Tightwads Guide to Saving on Bird City Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Trust us, many consumers are feeling buyer's remorse and feel like there's no way out. Because you have many online and local companies to choose from, it can be hard to find the right car insurance company.

It's important to compare rates at least once a year because prices are constantly changing. Just because you had the best deal on your last policy you can probably find a better price now. So just block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you're going to get a crash course in the proper way to properly buy coverages and cut your premium.

You have some control over your rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that go into determining the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels enables informed choices that may reward you with lower auto insurance prices.

Listed below are some of the factors auto insurance companies consider when setting rates.

Marriage brings a discount - Being married can actually save you money when buying auto insurance. It means you're more responsible and it's statistically proven that being married results in fewer claims.
Add-on coverages can add up - There are many extra coverages that you can buy when buying auto insurance. Things like personal injury protection, towing coverage and term life insurance are examples of these. These may sound like a good investment at first, but if they're wasting money remove them from your policy.
What type of vehicle do you drive? - The performance level of the car you own makes a huge difference in your rates. The most favorable rates are generally reserved for low performance passenger vehicles, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
Cautious drivers pay less - Your driving citation history has a big impact on rates. Careful drivers receive lower rates than bad drivers. Just one moving violation can boost insurance rates forty percent or more. Drivers who have serious citations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may need to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
Big city or small town - Choosing to live in a rural area can be a good thing when talking about auto insurance. City drivers regularly have much more traffic and longer commute times. Fewer drivers translates into fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
Safer cars cost less to insure - Cars with high safety ratings are cheaper to insure. These vehicles reduce injuries and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts passed on to you as lower rates.
With age comes lower rates - Youthful drivers in Kansas are statistically proven to be more careless when behind the wheel so auto insurance rates are higher. Older insureds are viewed as being more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel.

Don't pay full price with these discounts

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but there could be available discounts that you may not even be aware of. Some trigger automatically when you complete an application, but some must be inquired about before they will apply. If you don't get every credit possible, you are paying more than you should be.

Sign Online - Certain companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy online.
Defensive Driver - Completing a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount if your company offers it.
Early Signing - A few companies offer discounts for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiration. This can save 10% or more.
Discount for Good Grades - This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts until age 25.
No Charge for an Accident - Some insurance companies permit an accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don't have any claims prior to the accident.
Discount for Life Insurance - Companies who offer life insurance give a break if you buy a life insurance policy as well.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. Even though it may seem like all the discounts add up to a free policy, auto insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will help reduce your premiums.

To choose companies offering auto insurance discounts in Kansas, follow this link.

The auto insurance bait and switch

Consumers in Kansas can't ignore all the ads that promise big savings by State Farm, GEICO and Progressive. They all seem to say the same thing about savings if you switch to their company.

But how can every company claim to save you money?

All companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that makes them money. An example of a desirable insured might be between 25 and 40, has no tickets, and has great credit. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and therefore will save a lot of money.

Consumers who don't measure up to this ideal profile will have to pay higher rates which usually ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "people who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that much. That's the way companies can truthfully advertise the savings.

Because of the profiling, you should quote coverage with many companies. It's impossible to know which auto insurance company will fit your personal profile best.

Find out more about auto insurance

Additional information is available on the website for the Kansas Insurance Department through this link. Visitors are able to get help finding coverage, discover disciplinary actions, learn about specific coverages, and file complaints about a company.

Other informative sites include this page for Kansas auto insurance and see this list of insurance agents in Bird City.

And the best car insurance company is...

Cheap auto insurance is available both online and also from your neighborhood Bird City agents, so you should compare both to get a complete price analysis. There are still a few companies who may not provide online price quotes and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

We covered a lot of information how to save on auto insurance. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Drivers may discover the most savings is with a company that doesn't do a lot of advertising. Some small companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments as compared to the big name companies such as .

When you buy insurance online, don't be tempted to buy poor coverage just to save money. In many cases, an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate.