6 Must-Know Tricks When Shopping for Lenexa, KS Car Insurance

I can’t think of anyone who enjoys paying for car insurance, particularly when the cost is too high. With consumers having so many different company options, it’s difficult to pick the right car insurance company.

It’s a good habit to compare prices quite often because insurance rates are variable and change quite frequently. If you had the best rates six months ago there may be better deals available now. Starting right now, forget all the misinformation about car insurance because we’re going to show you one of the best ways to save on car insurance.

Pricing the lowest cost car insurance in Lenexa is not that difficult. If you have a current car insurance policy or need a new policy, you can learn to cut your premiums and still get good coverage. Kansas consumers just need to understand the most efficient way to get comparison quotes online.

Smart Consumers Save More

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get lower car insurance prices.

High crash test scores lower rates – Vehicles with high crash test scores tend to have better insurance rates. The safest vehicles result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Please use or commuting – The more you drive in a year’s time the higher your rate. Most insurance companies apply a rate determined by how the vehicle is used. Vehicles left parked in the garage receive lower rates than those used for commuting. Make sure your car insurance policy shows the correct driver usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
Performance influences rates – The make and model of the car you are insuring makes a huge difference in determining your rates. Low performance passenger cars generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
A lapse in coverage is a bad thing – Driving your car without having proper coverage is a misdemeanor and you will pay a penalty because you let your insurance expire. Not only will you pay more, but not being able to provide proof of insurance will get you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
Lower rates with optional equipment – Purchasing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can help lower your rates. Anti-theft features like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all aid in stopping car theft.

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

Getting a cheaper price on insurance is actually quite simple. The only thing you need to do is invest a few minutes comparing rate quotes from different insurance companies. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in several different ways.

The single most time-saving way consumers can analyze rates would be an industry-wide quote request form click to view form in new window. This method saves time by eliminating separate quotation requests for every car insurance company. A single, simple form gets rate comparisons from multiple low-cost companies.

Another way to obtain and compare quotes online requires you to visit the website of each company to complete a price quote. For sake of this example, we’ll pretend you want to compare GEICO, 21st Century and State Farm. To find out each rate you need to take the time to go to each site to enter your coverage information, and that’s why the first method is more popular. For a handy list of car insurance company links in Lenexa, click here.

The least recommended method of getting rate comparisons is to waste gas driving to insurance agents’ offices. The internet makes this process obsolete unless you prefer the professional guidance of a licensed agent. It is possible to comparison shop online but still have the advice of a local agent and we’ll cover that in a bit.

Which method you use is up to you, but ensure you are comparing identical information with each company. If you use different liability limits then you won’t be able to determine the best price in Lenexa.

These discounts can lower your rates

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but you may find discounts to reduce the price significantly. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you purchase, but a few must be specifically requested before you will receive the discount. If you’re not getting every credit you deserve, you’re just leaving money on the table.

Drivers Education – Cut your cost by having your teen driver complete a driver education course if offered at their school.
Discount for New Cars – Adding a new car to your policy can be considerably cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
Passive Restraints – Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.
Drive Safe and Save – Insureds without accidents may receive a discount up to 45% less than drivers with accident claims.
No Claims – Claim-free drivers pay less compared to accident-prone drivers.
Good Student – A discount for being a good student can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The discount lasts until age 25.
Resident Student – Children living away from home attending college and do not have a car may qualify for this discount.
Multi-car Discount – Insuring more than one vehicle on the same car insurance policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
Early Switch Discount – A few companies offer discounts for signing up prior to your current policy expiration. It’s a savings of about 10%.

It’s important to note that some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn’t work that way. But all discounts will help reduce the amount you have to pay.<img class="alignright" style="padding-top:15px" src="https://www.findnewcarinsurance.com/wp-content/uploads/ci175-21.jpg" alt="Lenexa KS car insurance prices” />

To see a list of providers offering car insurance discounts in Kansas, click here to view.

What if I want to buy from a local Lenexa agent?

Certain consumers just want to talk to a local agent and that is OK! Educated insurance agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help file insurance claims. The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is you can get lower rates but also keep your business local. And providing support for local businesses is important particularly in Lenexa.

Upon completion of this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is emailed to participating agents in Lenexa who will battle for your coverage. There is no reason to drive around due to the fact that quote results will go directly to your email. It doesn’t get any easier!

Multiple types of car insurance agents in Lenexa

If you’re trying to find a reliable agent, there are a couple of different types of agents that you can select. Agents are either independent (non-captive) or captive. Either one can write coverage properly, but it’s good to learn how they are different since it can impact your agent selection.

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Independent agencies are not employed by any specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with lots of companies and potentially find a lower price. To move your coverage to a new company, they simply move the coverage in-house without you having to go to a different agency. When comparison shopping, it’s recommended you include price quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to have the most options to choose from.

The following is a list of independent agencies in Lenexa that may be able to provide price quotes.

Financial Insurance Corp – 11831 W 77th St – Lenexa, KS 66214 – (913) 631-7441
Commercial Insurance Svc – 8700 Monrovia St # 214 – Lenexa, KS 66215 – (913) 888-3093

Agency Captives

Captive agencies can only write with one company such as Liberty Mutual, State Farm, Allstate and AAA. Captives cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they have to upsell other benefits. These agents are well schooled on the products they sell which helps them compete with independent agents.

The following is a short list of captive agencies in Lenexa who can help you get price quote information.

Allstate Insurance – 9232 Pflumm Rd – Lenexa, KS 66215 – (913) 492-4788
American Family Insurance – 14908 W 87th St – Lenexa, KS 66215 – (913) 649-0070
State Farm Insurance – 8702 Pflumm Rd – Lenexa, KS 66215 – (913) 492-6080
Farmers Insurance Group – 12852 W 87th Street Pkwy – Lenexa, KS 66215 – (913) 385-3773

For a full directory of car insurance agents in Lenexa, please click here.

Choosing an insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price. Agents should be asked these questions:

Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?

Once you have reasonable responses to all your questions and an affordable coverage quote, you may have just found an auto insurance agent that can insure your vehicles.

How do I know if I need professional advice?

When choosing coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Every situation is different and your policy should reflect that. These are some specific questions may help highlight if your insurance needs might need an agent’s assistance.

What can I do if my company won’t pay a claim?
Should I buy more coverage than the required Kansas minimum liability coverage?
Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
When should my teen driver be added to my policy?
What vehicles should carry emergency assistance coverage?
Where can I get insurance after a DUI in Kansas?
Does my vehicle qualify for pleasure use?
Are my friends covered when driving my vehicle?
What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?

If you can’t answer these questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It is quick, free and may give you better protection.

Additional information can be found on the website for the Kansas Insurance Department through this link. Consumers can file complaints about a company, find disaster information, and download brochures.

A tidy conclusion

Throughout this article, we presented a lot of tips how to lower your car insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may even find the best prices are with some of the smallest insurance companies. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate and Progressive.

The cheapest car insurance can be sourced on the web and with local Lenexa insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.