Discover How to Find the Cheapest Price on Cleveland, OH Auto Insurance

Tired of paying out the nose to insure your vehicles every month? You are no different than many other Ohio drivers.

Numerous car insurance companies battle for your hard-earned dollar, so it’s not easy to compare every insurance company to find the absolute cheapest price

You need to compare prices every six months since insurance rates change regularly. Even if you think you had the best deal on your last policy a different company probably has better rates today. So block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you’re about to learn one of the quickest ways to properly buy coverages and cut your premium.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to save some money using this information. Finding affordable car insurance in Cleveland is not rocket science. Although Ohio drivers do need to know how companies price online insurance.

How to Get Cleveland Auto Insurance Comparison Quotes

To find the best auto insurance prices, there are several ways of comparing price quotes and find the best price. The simplest method to find the cheapest insurance rates involves getting comparison quotes online. This can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.

One of the best ways consumers can analyze rates is a comparison rater form (click to open form in new window). This method prevents you from having to do boring form submissions for each company you want a rate for. Filling out one form compares rates from multiple companies.
A different way to compare rate quotes consists of visiting each company’s website and complete a new quote form. For examples sake, let’s assume you want comparison quotes from Progressive, 21st Century and State Farm. To find out each rate you need to take the time to go to each site to input your insurance information, which is why most consumers use the first method. To view a list of companies in Cleveland, click here.
The hardest method of comparing rate quotes is to spend time driving to local insurance agencies. The ability to buy insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you have a need for the professional guidance that only a license agent can provide. Drivers can compare the best prices online and get advice from an agent in your area and you’ll learn how to do that later.

It’s up to you which method you use, but compare the exact same deductibles and coverage limits for each price quote. If the quotes have different deductibles it will be very difficult to find the best deal in Cleveland. Having just a slight variation in coverage limits can result in a big premium difference. Just remember that comparing more company’s prices helps locate better pricing.

You probably qualify for some discounts

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not know about. Most are applied when you purchase, but some may not be applied and must be asked for in order for you to get them.

Service Members Pay Less – Being deployed with a military unit can result in better rates.
Distant Student – Any of your kids who are attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle can be insured at a reduced rate.
Club Memberships – Participating in a professional or civic organization is a good way to get lower rates on auto insurance.
Senior Discount – Mature drivers may receive better auto insurance rates.
Drivers Ed for Students – Have your child complete a driver education course if it’s offered in school.
Payment Method – If you pay your bill all at once rather than paying monthly you may reduce your total bill.

Keep in mind that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So even though they make it sound like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you’re out of luck. Any amount of discount will bring down the amount you have to pay.

Compare online but buy from a local Cleveland agent

Some people would prefer to visit with an insurance agent and that is OK! The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is that you can obtain lower rates but still work with a licensed agent. And providing support for local agencies is important particularly in Cleveland.

Upon completion of this short form, the coverage information gets sent to local insurance agents who will battle to get your business. You won’t need to even leave your home since price quotes are sent immediately to your email address. How’s that for easy! You’ll get the best rates AND an agent nearby.

Types of car insurance agents in Cleveland

When searching for a reliable agent, you must know there are a couple different agency structures from which to choose. Insurance agencies in Cleveland can either be captive or independent.

Independent Agents

Independent insurance agents are not employed by any specific company but rather can write business with any number of different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move the coverage in-house and you won’t have to switch agencies. insurance quote Cleveland Ohio

When searching for an agent, it’s a good idea to include at least one independent agent to have the most options to choose from.

The following is a short list of independent agencies in Cleveland who can help you get price quotes.

Insurance Diversified Agency – 29100 Aurora Rd # 100 – Cleveland, OH 44139 – (440) 349-5700
Starr Agency – 28001 Chagrin Blvd – Cleveland, OH 44122 – (216) 292-4855
Timothy Matyaszek Insurance – 5844 E Glenn Dr – Cleveland, OH 44137 – (216) 587-0254
Leo W Michalewicz Agency – 320 Orchardview Rd # 4 – Cleveland, OH 44131 – (216) 447-8370
A Plus Auto Insurance – 5400 Chester Ave – Cleveland, OH 44103 – (216) 881-1600

Agency Captives

Captive agencies are contracted to one company like State Farm, AAA and Liberty Mutual. They generally cannot compare other company’s rates so they have to upsell other benefits. These agents receive extensive training on the products they sell which helps them compete with independent agents.

Listed below is a short list of captive insurance agencies in Cleveland that can give you comparison quotes.

Liberty Mutual Insurance – 14425 Pearl Rd – Cleveland, OH 44136 – (440) 572-2922
State Farm Insurance – 20525 Detroit Rd # 1 – Cleveland, OH 44116 – (440) 356-2520
Allstate Insurance Co – 22540 Lorain Rd – Cleveland, OH 44126 – (440) 777-6768
Farmers Insurance Group – 16500 W Sprague Rd – Cleveland, OH 44130 – (440) 826-1600
American Family Insurance – 20325 Center Ridge Rd # 135 – Cleveland, OH 44116 – (440) 331-1130

For a complete listing of captive insurance agencies in Cleveland, please click here.

Deciding on an auto insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just the price. These are valid questions to ask:

How are they compensated?
Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
Can glass repairs be made at your home?
Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?

Upon receiving answers to your satisfaction to all your questions and locked in a price quote, chances are good that you have found an insurance agency that meets your needs to properly service your auto insurance policy.

Car insurance is unique, just like you

When buying the best auto insurance coverage, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine if your situation will benefit from professional help.

Why is insurance for a teen driver so high in Cleveland?
Do I get a pro-rated refund if I cancel my policy early?
What are the best liability limits?
Should I buy only the required Ohio minimum liability coverage?
I don’t drive much so do I pay less?
Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
If my vehicle is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Components of your insurance rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that help determine your auto insurance rates. Understanding what influences your rates enables informed choices that could result in better auto insurance rates.

More claims means more premium – Insurance companies in Ohio award cheaper rates to policyholders who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you file claims often, you can expect higher rates. Car insurance is intended to be relied upon for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
Add-on coverages can add up – There are many extra bells and whistles that you can buy on your auto insurance policy. Things like vanishing deductibles, towing coverage and membership fees are some examples. These may sound like a good investment initially, but your needs may have changed so remove them from your policy.
Men are more aggressive – Statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. That doesn’t necessarily mean that men are worse drivers. Women and men cause accidents in similar numbers, but the male of the species cause more damage. Men also tend to have more aggressive citations such as reckless driving. Teenage male drivers are several times more likely to be in an accident and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
Bad driving skills means higher rates – Your driving citation history impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Good drivers tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. Even a single ticket can increase rates forty percent or more. Drivers who have serious citations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may need to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
Credit scores impact auto insurance rates – Credit score is a large factor in determining your rates. People with high credit ratings tend to be more responsible than those with lower ratings. So if your credit rating is low, you could potentially save money when insuring your by improving your rating.
Never go without insurance – Letting your insurance expire is a guaranteed way to pay more for auto insurance. Not only will you pay more, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance may earn you a steep fine or even jail time.

Can switching companies really save?

Companies like Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm continually stream ads on TV and radio. All the ads make an identical promise that you’ll save big after switching your policy. How can each company make almost identical claims?

All companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer that makes them money. For example, a preferred risk might be between the ages of 30 and 50, is a homeowner, and has a high credit rating. Any driver who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Consumers who fall outside the “perfect” profile must pay a more expensive rate and this can result in business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” not “people who quote” save that much. That is how insurance companies can make those claims.

This illustrates why drivers must get quotes from several different companies. It’s just too difficult to predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

Quote more, save more

When trying to cut insurance costs, you should never buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. Too many times, someone dropped liability coverage limits to discover at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your goal should be to buy the best coverage you can find at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.

Discount auto insurance is attainable on the web and also from your neighborhood Cleveland agents, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who may not provide online quoting and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

Additional Ohio car insurance resources

Much more information about auto insurance in Ohio can be found on the website for the Ohio Department of Insurance through this link. Consumers can get help finding coverage, report car insurance fraud, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and discover disciplinary actions.