Top 9 Ways to Save Money on Car Insurance in Carmen

Expensive car insurance can dwindle your bank account and force you to make sacrifices. Comparison shopping is a smart way to help make ends meet. Online insurance companies like GEICO and Progressive continually hit you with TV and radio ads and it can be hard to sift through the bull and find the best price available.

It's important to do rate comparisons on a regular basis since rates are constantly changing. Even if you think you had the best price last year a different company probably has better rates today. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because you're about to find out how to quote online to lower your rates without sacrificing coverage.

Save big with these nine discounts

Car insurance is not cheap, but you may find discounts to help bring down the price. Most are applied at quote time, but a few need to be asked for in order for you to get them. If you aren't receiving every discount you deserve, you are throwing money away.

Anti-theft System - Anti-theft and alarm systems help deter theft and will save you 10% or more.
E-sign - Some insurance companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy digitally online.
Military Rewards - Having a deployed family member could be rewarded with lower premiums.
Government Employees - Active or retired federal employment can earn a discount up to 10% with certain companies.
Multi-policy Discount - If you have multiple policies with the same company you could get a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.
Anti-lock Brake Discount - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can avoid accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
Senior Citizens - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may receive reduced rates.
Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver's ed class if offered at their school.
Resident Student - Children who attend school more than 100 miles from home and don't have a car may qualify for this discount.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Even though it may seem like you could get a free car insurance policy, car insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will reduce your overall premium however.

Car insurance ads bend the truth

Consumers in Oklahoma get pounded daily by advertisements for car insurance savings by companies like Allstate and Progressive. All the ads say the same thing about savings if you change to them.

How can each company claim to save you money?

Different companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For example, a preferred risk might be over the age of 40, insures multiple vehicles, and drives newer vehicles. Any new insured who fits that profile will get very good rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who fall outside the requirements will be charged more money which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ads say "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save money. This is how companies can truthfully claim big savings.

That is why drivers should get as many comparisons as possible. It's just too difficult to predict which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

Additional information can be found on the website for the Oklahoma Insurance Department located here. Visitors are able to read consumer alerts, get help finding coverage, find disaster information, and download brochures.

A tidy conclusion

When trying to cut insurance costs, it's a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, drivers have reduced physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that it was a big mistake. The aim is to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

Cheap car insurance is attainable both online and with local Carmen insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. A few companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.