How to Know You're Paying Too Much for Car Insurance in Monmouth

I can't think of anyone who looks forward to paying for car insurance, particularly when their premiums are through the roof.

Online insurance companies like State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive continually bombard you with ads and consumers find it hard to sift through the bull and do the work needed to find the best deal.

It's important to compare prices periodically due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the lowest rates on your last policy a different company probably has better rates today. So forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because I'm going to teach you the tricks you need to know to find lower rates on car insurance.

Be sure to get all your discounts

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but you can get discounts that many people don't even know exist. Some discounts apply automatically at the time of quoting, but lesser-known reductions have to be inquired about before you will receive the discount.

Bundle and Save - If you have multiple policies with one company you may earn at least 10% off all policies.
Early Signing - Select companies give a discount for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiring. This can save 10% or more.
Theft Prevention Discount - Cars that have factory anti-theft systems help deter theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Payment Discounts - If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may reduce your total bill.
College Student - Kids in college who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have a car can receive lower rates.
Homeowners Savings - Owning a house in Monmouth can help you save on car insurance because owning a home is proof that your finances are in order.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. Even though it may seem like adding up those discounts means a free policy, car insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will reduce the amount you have to pay.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

Big city or small town - Living in small towns and rural areas can be a good thing when talking about car insurance. Lower population translates into fewer accidents. Urban drivers have much more traffic to deal with and longer commute times. More time commuting means higher likelihood of an accident.
Bad driving skills means higher rates - Careful drivers tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. Even one moving violation can boost insurance rates twenty percent or more. Drivers who have serious citations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
More than one policy can earn a discount - Most insurers will give a discount to insureds who have multiple policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. This can amount to five, ten or even twenty percent. Even if you're getting this discount it's in your best interest to compare other company rates to ensure the best deal.
Save money with special equipment - Owning a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft features like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can help prevent car theft.

How do I know if I need professional advice?

When it comes to buying adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Every insured's situation is different so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions may help highlight whether or not you may require specific advice.

What are the best liability limits?
Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
What can I do if my company won't pay a claim?
Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Monmouth?
Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?

If you're not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Is there truth in advertising?

Car insurance companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. They all seem to make an identical promise about savings if you switch to their company. How can each company claim to save you money? This is how they do it.

Insurance companies have a certain "appetite" for the driver that earns them a profit. For example, a desirable insured might be over the age of 50, a clean driving record, and has great credit. Any driver who meets those qualifications receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who don't measure up to the requirements will have to pay more money and ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "drivers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much. That is how companies can truthfully advertise the savings.

Because of the profiling, drivers should get a wide range of price quotes. You cannot predict which company will fit your personal profile best.

Additional Oregon consumer information

Additional information can be found on the website for the Oregon Insurance Division. Click here for link. Visitors are able to view agent and company licensing information, file complaints about a company, read consumer alerts, and view a list of available companies.

Shop smart and save

When you buy insurance online, it's not a good idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many instances, someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage for the lowest price.

We just presented some good ideas how you can reduce car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers may even find the biggest savings come from a lesser-known regional company. Regional companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like .