Overpriced car insurance can take a big chunk out of your personal savings and put a big crunch on your finances. Shopping your coverage around is a great way to slash your bill and have more diposable income.
Insurance companies such as State Farm, Progressive and Geico constantly blast consumers with TV and radio ads and it can be hard to not get sucked in by the cute commercials and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.
Consumers need to get comparison quotes every six months because rates are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Even if you got the lowest rates last year you will most likely find a better rate today. There is a lot of bad advice regarding car insurance online, so we’re going to give you some proven techniques to reduce your car insurance bill.
Save big with these discounts
Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but you may find discounts to cut the cost considerably. Some trigger automatically at the time of quoting, but lesser-known reductions have to be requested specifically before being credited.
- Sign Online – A handful of insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying a policy and signing up online.
- Discount for Swiching Early – Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching policies before your current policy expires. The savings is around 10%.
- Seat Belts Save – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt could cut 10% or more off your medical payments premium.
- Drive Safe and Save – Insureds without accidents can pay as much as 50% less than their less cautious counterparts.
- Claim Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories can earn big discounts as compared to drivers who are more careless.
- Clubs and Organizations – Belonging to certain professional organizations could trigger savings on car insurance.
- Auto/Life Discount – Some companies give a break if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
- Student in College – Children who live away from home without a vehicle on campus may be able to be covered for less.
Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think you could get a free car insurance policy, companies don’t profit that way. Any amount of discount will cut the cost of coverage.
Lower your Lebanon Car Insurance Rates
Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that go into determining your car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with better car insurance rates.
Listed below are some of the factors used by your company to calculate rates.
- Cautious drivers pay less – Your driving record impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Careful drivers get better rates than people who have multiple driving citations. Even one moving violation can boost insurance rates by twenty percent. Drivers who get severe violations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may be required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state motor vehicle department in order to drive a vehicle legally.
- Lower rates with optional equipment – Driving a car with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft devices like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all hinder auto theft.
- Frequent car insurance claims increase rates – If you file claims often, you can expect either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance companies in Pennsylvania generally give cheaper rates to people who file claims infrequently. Car insurance is meant to be used in the event of the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
- High deductibles save money – Physical damage coverage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, is used to repair damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply would be colliding with a building, vandalism, and windstorm damage. Your deductibles are how much you are required to spend in the event of a claim. The more you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the bigger discount you will receive.
- Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance – Safer cars tend to have better insurance rates. The safest vehicles protect occupants better and any reduction in injury severity translates into savings for insurance companies and thus lower rates.
- Drive less and save money – Driving more miles each year the higher your rates will be. The majority of insurers charge to insure your cars based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles not used for work or commuting qualify for better rates than those used for commuting. Ask your agent if your car insurance coverage shows the proper vehicle usage.
- Your credit rating is important – Your credit score is a important factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. Therefore, if your credit is lower than you’d like, you could be paying less to insure your by spending a little time repairing your credit. People with high credit scores tend to be more responsible than those with poor credit.
- Are you male or female? – Statistics have proven that women are safer drivers than men. Now that doesn’t mean men are worse drivers. Both sexes tend to get into accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species tend to have more serious accidents. Men also tend to get cited for more serious violations such as reckless driving.
Won’t my local insurance agent miss me?
Certain consumers would prefer to buy from a local agent. One of the best bonuses of getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find better rates and still have an agent to talk to. Supporting small agencies is important especially in Lebanon.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this simple form, your coverage information is submitted to insurance agents in Lebanon who will give you bids for your business. There is no reason to drive around due to the fact that quote results will go immediately to your email address. How cool is that?! It’s the lowest rates without the usual hassles of price shopping.
Best auto insurance agent in Lebanon
When looking for an insurance agent, you need to know there are two different agency structures from which to choose. Lebanon agents are either captive or independent (non-captive).
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agencies are not locked into one company but rather can write business amongst many companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If you are not satisfied with one company, the agent simply finds a different carrier without you having to go to a different agency. When shopping rates, it’s recommended you contact several independent insurance agents to ensure the widest selection of prices.
Listed below are Lebanon independent agents that may be able to provide price quote information.
Gingrich Insurance – 702 Cumberland St – Lebanon, PA 17042 – (717) 272-2975
Hoffman Agency – 542 Cumberland St – Lebanon, PA 17042 – (717) 272-6461
Ronald N Ensminger Insurance – 860 Kimmerlings Rd – Lebanon, PA 17046 – (717) 272-9877
Captive Insurance Agents
These agents can only write with one company like Allstate, AAA, Liberty Mutual and State Farm. They generally cannot shop your coverage around so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captives are usually quite knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques which can be an advantage.
The following are Lebanon captive agencies that can give you price quotes.
State Farm Insurance – 330 Cumberland St – Lebanon, PA 17042 – (717) 274-3822
Allstate Insurance – 546 S 9th St # 200 – Lebanon, PA 17042 – (717) 272-6062
For a complete listing of captive agencies in Lebanon, visit this link.
Choosing an insurance agency requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. Some important questions to ask are:
- How long has their agency been in business in Lebanon?
- Will your rates increase after a single accident?
- Are they full-time agents?
- Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
- Do they regularly work with personal auto policies?
- Who are their largest clients?
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
Once you have satisfactory answers to any questions you have and an acceptable price quote, most likely you have located an auto insurance agent that will insure your vehicles.
For more reading
Additional information is located on the website for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department through this link. Pennsylvania consumers can download brochures, learn about specific coverages, and report car insurance fraud.
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Online plus local equals savings
Discount car insurance is available from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Lebanon agents, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
We’ve covered a lot of information how to reduce car insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even find the best price on car insurance is with a small mutual company. These companies often have lower prices on specific markets than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate, Geico and Progressive.