Buy Palatine, IL Car Insurance Cheaper With These Proven Methods

If shopping for car insurance online is new to you, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the vast number of online companies all offering big savings in Palatine.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will be able to save some money using these methods. Locating the best car insurance coverage in Palatine is easy if you know what you’re doing. Nevertheless, Illinois consumers can benefit from knowing how insurance companies determine prices and use this information to your advantage.

Cut your premium with discounts

Car insurance companies don’t always publicize all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list both well-publicized and also the lesser-known ways to save on car insurance.

Service Members Pay Less – Having a family member in the military can result in better rates.
Braking Control Discount – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Homeowners Savings – Owning a home in Palatine can save you money because maintaining a house shows financial diligence.
Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts can get savings of up to 25% or more.
Drivers Ed for Students – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver’s education if offered at their school.
Safe Driver Discount – Insureds without accidents can pay as much as 50% less than their less cautious counterparts.
Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles with the same company could earn a price break for each car.
Seat Belts Save – Requiring all passengers to use a seat belt can save 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some credits don’t apply to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So when the math indicates adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.

To choose insurance companies who offer car insurance discounts in Illinois, follow this link.

How to Lower Your Car Insurance Cost in Palatine, Illinois

Shopping for lower car insurance rates can be a lot of work if you don’t understand the most efficient way to do it. You could spend your day talking about coverages with agents in Palatine, or you can utilize online quotes for quick rates.

The majority of car insurance companies enroll in a system that allows shoppers to complete one form, and at least one company then gives them pricing based on the submitted data. This prevents consumers from doing form submissions to each individual car insurance company.

To find out how much you’re overpaying now click to open in new window. Palatine Illinois insurance ad

One minor caviat to getting quotes like this is you don’t know exactly which companies to get pricing from. If you wish to select individual companies for rate comparison, we have a page of companies who write car insurance in Illinois. Click to view list.

Whichever way you use, make absolute certain that you use exactly the same information for every quote you compare. If you are comparing different liability limits it will be very difficult to make an equal comparison in Palatine. Quoting even small variations in coverage limits may result in a large different in cost. Just keep in mind that comparing more company’s prices will enable you to find the best rates.

Educated Consumers Know How to Buy Car Insurance Cheaper

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that go into determining car insurance rates. Knowing what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get better car insurance rates.

Safer occupants lowers premiums – Cars with high safety ratings tend to have better insurance rates. These vehicles protect occupants better and any reduction in injury severity translates into savings for insurance companies passed on to you as lower rates.
Lower miles equals lower premium – Driving more miles every year the higher your rates will be. The majority of insurers apply a rate based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles not used for work or commuting get more affordable rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Ask your agent if your car insurance coverage is showing the proper vehicle usage.
High deductibles save money – Physical damage coverage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered are colliding with a building, collision with an animal, and rolling your vehicle. The deductibles are how much you are required to spend out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. The more the insured has to pay upfront, the bigger discount you will receive.
An active claims history can cost you – If you file claims often, you can expect either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance companies in Illinois generally give discounts to policyholders who file claims infrequently. Car insurance is meant to be used in the event of the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
A lapse in coverage is a bad thing – Having an insurance coverage lapse is a fast way to pay more for car insurance. Not only will you pay more, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance will get you a revoked license or a big fine.
Your location affects your rates – Choosing to live in small towns and rural areas can save you money when talking about car insurance. Lower population means fewer accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft. Drivers in populated Illinois areas have traffic congestion and much longer commute distances. More time commuting can result in more accidents.
Being married can save on car insurance – Getting married helps lower the price on your car insurance policy. Having a spouse usually means you are more mature and it’s statistically proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.

What is the best insurance coverage?

When it comes to choosing coverage, there really is no “best” method to buy coverage. Every situation is different.

For instance, these questions might point out whether your personal situation may require specific advice.

Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
Should I sign the liability waiver when renting a car?
I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.

Save 15 percent in 15 minutes? Is it for real?

Car insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive continually stream television and radio advertisements. They all seem to have a common claim of big savings after switching to their company. How does each company make the same claim?

All companies have a certain “appetite” for the driver that is profitable for them. For example, a driver they prefer could be between 25 and 40, a clean driving record, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer that hits that “sweet spot” gets the lowest rates and therefore will save quite a bit of money when switching.

Potential insureds who don’t qualify for these standards will be charged higher prices which usually ends up with business not being written. The ads say “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much money. That’s why companies can truthfully claim big savings. That is why you need to get as many quotes as possible. It’s just too difficult to predict which car insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Best coverage at the best price

Drivers leave their current company for many reasons like questionable increases in premium, high rates after DUI convictions, delays in responding to claim requests and an unsatisfactory settlement offer. Regardless of your reason, switching car insurance companies can be easy and end up saving you some money.

Low-cost car insurance is attainable on the web and with local Palatine insurance agents, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture. Some car insurance companies do not offer online price quotes and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

Throughout this article, we presented quite a bit of information on how to shop for car insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more quotes you get, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. You may even discover the lowest premiums are with some of the smallest insurance companies.

Additional detailed information is available at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to read consumer alerts, read industry bulletins, get help finding coverage, and learn about insurance regulations.