Beginners Guide to Shopping for Car Insurance for a Saturn LS1

Are you tired of paying out the nose to buy car insurance? You are no different than millions of other consumers. There is such a variety of car insurance companies to buy insurance from, and although it’s nice to have a selection, it can be more difficult to compare rates and cut insurance costs.

Don’t miss these discounts

Companies that sell car insurance do not advertise all their discounts very clearly, so we took the time to find some of the best known and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving. If you’re not getting every credit available, you’re paying more than you need to.

• Multiple Policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with one insurance company you may save up to 20% off your total premium.
• Federal Government Employee – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can earn a discount up to 10% on LS1 coverage with select insurance companies.
• Early Signing – Some insurance companies reward drivers for buying a policy before your current expiration date. This can save 10% or more.
• Lower Rates for Military – Being on active duty in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
• Air Bag Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may earn rate discounts of 20% or more.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most cut individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when the math indicates all those discounts means the company will pay you, you’re out of luck.

Saturn LS1 insurance premiums are calculated by many factors

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that come into play when calculating your car insurance rates. Understanding what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.

The list below includes some of the items that factor into prices.

• Keep rates low by being claim-free – If you are a frequent claim filer, you can pretty much guarantee either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Auto insurance companies generally give discounts to people who file claims infrequently. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of the large, substantial claims.
• Car features impact rates – Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Anti-theft features like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all hinder auto theft.
• Little extras can really add up – There are many extra coverages that you can buy on your LS1 policy. Coverages like rental car reimbursement, towing coverage and additional equipment coverage are some examples. They may seem like a good idea at first, but now you might not need them so get rid of them and save.
• Performance level impacts rates – The make and model of the vehicle you are insuring makes a big difference in the rate you pay. Because the Saturn LS1 is classified as a sedan, rates will be about the same than the average rate where you live. Lower performance four cylinder passenger cars receive the most favorable rates, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.

Price shop online but buy from a local agent

Some people just want to visit with an insurance agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Good agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help file insurance claims. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is that you can obtain the lowest rates but still work with a licensed agent.

For easy comparison, once you complete this simple form, the coverage information is transmitted to local insurance agents who will give you bids for your business. You never need to even leave your home since price quotes are sent to the email address you provide. How’s that for easy!

Selecting an insurance company shouldn’t rely on just the bottom line cost. These questions are important to ask:

• Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
• Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
• Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
• If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
• Do they make recommendations based only on price?
• Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
• If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
• Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?

Captive and independent auto insurance agents

When searching for an insurance agent, there are a couple of types of agencies from which to choose. Insurance agencies are classified as either independent (non-captive) or captive. Both write coverage properly, but it’s good to learn how they are different because it can impact your selection of an agent.

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agencies can only place business with one company like Allstate, AAA, Liberty Mutual and State Farm. They are unable to shop your coverage around so keep that in mind. These agents receive extensive training in insurance sales and that can be a competitive advantage.

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent insurance agents do not work for one specific company but instead can place your coverage amongst many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To transfer your coverage to a different company, an independent agent can move your coverage and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparing rates, we recommend you include several independent insurance agents to have the most options to choose from.

For a complete listing of agencies, visit this site.

Upon receiving positive feedback and a low price estimate, most likely you have located a car insurance agent that will properly service your car insurance policy.

Keep this in mind

We just showed you a lot of techniques to shop for Saturn LS1 insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more you quote, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Drivers may discover the most savings is with the smaller companies. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than their larger competitors like State Farm and Allstate.

Lower-priced Saturn LS1 insurance is possible on the web and with local insurance agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. A few companies do not offer online price quotes and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.