10 Ways You Can Buy Car Insurance for Less in Joliet, IL

Feel like you’re a prisoner to an underperforming, overpriced car insurance policy? Believe me, there are many people just like you. Because you have many options when it comes to car insurance, it’s nearly impossible to choose the best provider.

Consumers should take time to check car insurance prices quite often because rates are usually higher with each renewal. Even if you got the best rates last year there is a good chance you can find better rates now. So just block out anything you think you know about car insurance because you’re about to learn how to use the internet to properly buy coverages and cut your premium.

How to Compare Car Insurance in Joliet, Illinois

Most major insurance companies allow you to get prices directly from their websites. Getting quotes is pretty painless as you simply type in the coverage amounts you desire as detailed in the form. Behind the scenes, their system automatically retrieves credit information and your driving record and generates pricing information based on these and other factors. This makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the time it takes to visit multiple sites and complete many quote forms can be a bit tiresome and repetitive. But it’s absolutely necessary to do this if you are searching for the best price possible.

The preferred way to find lower prices requires only one form to get prices from more than one company. The form is fast, reduces the work, and makes online quotes much simpler. As soon as the form is sent, it gets priced and you are able to buy your choice of the pricing results.

If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, it’s easy to complete the application and purchase the new policy. This process takes just a few minutes to complete and may result in a nice savings.

To quickly find out how much you can save on car insurance, simply click here to open in new window and complete the simple form. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend you enter the coverages just like they are on your policy. This guarantees you’re receiving comparison quotes using the exact same coverages.

Discounts are available to cut your rates

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but discounts can save money and there are some available to help offset the cost. Most are applied at the time of purchase, but less common discounts must be specially asked for before they will apply. If you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you’re just leaving money on the table.

Low Mileage – Fewer annual miles could be rewarded with discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
Pay Upfront and Save – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time rather than paying monthly you may reduce your total bill.
Anti-lock Brake System – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles are safer to drive and will save you 10% or more.
Use Seat Belts – Drivers who require all occupants to use their safety belts can save up to 15% off your medical payments premium.
New Car Discount – Putting insurance coverage on a new car is cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
Discount for Swiching Early – A few companies offer discounts for switching to them prior to your current policy expiring. The savings is around 10%.
Homeowners Pay Less – Simply owning a home can help you save on car insurance because maintaining a house is proof that your finances are in order.
E-sign – Certain companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying a policy and signing up online.
Multiple Vehicles – Insuring multiple vehicles on the same car insurance policy could earn a price break for each car.
Good Student Discount – Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.

Keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. So even though they make it sound like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you’re out of luck. Any amount of discount will bring down the cost of coverage.

To choose insurers with the best car insurance discounts in Illinois, click here.

Shop online but buy locally

Some consumers would rather buy from a licensed agent and that is OK! Licensed agents can point out coverage gaps and help you file claims. The best thing about comparing rates online is that you can obtain better rates and still choose a local agent. And providing support for small agencies is important particularly in Joliet.

To help locate an agent, after submitting this simple form, the quote information is transmitted to local insurance agents in Joliet who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. You never need to drive around since price quotes are sent immediately to your email address. Now that’s easy!

The difference between Joliet insurance agencies

When finding a good insurance agency, there are two types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Insurance agencies in Joliet are classified as either captive or independent. Both write coverage properly, but it’s important to know how they are different because it can influence your selection of an agent.

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Independent agents are not locked into one company so they have the ability to put coverage with lots of companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If your agent finds better pricing, the business is moved internally and that require little work on your part.

When shopping rates, you should always contact at least one independent agent for the best price selection.

Shown below is a list of independent agents in Joliet that are able to give price quotes.

Illinois Vehicle Insurance – 1105 W Jefferson St – Joliet, IL 60435 – (815) 740-4242
Dow Moore Matsock Agency – 1429 Plainfield Rd – Joliet, IL 60435 – (815) 729-9800
Triangle Insurance Svc – 22140 SW Frontage Rd – Joliet, IL 60431 – (815) 730-0414
John Bene’ Agency – 1400 Black Rd – Joliet, IL 60435 – (815) 725-3967
Chizmark and Larson Agency – 615 Kungs Way – Joliet, IL 60435 – (815) 725-6527

Captive Insurance Agents

These agents write business for a single company like State Farm, AAA, Farmers Insurance or Allstate. They are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so keep that in mind. Captive agents are well schooled on their products and sales techniques which can be an advantage.

Listed below is a list of captive insurance agencies in Joliet who can help you get price quotes.

Farmers Insurance Group – 401 Timberline Dr – Joliet, IL 60431 – (815) 744-1890
Allstate Insurance – 1106 W Jefferson St – Joliet, IL 60435 – (815) 725-3600
American Family Insurance – 1616 W Jefferson St # Ll – Joliet, IL 60435 – (815) 744-4141
State Farm Insurance – 2704 Caton Farm Rd – Joliet, IL 60435 – (815) 725-4526

To view a complete directory of captive agencies in Joliet, go to this page.

Picking an auto insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just a low price. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:

Are they full-time agents?
Does the agency support the community they serve?
Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?

After getting positive responses to your questions and locked in a price quote, it’s possible that you found an insurance agency that meets your needs to properly insure your vehicles.

More information is available on the website for the Illinois Department of Insurance through this link. Illinois drivers can report car insurance fraud, find out which companies have the most complaints, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.

Also read more on this resource for Illinois car insurance prices and this link where you can get more info about Joliet coverage.

Car insurance coverage specifics

Understanding the coverages of car insurance helps when choosing which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring. Below you’ll find the normal coverages found on the average car insurance policy.

Liability insurance

Liability coverage can cover damages or injuries you inflict on a person or their property that is your fault. It protects YOU from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.

Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see policy limits of 50/100/50 which stand for a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property. Some companies may use a combined limit which limits claims to one amount without having the split limit caps.

Liability coverage pays for things such as legal defense fees, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, repair costs for stationary objects, medical services and court costs. How much liability coverage do you need? That is your choice, but buy higher limits if possible. Illinois state law requires minimum liability limits of 20,000/40,000/15,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy more liability than the minimum.

Collision protection

This coverage covers damage to your vehicle caused by collision with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision insurance covers claims such as driving through your garage door, colliding with a tree, rolling your car and crashing into a ditch. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also bump up the deductible to bring the cost down.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.

Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (which is 20/40/15), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage should not be overlooked. Usually these limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for bills for funeral costs, hospital visits and chiropractic care. They can be utilized in addition to your health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states and may carry a deductible

Comprehensive insurance

Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like damage from flooding, fire damage and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

In conclusion

When shopping online for car insurance, it’s a bad idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. There have been many situations where someone dropped physical damage coverage and discovered at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your goal should be to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.

Cheap car insurance can be sourced both online as well as from independent agents in Joliet, so compare prices from both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who don’t offer online quoting and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.