How to Know You're Wasting Money for Car Insurance in Fairbury

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an overpriced car insurance policy? Trust us, you're not alone. Popular companies such as State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive constantly bombard you with ad campaigns and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and find the best price available.

If you have a current car insurance policy or are shopping for new coverage, you can learn to get lower rates and still get good coverage. Finding affordable coverage in Fairbury is quite easy. Nebraska drivers only need an understanding of the proper methods to compare company rates over the internet.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but you may find discounts that you may not know about. A few discounts will automatically apply when you quote, but less common discounts must be inquired about prior to getting the savings. If you aren't receiving every discount possible, you are throwing money away.

Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Fewer annual miles could be rewarded with lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Homeowners Discount - Owning a home in Fairbury may trigger a car insurance policy discount due to the fact that maintaining a home shows financial diligence.
Early Switch Discount - Some companies give discounts for switching to them prior to your current policy expiring. It's a savings of about 10%.
Anti-lock Brake Discount - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
55 and Retired - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get reduced rates.
Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver's education if it's offered in school.
Federal Government Employee - Active or retired federal employment can earn a discount up to 10% depending on your company.
Anti-theft System - Anti-theft and alarm systems help deter theft and earn discounts up to 10%.

Consumers should know that most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. Even though it may seem like you could get a free car insurance policy, companies don't profit that way. Any qualifying discounts will reduce the amount you have to pay.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Fairbury

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that help determine your car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in better car insurance rates.

Safer cars cost less to insure - Safer cars are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles result in less severe injuries and fewer injuries means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Add-on coverages can add up - There are a ton of extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying on your policy. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, accidental death and motor club memberships are examples of these. They may seem good initially, but if you don't need them eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
Your spouse saves you money - Having a wife or husband can get you a discount when buying car insurance. Having a spouse is viewed as being more mature and responsible and statistics show being married results in fewer claims.
How's your driving record? - Whether or not you get tickets has a huge affect on how much you pay. Good drivers get better rates compared to drivers with tickets. Just one citation can increase rates forty percent or more. Drivers with flagrant 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 motor vehicle department in order to keep their license.
Women pay lower rates - Statistics demonstrate women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, this does not mean women are better drivers. Men and women have accidents in similar numbers, but the male of the species have costlier accidents. Men also tend to get cited for more serious violations such as reckless driving. Male drivers age 16 to 19 are the most expensive to insure and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
Small claims can cost you - If you file claims often, you can pretty much guarantee either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance companies in Nebraska provide cheaper rates to policyholders who file claims infrequently. Car insurance is meant to be used in the event of the large, substantial claims.
More than one policy can earn a discount - Many companies will award you with lower prices to policyholders who have multiple policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can amount to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. If you currently are using one company, it's still a good idea to compare other company rates to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still find a better deal by buying car insurance from a different company.

Is there truth in advertising?

Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements that promise big savings by companies like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the companies say the same thing of big savings after switching to them.

How can each company make the same claim? It's all in the numbers.

Different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For instance, a profitable customer could be between 30 and 50, has no tickets, and has great credit. A customer who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who don't measure up to the requirements must pay a higher premium which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save money. That's the way insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings.

This illustrates why drivers should get as many quotes as possible. Because you never know which car insurance company will fit your personal profile best.

Additional car insurance information is located on the website for the Nebraska Department of Insurance found here. Consumers can find disaster information, discover disciplinary actions, get help finding coverage, and file complaints about a company.

A tidy conclusion

Cost effective car insurance can be sourced from both online companies and with local Fairbury insurance agents, so compare prices from both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When you buy insurance online, it's not a good idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are a lot of situations where an insured dropped liability coverage limits only to discover later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.