Tightwads Instructions on Saving on Bay Port Auto Insurance

Having to pay for overpriced auto insurance can take a big chunk out of your checking account and force you to prioritize other expenses. Comparing price quotes is a smart way to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket.

Lots of contend to insure your vehicles, and because of this it can be hard to compare to find the lowest price

If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to save some money using these methods. Buying car insurance in Bay Port is quite easy. Nevertheless, Michigan vehicle owners do need to know the way companies market on the web and take advantage of how the system works.

Take advantage of discounts

Companies offering auto insurance do not advertise all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list some of the best known and the harder-to-find auto insurance savings.

More Vehicles More Savings - Insuring multiple cars or trucks on the same auto insurance policy qualifies for this discount.
Own a Home - Owning a home in Bay Port may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because of the fact that having a home requires personal responsibility.
Claim Free - Drivers who don't have accidents can earn big discounts when compared with bad drivers.
Memberships - Affiliation with certain professional organizations could qualify you for a break when buying auto insurance.
Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Keeping the miles down can qualify you for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Student Driver Training - Have your child enroll in driver's education in high school.
Defensive Driving Course - Completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could cut 5% off your bill and easily recoup the cost of the course.
Discount for Life Insurance - Larger companies have lower rates if you buy a life insurance policy as well.

Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when it seems like you can get free auto insurance, companies don't profit that way.

To see a list of insurers with the best auto insurance discounts in Bay Port, follow this link.

Auto Insurance Prices in Bay Port, Michigan

There are several ways to compare rate quotes from local Bay Port auto insurance companies. The best method to find the lowest rates is to use the internet to compare rates. This can be done using a couple different methods.

The best way to compare a lot of rates at once is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This method keeps you from doing repetitive form entry for every auto insurance company. One form submission gets you coverage quotes direct from many companies.
A harder way to compare rate quotes consists of going to each individual company website and fill out their own quote form. For instance, we'll pretend you want comparison quotes from , and . To get rate quotes you would need to go to every website to enter your coverage information, and that's why the first method is more popular.

To view a list of companies in Bay Port, click here.
The least efficient way of comparing rate quotes is to waste gas driving to and from local Bay Port insurance agencies. Shopping for auto insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you have a need for the professional guidance of a local Bay Port agent. You can, however, obtain prices from the web and still use a local agent and we'll touch on that later.

Whichever way you use, ensure you are comparing the exact same coverages for each comparison quote. If your comparisons have different limits and deductibles on each one it will be very difficult to determine the lowest rate in Bay Port. Just a small difference in coverage limits can result in a big premium difference. Just remember that comparing a large number of companies will enable you to find lower pricing.

How to Lower your Auto Insurance Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. Understanding what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

The list below includes some of the factors used by your company to calculate premiums.

Protect your assets with liability insurance - The liability section of your policy is the protection if a jury decides you are liable for personal injury or accident damage. It will provide legal defense coverage starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.
High deductibles save money - Your deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend out-of-pocket before a claim is paid by your company. Physical damage coverage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, covers damage that occurs to your car. A few examples of covered claims are colliding with a building, vandalism, and rolling your vehicle. The more money you have to pay, the bigger discount you will receive.
Rates may be higher depending on your occupation - Occupations such as doctors, architects and accountants have higher rates than average in part from job stress and lengthy work days. On the flip side, professions such as pilots, athletes and the unemployed get better rates.
Policy add-ons can waste money - There are a lot of add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you aren't careful. Coverages like roadside assistance, accidental death and additional equipment coverage are examples of these. They may seem good when talking to your agent, but now you might not need them so get rid of them and save.
Optional equipment can affect rates - Purchasing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft devices like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM's OnStar system all aid in stopping your car from being stolen.
Where you live is a factor - Residing in a rural area is a positive aspect when buying auto insurance. Lower population means a lower chance of having an accident and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. City drivers tend to have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Longer commute distances means more change of being in an accident.

Are auto insurance companies telling the truth?

Allstate, GEICO and Progressive regularly use ads on TV and radio. All the companies say the same thing of big savings if you move your coverage to them. How do they all say the same thing? This is how they do it.

All companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that is profitable for them. An example of a profitable customer might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and has a short commute. A propective insured who fits that profile receives the best rates and most likely will cut their rates substantially.

Consumers who don't qualify for the "perfect" profile must pay higher prices which usually ends up with business not being written. Company advertisements say "drivers who switch" not "people who quote" save that much money. This is how insurance companies can confidently make the claims of big savings. This illustrates why drivers must get a wide range of price quotes. It's not possible to predict which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

Shop smart and save

Cost effective auto insurance is definitely available on the web as well as from independent agents in Bay Port, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance providers don't offer the ability to get a quote online and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you shop your coverage around, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In too many instances, drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.

More tips and info about auto insurance is available at the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation website. Michigan drivers can find out which companies have the most complaints, report car insurance fraud, read industry bulletins, and discover disciplinary actions.