How to Know You’re Paying Too Much for Car Insurance in Scranton, PA

No one looks forward to paying for car insurance, especially knowing they are paying too much.

Multiple car insurance companies compete for your insurance dollar, so it can be very hard to choose a provider to discover the definitive cheapest price

It’s a good idea to price shop coverage quite often because prices tend to go up over time. If you had the best deal six months ago you can probably find a better price now. You’ll find quite a bit of inaccurate information about car insurance online, so with this article, you’re going to get the easiest ways to save money.

If you are paying for car insurance now, you will be able to cut costs considerably using this strategy. Choosing the best insurance company for you in Scranton is easy if you know what you’re doing. Although Pennsylvania drivers need to have an understanding of the way companies determine prices and apply this information to your search.

What impacts Scranton insurance rates?

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that help determine car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that could result in big savings.

The following are a partial list of the pieces companies use to determine premiums.

• More claims means more premium – Insurance companies in Pennsylvania award discounts to policyholders who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you frequently file small claims, you can pretty much guarantee either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Insurance coverage is designed for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
• A clean driving record saves money – Good drivers receive lower rates than their less careful counterparts. Just one moving violation can increase rates by as much as thirty percent. If you have dangerous violations like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may find they need to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to prevent a license revocation.
• Pay less after the wedding – Having a spouse helps lower the price on your car insurance policy. Marriage usually means you are more mature it has been statistically shown that being married results in fewer claims.
• Lower rates come with age – Older drivers are more cautious drivers, file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel. Young drivers tend to be careless and easily distracted behind the wheel therefore car insurance rates are much higher.
• What type of vehicle do you drive? – The performance level of the vehicle you drive makes a big difference in your rates. Low performance passenger models generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
• Lower miles equals lower premium – The more miles you rack up on your car every year the more you will pay for car insurance. Almost all companies price each vehicle’s coverage based upon how you use the vehicle. Autos left parked in the garage can get a lower rate than those used for commuting. Make sure your car insurance policy is showing how each vehicle is driven, because it can save money.

Comprehensive Scranton Car Insurance Comparison

There are multiple methods to shop for car insurance, and some are easier and takes less work. You can waste a lot of time talking about coverages with local insurance agents in Scranton, or you can stay home and use the web for quick rates.

Many insurance companies belong to an insurance system where insurance shoppers enter their policy data once, and every company can provide price quotes based on the submitted data. This eliminates the need for repetitive form submissions for each company you want a rate for.

To compare rates using this form now click here to start a free quote.

One minor caviat to pricing coverage this way is buyers cannot specifically choose the insurers to get pricing from. If you prefer to choose individual companies to compare prices, we have a listing of car insurance companies in Pennsylvania. View list of Pennsylvania insurance companies.

Whichever method you choose, be sure to compare exactly the same quote information for every company. If you enter differing limits it will be very difficult to decipher which rate is best in Scranton. Just a small difference in limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. Just remember that comparing a large number of companies provides better odds of finding lower pricing.

Slick advertising tricks that work

Companies like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO regularly use ads on television and other media. All the ads make an identical promise that you’ll save big if you move your policy. How does each company say the same thing? It’s all in the numbers.

All companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer that earns them a profit. An example of a profitable customer could be between 30 and 50, has no tickets, and has a short commute. A propective insured that hits that “sweet spot” is entitled to the best price and as a result will probably save a lot of money.

Potential customers who don’t measure up to this ideal profile must pay higher prices and this can result in business not being written. Company advertisements say “drivers who switch” not “people who quote” save money. This is how companies can make the claims of big savings. This illustrates why it is so important to get as many comparisons as possible. It is impossible to predict which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Do you qualify for a discount?

Car insurance companies don’t necessarily list all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of both the well known and the more hidden ways to save on car insurance.

• Discount for New Cars – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can be considerably cheaper due to better safety requirements for new cars.
• Accident Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay much less as compared to bad drivers.
• Distant Student – Children who are attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle may be able to be covered for less.
• Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts can receive discounts of 20% or more.
• Defensive Driving Course – Completing a defensive driving course could save 5% or more if you qualify.
• Multiple Cars – Buying insurance for all your vehicles with the same company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
• Sign Online – Some insurance companies may give you up to $50 simply for signing digitally online.
• Good Student – This discount can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The discount lasts up until you turn 25.

It’s important to understand that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. So despite the fact that it appears you could get a free car insurance policy, you’re out of luck.

To see a list of insurance companies with discount car insurance rates in Scranton, follow this link.

What about my local Scranton agents?

Some consumers prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is a personal choice. The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is you may find the best rates but also keep your business local.

To help locate an agent, after submitting this quick form, your insurance data is instantly submitted to companies in Scranton who will give you bids for your business. There is no reason to leave your house since price quotes are sent to the email address you provide. How’s that for easy! Get lower rates and an insurance agent to talk to.

Selecting a company requires more thought than just a cheap price. These are valid questions to ask:

• Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
• Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
• How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
• Which company do they place the most coverage with?
• Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
• What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
• Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Pennsylvania?

The different types of insurance agents

When looking for an insurance agent, you must know there are a couple types of agencies from which to choose. Scranton agents can either be independent or captive.

Captive Agents

Captive agencies can only place business with one company and some examples include Allstate, AAA, Liberty Mutual and State Farm. They generally cannot shop your coverage around so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. They are very knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques and that can be a competitive advantage.

The following are captive agencies in Scranton that can give you price quote information.

State Farm Insurance Agency – 2261 Scranton Carbondale Hwy – Scranton, PA 18508 – (570) 344-2308
Allstate Insurance – 505 Scranton Carbondale Hwy – Scranton, PA 18508 – (570) 343-5811

Independent Agents

Independent agencies are not locked into one company but rather can write business amongst many companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If your agent finds better pricing, your agent can switch companies and you won’t have to switch agencies.

When shopping rates, it’s a good idea to contact at a minimum one independent agency to ensure the widest selection of prices.

Shown below are Scranton independent agents that are able to give rate quotes.

Murray Insurance Inc – 415 Spruce St – Scranton, PA 18507 – (570) 348-1791
Gary Di Bileo Agency – 302 S Main Ave – Scranton, PA 18504 – (570) 969-1855
Gilmartin Insurance – 1440 N Washington Ave – Scranton, PA 18509 – (570) 346-0088
State Farm Insurance Agency – 2261 Scranton Carbondale Hwy – Scranton, PA 18508 – (570) 344-2308

To view a full list of licensed insurance agents in Scranton, go to this page.

After receiving reasonable responses to all your questions and a low price estimate, you may have just found an auto insurance agent that is a good match to properly insure your vehicles.

More detailed Pennsylvania car insurance information can be read at the Pennsylvania Insurance Department website. Pennsylvania consumers can report car insurance fraud, get help finding coverage, find out industry alerts, and discover disciplinary actions.

Best coverage at the best price

We just presented a lot of information how to lower your car insurance rates. It’s most important to understand that the more companies you get rates for, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even find the lowest rates come from a small mutual company. Regional companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.

As you restructure your insurance plan, never buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are a lot of situations where an insured dropped liability coverage limits and discovered at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to find the BEST coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.