If you are a novice to online auto insurance shopping, it’s easy to be confused by the sheer number of online auto insurance companies and websites vying for business in Elgin.
Free Elgin Auto Insurance Quotes
Most major insurance companies such as Progressive, Geico, Allstate and State Farm quote price estimates directly from their websites. Getting online rates doesn’t take a lot of time as you just enter the amount of coverage you want as detailed in the form. Once you submit the form, their rating system pulls reports for credit and driving violations and quotes a price.
Online price quotes makes comparing rates easy, but the work required to visit many different websites and fill out multiple forms is monotonous and tiresome. Unfortunately, it is important to get many rate quotes if you want to find a better rate.
The easiest way to get multiple rate quotes uses one simple form to get prices from a bunch of companies at once. This type of form saves time, eliminates repetitive work, and makes online shopping much easier to do. Immediately after you send the form, your coverage is rated and you can choose any of the pricing results. If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you simply finish the application and buy the new coverage. The whole process can be completed in less than 10 minutes and may save quite a bit of money.
If you want to find out what other companies charge, click here to open in new window and begin entering your coverage information. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended you copy just like they are on your policy. Doing this assures you will have comparison quotes based on the exact same insurance coverage.
Verify you’re getting all your discounts
Auto insurance companies don’t always advertise every discount in an easy-to-find place, so we break down both the well known as well as the least known auto insurance savings. If they aren’t giving you every credit possible, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Military Discounts – Being on active duty in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
- Safety Course Discount – Taking part in a course teaching defensive driving skills can save you 5% or more depending on where you live.
- Early Signing – A few companies offer discounts for switching policies before your current expiration date. This can save 10% or more.
- Drive Safe and Save – Safe drivers can pay as much as 50% less than less cautious drivers.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with one insurance company you may save approximately 10% to 15%.
- Government Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job may qualify you for a discount with select insurance companies.
- Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
- Resident Student – Youth drivers who live away from home and do not have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control are safer to drive and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Accident Waiver – A handful of insurance companies will allow you to have one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don’t have any claims prior to the accident.
Keep in mind that many deductions do not apply the the whole policy. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. Just because you may think you can get free auto insurance, you won’t be that lucky.
Your insurance agent down the street
Certain consumers would rather get advice from a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Good agents can help determine the best coverages and help file insurance claims. The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain better rates but also keep your business local.
Once you complete this form (opens in new window), the quote information gets sent to participating agents in Elgin who will give you bids for your coverage. You never need to visit any agencies since price quotes are sent straight to your inbox. How’s that for easy!
Selecting an provider requires more thought than just the premium amount. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:<img class="alignright" style="padding-top:15px" src="https://www.carinsurancediy.com/wp-content/uploads/ci175-84.jpg" alt="Elgin insurance quotes” />
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
- Do they make recommendations based only on price?
- Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
Auto insurance agents in Elgin come in two varieties
When searching for an insurance agent, there are a couple of types of agencies from which to choose. Insurance agencies in Elgin are classified as either independent (non-captive) or captive. Both write coverage properly, but it’s good to learn how they are different because it can impact your selection of an agent.
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive agencies can only place business with one company and some examples include Allstate, AAA, Liberty Mutual and State Farm. They are unable to shop your coverage around so keep that in mind. These agents receive extensive training in insurance sales and that can be a competitive advantage. Some consumers prefer to buy insurance from these agents primarily because of the prominence of the brand and solid financial strength.
Below are Elgin captive agencies that are able to give price quote information.
- Allstate Insurance – 840 Summit St # E – Elgin, IL 60120 – (847) 468-7500
- American Family Insurance – 81 Market St # 4 – Elgin, IL 60123 – (847) 888-2222
- Farmers Insurance Group – 339 W River Rd # 202 – Elgin, IL 60123 – (847) 697-9800
- State Farm Insurance – 1510 Larkin Ave # A – Elgin, IL 60123 – (847) 888-8050
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent insurance agents do not work for one specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with multiple insurance companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move the coverage in-house without you having to go to a different agency.
When searching for an agent, we recommend you include price quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to get the best comparison. Many write coverage with smaller regional carriers which can be an advantage.
Shown below is a short list of independent agents in Elgin who can help you get price quote information.
- Country Insurance and Financial – 1814 Grandstand Pl # D – Elgin, IL 60123 – (847) 742-0001
- Menner Reinsurance Agency Inc – 1275 Davis Rd – Elgin, IL 60123 – (847) 697-1705
- Northwest Insurance Ntwrk Inc – 1 S Liberty St – Elgin, IL 60120 – (847) 930-6200
- Leo R Cox Agency – 350 Dundee Ave – Elgin, IL 60120 – (847) 742-9713
- Mitchell Agency Inc – 693 Dundee Ave – Elgin, IL 60120 – (847) 742-9696
To view a full list of Elgin insurance agents, visit this site.
Once you have received reasonable responses to any questions you have and a good coverage price, most likely you have located an auto insurance agent that meets your needs to properly service your auto insurance policy.
Decisions you make can impact your rates
Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. Knowing what influences your rates enables informed choices that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.
The list below includes some of the factors auto insurance companies consider when setting prices.
- Marriage brings a discount – Getting married helps lower the price on auto insurance. Having a spouse means you’re more mature and responsible and statistics show married drivers get in fewer accidents.
- Choose a safe vehicle and save – Vehicles with good safety scores tend to have better insurance rates. Safer cars reduce injuries and fewer injuries translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and lower rates for you.
- Don’t sacrifice liability coverage – Liability coverage is the protection when a court rules you are at fault for damages caused by your negligence. It provides you with a defense in court which can cost thousands of dollars. Liability insurance is quite affordable when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not cut corners here.
- Bad driving skills means higher rates – Drivers with clean records receive lower rates than people who have multiple driving citations. Even one speeding ticket may increase your cost twenty percent or more. Drivers who have severe citations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may need to file a SR-22 with their state motor vehicle department in order to drive a vehicle legally.
- Lower rates with optional equipment – Purchasing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can save you a little every year. Theft prevention features like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all aid in stopping your car from being stolen.
- Performance level impacts rates – The performance of the vehicle you are insuring makes a substantial difference in the rate you pay. The lowest rates are usually for lower performance four cylinder passenger models, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
- Too many auto insurance claims drive up costs – Insurance companies in Illinois give better rates to policyholders who do not file claims often. If you frequently file small claims, you can look forward to higher rates. Insurance coverage is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Smart shoppers get results
Cheap auto insurance is possible on the web in addition to many Elgin insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers do not provide online price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.
We just presented a lot of ways to lower your auto insurance rates. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. You may even discover the most savings is with a small mutual company.
As you shop your coverage around, you should never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, an accident victim reduced physical damage coverage and discovered at claim time that they should have had better coverage. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.
More tips and info about auto insurance is located at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Illinois drivers can find out which companies have the most complaints, learn about specific coverages, read industry bulletins, and find out industry alerts.
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