Easy Ways to Cut Costs on Avon Auto Insurance

Shopping online for Avon auto insurance can seem complicated if you have never used online price comparisons. But don't be discouraged because finding affordable coverage online is easier than you think.

It's important to compare prices occasionally since insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you had the best deal last year you can probably find a better price now. So forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because it's time to teach you the only way to find lower rates on auto insurance.

How to Lower your Auto Insurance Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that go into determining auto insurance rates. Understanding what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with big savings.

Listed below are some of the factors used by your company to calculate rates.

Are you male or female? - Statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. That doesn't necessarily mean that women are BETTER drivers than men. They both are in accidents at about the same rate, but the males cause more damage. They also get cited for more serious violations like reckless driving and DUI. Youthful male drivers are the most expensive to insure and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.
Do you know you're credit rating? - Credit score is a big factor in determining your rates. If your credit is lower than you'd like, you could save money insuring your by repairing your credit. People with good credit tend to be more responsible than drivers who have poor credit.
Traffic citations inflate rates - Just one speeding ticket can bump up the cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who don't get tickets get better rates than bad drivers. Drivers who have serious citations such as DUI or reckless driving may need to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
Drive a safer car and pay less - Vehicles with good safety scores are cheaper to insure. These vehicles protect occupants better and better occupant protection means less money paid by your insurance company and lower rates for you.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not even be aware of. Most are applied when you purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked for before being credited.

Accident Forgiveness - A few companies allow you one accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don't have any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
Anti-lock Brake Discount - Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control are safer to drive and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Passive Restraints - Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings of 20% or more.
Drive Less and Save - Driving fewer miles can qualify you for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Payment Discounts - If you pay your bill all at once instead of making monthly payments you could save up to 5%.
Multi-car Discount - Buying coverage for more than one vehicle with the same company can get a discount on all vehicles.

A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will cut the cost of coverage.

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

How can State Farm, GEICO and Progressive save drivers who switch?

Auto insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads on television and other media. They all seem to say the same thing about savings if you switch your coverage to them. How do they all say the same thing? It's all in the numbers.

All the different companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of customer that makes them money. An example of a desirable insured might be profiled as over the age of 40, owns a home, and drives newer vehicles. A propective insured who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and as a result will probably cut their rates substantially.

Consumers who are not a match for the "perfect" profile will have to pay higher prices which usually ends up with business not being written. The ads state "customers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much money. That is how companies can truthfully claim big savings.

Because of the profiling, you should get quotes from several different companies. It's not possible to predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

Tailor your coverage to you

When buying proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no one size fits all plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else's.

For instance, these questions might point out whether you could use an agent's help.

Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?
Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?

If you don't know the answers to these questions, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form.

For more South Dakota car insurance information

Additional information is available on the South Dakota Division of Insurance website found here. South Dakota drivers can learn about insurance regulations, find out industry alerts, and file complaints about a company.

Final considerations

Cheaper auto insurance is available on the web as well as from independent agents in Avon, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. A few companies don't offer online price quotes and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

When trying to cut insurance costs, you should never buy poor coverage just to save money. In many cases, an insured cut comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that it was a big mistake. Your aim should be to get the best coverage possible at the best price.

In this article, 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 comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the lowest premiums are with a small mutual company.