Are you regretting buying an expensive car insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you many Idabel consumers are in the same pinch. There is such a variety of insurers to buy insurance from, and although it’s nice to be able to choose, lots of choices makes it harder to compare rates and find the lowest cost car insurance.
It’s a great practice to do rate comparisons before your policy renews because insurance prices change quite often. Despite the fact that you may have had the best price last year you will most likely find a better rate quote today. Don’t believe everything you read about car insurance on the internet, but by reading this article, you’re going to learn some of the best ways to reduce your car insurance bill.
Finding affordable coverage in Idabel is not rocket science. If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to save some money using this strategy. Oklahoma vehicle owners only need an understanding of the most effective way to compare company rates online.
Discount Idabel car insurance rates
Some companies don’t list every available discount very well, so the next list breaks down some of the best known and the more hidden credits available to bring down your rates. If they aren’t giving you every credit possible, you are not getting the best rate possible.
- Employee of Federal Government – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can save as much as 8% depending on your company.
- First Accident Forgiveness – This one is not really a discount per se, but a handful of insurance companies may permit one accident without getting socked with a rate hike if you are claim-free for a certain period of time.
- Driver’s Ed – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers take driver’s ed class in school.
- Life Insurance Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
- College Student Discount – Kids who are enrolled in a college that is more than 100 miles from home and do not take a car to college can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Payment Discounts – If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying monthly you can actually save on your bill.
A little disclaimer on discounts, some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. Despite the appearance that you could get a free car insurance policy, nobody gets a free ride.
A few popular companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are detailed below.
- Progressive has savings for good student, homeowner, multi-policy, online signing, continuous coverage, online quote discount, and multi-vehicle.
- The Hartford may have discounts that include driver training, anti-theft, defensive driver, air bag, bundle, vehicle fuel type, and good student.
- Mercury Insurance may include discounts for multi-policy, multi-car, accident-free, ease of repair, type of vehicle, and age of vehicle.
- Geico discounts include military active duty, five-year accident-free, seat belt use, driver training, anti-lock brakes, daytime running lights, and defensive driver.
- AAA offers discounts for multi-car, AAA membership discount, good student, anti-theft, and pay-in-full.
- State Farm offers discounts including multiple policy, safe vehicle, defensive driving training, Steer Clear safe driver discount, multiple autos, anti-theft, and accident-free.
Double check with all the companies which credits you are entitled to. Some of the discounts discussed earlier may not apply to policies in your state. To locate companies who offer car insurance discounts in Idabel, click this link.
Tailor your car insurance coverage to you
When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage, there isn’t really a cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s needs are different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight if your insurance needs would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Do I need motorclub coverage?
- What is covered by UM/UIM coverage?
- Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Oklahoma?
- Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
- Is pleasure use cheaper than using my vehicle to commute?
- Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
- Are rental cars covered under my policy?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area. It is quick, free and can help protect your family.
Coverages available on your policy
Understanding the coverages of your policy helps when choosing the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. These are the normal coverages found on the average car insurance policy.
Comprehensive insurance – Comprehensive insurance covers damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things like hail damage, rock chips in glass, falling objects and a broken windshield. The highest amount you’ll receive from a claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Collision coverages – This will pay to fix damage to your vehicle from colliding with another car or object. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage protects against things such as backing into a parked car, scraping a guard rail and damaging your car on a curb. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also raise the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) – This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. This coverage pays for medical payments for you and your occupants as well as damage to your vehicle.
Due to the fact that many Oklahoma drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (25/50/25), their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage should not be overlooked.
Auto liability – Liability insurance protects you from damage that occurs to other people or property in an accident. This coverage protects you against claims from other people. It does not cover your injuries or vehicle damage.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You commonly see values of 100/300/100 that translate to a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $100,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability can pay for claims like repair bills for other people’s vehicles, pain and suffering, legal defense fees and bail bonds. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford. Oklahoma state law requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/25,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy better liability coverage.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for immediate expenses such as doctor visits, pain medications, X-ray expenses and ambulance fees. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not universally available and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
More detailed Oklahoma car insurance information can be found at the Oklahoma Insurance Department website. Oklahoma drivers can file complaints about a company, find out which companies have the most complaints, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.
Leave no stone unturned
Some companies may not have price quotes online and many times these small, regional companies only sell coverage through independent agents. Cost effective car insurance is possible from both online companies as well as from insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best chance of lowering rates.
When shopping online for car insurance, it’s a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many cases, someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits and discovered at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The goal is to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate, but do not skimp to save money.