No one in their right mind enjoys paying for car insurance, in particular when they are paying too much. Drivers have multiple insurance companies to buy insurance from, and although it’s nice to have a choice, it can be more challenging to find the best rates for your vehicles.
It’s a great practice to get comparison quotes once or twice a year because rates are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Just because you found the lowest rates a couple years back you may be paying too much now. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding car insurance on the web, but by reading this article, you’re going to learn some solid techniques on how to find cheap car insurance in Ohio.
Why your price might be higher
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that come into play when calculating your car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.
The list below includes some of the items used by your company to calculate prices.
- Better crash test results mean better rates – Vehicles with high crash test scores get lower rates. The safest vehicles have better occupant injury protection and lower injury rates means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
- Your credit rating is important – A driver’s credit score is a huge factor in determining your rates. So if your credit score is lower than you’d like, you could be paying less to insure your by repairing your credit. Consumers who have high credit ratings tend to be less risk to insure as compared to drivers with poor credit.
- Performance makes a difference – The make and model of the car you drive makes a substantial difference in how high your rates are. The lowest rates are for small economy passenger cars, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
- Pay less after the wedding – Being married actually saves money on your car insurance policy. It means you’re more mature than a single person it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married are more cautious.
- More than one policy can earn a discount – Some companies give discounts to policyholders who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you’re getting this discount it’s in your best interest to shop around to make sure you are getting the best deal. Drivers may still find better rates by insuring with multiple companies.
Verify you’re getting all your discounts
Auto insurance companies do not list every available discount very clearly, so we researched both the well known as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving. If you’re not getting every credit you deserve, you are paying more than you should be.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents may save up to 50% more than less cautious drivers.
- Organization Discounts – Participating in a civic or occupational organization could trigger savings when shopping for car insurance.
- Defensive Driving Course – Completing a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
- Homeowners Discount – Owning a home in Cincinnati can help you save on car insurance because maintaining a house requires personal responsibility.
- Lower Rates for Military – Being on active duty in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Fewer annual miles can qualify you for better rates on cars that stay parked.
- Bundle and Save – If you insure your home and vehicles with the same insurance company you will save up to 20% off your total premium.
- Save with a New Car – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can save up to 30% because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
- Theft Prevention System – Anti-theft and alarm systems help deter theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Braking Control Discount – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
Consumers should know that some of the credits will not apply the the whole policy. A few only apply to individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. Just because it seems like you can get free auto insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way.
To see a list of providers with the best car insurance discounts in Ohio, click this link.
Can’t I compare rates from local Cincinnati agents?
Certain consumers would rather sit down with an agent and that is just fine! Licensed agents can point out coverage gaps and help file insurance claims. One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is the fact that you can find better rates but also keep your business local.
Once you complete this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is immediately sent to agents in your area who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. You don’t have to leave your computer due to the fact that quote results will go straight to your inbox. How’s that for easy!
Deciding on an provider requires more thought than just the price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:
- What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
- If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
- If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
Is a captive or independent auto insurance agent right for you?
When searching for a reliable agent, there are two different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Cincinnati agents are classified as either independent (non-captive) or captive. While both can write coverage properly, but it’s good to learn the differences because it can influence the type of agent you choose
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive insurance agents are contracted to one company such as State Farm, AAA and Liberty Mutual. They usually cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they have to upsell other benefits. They are well schooled on the products they sell which can be an advantage.
The following is a list of captive insurance agents in Cincinnati that can give you rate quotes.
American Family Insurance – 4314 Montgomery Rd – Cincinnati, OH 45212 – (513) 351-0917
Allstate Insurance Co – 8131 Colerain Ave – Cincinnati, OH 45239 – (513) 931-2020
State Farm Insurance – 3322 Erie Ave # 102 – Cincinnati, OH 45208 – (513) 533-1661
Farmers Insurance Group – 6310 E Kemper Rd – Cincinnati, OH 45241 – (513) 489-3370
Liberty Mutual – 10101 Alliance Rd – Cincinnati, OH 45242 – (513) 792-5200
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent insurance agents are not employed by any specific company but rather can write business with multiple insurance companies depending on which coverage is best. To transfer your coverage to a different company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you won’t have to switch agencies.
When comparison shopping, you should always get quotes from multiple independent agents for the best price selection.
The following are independent insurance agents in Cincinnati willing to provide comparison quotes.
Iori Insurance – 3310 Westbourne Dr – Cincinnati, OH 45248 – (513) 347-9190
Simons Insurance – 40 Eswin St – Cincinnati, OH 45218 – (513) 648-0838
Kinney Moore Agency – 1701 Compton Rd – Cincinnati, OH 45231 – (513) 522-7424
Wood-Almanza Agency – 5615 Glenway Ave – Cincinnati, OH 45238 – (513) 922-5000
Chip Berry Agency – 4790 Red Bank Expy – Cincinnati, OH 45227 – (513) 271-2000
To view a complete directory of insurance agents in Cincinnati, simply jump to this page.
After getting reasonable responses to these questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, it’s possible that you found an insurance agent that can insure your vehicles.
When should I talk to an agent?
When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Each situation is unique so this has to be addressed. For instance, these questions might point out if your situation may require specific advice.
- How do I file an SR-22 for a DUI in Ohio?
- Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
- Does having multiple vehicles earn me a discount?
- Am I getting all the discounts available?
- Why is insurance for a teen driver so high in Cincinnati?
- Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
- When would I need rental car insurance?
- Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
- What are the financial responsibility laws in Ohio?
- Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It is quick, free and may give you better protection.
Learn more about Ohio car insurance
Additional detailed information can be found at the Ohio Department of Insurance website. Ohio drivers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, file complaints about a company, read state legal mandates and laws, and report car insurance fraud.
Final considerations
While you’re price shopping online, make sure you don’t buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are a lot of situations where an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage only to regret at claim time that it was a big error on their part. Your aim should be to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.
Budget-conscious car insurance is definitely available both online as well as from independent agents in Cincinnati, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best rate selection. Some companies don’t offer you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.
In this article, we covered many tips how you can save on car insurance. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from the smaller companies. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like State Farm or Progressive.