Top 10 Ways You Can Buy Car Insurance for Less in Cleveland

Expensive car insurance can empty your checking account and put a big crunch on your finances. Shopping your coverage around is a great way to lower your monthly bill.

Insurance companies such as GEICO and Progressive continually hit you with advertising and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and find the best price available.

Save big with these ten discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don't always advertise every discount in a way that's easy to find, so we took the time to find both the well known and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving.

Accident Free - Drivers who don't have accidents can save substantially when compared to drivers who are more careless.
Paperwork-free - Some insurance companies may give you up to $50 just for signing your application digitally online.
Own a Home - Simply owning a home can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.
Government Employees - Active or retired federal employment can earn a discount up to 10% with a few car insurance companies.
Multiple Policy Discount - If you have multiple policies with the same company you could get a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.
Anti-theft System - Vehicles with anti-theft systems help deter theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully complete driver's ed class if it's offered in school.
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.
Early Switch Discount - Some companies give discounts for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiring. It's a savings of about 10%.
Anti-lock Brakes - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.

It's important to note that some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. So when it seems like you could get a free car insurance policy, you're out of luck.

Car insurance ads bend the truth

Car insurance providers like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO continually stream ads on TV and radio. They all have a common claim that you can save after switching to them. How can each company claim to save you money? It's all in the numbers.

Different companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For example, a driver they prefer might be between 25 and 40, insures multiple vehicles, and chooses high deductibles. Any new insured that hits that "sweet spot" gets the lowest rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who fall outside the requirements will be quoted a higher premium and this can result in the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" not "people who quote" save money. This is how insurance companies can state the savings. This emphasizes why drivers should get a wide range of price quotes. It's just too difficult to predict which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

Additional detailed information can be found at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to read industry bulletins, get help finding coverage, report car insurance fraud, and download brochures.

Affordable insurance is out there

Lower-priced car insurance can be sourced both online and with local Cleveland insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.

When buying insurance coverage, it's a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your strategy should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price while still protecting your assets.