5 Discounts Cincinnati Consumers Forget when Quoting Car Insurance

Are you a victim of an overpriced car insurance policy? Believe me when I say many consumers are feeling buyer’s remorse and feel like there’s no way out. Many car insurance companies compete to insure your vehicles, and because of this it can be hard to compare insurance companies to get the lowest rate

You should take the time to take a look at other company’s rates at least once a year since insurance rates are rarely the same from one policy term to another. If you had the lowest rates two years ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. There is too much inaccurate information about car insurance online but by reading this article, you’re going to learn some good information on how to quit paying high car insurance rates.

If you have a current car insurance policy or are just looking to switch companies, you can use these techniques to cut your premiums and possibly find even better coverage. Finding affordable coverage in Cincinnati is quite easy. Ohio drivers just need to learn how to find the lowest price on the web.

How to Compare Cincinnati Car Insurance Rates

Shopping for cheap Cincinnati car insurance rates can be challenging if you don’t know the most efficient way to do it. You can waste a few hours (or days) talking about coverages with agents in Cincinnati, or you could save time and use online quotes to get prices fast.

Most of the larger companies take part in a program that enables customers to enter their policy data once, and each participating company then gives them pricing based on the submitted data. This saves time by eliminating form submissions for each company you want a rate for. To participate in this free quote system, click here to open in new window.

The only drawback to getting quotes like this is you cannot specify the companies to get pricing from. If you prefer to choose from a list of companies to compare rates, we have assembled a list of car insurance companies in Ohio. Click here to view list.

Which method you use is up to you, but make darn sure you compare apples-to-apples coverages with every price quote. If your comparisons have higher or lower deductibles it will be next to impossible to make a fair comparison in Cincinnati.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Ohio drivers can’t get away from ads for cheaper car insurance from companies such as 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. They all seem to make the same claim that you can save after switching your policy.

How do they all say the same thing?

Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that earns them a profit. An example of a profitable customer might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, owns a home, and has a short commute. A propective insured that hits that “sweet spot” will get very good rates and most likely will save a lot of money.

Consumers who don’t qualify for this ideal profile will have to pay higher premiums which leads to the customer not buying. The ads say “people who switch” not “people who quote” save that kind of money. That is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the way they do.

Because of the profiling, you should get as many comparisons as possible. It’s just too difficult to predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.

Companies offer discounts so take them!

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you can get discounts to cut the cost considerably. Some discounts apply automatically when you purchase, but some must be asked for prior to receiving the credit. If they aren’t giving you every credit you qualify for, you are paying more than you should be.

• Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings of up to 25% or more.
• Defensive Driver – Taking part in a driver safety course can save you 5% or more if your company offers it.
• Safe Driver Discount – Drivers who avoid accidents can pay as much as 50% less than drivers with accident claims.
• Life Insurance – Select insurance companies reward you with a discount if you purchase life insurance from them.
• Paperwork-free – Some insurance companies will give a small break just for signing your application digitally online.

Consumers should know that most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when it seems like you could get a free car insurance policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any qualifying discounts will cut the cost of coverage.

More information is available on the website for the Ohio Department of Insurance located here. Consumers can read consumer alerts, learn about specific coverages, and download brochures.

Additional helpful sites include this site for car insurance rates in Ohio and this page where you can also get Cincinnati car insurance quotes.

Car insurance coverages explained

Learning about specific coverages of your policy aids in choosing the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and coverage can change by endorsement. Listed below are the usual coverages found on the average car insurance policy.

Auto liability – Liability insurance protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property in an accident. It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see limits of 25/50/25 which means a limit of $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000. Alternatively, you may have one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which limits claims to one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability can pay for things such as medical services, medical expenses, court costs and loss of income. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but buy as large an amount as possible. Ohio requires drivers to carry at least 12,500/25,000/7,500 but you should think about purchasing more coverage.

Collision – Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your vehicle from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage pays for things like sideswiping another vehicle, crashing into a building, rolling your car, sustaining damage from a pot hole and driving through your garage door. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. Another option is to choose a higher deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Coverage for medical expenses – Med pay and PIP coverage provide coverage for bills such as pain medications, hospital visits and prosthetic devices. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers you and your occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Comprehensive car insurance – Comprehensive insurance covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like fire damage, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, damage from getting keyed and hail damage. The highest amount a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers – This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since many Ohio drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (12,500/25/7,500 in Ohio), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Frequently the UM/UIM limits are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Affordable insurance is out there

When shopping online for car insurance, don’t be tempted to skimp on coverage in order to save money. In too many instances, someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits and learned later they didn’t have enough coverage. Your goal should be to get the best coverage possible at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

Discount car insurance is attainable online in addition to many Cincinnati insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies do not provide online price quotes and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.