even find the best price on auto insurance is with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. Smaller companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates than their larger competitors like Progressive or GEICO.

Cost effective auto insurance is available on the web as well as from independent agents in Rawlins, so you should be comparing quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance providers don’t offer you the ability to get quotes online and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

When buying insurance coverage, make sure you don’t skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are many occasions where someone dropped full coverage to discover at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.