Beginners to price shopping insurance online may find sourcing can be quite difficult.
Consumers need to do price comparisons at least once a year since insurance prices are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Just because you found the best rates last year you will most likely find a better rate quote today. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because it’s time to teach you one of the quickest ways to find lower rates on auto insurance.
Performing a rate comparison can be a lot of work if you don’t utilize the fastest way to get free quotes. You could spend the better part of a day talking about coverages with insurance companies in Plainfield, or you can utilize the internet for quick rates.
Most car insurance companies participate in a marketplace that allows shoppers to submit one quote, and at least one company returns a rated price. This saves time by eliminating quote forms to each company.
To fill out one form to compare multiple rates now click to open in new window.
The only drawback to using this type of form is you can’t choose the insurers you will receive quotes from. So if you want to select individual companies for rate comparison, we have a page of low cost auto insurance companies in Indiana. Click here to view list.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just ensure you’re using nearly identical coverage limits for each comparison quote. If you use different deductibles it will be next to impossible to make a fair rate comparison in Plainfield. Having just a slight variation in insurance coverages or limits could throw off the whole comparison. Just remember that comparing a wide range of rates will enable you to find the best price. Some insurance companies are not set up to provide price estimates online, so it’s important to compare price quotes from those companies as well.
Indiana auto insurance discounts
Car insurance is not cheap, but you may find discounts to cut the cost considerably. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time of quoting, but once in a while a discount must be specially asked for before being credited. If you do not check that you are getting every discount possible, you could be paying more than you need to.
- Discount for New Cars – Putting auto insurance coverage on a new car can save you some money because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
- Driver’s Education for Students – Require your teen driver to complete a driver education course as it will make them better drivers and lower rates.
- Federal Government Employee – Active or former government employment can save as much as 8% depending on your auto insurance provider.
- Plainfield Homeowners Discount – Being a homeowner can earn you a little savings because of the fact that having a home means you have a higher level of financial diligence.
- Active Military Service – Having a family member in the military can result in better rates.
- Multiple Vehicles – Buying a policy with several vehicles on one policy can get a discount for every vehicle.
- Sign Early and Save – A few larger companies give discounts for signing up prior to your current policy expiring. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- Life Insurance Discount – Insurance companies who offer life insurance give better prices if you take out a life insurance policy as well.
Don’t be surprised that most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. Most cut individual premiums such as comp or med pay. Even though it may seem like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won’t be that lucky. But all discounts should definitely cut your policy cost.
A list of companies and a selection of discounts are:
- Geico may have discounts that include military active duty, membership and employees, seat belt use, five-year accident-free, and good student.
- Travelers includes discounts for save driver, good student, driver training, early quote, multi-policy, and payment discounts.
- Nationwide may include discounts for easy pay, accident-free, defensive driving, good student, family plan, and Farm Bureau membership.
- Farmers Insurance has savings for distant student, mature driver, multi-car, pay in full, homeowner, bundle discounts, and electronic funds transfer.
- Esurance offers premium reductions for paid-in-full, multi-policy, anti-lock brakes, multi-car, safety device, and good driver.
- State Farm has discounts for good student, driver’s education, passive restraint, multiple autos, Drive Safe & Save, and good driver.
- Progressive discounts include online signing, online quote discount, multi-policy, continuous coverage, homeowner, good student, and multi-vehicle.
- Mercury Insurance may offer discounts for low natural disaster claims, type of vehicle, accident-free, multi-policy, and age of vehicle.
Double check with every prospective company which discounts they offer. A few discounts might not be offered on policies in every state. To view insurers that offer the discounts shown above in Indiana, click this link.
Tailor your auto insurance coverage to you
When buying the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s situation is a little different.
For example, these questions could help you determine if your insurance needs may require specific advice.
- Does my insurance cover my expensive audio equipment?
- Is my vehicle covered for flood damage?
- Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
- Do I get a pro-rated refund if I cancel my policy early?
- Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
- Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
- Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form.
Plainfield auto insurance prices are influenced by these factors
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. If you have some idea of what determines premiums, this enables informed choices that can earn you big savings. Many things are taken into consideration when you quote your car insurance policy. Some are pretty understandable such as traffic violations, but other criteria are more obscure like where you live or how financially stable you are.
- When should you not file a policy claims? – Companies in Indiana give discounts to insureds who only file infrequent claims. If you file claims often, you can pretty much guarantee either higher rates or even cancellation. Insurance coverage is intended for more catestrophic claims.
- Do you know you’re credit score? – Having a good credit history is likely to be a major factor in your rate calculation. Therefore, if your credit is low, you could pay less to insure your vehicle by taking the time to improve your credit score. Drivers with excellent credit scores tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records as compared to drivers with bad credit.
- Impacts performance impacts premiums – The make and model of the car you need insurance for makes a huge difference in how high your rates are. The lowest base rates will generally be found on the lowest performance passenger models, but that’s not the only thing that factors into the final price.
- Rate your vehicle for proper use – Driving more miles annually the more you’ll pay to insure it. A lot of companies rate vehicles determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks used primarily for pleasure use cost less to insure as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. It’s a smart idea to ensure your declarations sheet correctly shows the right rating data, because improper ratings can cost you money.
- Are you male or female? – Statistics show females are less aggressive when driving. However, don’t assume that females are better drivers. Men and women tend to get into fender benders in similar percentages, but the males tend to have more serious accidents. In addition to higher claims, males also have more aggressive citations like reckless driving and DUI. Male teenagers generally have the highest accident percentage and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.
- Single drivers may pay more – Having a spouse can actually save you money on your policy. Having a spouse is viewed as being more mature and responsible and it’s proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
Persistence pays off
Cheap auto insurance can be sourced on the web and from local agencies, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance providers may not provide internet price quotes and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent agencies.
You just learned a lot of information how to compare auto insurance car insurance rates online. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the lowest priced auto insurance comes from some of the lesser-known companies.
People switch companies for any number of reasons including an unsatisfactory settlement offer, denial of a claim, being labeled a high risk driver and unfair underwriting practices. No matter why you want to switch, finding a new company is actually quite simple.
To find out more about Indiana auto insurance
More detailed Indiana auto insurance information can be read at the Indiana Department of Insurance website. Consumers can discover disciplinary actions, file complaints about a company, and view a list of available companies.
The following articles may also be useful.