Consumer Tested Strategies to Save on Lake Leelanau Auto Insurance

I can't think of anyone who cherishes buying auto insurance, especially knowing they are paying too much. Multiple compete for your hard-earned dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates to get the lowest price

Tips to Get Lower Lake Leelanau Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that go into determining auto insurance rates. Understanding what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in big savings.

Extra add-on coverages are wasting money - There are many additional coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you aren't careful. Coverages like personal injury protection, accidental death and additional equipment coverage are examples of these. These may sound like a good investment when talking to your agent, but now you might not need them so get rid of them and save.
Is your vehicle built for speed? - The type of car you are insuring makes a significant difference in your rates. Lower performance four cylinder passenger cars generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
Traffic citations inflate rates - Only having one citation can bump up the cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who don't get tickets tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. Drivers with serious tickets like DUI or reckless driving are required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
Liability coverage is cheap - Liability insurance is the coverage that protects you if a jury decides you are liable for personal injury or accident damage. Liability insurance provides legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.

More discounts equal less premium

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, buy you may qualify for discounts that you may not even be aware of. Some discounts apply automatically when you complete an application, but a few must be manually applied before they will apply. If they aren't giving you every credit you qualify for, you are paying more than you should be.

Defensive Driver - Taking part in a course teaching defensive driving skills can save you 5% or more if your company offers it.
Early Signing - Select companies give a discount for signing up prior to your current policy expiration. This can save 10% or more.
Good Student - This discount can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you until age 25.
Organization Discounts - Affiliation with certain professional organizations could qualify you for a break when buying auto insurance.
Student Driver Training - Cut your cost by having your teen driver enroll in driver's education in school.
Student in College - Children who are attending college and do not have a car may be able to be covered for less.

A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will cut your premiums.

To choose insurers offering auto insurance discounts in Lake Leelanau, follow this link.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Michigan drivers can't ignore all the ads for cheaper car insurance from the likes of 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the companies say the same thing about savings if you switch your coverage to them.

How do they all say the same thing? This is how they do it.

All the different companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of customer that makes them money. For instance, a profitable customer might be profiled as over the age of 50, a clean driving record, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A propective insured who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and therefore will cut their rates substantially.

Consumers who do not match the "perfect" profile must pay higher rates which usually ends up with business not being written. The ads state "drivers who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that much money. That is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do.

This illustrates why you should compare many company's rates. It's not possible to predict which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

It's not one size fits all

When buying the best auto insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no one size fits all plan. Everyone's situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won't apply. Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight if you may require specific advice.

Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
Am I getting all the discounts available?
Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?

If you don't know the answers to these questions, you might consider talking to an insurance 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. It is quick, free and may give you better protection.

Additional Michigan consumer information

Additional information is located on the website for the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation. Click here for link. Michigan drivers can discover disciplinary actions, learn about specific coverages, file complaints about a company, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

A tidy conclusion

Cheaper auto insurance is available on the web as well as from independent agents in Lake Leelanau, and you should be comparing both to get a complete price analysis. Some auto insurance companies don't offer online price quotes and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

In this article, we covered a lot of tips how to save on auto insurance. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get rates for, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the biggest savings come from a smaller regional carrier. Some small companies may cover specific market segments cheaper as compared to the big name companies such as .