Waukegan, IL Auto Insurance For Less Than You're Paying Now

Have you had enough of scraping the payment together to pay your car insurance bill each month? Your situation is no different than the majority of other car owners in Illinois. With so many insurance providers from which to choose, it’s nearly impossible to locate the lowest cost insurance company.

The purpose of this post is to instruct you on the best way to quote coverages and some money-saving tips. If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using this information. Illinois vehicle owners just need to know the most efficient way to shop online.

Waukegan Auto Insurance Comparisons

Finding a lower price on insurance can be relatively painless. You just have to invest a little time to compare rate quotes from different insurance companies. This can be done in several different ways.

One of the best ways consumers can analyze rates is an all-inclusive rate comparison like this one (opens in new window). This form prevents you from having to do boring form submissions for each company you want a rate for. Filling out one form will get you rate comparisons from multiple companies.
A less efficient way to analyze rates requires a visit to the website for every company you want to comare to request a price quote. For sake of this example, we’ll assume you want rates from GEICO, Farmers and Liberty Mutual. To find out each rate you need to visit each site and enter your information, and that’s why the first method is more popular. For a handy list of car insurance company links in Waukegan, click here.
The least efficient way of getting rate comparisons is driving around to and from local insurance agencies. The internet can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you prefer the professional guidance that only a license agent can provide. However, consumers can comparison shop your insurance online but buy from a local insurance agent and we’ll cover that in a bit.

However you get your quotes, ensure you’re using apples-to-apples quote information with each company. If you enter higher or lower deductibles it will be impossible to make a fair comparison in Waukegan.

You probably qualify for some discounts

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but there could be available discounts to reduce the price significantly. Some discounts apply automatically when you purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked about in order for you to get them. If you don’t get every credit possible, you’re paying more than you need to.

Defensive Driving Course – Successfully completing a driver safety course could cut 5% off your bill depending on where you live.
Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accident claims.
Accident Waiver – Certain companies allow you one accident before your rates go up as long as you don’t have any claims for a set time period.
Clubs and Organizations – Affiliation with a professional or civic organization is a good way to get lower rates on your policy.
Lower Rates for Military – Having a deployed family member may qualify for rate reductions.
Claim Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories can earn big discounts when compared with frequent claim filers.

It’s important to note that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So when it seems like you can get free auto insurance, you’re out of luck. Any amount of discount will cut your premiums.

To see a list of insurance companies with discount auto insurance rates in Waukegan, follow this link.

What determines how much you pay?

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that could result in big savings.

The following are a few of the “ingredients” companies use to determine premiums.

Too many auto insurance claims drive up costs – Auto insurance companies in Illinois provide discounts to insureds who do not file claims often. If you frequently file small claims, you can definitely plan on either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Car insurance is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Your age impacts your rates – More mature drivers tend to be more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel. Young drivers are known to be careless and easily distracted when driving and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher.
Poor credit can mean higher rates – A driver’s credit rating is a important factor in determining your rates. Drivers who have excellent credit tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers who have lower ratings. If your credit history can use some improvement, you could save money insuring your by spending a little time repairing your credit.
How many coverages with the same company – Some insurers will give a discount to policyholders who have multiple policies with them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can add up to five, ten or even twenty percent. Even though this discount sounds good, you still need to shop around to ensure the best deal.

Aren’t my neighborhood agents an option?

Some consumers prefer to talk to a local agent and that is OK! Agents can answer important questions and give you someone to call. One of the best bonuses of comparing insurance prices online is you can get better rates and still have an agent to talk to. Supporting small agencies is definitely important in Waukegan. save money image

For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), the quote information is transmitted to local insurance agents in Waukegan who will give you bids to get your business. You won’t need to drive around as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. It doesn’t get any easier!

Different types of insurance agents in Waukegan

If you’re trying to find a local agent, you must know there are a couple types of insurance agents from which to choose. Insurance agencies in Waukegan are classified as either captive or independent (non-captive). Both write coverage properly, but it’s worth mentioning how they are different since it may influence buying decisions.

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent insurance agents are not required to write business for one company but rather can write business with lots of companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To move your coverage to a new company, the business is moved internally without you having to go to a different agency.

When comparison shopping, you should always contact at a minimum one independent agency for maximum quote selection.

Listed below are Waukegan independent insurance agencies who may be able to give you price quotes.

Nacional America Insurance – 2500 Grand Ave – Waukegan, IL 60085 – (847) 263-1200
Massey Insurance Svc – 2695 Grand Ave – Waukegan, IL 60085 – (847) 249-4110

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive insurance agents write business for a single company and some examples include AAA, Allstate, State Farm, Farmers Insurance or Liberty Mutual. These agents are not able to place coverage with different providers so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captive agencies are trained well in insurance sales which helps them compete with independent agents.

Below is a short list of captive agents in Waukegan who can help you get price quotes.

State Farm Insurance – 3203 Sunset Ave – Waukegan, IL 60087 – (847) 336-2019
American Family Insurance – 1401 Golf Rd – Waukegan, IL 60087 – (847) 360-1021
Farmers Insurance Group – 1780 Sunset Ave – Waukegan, IL 60087 – (847) 249-4610
Allstate Insurance – 2424 Washington St # 201 – Waukegan, IL 60085 – (847) 623-5080

For a complete listing of captive agents in Waukegan, please view this page.

Picking a car insurance agent requires more thought than just a cheap price. Agents should be asked these questions:

Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
What insurance companies do they work with?
How are they compensated?
Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?

Upon receiving positive feedback to these questions and a low price estimate, you may have just found a car insurance agent that is a good match to properly service your auto insurance policy.

You are unique and your auto insurance should be too

When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a best way to insure your cars. Each situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For example, these questions may help you determine whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.

Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Waukegan?
Will I lose any money if I cancel my policy before it expires?
Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
What discounts do I qualify for?
How do I file an SR-22 for a DUI in Illinois?
Do I qualify for additional discounts?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to 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 is quick, free and you can get the answers you need.

More information can be read on the website for the Illinois Department of Insurance located here. Illinois drivers can view a list of available companies, read consumer alerts, and read industry bulletins.

And the best car insurance company is…

As you shop your coverage around, it’s a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many situations where an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits and found out when filing a claim that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your strategy should be to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate.

Affordable auto insurance is possible on the web as well as from independent agents in Waukegan, so compare prices from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance companies don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

Waukegan, IL Auto Insurance For Less Than You’re Paying Now