How to Find Cheap Port Barrington Auto Insurance

Buying the cheapest Port Barrington auto insurance on the internet can be intimidating for people who are new to buying insurance on the web. Since there are so many online companies, how can consumers possibly compare them all to find the cheapest available price?

Take advantage of discounts

Companies don't always publicize all available discounts very clearly, so the following is a list of both the well known and the harder-to-find auto insurance savings. If you're not getting every credit you deserve, you are throwing money away.

Defensive Driver - Taking a defensive driving course could cut 5% off your bill if you qualify.
Student in College - Children living away from home attending college and do not have a car may qualify for this discount.
Anti-lock Brake Discount - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes are safer to drive and earn discounts up to 10%.
Paperless Signup - Some insurance companies may give you up to $50 just for signing your application over the internet.
Early Signing - Select companies give a discount for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiring. This can save 10% or more.

Keep in mind that most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. Just because you may think you could get a free auto insurance policy, it just doesn't work that way.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that go into determining the rates you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what influences your rates enables informed choices that could result in better auto insurance rates.

Listed below are some of the items auto insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

Don't get talked into coverage you don't need - There are many add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying when buying auto insurance. Coverages for roadside assistance, accidental death and term life insurance are examples of these. These coverages may sound good when talking to your agent, but if they're wasting money eliminate them to save money.
Older drivers pay less - Youthful drivers in Illinois are statistically proven to get distracted easily when driving so they pay higher auto insurance rates. Adding a teenage driver to your auto insurance policy can really hurt. More mature drivers are more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and receive fewer citations.
Consolidate policies to earn discounts - Most companies will award you with lower prices to insureds who carry more than one policy in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount, it's in your best interest to compare other company rates to ensure the best deal.
Your spouse saves you money - Getting married can actually save you money when buying auto insurance. Having a spouse means you're more mature it has been statistically shown that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
Cautious drivers pay less - Careful drivers tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. Just one speeding ticket can boost insurance rates by as much as thirty percent. Drivers with serious tickets such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence are required to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.

How to know if you need help

When it comes to buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn't really a perfect coverage plan. Every insured's situation is different.

These are some specific questions may help you determine whether your personal situation might need an agent's assistance.

Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
What are Illinois no-fault laws?
Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in Illinois?
Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Port Barrington?
Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?
Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you don't have a local agent, complete this form. It's fast, doesn't cost anything and may give you better protection.

Are auto insurance companies telling the truth?

Consumers in Illinois get pounded daily by advertisements for car insurance savings by 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the companies say the same thing that you can save if you switch to their company.

How does each company claim to save you money? This is how they do it.

Different companies have a preferred profile for the driver that earns them a profit. A good example of a profitable customer might be between the ages of 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile will get very good rates and most likely will save when switching.

Potential customers who don't qualify for these standards must pay a higher premium which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ads say "drivers who switch" not "people who quote" save that much. This is how insurance companies can advertise the way they do. This illustrates why drivers should compare many company's rates. It's impossible to know which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Additional detailed information can be read at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to discover disciplinary actions, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and read consumer alerts.

In the end, you save

Affordable auto insurance can be found both online and also from your neighborhood Port Barrington agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best rate selection. Some auto insurance companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When shopping online for auto insurance, it's very important that you do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are a lot of situations where drivers have reduced collision coverage and discovered at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The proper strategy is to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.

We covered a lot of tips how to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get rates for, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from a lesser-known regional company.