Comparison Shop Windsor Car Insurance Prices With These Techniques

Buying the most affordable Windsor car insurance on the internet may be intimidating for beginners to buying insurance on the web. Since there are so many choices, how can you even start to compare every one to find the best price?

It's important to compare prices on a regular basis due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best rates last year a different company probably has better rates today. There is too much inaccurate information about car insurance on the web, but we're going to give you some great ways to find cheap car insurance.

Finding affordable coverage in Windsor is easy if you know what you're doing. If you are paying for car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using this information. But Illinois consumers do need to know the methods companies use to price online insurance.

How much can you save with discounts?

Car insurance companies don't always advertise every available discount very clearly, so the following is a list of both the well known and the harder-to-find car insurance savings.

  • Good Student Discount - Performing well in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The good student discount can last until age 25.
  • Accident Waiver - Certain companies will allow you to have one accident before your rates go up if you are claim-free for a particular time prior to the accident.
  • Anti-lock Brake Discount - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes are safer to drive and will save you 10% or more.
  • Resident Student - Children living away from home attending college and do not have a car can receive lower rates.
  • Senior Citizens - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may qualify for a small decrease in premiums.
  • Multi-car Discount - Buying insurance for more than one vehicle on one policy qualifies for this discount.
  • E-sign - A handful of insurance companies may give you up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up over the internet.
  • Use Seat Belts - Drivers who require all occupants to wear their seat belts can save up to 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.
  • Government Employees - Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount with certain companies.
  • Theft Prevention System - Anti-theft and alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.

Drivers should understand that most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. Even though it may seem like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies wouldn't make money that way.

Illinois car insurance

How to Lower your Car Insurance Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. Knowing what controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get big savings.

Listed below are some of the items used by your company to calculate your rates.

  • Bad driving skills means higher rates - Drivers who don't get tickets tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. Just one ticket can bump up the cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who get serious violations such as DUI or reckless driving may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
  • Battle of the sexes - Statistics have proven that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn't necessarily mean that women are BETTER drivers than men. They both have accidents at a similar rate, but men cause more damage. Men also get cited for more serious violations like DUI and reckless driving. Teenage male drivers tend to get in the most accidents and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
  • Multiple policies with one company can save - Most companies give discounts to insureds who have multiple policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, it's in your best interest to compare other company rates to verify if the discount is saving money.
  • Older drivers pay less - Youthful drivers in Illinois are statistically proven to be less responsible when driving so they pay higher car insurance rates. Having to add a teenage driver onto a policy can be quite pricey. More mature drivers tend to be more responsible, file fewer claims and are safer drivers.
  • Don't sacrifice liability coverage - Liability insurance is the protection in the event that you are found liable for personal injury or accident damage. It provides you with a defense in court which can cost thousands of dollars. Liability is cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.
  • Don't let your coverage lapse - Having an insurance coverage lapse is a quick way to pay more for car insurance. Not only will rates go up, failure to provide proof of insurance might get you a steep fine or even jail time.You may have to file a SR-22 with the Illinois motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.

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

Companies like State Farm and Allstate constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. All the ads say the same thing that you'll save big if you switch your coverage to them. How does each company claim to save you money? This is how they do it.

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that earns them a profit. A good example of a preferred risk might be over the age of 40, insures multiple vehicles, and drives newer vehicles. Any driver who fits that profile receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Drivers who don't meet these standards will be charged a higher premium which usually ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "drivers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much money. This is how companies can claim big savings. That is why drivers should compare as many rates as you can. You cannot predict which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

For more Illinois car insurance information

More detailed Illinois car insurance information can be read at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to file complaints about a company, learn about insurance regulations, and read consumer alerts.

Final considerations

We just presented a lot of information how to reduce car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Drivers may discover the lowest premiums are with a lesser-known regional company.

Budget-conscious car insurance can be found both online as well as from independent agents in Windsor, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best selection. A few companies don't offer you the ability to get quotes online and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

When trying to cut insurance costs, it's very important that you do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many cases where drivers have reduced full coverage and found out when filing a claim that it was a big mistake. Your goal should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.