How to Know You're Throwing Money Away for Auto Insurance in Norton

Sick and tired of scraping the payment together each month for car insurance? Your situation is no different than many other Kansas consumers.

You have so many to buy insurance from, and even though it's nice to have a selection, lots of choices makes it harder to compare rates.

How much can you save with discounts?

Companies offering auto insurance don't always list all available discounts very clearly, so we break down both well-publicized as well as the least known auto insurance savings.

  • Memberships - Participating in a qualifying organization could qualify you for a break when buying auto insurance.
  • Employee of Federal Government - Being employed by or retired from a federal job could cut as much as 10% off depending on your company.
  • Student in College - Children who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle can receive lower rates.
  • Paperless Signup - A few companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying your policy over the internet.
  • Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Fewer annual miles can earn lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
  • Payment Method - If you pay your bill all at once instead of paying each month you could save up to 5%.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire cost. A few only apply to individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, auto insurance companies aren't that generous.

To see a list of insurers who offer auto insurance discounts in Kansas, follow this link.

Cheap Norton Auto Insurance Comparisons

There are several ways you can shop for auto insurance but one way is easier and takes less work. You can waste a lot of time talking to insurance agencies in Norton, or you could save time and use the web to achieve your goal.

Many insurance companies are enrolled in a marketplace that allows shoppers to complete one form, and each company returns a rated price determined by their information. This eliminates the need for form submissions for each company you want a rate for.

To submit your quote information now, click to open in new window.

The only drawback to comparing rates this way is you are unable to specify which carriers you want pricing from. So if you prefer to pick from a list of companies to compare rates, we put together a list of auto insurance companies in Kansas. Click to view list.

Which method you use is up to you, but ensure you're using identical coverage information on every quote you get. If your comparisons have unequal deductibles or liability limits it's impossible to determine which rate is truly the best in Norton. Just a small difference in coverages may result in large price differences. And when price shopping your coverage, comparing more company's prices helps locate the best offered rates.

Tips to Get Lower Norton Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

The following are a few of the "ingredients" used by your company to calculate premiums.

  • Liability coverage protects you - Liability coverage will protect you if a court rules you are at fault for personal injury or accident damage. It provides for a legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so buy as much as you can afford.
  • Your auto insurance rates can be influenced by your job - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Occupations such as lawyers, architects and financial analysts have higher average rates because of high stress levels and long work days. Conversely, occupations like farmers, engineers and performers get better rates.
  • Mature drivers pay less - Teen drivers in Kansas are known to get distracted easily in a vehicle so they pay higher auto insurance rates. Mature drivers are more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers.
  • Marriage brings a discount - Having a spouse can get you a discount when buying auto insurance. Having a spouse translates into being more responsible and it's proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
  • Safer occupants lowers premiums - Vehicles with high crash test scores are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles protect occupants better and lower injury rates translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and thus lower rates.
  • Special features that cut premiums - Driving a car with an alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Theft prevention features like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM's OnStar system all hinder your car from being stolen.
  • Big city or small town - Being located in small towns and rural areas is a positive aspect when insuring your vehicles. City drivers have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Less people living in that area means a lower chance of having an accident.
  • Men pay higher rates - The statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. However, this does not mean women are BETTER drivers than men. Both sexes have accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species have costlier accidents. Men also tend to get cited for more serious violations such as DWI and reckless driving. Youthful male drivers are most likely to cause an accident and therefore have the most expensive auto insurance rates.

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

Allstate, GEICO and Progressive continually stream television and radio advertisements. All the companies say the same thing about savings after switching your coverage to them. How does each company make almost identical claims?

Insurance companies can use profiling for the type of customer that is profitable for them. For example, a profitable customer could possibly be a mature driver, is a homeowner, and drives newer vehicles. A driver who fits that profile receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Potential customers who don't meet these standards must pay a higher premium which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much money. That's why companies can truthfully claim big savings. This illustrates why drivers must get a wide range of price quotes. It is impossible to predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

Cheap auto insurance can be bought online as well as from independent agents in Norton, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. A few companies don't offer the ability to get a quote online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When trying to cut insurance costs, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In too many instances, an accident victim reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that it was a big mistake. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.

Learn more today

Even more information can be found at the Kansas Insurance Department website. Kansas consumers can find out which companies have the most complaints, read industry bulletins, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and get help finding coverage.