Tightwads Guide for Saving on Bremen Car Insurance

Are you sick and tired of not being able to afford each month for car insurance? You are in the same boat as the majority of other car owners in Kansas. Online insurance companies like State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive continually bombard you with ads and it can be hard to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

Take advantage of discounts

Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, buy you may qualify for discounts to reduce the price significantly. Most are applied when you quote, but some may not be applied and must be asked for before you get the savings. If you aren't receiving every discount available, you are throwing money away.

  • Seat Belt Usage - Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could cut 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
  • Employee of Federal Government - Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% with a few car insurance companies.
  • Save with a New Car - Buying coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
  • Payment Method - By paying your policy upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.
  • Senior Citizens - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
  • Military Discounts - Being deployed with a military unit may qualify for rate reductions.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. Just because you may think you can get free auto insurance, car insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will reduce your overall premium however.

Learn How to Buy Car Insurance Cheaper

Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that help determine the rates you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to lower car insurance prices.

The following are some of the items that factor into prices.

  • Always keep insurance in force - Allowing your car insurance policy to lapse will be a guaranteed way to bump up your car insurance costs. Not only will you pay more, failure to provide proof of insurance will get you a license revocation or jail time.
  • Too many car insurance claims drive up costs - If you file claims often, you can definitely plan on either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Companies in Kansas generally give cheaper rates to insureds who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Auto insurance is intended for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • Drive less and save money - Driving more miles every year the higher your rate. The majority of insurers charge to insure your cars based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars left parked in the garage get more affordable rates than those used for commuting. Make sure your car insurance coverage is rated on the proper vehicle usage.
  • Lower rates with optional equipment - Driving a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder auto theft.
  • Do men or women drive better? - The statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, this does not mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Women and men tend to get into accidents at a similar rate, but the men have costlier accidents. Men also statistically get more serious tickets like DUI and reckless driving. Youthful male drivers tend to get in the most accidents and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
  • Safer occupants lowers premiums - Cars with high safety ratings get lower rates. The safest vehicles have better occupant injury protection and any reduction in injury severity translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders.
  • Big city or small town - Being located in a rural area can save you money when talking about car insurance. Lower population means reduced accidents and a lower car theft rate. Drivers who live in large Kansas cities have traffic congestion and longer commute times. More time commuting means more change of being in an accident.
  • Multiple policies with one company can save - Many insurance companies provide better rates to insureds who carry more than one policy such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can add up to 10 percent or more. Even if you're getting this discount it's in your best interest to compare other company rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still find better rates by insuring with multiple companies.

Are car insurance companies telling the truth?

Consumers in Kansas get pounded daily by advertisements for the lowest price auto insurance from companies such as Progressive, Allstate and GEICO. They all have a common claim about savings after switching your policy.

How can each company claim to save you money? This is how they do it.

All companies can use profiling for the right customer that earns them a profit. A good example of a driver they prefer might be over the age of 40, is a homeowner, and drives newer vehicles. Any driver that hits that "sweet spot" receives the best rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Drivers who don't qualify for the requirements will be quoted a higher premium and this can result in the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "drivers who switch" not "people who quote" save that kind of money. That's why companies can truthfully claim big savings.

This emphasizes why drivers should compare as many rates as you can. You cannot predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.

Additional information can be read on the website for the Kansas Insurance Department. Click here for link. Visitors are able to find a variety of consumer forms, download brochures, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and view a list of available companies.

A tidy conclusion

When trying to cut insurance costs, it's not a good idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are too many instances where an accident victim reduced collision coverage and discovered at claim time that it was a big mistake. Your strategy should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.

Cheap car insurance can be purchased both online in addition to many Bremen insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best selection. A few companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.