How to Know You're Wasting Money for Auto Insurance in Bronson

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an overpriced auto insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you there are lots of people in the same boat.

Insurance companies such as GEICO and Progressive all claim big savings with fancy advertisements and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and take the time to shop coverage around.

It's important to compare rates at least once a year since insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the lowest price two years ago a different company probably has better rates today. You'll find quite a bit of inaccurate information about auto insurance online but we're going to give you some great ways to find cheap auto insurance.

Save big with these discounts

Companies offering auto insurance do not advertise every available discount in a way that's easy to find, so we researched some of the best known as well as the least known auto insurance savings.

  • Passive Restraint Discount - Vehicles with factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts up to 30%.
  • Defensive Driver - Taking part in a course teaching defensive driving skills could possibly earn you a 5% discount if you qualify.
  • Multi-policy Discount - If you have multiple policies with the same company you may save approximately 10% to 15%.
  • No Accidents - Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay much less compared to drivers who are more careless.
  • Payment Discounts - If you pay your bill all at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may reduce your total bill.

It's important to note that most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. Most only cut individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. Just because it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you're out of luck.

Michigan auto insurance

You have some control over your rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that go into determining auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates enables informed choices that can help you get big savings.

  • Traffic citations inflate rates - Your driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Even a single citation can boost insurance rates by as much as thirty percent. Careful drivers have lower premiums than bad drivers. Drivers who get serious violations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may be required to file a SR-22 with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
  • Little extras can really add up - There are many extra coverages you can purchase if you aren't careful. Insurance for roadside assistance, better glass coverage and term life insurance are examples of these. These coverages may sound good when you first buy your policy, but if they're wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
  • Multi-policy discounts can save money - Most companies give discounts to people who carry more than one policy such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can amount to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even with this discount, you still need to compare other company rates to ensure the best deal. You may still be able to find a better deal by splitting coverages up.
  • Your job and insurance rates - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupations like judges, architects and dentists tend to have the highest average rates because of high stress and lots of time spent at work. Other professions such as actors, historians and homemakers receive lower rates.
  • Special features that cut premiums - Choosing a vehicle with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft features such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can thwart your car from being stolen.
  • Pleasure use saves money - The more miles you rack up on your car in a year the higher your rates will be. Most insurance companies price each vehicle's coverage based on their usage. Vehicles not used for work or commuting receive lower rates than those used for commuting. Ask your agent if your auto insurance policy is rated on how each vehicle is driven, because improper ratings can cost you money.
  • Liability insurance protects assets - Liability insurance provides coverage in the event that a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. Liability is cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.

Auto insurance ads bend the truth

Companies like State Farm and Allstate constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. All the ads say the same thing that you can save if you switch to their company. How can each company say the same thing?

All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that earns them a profit. For instance, a preferred risk might be profiled as over the age of 50, has no tickets, and chooses high deductibles. A propective insured who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who fall outside the requirements will be charged a higher premium which usually ends up with business not being written. The ad wording is "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save that much. That's the way insurance companies can state the savings. That is why drivers should get as many quotes as possible. It's not possible to predict which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Find out more about auto insurance

Additional detailed information is located at the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation website. Michigan drivers can file complaints about a company, discover disciplinary actions, read consumer alerts, and read industry bulletins.

auto insurance in Bronson

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

In this article, we covered many ways to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from a small local company. Regional companies often have lower prices on specific markets than their larger competitors like .

Lower-priced auto insurance can be found on the web and also from your neighborhood Bronson agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

When buying insurance coverage, it's a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many cases where an insured dropped collision coverage and learned later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your goal should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.