How to Know You're Paying Too Much for Auto Insurance in Palmer

Nobody I know looks forward to paying for auto insurance, in particular when they are paying too much. Companies like GEICO and Progressive increase brand awareness with TV and radio ads and it is difficult to sift through the bull and do the work needed to find the best deal.

If you have insurance now or need new coverage, you can use these techniques to find better prices and possibly find even better coverage. Finding affordable coverage in Palmer is easy if you know what you're doing. Alaska vehicle owners just need to know the best way to compare rates online.

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

Getting better auto insurance pricing doesn't have to be difficult. Consumers just need to take the time getting comparison quotes online with multiple companies. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in several different ways.

The first (and easiest) way to compare a lot of rates at once is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This type of form eliminates the need for boring form submissions for each company you want a rate for. Just one form will return quotes from all major companies.

A more difficult way to shop for auto insurance online is to take the time to go to each individual company website and request a quote. For example, let's assume you want to compare , and . To get each rate you have to visit each site and enter your information, which is why the first method is more popular.

For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Palmer, click here.

However you get your quotes, be sure to compare exactly the same coverages and limits with every price quote. If you have different deductibles it's not possible to find the best deal in Palmer.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

It's important that you understand the factors that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

What are your deductibles? - The deductibles represent how much money you are willing to pay before your auto insurance pays a claim. Insurance for physical damage to your car, also known as collision and other-than-collision, insures against damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply could be colliding with a building, collision with an animal, and burglary. The more expense you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.
Performance level impacts rates - The type of car you are insuring makes a substantial difference in determining your rates. Economy passenger cars usually have the lowest rates, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
Poor credit can mean higher rates - A driver's credit score is a important factor in determining your rates. If your credit history is lower than you'd like, you could be paying less to insure your by improving your credit score. Drivers who have high credit scores tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with poor credit.
Your occupation can affect rates - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Occupations such as real estate brokers, social workers and dentists tend to have the highest average rates because of stressful work requirements and long work days. Other occupations like scientists, historians and homemakers receive lower rates.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Companies that sell car insurance don't necessarily list all available discounts in a way that's easy to find, so the following is a list of both well-publicized as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving. If you aren't receiving every discount you qualify for, you're just leaving money on the table.

Homeowners Savings - Owning a home in Palmer can save you money because owning a home demonstrates responsibility.
Early Signing - Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching policies before your current policy expires. This can save 10% or more.
Passive Restraint Discount - Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
No Accidents - Good drivers with no accidents pay less when compared with frequent claim filers.
Multi-car Discount - Buying insurance for more than one vehicle on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
Paperless Signup - A few companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.
Save over 55 - Older drivers may qualify for better auto insurance rates.
Service Members Pay Less - Being deployed with a military unit could mean lower rates.
Good Student - Getting good grades can earn a discount of 20% or more. The good student discount can last until age 25.
Federal Employees - Simply working for the federal government could cut as much as 10% off depending on your company.

Drivers should understand that some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies wouldn't make money that way.

For a list of insurers offering auto insurance discounts in Palmer, click here.

Insurance agents can help

When it comes to choosing coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and your policy should reflect that. For example, these questions may help highlight whether your personal situation will benefit from professional help.

When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?

If you can't answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you don't have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It's fast, free and can help protect your family.

More detailed Alaska auto insurance information can be read at the Alaska Division of Insurance website. Alaska consumers can report car insurance fraud, learn about specific coverages, find out industry alerts, and read industry bulletins.

A tidy conclusion

Budget-conscious auto insurance is available online and also from your neighborhood Palmer agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies may not provide online quoting and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

You just read a lot of techniques to lower your auto insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from the least-expected company. Smaller companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates compared to the large companies like .