Searching for the most affordable Muskegon Heights car insurance on the web may be rather difficult for people new to comparing and buying car insurance online. With such a big selection of agents and online companies, how are people able to be able to compare each option to find cheaper car insurance rates?
It’s smart to compare prices yearly since insurance prices are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Even if you got the lowest quotes last year you may be paying too much now. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because I’m going to teach you the best way to save on car insurance.
All major car insurance companies like Progressive, Geico, Allstate and State Farm give prices from their websites. The process is quite simple as all you need to do is type in your coverage information as requested by the quote form. Once entered, the company’s rating system orders credit information and your driving record and provides a quote based on these and other factors.
This streamlines rate comparisons, but the time it takes to visit each company’s website and repetitively type in the same data is repetitive and time-consuming. But it’s also necessary to have as many quotes as possible if you are searching for better prices.
Compare rates the easy way
The smarter way to compare rates requires only one form that obtains quotes from several companies at one time. This type of form saves time, eliminates form submissions, and makes rate comparisons much simpler. As soon as you send your information, your coverage is rated and you are able to buy any or none of the quotes returned. If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you can simply submit the application and purchase the new policy. It can be completed in a matter of minutes and could lower your rates considerably.
To find out how much you can save on car insurance, simply click here to open in new window and submit the form. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend you duplicate coverages and limits just like they are on your policy. Doing this guarantees you’re receiving rate quotes for the exact same coverage.
How your Muskegon Heights premiums are determined
A large part of saving on car insurance is knowing the different types of things that aid in calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. When consumers understand what impacts premium levels, this helps enable you to make changes that may result in lower car insurance prices. Multiple criteria are part of the equation when you quote your car insurance policy. Some of the criteria are obvious like your driving record, although some other factors are not as apparent such as whether you are married and annual miles driven.
- Women tend to be lower risk – Over time, data shows that women are safer drivers than men. It does not mean men are worse drivers. Males and females are in fender benders at a similar rate, but the males cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. They also get more serious tickets like driving under the influence (DUI). Males from age 16 to 21 are several times more likely to be in an accident and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
- Theft deterrents save – Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can earn a premium discount. Systems that thwart theives like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers help track and prevent car theft and help bring rates down.
- Do you really need roadside assistance? – Insurance companies have many additional extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you don’t pay attention. Insurance for things like roadside assistance, death and dismemberment, and extra equipment coverage are probably not needed. They may seem like a good idea at first, but if you have no use for them eliminate them to save money.
- No policy claims equals cheap premiums – Auto insurance companies in Michigan generally give the best rates to insureds who are claim-free. If you file a lot of claims you can expect much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Insurance coverage is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- A lcar insurance policy lapse is a bad thing – Having an insurance coverage lapse can be a sure-fire way to pay more for car insurance. Not only will rates go up, failure to provide proof of insurance might get you a revoked license or a big fine.
- Choose high safety ratings and save – Cars with high safety ratings get lower rates. Safer cars reduce the chance of injuries and fewer serious injuries translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders.
- Where do you drive? – Driving a lot of miles in a year the more it will cost to insure it. A lot of companies rate vehicles based on their usage. Cars and trucks that have low annual miles qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. Ask your agent if your policy is rated on how each vehicle is driven, because improper ratings can cost you money.
- Avoid traffic tickets – Drivers with clean records pay lower auto insurance prices than people who have multiple driving citations. Just one ticket can bump up the cost to the point where it’s not affordable. Drivers with severe violations like reckless driving or DUI might be required by their state to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state’s licensing department in order to keep their license.
Do you qualify for discounts?
Some companies don’t necessarily list the complete list of policy discounts very clearly, so the following is a list of a few of the more common in addition to some of the lesser obvious discounts you could be receiving when you .
- Passive Restraint Discount – Factory air bags or automatic seat belts could see savings of up to 25% or more.
- Resident Student – Any of your kids who are attending college and leave their car at home may be able to be covered for less.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time as opposed to paying monthly you may have a lower total premium amount.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Fewer annual miles may allow you to get lower premium rates on the low mileage vehicles.
- ABS Brakes – Cars with ABS and/or traction control have fewer accidents and will save you 10% or more.
- Early Switch Discount – A few larger companies offer discounts for buying a policy before your current policy expires. This can save 10% or more.
A quick disclaimer, most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So when it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies don’t profit that way. Any qualifying discounts will definitely reduce your policy premium.
Popular car insurance companies and their possible discounts can be read below.
- State Farm has discounts for safe vehicle, good driver, passive restraint, Drive Safe & Save, defensive driving training, anti-theft, and good student.
- Nationwide includes discounts for easy pay, family plan, good student, Farm Bureau membership, anti-theft, defensive driving, and business or organization.
- Geico has savings for emergency military deployment, seat belt use, daytime running lights, five-year accident-free, multi-policy, and driver training.
- AAA offers discounts for anti-theft, education and occupation, multi-car, good driver, multi-policy, good student, and pay-in-full.
- 21st Century may include discounts for automatic seat belts, teen driver, defensive driver, driver training, anti-lock brakes, and good student.
- The Hartford may offer discounts for vehicle fuel type, driver training, good student, defensive driver, anti-theft, and air bag.
Before buying, ask each company or agent the best way to save money. Some discounts listed above might not be offered in your state. To see a list of insurers that provide some of the discounts listed above in Muskegon Heights, click here.
Smart shoppers get results
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 liability coverage limits and learned later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your aim should be to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
People who switch companies do it for many reasons like delays in paying claims, policy non-renewal, questionable increases in premium and even not issuing a premium refund. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch switching companies is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.
Low-cost car insurance is definitely available both online as well as from insurance agents, so you need to with both to get a complete price analysis. There are still a few companies who do not offer online rate quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies only sell coverage through independent insurance agencies.
Additional reading for car insurance information
Even more information is available at the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation website. Michigan consumers can view a list of available companies, learn about specific coverages, and find disaster information.