Car Insurance in Great Bend, KS – 8 Tips to Cut Costs

Comparison shopping for Great Bend car insurance can be challenging for people who are new to buying insurance online. There are so many options available that it can quickly become a challenge to compare prices in Great Bend.

Consumers should take time to compare prices before your policy renews since insurance rates change quite often. Despite the fact that you may have had the best price a year ago you may be paying too much now. There is a lot of bad information regarding car insurance online, so with this article, you’re going to get some solid techniques on how to quit paying high car insurance rates.

Choosing the best insurance company for you in Great Bend is not rocket science. If you have car insurance now, you will be able to lower your premiums substantially using this strategy. Kansas drivers just need to know the proper way to compare price quotes online.

Take these eight discounts and save

Car insurance companies do not advertise all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list some of the more common and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving. If they aren’t giving you every credit possible, you’re paying more than you need to.

• Discount for Good Grades – Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
• Discount for Swiching Early – Some companies give discounts for switching to them before your current policy expires. The savings is around 10%.
• Homeowners Discount – Being a homeowner can help you save on car insurance because owning a home demonstrates responsibility.
• Low Mileage Discounts – Keeping the miles down could qualify for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
• Club Memberships – Belonging to a civic or occupational organization could trigger savings on your policy.
• Auto/Life Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with lower rates if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
• Driver Safety – Successfully completing a driver safety course could possibly earn you a 5% discount if you qualify.
• Paperwork-free – A few companies give back up to $50 for buying your policy digitally online.

Keep in mind that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. A few only apply to individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like you could get a free car insurance policy, you’re out of luck.

It’s not one size fits all

When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.

Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining whether you might need professional guidance.

• Is borrowed equipment or tools covered if stolen or damaged?
• Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
• Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
• Do I need higher deductibles?
• Does my vehicle need full coverage?
• Is my vehicle covered for flood damage?
• Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my vehicle is totaled?
• At what point should I drop full coverage?
• What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and may give you better protection.

Comparing rates from local agents

Some people would rather sit down with an agent and that is just fine! Professional agents can help determine the best coverages and help you file claims. The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is that you can obtain the best rates but still work with a licensed agent.

By using this quick form, your insurance coverage information is sent to agents in your area who will give you bids for your coverage. There is no need to visit any agencies as quotes are delivered to your email. How’s that for easy!

Choosing an insurance company shouldn’t rely on just the bottom line cost. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:

• Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
• How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
• Is working in the agency their full-time job?
• Does the agency support the community they serve?
• What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?

What types of insurance agencies are in Great Bend?

If you’re trying to find local Great Bend agents, you must know there are a couple types of agencies from which to choose. Great Bend agents are either captive or independent (non-captive). Both write coverage properly, but it’s good to learn how they differ since it can impact the selection process.

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agents have only one company to place business with like State Farm, AAA and Liberty Mutual. They are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captive agencies are well schooled in insurance sales which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Some consumers prefer to choose to use a captive agent primarily because of the brand legacy and strong financial ratings.

Listed below are captive agents in Great Bend who can help you get price quote information.

• Farm Bureau Crop Insurance – 1920 16th St – Great Bend, KS 67530 – (620) 792-2432
• American Family Insurance – – Great Bend, KS 67530 – (620) 793-8003
• Farmers Insurance Group – 1815 11th St – Great Bend, KS 67530 – (620) 793-9378
• State Farm Insurance – 1910 18th St # 1 – Great Bend, KS 67530 – (620) 792-3669
• Shelter Insurance – 1910 18th St – Great Bend, KS 67530 – (620) 793-9390

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent agents are not required to write business for one company but rather can write business with many different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If your agent finds better pricing, your agent can switch companies and you don’t have to find a new agent. When shopping rates, we recommend you contact multiple independent agents for the best price selection. They also have the ability to place coverage with lesser-known insurance companies who may have lower rates.

Shown below are independent insurance agents in Great Bend who can help you get comparison quotes.

• Keller Real Estate and Insurance – 1102 Williams St – Great Bend, KS 67530 – (620) 792-2128
• Shawn Panzer Agency Inc – 2008 11th St – Great Bend, KS 67530 – (620) 792-9000
• Knudson Insurance – 2201 16th St – Great Bend, KS 67530 – (620) 792-3643

To view a complete directory of licensed insurance agents in Great Bend, please go to this site.

After receiving reasonable responses as well as a affordable price, most likely you have located a car insurance agent that can provide car insurance coverage.

Save $432 a year. For real?

Kansas consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for cheaper car insurance by companies like Allstate and Progressive. All the companies say the same thing about savings if you switch to them.

How does each company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.

Different companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of driver that earns them a profit. A good example of a desirable insured could be over the age of 50, has no prior claims, and drives newer vehicles. A driver who matches those parameters is entitled to the best price and as a result will probably save a lot of money.

Potential insureds who fall outside the “perfect” profile will be quoted higher rates which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state “customers that switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much. That’s why insurance companies can confidently make the claims of big savings. This emphasizes why you should quote coverage with many companies. It’s just too difficult to predict which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

More tips and info about car insurance is available at the Kansas Insurance Department website. Consumers can download brochures, learn about insurance regulations, and discover disciplinary actions.

Other informative sites include NAIC.org’s Understanding your Policy and CarInsuranceDIY.com.

Car insurance coverages explained

Understanding the coverages of your policy can help you determine which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy.

Liability – This coverage protects you from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property. This insurance protects YOU against claims from other people. It does not cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show values of 50/100/50 which means $50,000 bodily injury coverage, $100,000 for the entire accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery.

Liability coverage pays for claims such as structural damage, pain and suffering and emergency aid. How much coverage you buy is a personal decision, but you should buy as much as you can afford. Kansas requires drivers to carry at least 25,000/50,000/10,000 but you should think about purchasing more liability than the minimum.

Medical expense insurance – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for expenses for things like dental work, funeral costs and hospital visits. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – This coverage provides protection when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your vehicle.

Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits (Kansas limits are 25/50/10), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family.

Collision coverages – Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage protects against claims like colliding with another moving vehicle, rolling your car, crashing into a building, hitting a parking meter and damaging your car on a curb. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from older vehicles. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as theft, damage from flooding, fire damage, vandalism and falling objects. The highest amount a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Cheaper insurance is a realistic goal

Cost effective car insurance can be sourced from both online companies in addition to many Great Bend insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. A few companies do not provide online price quotes and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.

As you shop your coverage around, you should never buy poor coverage just to save money. In many cases, someone sacrificed full coverage and found out when filing a claim that the savings was not a smart move. Your goal should be to get the best coverage possible at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.

In this article, we presented some good ideas how to lower your car insurance rates. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Consumers could even find that the most savings is with a lesser-known regional company.