Easy Tips to Spend Less on Naperville Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy high-priced auto insurance? Trust us when we tell you you are not the only one feeling buyer’s remorse. Companies like State Farm, GEICO and Farmers Insurance all claim big savings, bombarding you with ad campaigns and it is challenging if not impossible to avoid their marketing magic and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

It’s smart to price shop coverage yearly since insurance rates change frequently. Despite the fact that you may have had the lowest rates a few years ago you will most likely find a better rate today. Starting now, forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because I’m going to teach you the easiest way to save on auto insurance.

Many Things Influence your Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that help determine your auto insurance rates. Understanding what influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in big savings.

• What type of vehicle do you drive? – The make and model of the car you drive makes a significant difference in the rate you pay. Low performance passenger cars generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
• Having a spouse can save you money – Having a wife or husband helps lower the price on your auto insurance policy. Having a spouse means you’re more responsible and it’s proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
• High credit ratings translate to low rates – Having a bad credit history is a huge factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. So if your credit score is not that good, you could potentially save money when insuring your by repairing your credit. Drivers who have high credit ratings tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than those with lower credit scores.
• Your stress level may be raising your rates – Careers like doctors, social workers and accountants tend to have higher rates than average because of high stress and lots of time spent at work. On the flip side, occupations such as farmers, athletes and retirees receive lower rates.
• Men fork out a little more – Statistics demonstrate that women are safer drivers than men. However, don’t assume that women are BETTER drivers than men. Men and women are in accidents in similar numbers, but the men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also statistically get more serious tickets like reckless driving and DUI.
• Theft deterrents lower rates – Owning a car with a theft deterrent system can help lower your rates. Anti-theft features such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can help prevent car theft.

How to Get Auto Insurance in Naperville, Illinois

Comparing auto insurance rates can take hours if you don’t know the most efficient way to do it. You can spend countless hours talking to local insurance agents in Naperville, or you can stay home and use online quotes to get the quickest rates.

Many companies participate in an industry program that allows shoppers to enter their policy data once, and at least one company can give them a price for coverage. This eliminates the need for quote forms to every company. To submit your quote information now, click to open in new window.

The one disadvantage to using this type of form is you are unable to specify the providers to get quotes from. If you prefer to choose specific insurance companies to request quotes from, we put together a list of companies who write auto insurance in Illinois. Click to view list.

Whichever way you use, ensure you are comparing the exact same quote information for each comparison quote. If you use differing limits you can’t possibly truly determine the lowest rate in Naperville.

Companies offer discounts so take them!

Companies that sell car insurance don’t list all their discounts very clearly, so we researched both the well known and also the lesser-known savings tricks you should be using. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you are paying more than you should be.

• Drivers Education – Have your child take driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.
• Braking Control Discount – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
• Driver Safety – Taking a driver safety course could possibly earn you a 5% discount if your company offers it.
• Anti-theft System – Anti-theft and alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and will save you 10% or more.
• Paperless Signup – Some insurance companies give back up to $50 just for signing your application over the internet.
• Employee of Federal Government – Employees or retirees of the government can earn a discount up to 10% with a few auto insurance companies.
• Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could cut 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
• Homeowners Discount – Owning a home in Naperville can help you save on auto insurance because owning a home demonstrates responsibility.
• Distant Student – Youth drivers who attend school more than 100 miles from home without a vehicle on campus may qualify for this discount.

Consumers should know that many deductions do not apply to the entire cost. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. Just because you may think all the discounts add up to a free policy, you’re out of luck.

Do I just need basic coverages?

When it comes to choosing adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance should reflect that These are some specific questions might help in determining if you might need professional guidance.

• Is my vehicle covered for flood damage?
• Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
• Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
• Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
• When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
• Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area. It’s fast, free and can provide invaluable advice.

Even more information can be read at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to find out which companies have the most complaints, find out industry alerts, view agent and company licensing information, and file complaints about a company.

A little work can save a LOT of money

Cost effective auto insurance is possible from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Naperville, so compare prices from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers don’t offer online quoting and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.

As you prepare to switch companies, never buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are too many instances where an insured cut full coverage and learned later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your strategy should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.

We just showed you a lot of information how to shop for auto insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Drivers may discover the lowest rates come from the smaller companies. They often have lower prices on specific markets than the large multi-state companies such as Progressive or GEICO.