Follow These Ultimate Ways for Saving Money on Champaign Illinois Car Insurance

If you’ve never shopped for car insurance online, it’s easy to get confused by the vast number of car insurance companies offering coverage in Champaign.

Choosing the best insurance company for you in Champaign is not rocket science. If you currently have car insurance, you should be able to save some money using this strategy. Nevertheless, Illinois consumers can benefit from knowing the methods companies use to market on the web and use this information to your advantage.

How to Get Champaign Car Insurance Comparison Quotes

The are a couple different ways of comparing rates from car insurance companies in your area. The quickest method to find the cheapest insurance rates consists of shopping online. This is very easy and can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

1. One of the best ways to find the lowest comparison rates would be an industry-wide quote request form click here to open form in new window. This method prevents you from having to do separate quotation requests for each company you want a rate for. One simple form will get you rate comparisons from multiple low-cost companies. This is perfect if you don’t have a lot of time.
2. Another way to get comparison quotes is going to the website for each individual company to complete a price quote. For example, let’s say you want to compare rates from Progressive, GEICO and American Family. To get rate quotes you would need to go to every website and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is quicker.

   For a handy list of car insurance company links in Champaign, click here.

It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just make sure you use exactly the same coverage information for every quote you compare. If each company quotes different values for each quote you will not be able to truly determine the lowest rate in Champaign. Just a small difference in limits may cause a big price difference. And when quoting car insurance, remember that more quotes will improve the odds of getting a better price.

Discounts can save BIG

Companies that sell car insurance do not list all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list both well-publicized and the more hidden ways to save on car insurance.

• Drivers Ed for Students – Cut your cost by having your teen driver complete a driver education course if offered at their school.
• Homeowners Pay Less – Owning a house in Champaign can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home demonstrates responsibility.
• Service Members Pay Less – Having a family member in the military can result in better rates.
• Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
• New Car Discount – Adding a new car to your policy can cost up to 25% less because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.

It’s important to note that some of the credits will not apply to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. So even though they make it sound like you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.

To choose providers offering car insurance discounts in Champaign, click this link.

Will just any policy work for me?

When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s situation is unique.

For example, these questions may help highlight if your situation may require specific advice.

• Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
• I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
• Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
• Am I covered when driving someone else’s vehicle?
• Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
• Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
• What should my uninsured motorist coverage limits be in Illinois?
• When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?

If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that can help you get lower car insurance prices.

Shown below are a few of the “ingredients” that factor into your rates.

• Do you need the policy add-ons? – There are quite a few extra coverages you can purchase when buying car insurance. Insurance for roadside assistance, better glass coverage and term life insurance may be costing you every month. These may sound like a good investment when talking to your agent, but if they’re wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
• Protect your assets with liability insurance – Liability coverage is the protection if ever you are found liable for damages from an accident. Liability insurance provides legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so drivers should carry high limits.
• One company can mean more discounts – Some car insurance companies will award you with lower prices to people who carry more than one policy in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even if you’re getting this discount you may still want to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal. Drivers may still find a better deal by insuring with multiple companies.
• Car features impact rates – Choosing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention features such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system can thwart auto theft.
• Lower deductibles cost more – Your deductibles define the amount you are willing to pay out-of-pocket before a claim is paid by your company. Insurance for physical damage to your car, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, protects your car from damage. Some instances where coverage would apply are running into the backend of another car, damage from fire, and windstorm damage. The more expense you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the bigger discount you will receive.
• Being married is a good thing – Getting married actually saves money on your car insurance policy. It means you’re more mature than a single person it has been statistically shown that married drivers get in fewer accidents.

One last thing

Lower-priced car insurance is definitely available on the web and also from your neighborhood Champaign agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies may not provide online price quotes and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

While you’re price shopping online, make sure you don’t buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are many occasions where an insured cut comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to find out that they should have had better coverage. The ultimate goal is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.

Insureds switch companies for any number of reasons including being labeled a high risk driver, extreme rates for teen drivers, high prices or even poor customer service. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, choosing a new insurance company is not as difficult as it may seem.

More resources for learning

More tips and info about car insurance can be found at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Consumers can find out industry alerts, get help finding coverage, and view agent and company licensing information.

Other useful links include this page for car insurance prices in Illinois and CarInsuranceDIY.com.