Follow These Insider Techniques for Lower Baton Rouge Auto Insurance

Price shopping your Baton Rouge auto insurance is always difficult for consumers new to buying insurance online. Consumers have so many options that it can be a lot of work to compare prices in Baton Rouge.

The purpose of this article is to instruct you on how car insurance quotes work. If you are paying for car insurance now, you should be able to reduce your rates substantially using these methods. Louisiana drivers just need to know the tricks to compare price quotes online.

Free Baton Rouge Auto Insurance Quotes

Finding lower Baton Rouge auto insurance rates can be surprisingly simple. Consumers just need to invest a few minutes comparing price quotes online from several insurance companies. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

The recommended way to get quotes for comparison is to use a rate comparison form click to view form in new window. This easy form eliminates the need for multiple quote forms for each company you want a rate for. One form gets rate comparisons direct from many companies.It’s the quickest way to get rates.
A more time consuming way to compare rate quotes requires a visit to the website of each company and fill out their own quote form. For sake of this example, let’s assume you want to compare rates from Farmers, Esurance and State Farm. You would have to visit 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 Baton Rouge, click here.
The least recommended way to get comparison rates is to waste gas driving to and from local Baton Rouge insurance agencies. Shopping for auto insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you prefer the personal advice only provided by licensed Baton Rouge agents. Drivers can comparison shop online but still have the advice of a local agent. We’ll cover that shortly.

Whichever method you choose, make absolute certain that you use apples-to-apples information for each comparison quote. If you are comparing different deductibles then you won’t be able to decipher which rate is best in Baton Rouge.

Decisions you make can impact your rates

It’s important that you understand the factors that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that could result in big savings.

Shown below are some of the items companies use to determine premiums.

Your location affects your rates – Being located in a rural area has it’s advantages when insuring your vehicles. Urban drivers have congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Fewer drivers means reduced accidents.
Policy add-ons can waste money – There are many add-on coverages that you can buy when buying auto insurance. Coverages for rental car reimbursement, towing coverage and motor club memberships may be wasting your money. These coverages may sound good at first, but if you don’t need them eliminate them to save money.
More performance means more cost – The make and model of the car you are buying insurance for makes a significant difference in determining your rates. The lowest rates are for small economy passenger vehicles, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
Lower rates with optional equipment – Purchasing a vehicle with an alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft features like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all aid in stopping your car from being stolen.
Males pay more for insurance – Statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn’t necessarily mean that men are WORSE drivers than women. They both are in accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species cause more damage. Men also tend to get more serious tickets such as DWI and reckless driving. Youthful male drivers are several times more likely to be in an accident and thus pay the highest rates.
Frequent auto insurance claims increase rates – If you frequently file small claims, you can pretty much guarantee either higher rates or even cancellation. Companies in Louisiana generally give discounts to people who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Car insurance is meant to be used in the event of the large, substantial claims.
Adjust deductibles and save – Insurance for physical damage to your car, 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 collision with another vehicle, damage from fire, and rolling your vehicle. Deductibles for physical damage are how much you are required to spend before your auto insurance pays a claim. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the bigger discount you will receive.
Older drivers save more – Teen drivers in Louisiana have a tendency to be less responsible in a vehicle so they pay higher auto insurance rates. Mature drivers tend to be more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and get fewer tickets.

Discounts are great for lower rates

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but you may find discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Some discounts apply automatically when you quote, but some must be specifically requested prior to getting the savings. If you’re not getting every credit you deserve, you’re paying more than you need to.

Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Drivers who require all occupants to use a seat belt can save up to 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.
Driver Safety – Successfully completing a defensive driving course could cut 5% off your bill depending on where you live.
Homeowners Savings – Being a homeowner may earn you a small savings because maintaining a house shows financial diligence.
College Student – Youth drivers who live away from home without a vehicle on campus can be insured at a reduced rate.
Auto/Life Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give better rates if you take out auto and life insurance together.
Driver’s Ed – Cut your cost by having your teen driver successfully complete driver’s ed class in high school.
Payment Method – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.
Government Employees – Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% with certain companies.
Anti-lock Brakes – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.

A little note about advertised discounts, some credits don’t apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. Just because it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way. Any amount of discount will cut your overall premium however.

For a list of insurers with the best auto insurance discounts in Baton Rouge, follow this link.

Comparing rates from local agents

Some consumers prefer to get advice from a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Professional agents can point out coverage gaps and give you peace of mind. The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain lower rates and still have an agent to talk to. And providing support for small agencies is definitely important in Baton Rouge.

After filling out this simple form, the coverage information is transmitted to insurance agents in Baton Rouge who will return price quotes to get your business. You don’t have to leave your house as quotes are delivered to your email. How cool is that?!

Listed below is a list of insurers in Baton Rouge who can help you get price quotes.

Employees Insurance Reps – 12087 Old Hammond Hwy # C, Baton Rouge, LA 70816 – (225) 665-1222
Farmers Insurance Group – 11832 Newcastle Ave, Baton Rouge, LA 70816 – (225) 293-7505
Liberty Mutual Insurance – 4000 S Sherwood Forest Bl #200, Baton Rouge, LA 70816 – (225) 292-8808
Smith & Smith Insurance – 1937 Perkins Rd, Baton Rouge, LA 70808 – (225) 388-0037
Farm Bureau Insurance – 10859 Perkins Rd # C, Baton Rouge, LA 70810 – (225) 766-6565
Allstate Insurance – 9615 Airline Hwy # A, Baton Rouge, LA 70815 – (225) 926-6771
State Farm Insurance – 2077 Oneal Ln, Baton Rouge, LA 70816 – (225) 755-2900
Ron Desormeaux Agency – 17732 Highland Rd # C, Baton Rouge, LA 70810 – (225) 751-7077

To view a complete directory of auto insurance agents in Baton Rouge, simply jump to this page.

Deciding on an provider should depend on more than just a low price. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:

Does the agency support the community they serve?
Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
Do they assist clients in filing claims?
Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?

Once you have answers to your satisfaction to these questions and locked in a price quote, you may have just found an provider that meets your needs to service your policy.

One last thing about your coverage

You just read quite a bit of information on how to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more quotes you get, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Drivers may discover the most savings is with a lesser-known regional company.

Lower-priced auto insurance is definitely available on the web in addition to many Baton Rouge insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best selection. Some companies do not provide online price quotes and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When buying insurance coverage, make sure you don’t reduce needed coverages to save money. There have been many situations where someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to regret at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. The ultimate goal is to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.

Additional information is located on the Louisiana Department of Insurance website found here. Visitors are able to view a list of available companies, read consumer alerts, and find out industry alerts.