Tired of being strong-armed each month for car insurance? You’re in the same situation as many other Louisiana consumers. Having so many auto insurance companies to choose from, it is hard for the average consumer to choose the right car insurance company.
How to Lower Your Auto Insurance Cost in Bossier City, Louisiana
Reducing your insurance rates is not rocket science. Just take time comparing price quotes from different insurance companies. This is very easy and can be done in a couple of different ways.
- The most efficient way to get quotes would be an industry-wide quote request form like this one (opens in new window). This easy form prevents you from having to do repetitive form entry to each individual auto insurance company. Just one form gets rate comparisons .
- A less efficient way to get quotes online consists of visiting each company’s website to complete their respective quote request forms. For sake of this example, we’ll assume you want to compare rates from Nationwide, Liberty Mutual and Travelers. To get each rate you have to take the time to go to each site to input your insurance information, and that’s why the first method is more popular. For a handy list of car insurance company links in Bossier City, click here.
- The least recommended method to get comparison rates is driving to and from local Bossier City insurance agencies. Buying insurance online makes this process obsolete unless you want the professional guidance of a licensed agent. Drivers can comparison shop online but still have the advice of a local agent and you’ll learn how to do that later.
It’s up to you which method you use, but make absolute certain that you use the exact same coverage information with every price quote. If you are comparing mixed coverages it will be very difficult to determine the best price in Bossier City.
Is there truth in advertising?
Louisiana consumers constantly see and hear ads for car insurance savings from companies such as Allstate, Geico and Progressive. All the ads say the same thing that you’ll save big if you change your policy.
How do they all make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.
Insurance companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of driver they prefer to insure. An example of a profitable customer could possibly be over the age of 50, insures multiple vehicles, and has a short commute. Any new insured who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will cut their rates substantially.
Potential customers who don’t qualify for this ideal profile will be quoted a higher premium which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “people who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. This is how companies can truthfully make those claims.
This emphasizes why drivers should get a wide range of price quotes. You cannot predict which company will fit your personal profile best.
How much can you save with discounts?
Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but there could be available discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time you complete a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked for before being credited. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you are paying more than you should be.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Anti-theft and alarm systems can help prevent theft and will save you 10% or more.
- Air Bag Discount – Factory air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can avoid accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you could get a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.
- Accident Waiver – Certain companies permit an accident before hitting you with a surcharge if your claims history is clear for a set time period.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
- No Accidents – Claim-free drivers pay less compared to frequent claim filers.
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Fewer annual miles can qualify you for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Having multiple cars or trucks on one policy could earn a price break for each car.
A little note about advertised discounts, many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears you can get free auto insurance, companies wouldn’t make money that way. Any amount of discount will bring down your overall premium however.
To choose insurers with discount auto insurance rates in Louisiana, follow this link.
Won’t my local insurance agent miss me?
Some people would rather buy from a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Educated insurance agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and give you peace of mind. The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain lower rates and still choose a local agent. Supporting small agencies is important particularly in Bossier City.
By using this simple form, your coverage information gets sent to insurance agents in Bossier City who will return price quotes for your coverage. You never need to drive around as quotes are delivered directly to your email. How’s that for easy!
How to choose the best insurance agency in Bossier City
When finding a local agent, you need to know there are two types of insurance agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Insurance agencies in Bossier City are either captive or independent. While both can write coverage properly, but it’s worth learning the difference between them since it can impact your selection of an agent.
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Independent insurance agents do not work for one specific company but rather can write business amongst many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If you are not satisfied with one company, the business is moved internally and you won’t have to switch agencies.
When comparing rates, it’s a good idea to include price quotes from several independent insurance agents to ensure the widest selection of prices.
Shown below are Bossier City independent agents that can give you price quotes.
Campbell Insurance Inc – 1800 Jimmie Davis Hwy # A – Bossier City, LA 71112 – (318) 746-2078
Direct General Ins Agency – 1408 Airline Dr – Bossier City, LA 71112 – (318) 747-9900
Southern General Agency – 3018 Old Minden Rd # 1103 – Bossier City, LA 71112 – (318) 550-0264
Louisiana General Agency – 1824 Benton Rd – Bossier City, LA 71111 – (318) 746-4242
ABC Insurance – 1520 Barksdale Blvd – Bossier City, LA 71111 – (318) 222-0123
Captive Agents
Captive insurance agents can only write with one company like Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. These agents are not able to give you multiple price quotes so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captive agencies are very knowledgeable on the products they sell and that can be a competitive advantage.
Below are Bossier City captive agencies that are able to give price quote information.
Shelter Insurance – 2223 Old Minden Rd # A # 1 – Bossier City, LA 71112 – (318) 746-1245
Allstate Insurance – 1290 Airline Dr – Bossier City, LA 71112 – (318) 746-9522
State Farm Insurance – 2200 Airline Dr – Bossier City, LA 71111 – (318) 747-2712
Farm Bureau Insurance – 1630 Barksdale Blvd – Bossier City, LA 71111 – (318) 424-1700
To view a complete directory of captive insurance agents in Bossier City, visit this link.
Deciding on a car insurance agent requires more thought than just the price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
- What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
- Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
- Can they give you a list of client referrals?
- How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
- Is assistance available after office hours?
Upon receiving answers to your satisfaction to all your questions and a low price estimate, it’s possible that you found an auto insurance agent that can insure your vehicles.
Everyone needs different coverages
When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s needs are different so this has to be addressed. For example, these questions may help highlight whether you would benefit from professional advice.
- Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
- Do all my vehicles need collision coverage?
- Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
- Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- What discounts do I qualify for?
- What if I total my vehicle and owe more than it’s worth?
- Will my vehicle be repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
If you can’t answer these questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It’s fast, free and can help protect your family.
Much more information about auto insurance in Louisiana is located on the website for the Louisiana Department of Insurance through this link. Louisiana consumers can download brochures, find out industry alerts, and find a variety of consumer forms.
Quote often and quote early
Lower-priced auto insurance can be bought on the web in addition to many Bossier City insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
As you shop your coverage around, never buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are a lot of situations where someone dropped physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The aim is to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.
We just showed you some good ideas how you can shop for auto insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Consumers could even find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from some of the lesser-known companies. Smaller companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate and Progressive.