Trying to come up with a payment for expensive car insurance can empty your funds and put a big crunch on your finances. Performing a price comparison can help to tighten up your finances.
Multiple auto insurance companies compete for your hard-earned dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates to discover the definitive best rate
Car insurance policy discounts you can’t miss
Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but you might already qualify for some discounts to reduce the price significantly. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you complete an application, but occassionally some discounts must be specifically requested before being credited.
- Sign Online – A few car insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks simply for signing over the internet.
- Federal Employees – Federal government employees could cut as much as 10% off depending on your company.
- Drive Less and Save – Low annual miles could earn slightly better premium rates than normal.
- Senior Citizens – Drivers that qualify as senior citizens may be able to get lower premium rates.
- Discounts for Cautious Drivers – Drivers without accidents could pay up to 40% less compared to rates paid by drivers with frequent claims.
- No Accidents – Insureds who avoid accidents and claims can save substantially when compared with drivers who are more careless.
- Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles that have factory alarm systems and tracking devices prevent vehicle theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Telematics Devices – Insureds who allow driving data submission to analyze when and where they use their vehicle 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.
Keep in mind that most discount credits are not given the the whole policy. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So when it seems like you could get a free car insurance policy, nobody gets a free ride.
To see a list of companies who offer discounts in Iowa, click here to view.
Comparing rates from local Eldridge insurance agents
Many people still prefer to go talk to an agent and that can be a great decision Agents can answer important questions and help file insurance claims. One of the best bonuses of getting free rate quotes online is you can get better rates and still have a local agent.
After completing this short form, your coverage information is emailed to companies in Eldridge who will gladly provide quotes for your business. You won’t even need to leave your house as quotes are delivered directly to you. If for some reason you want to compare rates from a specific company, don’t hesitate to search and find their rate quote page and submit a quote form there.
Deciding on a insurance company shouldn’t rely on just a low price. These are some questions your agent should answer.
- Are they full-time agents?
- Do you work with a CSR or direct with the agent?
- Does the agency have a positive business rating?
- Is coverage determined by price?
- Is the agency covered by Errors and Omissions coverage?
When looking for a reputable agency, you need to know there are two types of agencies and how they can write your policy. Eldridge agents can be classified as either independent or captive depending on the company they work for. Either one can write policy coverage, but it’s worth mentioning the differences since it could factor into which type of agent you select.
Captive Agencies
Captive agencies can only write with one company such as State Farm or Allstate. They are unable to shop your coverage around so they have to upsell other benefits. Captive agencies are trained well on sales techniques which helps them sell on service rather than price.
Shown below are captive insurance agencies in Eldridge who may provide you with price quote information.
State Farm Insurance – 104 E Le Claire Rd – Eldridge, IA 52748 – (563) 285-9947
Independent Car Insurance Agents
Independent insurance agents do not work for one specific company and that enables them to quote your coverage through many different car insurance companies and find you the best rates. If your agent finds better pricing, the business is moved internally which is easy for the insured.
When comparing car insurance rates, you should always compare prices from at a minimum one independent agency to have the best price comparison.
Below is a list of independent agencies in Eldridge willing to provide comparison quotes.
Porter Insurance – 110 E Le Claire Rd – Eldridge, IA 52748 – (563) 285-4321
Beert-Mc Coy Insurance – 120 S 6th Ave – Eldridge, IA 52748 – (563) 285-7890
Wendy K Henzen Agency – 208 W Franklin St – Eldridge, IA 52748 – (563) 285-9137
To view more Eldridge insurance agents, link to this page of Eldridge Iowa insurance agencies.
Can switching companies really save?
Iowa drivers can’t get away from all the ads that promise big savings by companies like Allstate and Progressive. They all tend to make the same promise about savings if you switch your car insurance policy to them.
That’s great but how can every company charge lower premium rates? This is how they do it.
Companies require specific criteria for a prospective insured that is profitable for them. For instance, this type of insured could possibly be married and over the age of 30, has few claims, and the vehicle is rated for pleasure use. A customer who fits those characteristics will get very good Eldridge premium rates and is almost guaranteed to save quite a bit of money when switching.
Consumers who don’t measure up to this stringent profile may be required to pay higher premiums and this results in the customer buying from someone else. The wording the ads use say “drivers that switch” not “all people who quote” can get the lowest rates when switching. That’s why companies can truthfully advertise the way they do. Each company has different criteria, so you absolutely need to compare rate quotes every year. It’s just not possible to know which company will have the best prices at this point in time.
Educate yourself about car insurance coverages
Learning about specific coverages of your car insurance policy can be of help when determining the right coverages for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Shown next are typical coverage types available from car insurance companies.
Coverage for medical expenses
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for immediate expenses for things like doctor visits, surgery and EMT expenses. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. They cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants as well as getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state and may carry a deductible
Auto liability insurance
This will cover damage or injury you incur to people or other property in an accident. This coverage protects you from claims by other people. It does not cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see liability limits of 100/300/100 which stand for 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 like medical services, loss of income and bail bonds. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but you should buy as much as you can afford. Iowa state law requires minimum liability limits of 20,000/40,000/15,000 but drivers should carry higher limits.
Comprehensive car insurance
Comprehensive insurance covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims such as fire damage, damage from a tornado or hurricane, damage from flooding and falling objects. The highest amount your car insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Auto collision coverage
Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your vehicle caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision insurance covers things like colliding with a tree, colliding with another moving vehicle and scraping a guard rail. This coverage can be expensive, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. You can also increase the deductible to bring the cost down.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers
This coverage provides protection from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your vehicle.
Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (Iowa limits are 20/40/15), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family.
Consumer car insurance information in Iowa
More tips and info about car insurance can be read at the Iowa Insurance Division website. Consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, view a list of available companies, and read industry bulletins.
Other informative sites include these car insurance answers and this link where you can make Eldridge car insurance comparisons.
More effort can pay off
Cheaper car insurance is definitely available online in addition to many Eldridge insurance agents, so you need to with both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some car insurance companies don’t offer online price quotes and many times these smaller providers work with local independent agencies.
When buying insurance coverage, it’s very important that you do not buy poor coverage just to save money. Too many times, someone sacrificed collision coverage only to regret at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. Your objective should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.