Tightwads Tips for Saving on Cleveland Auto Insurance

I can't think of anyone who cherishes buying auto insurance, in particular when their premiums are through the roof.

There are many to buy insurance from, and although it's nice to be able to choose, it makes it harder to compare rates.

What determines how much you pay?

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that play a part in calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

  • Do you need the policy add-ons? - There are quite a few additional coverages that you can get tricked into buying on your auto insurance policy. Coverages for vanishing deductibles, accidental death and motor club memberships are examples of these. These may sound like a good investment when talking to your agent, but if you don't need them eliminate them to save money.
  • Careful drivers pay lower rates - Only having one moving violation can increase rates by as much as thirty percent. Good drivers tend to pay less for car insurance than their less careful counterparts. Drivers with dangerous tickets like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions are required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to prevent a license revocation.
  • Liability coverage is cheap - Your policy's liability coverage is the coverage that protects you if a court rules you are at fault for damages from an accident. It provides for a legal defense starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so buy as much as you can afford.
  • Marriage pays dividends - Having a spouse helps lower the price when buying auto insurance. Having a spouse is viewed as being more responsible it has been statistically shown that married couples file fewer claims.

auto insurance in Cleveland

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

Performing a rate comparison is a ton of work if you don't understand the fastest way to get free quotes. You can spend your afternoon talking to local insurance agents in Cleveland, or you can stay home and use the internet to achieve your goal.

Most of the larger companies participate in an industry program that allows shoppers to submit their information once, and each company provides a quote based on that information. This eliminates the need for form submissions to each individual auto insurance company.

To submit your quote information now, click here to open in new window.

The only drawback to pricing coverage this way is that consumers can't choose which providers to get pricing from. So if you prefer to choose specific providers to request quotes from, we put together a list of the cheapest auto insurance companies in Oklahoma. Click here to view list.

Whichever way you use, be sure to compare identical quote information with every price quote. If the quotes have mixed coverages it will be very difficult to find the best deal in Cleveland. Just a small difference in coverages can make a big difference in price. Keep in mind that quoting more helps locate a better price.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don't always publicize all available discounts very clearly, so we break down both well-publicized and the harder-to-find auto insurance savings.

  • Safety Course Discount - Completing a course in driver safety can save you 5% or more if your company offers it.
  • Good Student - This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply up until you turn 25.
  • Multiple Cars - Buying insurance for all your vehicles with the same company qualifies for this discount.
  • Paperless Signup - Certain companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying your policy over the internet.
  • Homeowners Savings - Owning a home in Cleveland may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because maintaining a house is proof that your finances are in order.
  • Passive Restraints and Air Bags - Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts may earn rate discounts of 20% or more.

A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So despite the fact that it appears all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won't be that lucky.

To choose insurers with discount auto insurance rates in Oklahoma, follow this link.

Is there truth in advertising?

21st Century, Allstate and State Farm consistently run television and radio advertisements. All the companies say the same thing about savings if you change to them. How does each company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.

All companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of driver that makes them money. For example, a profitable customer could possibly be between 30 and 50, a clean driving record, and has excellent credit. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Potential customers who don't measure up to these standards must pay a more expensive rate which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state "drivers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save money. That is how companies can truthfully make those claims. This illustrates why you need to get quotes from several different companies. It's impossible to know which company will have the lowest rates.

How do I know if I need professional advice?

When buying adequate coverage for your vehicles, there isn't really a cookie cutter policy. Everyone's situation is unique so your insurance needs to address that. For example, these questions may help highlight whether or not you might need professional guidance.

  • Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
  • Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
  • Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
  • Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
  • When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
  • Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Even more information can be found at the Oklahoma Insurance Department website. Oklahoma consumers can discover disciplinary actions, file complaints about a company, find out which companies have the most complaints, and get help finding coverage.

Oklahoma auto insurance

Do the work, save more money

Cheaper auto insurance can be sourced online and with local Cleveland insurance agents, so compare prices from both to have the best rate selection. Some companies do not offer online price quotes and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

You just read many ways to compare auto insurance prices online. It's most important to understand that the more companies you get rates for, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may be surprised to find that the best prices are with a smaller regional carrier. These smaller insurers may cover specific market segments cheaper compared to the large companies like .