Having to pay for high-priced car insurance can stress out your personal savings and possibly require you to analyze your spending habits. Performing a price comparison is an excellent way to slash your bill and have more diposable income.
Since people have many different company options, it can be impossible to pick the lowest cost insurance company.
Buying car insurance in Clairton is quite easy. If you have car insurance now, you should be able to lower your premiums substantially using these tips. Pennsylvania vehicle owners only need an understanding of the most efficient way to find the lowest price online.
You may qualify for discounts
Companies don’t list all available discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the list below contains both the well known and the more hidden discounts you could be receiving when you .
- Drivers Ed for Students – Have your child complete a driver education course as it will make them better drivers and lower rates.
- Good Student Discount – Maintaining excellent grades can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The good student discount can last up until you turn 25.
- Full Payment Discount – By making one initial payment as opposed to paying monthly you can actually save on your bill.
- Telematics Data Discounts – Policyholders that allow companies to track where and when they drive by using a telematic data system such as In-Drive from State Farm or Allstate’s Drivewise system may see discounts if they show good driving skills.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to buckle up can save up to 15% off the medical payments premium.
Discounts lower rates, but some of the credits will not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though the math looks like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, that’s just not realistic.
Auto insurance companies that may offer quotes with most of the discounts above include:
Before purchasing a policy, check with every company which discounts they offer. Some credits might not be offered everywhere. To locate companies who offer discounts in Pennsylvania, click this link.
When in doubt talk to an agent
When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s situation is a little different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. These are some specific questions could help you determine whether your personal situation might need professional guidance.
- Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
- Are all vehicle passengers covered by medical payments coverage?
- Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
- Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
- Where can I get insurance after a DUI in Pennsylvania?
- Am I covered when using my vehicle for business?
- What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
- Can I afford low physical damage deductibles?
- Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and can provide invaluable advice.
Local Clairton car insurance agents
Many drivers prefer to have an agent’s advice and often times that is recommended Good insurance agents can make sure you are properly covered and help file insurance claims. One of the great benefits of comparing car insurance online is that drivers can save money and get cheap car insurance rates but also keep your business local.
Once you complete this short form, your insurance coverage information is emailed to insurance agents in Clairton who can give free rate quotes to get your business. It makes it easy because there is no need to find an agent on your own because quoted prices will be sent to the email address you provide. If you want to get a comparison quote from a specific company, don’t hesitate to visit that company’s website and fill out their quote form.
Deciding on an insurer needs to be determined by more than just the premium amount. These questions are important to ask:
- Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
- Do they regularly work with personal auto policies in Clairton?
- How are they compensated?
- How does the company pay claims for a total loss?
- Will your rates increase after a single accident?
The different types of car insurance agents
When finding a local insurance agency, there are a couple of different agency structures and how they function. Car insurance agents in Clairton can be classified as either captive or independent (non-captive). Either type can sell affordable car insurance policies, but it’s important to point out the difference in the companies they write for since it may influence which agent you choose.
Captive Agencies
Agents of this type can usually just insure with one company like State Farm or Allstate. Captive agents cannot shop your coverage around so always compare other rates. They receive a lot of sales training on their company’s products which aids in selling service over price.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Agents of this type do not sell for just one brand so they can quote policies with multiple insurance companies depending on which coverage is best. If your premiums go up, your agent can switch companies and you won’t have to switch agencies.
If you are comparing rate quotes, you need to include price quotes from multiple independent agents for maximum quote selection.
Listed below are independent agents in Clairton who can help you get rate quotes.
William S Eber Insurance – 25 Gill Hall Rd – Clairton, PA 15025 – (412) 653-0600
To view more insurance agents in Clairton, see this list of car insurance agencies in Clairton.
Car insurance advertising gotchas
Pennsylvania drivers can’t get away from all the ads for cheaper car insurance by 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the ads advertise claims that you’ll save big if you change to them.
How does every company cost less than your current company?
Insurance providers provide the lowest rates for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For example, a profitable risk profile may need to be over the age of 35, has a low-risk occupation, and has great credit. Anyone that meets those criteria will most likely get cheap premium rates as well as save quite a bit of money when switching.
Consumers who cannot meet these standards will probably be forced to pay a higher rate which leads to the customer not buying. The ads state “people that switch” but not “all drivers who get quotes” save the amount stated. This is how insurance companies can make those statements. Because each company has a different risk profile, drivers must get as many as possible. It’s just too difficult to predict the company that will provide the lowest rates.
Additional detailed information is located at the Pennsylvania Insurance Department website. Pennsylvania drivers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, learn about insurance regulations, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.
Car insurance coverage considerations
Learning about specific coverages of your policy aids in choosing which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. The terms used in a policy can be difficult to understand and coverage can change by endorsement. Listed below are the normal coverages found on the average car insurance policy.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – This covers damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things such as a broken windshield, theft, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and fire damage. The highest amount you’ll receive from a claim is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your vehicle.
Since many Pennsylvania drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (15/30/5), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.
Auto liability – Liability insurance protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.
Liability coverage has three limits: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show liability limits of 100/300/100 that translate to a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, $300,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000.
Liability insurance covers claims such as loss of income, emergency aid, repair costs for stationary objects and legal defense fees. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but buy as large an amount as possible. Pennsylvania requires drivers to carry at least 15,000/30,000/5,000 but drivers should carry more liability than the minimum.
Collision coverages – This pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from colliding with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision can pay for things such as rolling your car, crashing into a building, sideswiping another vehicle, hitting a parking meter and damaging your car on a curb. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. It’s also possible to increase the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Medical expense insurance – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for immediate expenses for things like ambulance fees, pain medications and funeral costs. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants as well as if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal Injury Protection is not universally available but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Don’t give up on affordable coverage
Cheaper car insurance can be purchased both online and with local Clairton insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies do not provide rates over the internet and these smaller companies only sell coverage through local independent agencies.
As you shop your coverage around, it’s very important that you do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are a lot of situations where an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits to discover at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the lowest possible cost, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.