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

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an overpriced auto insurance policy? Trust us, many consumers are feeling buyer's remorse and feel like there's no way out. Big companies like GEICO and Progressive constantly blast consumers with ads and it can be hard to sift through the bull and find the best price available.

If you have a policy now or are looking for a new policy, you can learn to find better prices while maintaining coverages. Finding affordable coverage in Clinton Twp is quite easy. Michigan drivers only need an understanding of the tricks to compare prices on the web.

How much can you save with discounts?

Car insurance companies don't necessarily list all available discounts in a way that's easy to find, so we researched both the well known and the more hidden ways to save on auto insurance. If you aren't receiving every discount possible, you are throwing money away.

  • Clubs and Organizations - Being a member of a civic or occupational organization could trigger savings when buying auto insurance.
  • Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Low mileage vehicles could be rewarded with better rates on cars that stay parked.
  • No Accidents - Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay much less when compared with drivers who are more careless.
  • Save with a New Car - Putting insurance coverage on a new car is cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
  • Air Bag Discount - Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
  • Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver's education if offered at their school.
  • Safety Course Discount - Taking a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount if you qualify.

It's important to understand that most discount credits are not given the the whole policy. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when the math indicates you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it doesn't quite work that way.

Clinton Twp Rates are Influenced by These Factors

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates enables informed choices that could result in better auto insurance rates.

  • Protect yourself with liability coverage - Your policy's liability coverage provides coverage if you are found liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It provides legal defense up to the limits shown on your policy. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so drivers should carry high limits.
  • Safer occupants lowers premiums - Safer cars tend to have better insurance rates. Safe vehicles reduce injuries and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
  • Do you work long hours in a high stress job? - Occupations such as judges, executives and dentists tend to have the highest average rates attributed to job stress and long work hours. Other occupations like actors, historians and retirees receive lower rates.
  • Older drivers pay less - Older insureds are more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers. Youthful drivers have a tendency to get distracted easily when behind the wheel and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher.
  • Credit scores impact auto insurance rates - A driver's credit score is a large factor in calculating your auto insurance rates. Drivers who have excellent credit tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than those with lower ratings. If your credit score is low, you could potentially save money when insuring your by improving your credit score.
  • You might want pay the small claims yourself - If you frequently file small claims, you can pretty much guarantee either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance companies in Michigan give cheaper rates to policyholders who are claim-free. Car insurance is intended for the large, substantial claims.
  • Extra add-on coverages are wasting money - There are quite a few extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying when buying auto insurance. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, accidental death and term life insurance may be wasting your money. They may seem good at first, but if they're wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.

Save 15 percent in 15 minutes? Is it for real?

Consumers in Michigan get pounded daily by advertisements that promise big savings by Allstate, GEICO and Progressive. All the companies make the same claim of big savings if you change to their company.

How can each company claim to save you money?

Different companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that earns them a profit. For instance, a profitable customer might be over the age of 50, has no tickets, and has great credit. A customer getting a price quote who matches those parameters receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Consumers who don't meet the requirements must pay higher rates which leads to the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "people who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much. That's the way insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings. This illustrates why drivers should compare as many rates as you can. It's impossible to know which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

More tips and info about auto insurance is located at the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation website. Visitors are able to find out which companies have the most complaints, find disaster information, read industry bulletins, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.

auto insurance in Clinton Twp

In the end, you save

Low-cost auto insurance can be sourced both online and also from your neighborhood Clinton Twp agents, and you should be comparing both to get a complete price analysis. There are still a few companies who may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you prepare to switch companies, it's a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. In too many instances, an insured dropped collision coverage and learned later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.