Free Guide to Saving Money on Sullivan Auto Insurance Online

No one cherishes buying auto insurance, especially knowing they are paying too much. Drivers have multiple to buy insurance from, and although it's nice to have a selection, it can be more challenging to compare rates.

It's important to take a look at other company's rates occasionally since insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you had the best deal a few years ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Starting now, forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because it's time to teach you the only way to reduce your cost while increasing coverage.

Save big with these discounts

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but you can get discounts that you may not even be aware of. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be manually applied prior to getting the savings. If you're not getting every credit you qualify for, you're paying more than you need to.

Accident Forgiveness - Certain companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don't have any claims for a set time period.
Anti-lock Brake Discount - Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles are safer to drive and earn discounts up to 10%.
Good Student - A discount for being a good student can earn a discount of 20% or more. The discount lasts until age 25.
Homeowners Savings - Owning a house in Sullivan may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
Federal Employees - Being employed by or retired from a federal job could cut as much as 10% off with select insurance companies.

It's important to note that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears all the discounts add up to a free policy, you're out of luck. But any discount will bring down your overall premium however.

To see a list of companies offering auto insurance discounts in Illinois, follow this link.

Sullivan Auto Insurance Quote Comparison

Finding cheaper auto insurance prices can be quick and easy. You just have to invest a few minutes to compare quotes provided by online insurance companies. This can be done in several different ways.

The best way to get quotes for comparison is to use a rate comparison form like this one (opens in new window). This method eliminates the need for separate quotes for each company you want a rate for. A single form will return quotes instantly.
A harder way to get quotes online is to take the time to go to each individual company website to complete their respective quote request forms. For example, we'll pretend 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. To view a list of companies in Sullivan, click here.
The least efficient method to compare rates is driving to and from local insurance agencies. Buying insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you require the professional advice that only a license agent can provide. You can, however, obtain prices from the web and still use a local agent and we'll touch on that later.

It doesn't matter which method you choose, just make absolute certain that you use identical coverages and limits on every quote you get. If you have different deductibles it will be impossible to determine which rate is truly the best in Sullivan.

Sullivan Rates are Influenced by These Factors

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that go into determining auto insurance rates. Knowing what influences your rates enables informed choices that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

Listed below are some of the factors auto insurance companies consider when setting rates.

Are you male or female? - Statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn't necessarily mean that men are worse drivers. Both sexes tend to get into accidents at about the same rate, but the males cause more damage. They also get cited for more serious violations like reckless driving and DUI. Young males are most likely to cause an accident and therefore have the most expensive auto insurance rates.
Credit scores impact auto insurance rates - Credit score is a important factor in determining your rates. So if your credit is lower than you'd like, you could pay less to insure your by spending a little time repairing your credit. Drivers who have high credit scores tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than those with poor credit.
A clean driving record saves money - Just one speeding ticket can boost insurance rates by as much as thirty percent. Careful drivers have lower premiums than bad drivers. Drivers who have serious citations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may need to file a SR-22 with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
Lower deductibles cost more - Coverage for physical damage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply are a windshield shattered by a rock, damage from fire, and windstorm damage. Your deductibles are how much you are willing to pay if you file a covered claim. The more money you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.

But I don't know anything about car insurance

When choosing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn't really a single plan that fits everyone. Everyone's needs are different and a cookie cutter policy won't apply. These are some specific questions might point out if your situation would benefit from professional advice.

Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?
Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Illinois?
Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Sullivan?
Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?

If you don't know the answers to these questions, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you don't have a local agent, complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.

Auto insurance ads bend the truth

Illinois drivers can't get away from ads for cheaper car insurance by State Farm, GEICO and Progressive. They all seem to say the same thing that you can save if you switch to their company.

How does each company say the same thing?

Insurance companies have a certain "appetite" for the driver that is profitable for them. An example of a desirable insured might be profiled as a mature driver, owns a home, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A propective insured who fits that profile will get very good rates and most likely will save when switching.

Potential customers who fall outside these standards will have to pay a higher premium which usually ends up with business not being written. The ads say "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save that much. That is how insurance companies can advertise the way they do.

Because of the profiling, drivers must get as many quotes as possible. It's not possible to predict which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

A tidy conclusion

Lower-priced auto insurance is available on the web and also from your neighborhood Sullivan agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. Some auto insurance companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

When shopping online for auto insurance, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, an insured cut comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your aim should be to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford.

Throughout this article, we presented a lot of tips how to compare auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may be surprised to find that the best price on auto insurance is with a small local company. These smaller insurers often have lower prices on specific markets than their larger competitors like .

For more Illinois car insurance information

More information is available on the website for the Illinois Department of Insurance located here. Illinois drivers can learn about insurance regulations, find out industry alerts, file complaints about a company, and report car insurance fraud.