Wonder Lake Car Insurance For Less Than You're Paying Now

Shopping for the cheapest Wonder Lake car insurance online can be impossible for consumers new to shopping for insurance online. With so many choices of companies competing online, how can you even start to compare the different rates to find the best price?

It's important to check car insurance prices on a regular basis because rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the best rates a couple years back the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Don't believe everything you read about car insurance online, so we're going to give you some great ways to save money.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Car insurance companies do not list every available discount very clearly, so the following is a list of some of the more common and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving.

  • Good Student Discount - A discount for being a good student can save 20 to 25%. The good student discount can last up until you turn 25.
  • E-sign - Some insurance companies will give a small break just for signing your application over the internet.
  • Multiple Cars - Buying insurance for all your vehicles on the same car insurance policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
  • Multi-policy Discount - When you combine your home and auto insurance with one company you could get a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.
  • Discount for Swiching Early - Some companies give discounts for switching to them before your current expiration date. The savings is around 10%.

It's important to note that some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. So despite the fact that it appears you could get a free car insurance policy, you're out of luck.

To see a list of providers with discount car insurance rates in Illinois, click here.

Illinois car insurance

How to Lower Your Car Insurance Cost in Wonder Lake, Illinois

The are a couple different ways to compare quotes from local Wonder Lake car insurance companies. The best method to compare insurance prices involves getting comparison quotes online. This can be done in several different ways.

  • The best way to get quotes is a comparison rater form (click to open form in new window). This type of form saves time by eliminating a different quote for each company. One form submission gets you price quotes . It's definitely the quickest method.
  • Another way to shop for car insurance online requires a trip to each company website to complete a price quote. For example, let's say you want comparison quotes from , and . You would have to visit each site to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is quicker.

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

However you get your quotes, ensure you are comparing identical quote information with each company. If you have mixed coverages then you won't be able to make an equal comparison in Wonder Lake. Slightly different limits can make a big difference in price. Just remember that quoting more helps you find a better price.

What determines how much you pay?

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that play a part in calculating your car insurance rates. Knowing what influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get better car insurance rates.

Shown below are some of the items companies use to determine your rates.

  • How's your driving record? - Good drivers get better rates than their less careful counterparts. Even a single speeding ticket can increase rates by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who get dangerous violations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state motor vehicle department in order to prevent a license revocation.
  • Being married is a good thing - Getting married helps lower the price on car insurance. Marriage is viewed as being more mature and statistics show married drivers get in fewer accidents.
  • High deductibles save money - Coverage for physical damage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, protects your car from damage. Examples of covered claims are collision with another vehicle, collision with an animal, or theft. The deductibles are the amount of money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. The more expense you're willing to pay, the bigger discount you will receive.
  • Rural vs Urban Areas - Residing in a small town has it's advantages when it comes to car insurance. Urban drivers have congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Fewer people means fewer accidents and a lower car theft rate.
  • Performance makes a difference - The performance of the car you drive makes a big difference in determining your rates. The lowest base rates are usually for lower performance four cylinder passenger cars, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
  • Better credit means lower rates - Your credit score is a big factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. Drivers with good credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than those with lower credit ratings. If your credit rating is low, you could pay less to insure your by spending a little time repairing your credit.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Companies like State Farm and Allstate consistently run television and radio advertisements. All the ads have a common claim that you can save if you change to them. How does each company make the same claim? It's all in the numbers.

Different companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that is profitable for them. A good example of a preferred risk could be over the age of 40, insures multiple vehicles, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer that hits that "sweet spot" will get very good rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Potential insureds who don't qualify for these standards will be charged more money and this can result in business going elsewhere. The ads say "customers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save money. This is how insurance companies can advertise the way they do. That is why drivers must compare as many rates as you can. Because you never know which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Affordable insurance is out there

We just showed you a lot of techniques to compare car insurance prices online. It's most important to understand that the more you quote, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Drivers may discover the lowest premiums are with some of the smallest insurance companies.

Lower-priced car insurance can be sourced from both online companies and with local Wonder Lake insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some car insurance companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, make sure you don't reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many cases where drivers have reduced collision coverage and discovered at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. Your goal should be to find the BEST coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

Additional detailed information can be read at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Consumers can file complaints about a company, get help finding coverage, and report car insurance fraud.

Additional helpful sites include NAIC.org's Understanding your Policy and this directory of insurance agents in Wonder Lake Illinois.