Uncover the Secrets to Paying Less for Bay City Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Believe me when I say there are many people just like you. Many car insurance companies vie to insure your vehicles, so it can be very hard to choose a company to find the absolute best rates possible.

It’s a great practice to check auto insurance prices on a regular basis due to the fact that insurance rates fluctuate regularly. If you had the best rates a couple years back other companies may now be cheaper. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because you’re about to find out how to use the internet to eliminate unnecessary coverages and save money.

Free Quotes for Auto Insurance in Bay City

Reducing your insurance rates is surprisingly easy. Just spend a little time getting comparison quotes online from several insurance companies. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

The recommended way to get the best comparison quotes would be an industry-wide quote request form click here to open form in new window. This form keeps you from doing separate quote forms for every auto insurance company. Taking the time to complete one form gets you price quotes from several companies.

A different way to shop for auto insurance online is going to the website for each individual company and complete a new quote form. For instance, let’s assume you want comparison quotes from USAA, 21st Century and Progressive. To find out each rate you need to visit each site to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is more popular. For a handy list of car insurance company links in Bay City, click here.

Which method you use is up to you, but be sure to compare identical coverages and limits for each comparison quote. If you are comparing differing limits you will not be able to find the best deal in Bay City.

How can Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm save drivers who switch?

Michigan drivers get pounded daily by advertisements for the lowest price auto insurance from the likes of Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm. They all seem to make an identical promise that you’ll save big if you switch your coverage to them.

But how can every company say the same thing?

Different companies have a certain “appetite” for the right customer that earns them a profit. An example of a driver they prefer might be over the age of 40, has no driving citations, and has a short commute. A driver who matches those parameters gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.

Consumers who fall outside the requirements will be charged a more expensive rate and this can result in business not being written. The ads state “customers that switch” not “people who quote” save that much money. That is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the way they do.

That is why drivers should get quotes from several different companies. You cannot predict which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Many Things Influence your Rates

It’s important that you understand the factors that play a part in calculating auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get big savings.

• No coverage gaps is important – Driving your car without having proper coverage is illegal and auto insurance companies will penalize you for letting your coverage have a gap. And not only will your rates increase, failure to provide proof of insurance might get you a license revocation or jail time.
• Mature drivers pay less – Older drivers are more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and tend to be better behind the wheel. Teen drivers are known to be less responsible behind the wheel and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher.
• Being married is a good thing – Being married can get you a discount on auto insurance. Marriage means you’re more mature than a single person and it’s statistically proven that being married results in fewer claims.
• Don’t buy coverages you don’t need – There are many extra coverages you can purchase on your auto insurance policy. Coverages like roadside assistance, better glass coverage and motor club memberships may be wasting your money. They may seem like a good idea initially, but if you don’t need them get rid of them and save.

Don’t pay full price with these discounts

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you may find discounts to reduce the price significantly. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time you complete a quote, but some may not be applied and must be requested specifically before being credited. If you’re not getting every credit you deserve, you are throwing money away.

• Driver’s Ed – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver’s education in high school.
• New Car Discount – Insuring a new car can save up to 30% because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
• Sign Early and Save – Some companies give discounts for signing up before your current policy expires. It can save you around 10%.
• Resident Student – Youth drivers living away from home attending college and do not have a car may be able to be covered for less.
• E-sign – Certain companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.
• Lower Rates for Military – Being deployed with a military unit may qualify for rate reductions.
• Government Employees – Employees or retirees of the government can save as much as 8% with certain companies.
• Good Student – Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts up to age 25.
• Use Seat Belts – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could save 15% off your medical payments premium.
• Drive Safe and Save – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accident claims.

It’s important to note that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like you could get a free auto insurance policy, companies don’t profit that way. Any amount of discount will help reduce the cost of coverage.

Your personal situation dictates your coverage

When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no perfect coverage plan. Every insured’s situation is different so your insurance needs to address that. These are some specific questions might help in determining whether your personal situation might need an agent’s assistance.

• Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?
• Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
• What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?
• Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
• Do no-fault laws apply in Michigan?
• At what point should I drop full coverage?
• Should I sign the liability waiver when renting a car?
• Is pleasure use cheaper than using my vehicle to commute?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It’s fast, free and can provide invaluable advice.

In Summary

In this article, we presented quite a bit of information on how to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the most savings is with a lesser-known regional company. They may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than their larger competitors like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.

Lower-priced auto insurance can be purchased on the web and also from your neighborhood Bay City agents, so you should compare both to have the best selection. Some auto insurance companies may not provide online quoting and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.

To find out more about Michigan auto insurance

Additional auto insurance information can be read on the website for the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation located here. Consumers can view agent and company licensing information, file complaints about a company, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.