When shopping for lower-cost insurance, are you intimidated by the wide range of car insurance companies in Urbana? You have such a vast assortment of companies available that it can turn into a challenge to compare rates. If you’ve ever been there, you know that Urbana has many things to offer, but the high premiums for car insurance can make it hard to afford coverage.
If you currently have a car insurance policy, you should be able to lower your premiums substantially using these tips. The purpose of this post is to help educate you on how car insurance quotes work and some tips to save money. But Illinois drivers must know how insurance companies determine prices and apply this information to your search.
The quickest method we recommend to compare car insurance company rates is to realize most insurance companies actually pay money for the chance to provide you with free rate quotes. The one thing you need to do is provide the companies a bit of rating information including the make and model of your vehicles, if a SR-22 is required, how much education you have, and distance driven. The rating information is submitted instantly to many of the top insurers and they provide comparison quotes with very little delay.
If you would like to start a quote now, click here and enter your coverage details.
Save $428 a year. For real?
Car insurance providers like State Farm, Geico and Progressive seem to constantly run television, radio, and online ads. All the ads make the point that you can save just by moving your coverage to them. Is it even possible that every company can cost less than your current company? It’s all in how they say it.
All the different companies require specific criteria for the type of customer that will generate a profit. For example, a desirable risk could be between 25 and 40, has other policies, and chooses high deductibles. Anyone who fits those characteristics is entitled to the best price as well as pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Drivers who don’t measure up to the “perfect” profile will be charged higher premium rates which results in business going elsewhere. The trick is to say “people that switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save that much when switching. That’s why companies can make claims that they all have the best auto insurance rates.
Because of the profiling, you should get as many as possible. It’s impossible to know which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest rates.
Discounts can really help lower premiums
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you may be missing some discounts that you may not even know about. Some discounts apply automatically at quote time, but occassionally some discounts must be asked for before being credited. If you do not double check each discount possible, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Discount for Good Grades – A discount for being a good student can save 20 to 25%. Most companies allow this discount up to age 25.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Cars, trucks, and SUVs that have anti-lock braking systems have fewer accidents so you can save 10 percent or more.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Fewer annual miles may enable drivers to earn cheaper car insurancerates.
- Club Memberships – Affiliation with certain professional organizations is a simple method to lower premiums on your next car insurance statement.
- Full Payment Discount – If you pay your bill all at once rather than paying in monthly installments you may have a lower total premium amount.
- Federal Government Employee – Having worked for a branch of the government may qualify for a discount when you depending on your car insurance provider.
- Multi-policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles and insure them with the same company you may save approximately 10% to 15%.
Just know that some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. If you do the math and it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way.
If you would like to choose from a list of car insurance companies who offer discounts in Illinois, click this link.
When should I contact an agent?
Some people still prefer to sit down with an agent and that is OK! A nice benefit of comparing rates online is that drivers can save money and get lower rates but also keep your business local. And supporting local agencies is especially important in Urbana.
To find an agent, once you fill out this form (opens in new window), your information is emailed to local insurance agents who will give competitive quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You won’t even need to contact any insurance agencies due to the fact that quote results will go directly to your email. You can get cheaper car insurance rates and a licensed agent to work with. If you have a need to get a comparison quote from a particular provider, feel free to find their quoting web page and submit a quote form there.
Different types of auto insurance agents in Urbana
If you would like to find a reputable agency, there are a couple of different types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Car insurance policy providers can be classified as either independent or captive depending on the company they work for.
Independent Car Insurance Agents (or Brokers)
Agents that elect to be independent can quote rates with many companies so they can write business through many different car insurance companies and find you cheaper rates. To move your coverage to a new company, your agent can switch companies which makes it simple for you.
When comparing car insurance rates, we recommend you check rates from a couple of independent agencies so that you can do a thorough price comparison. They often place coverage with companies you’ve never heard of which may have better rates.
The following are independent insurance agencies in Urbana who may provide free car insurance rate quotes.
- Bob Bone Insurance – 1405 E Florida Ave – Urbana, IL 61801 – (217) 384-5727
Captive Car Insurance Agencies
Agents in the captive channel can only write with one company such as Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They usually cannot provide rate quotes from other companies so you need to shop around if the rates are high. Captive agents are trained well in insurance sales which helps them sell on service rather than price. Consumers often buy from the same agent for years mainly due to the brand legacy rather than low price.
Shown below are Urbana captive agents who can help you get price quotes.
- American Family Insurance – 909 N Cunningham Ave # B – Urbana, IL 61802 – (217) 337-4988
- Allstate Insurance – 909 N Cunningham Ave – Urbana, IL 61802 – (217) 384-8150
To view agents in your area, please visit this page of car insurance agents in Urbana.
Finding a good insurance agent requires more thought than just the quoted price. Get answers to these questions too.
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
- Are they primarily personal or commercial lines agents?
- If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
- Do they prorate repair cost based on vehicle mileage?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
- What is their Better Business Bureau rating?
Special considerations
When it comes to choosing coverage, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.
Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight whether or not you will benefit from professional help.
- What if I don’t agree with a claim settlement offer?
- Can I afford low physical damage deductibles?
- Can I afford to pay high deductible claims out of pocket?
- Do I have coverage if my license is suspended?
- When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
- Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
- Am I covered if I crash into my own garage door?
- Do I need added coverage for expensive stereo equipment?
- Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
If you’re not sure about those questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form.
Additional information can be read on the through this link. Visitors are able to find out industry alerts, find a variety of consumer forms, and learn about insurance regulations.
The following information may also be useful.
Compare but don’t skimp
You just learned many ways to save on car insurance. The key concept to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the better likelihood of getting . You may even discover the biggest savings come from some of the lesser-known companies.
When getting , you should never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There have been many situations where an insured cut collision coverage only to regret at claim time that it was a big error on their part. Your goal is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest cost, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Low-cost car insurance can be bought online and from local agencies, so you should compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some companies may not offer rate quotes online and most of the time these smaller providers work with local independent agents.