Is Your Van Buren Car Insurance Breaking the Bank?

Tired of being strong-armed each month for car insurance? Your situation is no different than many other drivers in Arkansas.

Because you have many companies to choose from, it can be diffult for consumers to choose the lowest price car insurance company.

Finding Car Insurance in Van Buren, Arkansas

The are a couple different ways to compare rate quotes from local in Van Buren, Arkansascar insurance companies. By far the easiest way to find the cheapest insurance rates is simply to get online rate quotes. This is very easy and can be done using a couple different methods.

1. The single most time-saving way to get quotes is a comparison rater form (click to open form in new window). This type of form saves time by eliminating boring form submissions for every car insurance company. Just one form will return quotes from all major companies.
2. Another way to compare prices consists of visiting each company’s website and request a quote. For example, we’ll assume you want comparison quotes from Allstate, 21st Century and American Family. To get each rate you have to go to every website to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is quicker.

   To view a list of companies in Van Buren, click here.

Whichever method you choose, ensure you are comparing apples-to-apples coverage limits and deductibles with every price quote. If the quotes have different deductibles it’s not possible to make an equal comparison in Van Buren. Just a small difference in limits may result in large price differences. Just keep in mind that comparing a large number of companies will enable you to find the best rates.

Save $415 a year? Really?

Car insurance companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive consistently run ads on television and other media. They all seem to have a common claim of big savings if you change to their company. How do they all claim to save you money? It’s all in the numbers.

Different companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of customer that makes them money. For example, a desirable insured could be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no prior claims, and has excellent credit. Any new insured that hits that “sweet spot” gets the lowest rates and therefore will save a lot of money.

Potential insureds who don’t qualify for the requirements will have to pay a more expensive rate which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads say “drivers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. That’s why insurance companies can confidently state the savings. Because of the profiling, you need to get as many quotes as possible. Because you never know the company that will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Discounts are available to cut your rates

Companies that sell car insurance don’t always advertise every discount in an easy-to-find place, so we researched some of the more common as well as the least known car insurance savings.

• Distant Student – Children living away from home attending college and don’t have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
• Multiple Policy Discount – When you have multiple policies with one company you could get a discount of approximately 10% to 15%.
• Drivers Education – Cut your cost by having your teen driver enroll in driver’s education in high school.
• Save over 55 – Older drivers may qualify for better car insurance rates.
• Accident Waiver – A handful of insurance companies will allow you to have one accident without raising rates as long as you don’t have any claims for a set time period.
• Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don’t profit that way.

To see a list of insurance companies offering car insurance discounts in Van Buren, click here to view.

Everyone needs different coverages

When it comes to buying adequate coverage, there isn’t really a perfect coverage plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining whether or not you might need an agent’s assistance.

• Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
• What if I total my vehicle and owe more than it’s worth?
• Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
• Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
• What discounts do I qualify for?
• Can I afford low physical damage deductibles?
• Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?

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 insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Even more information is available at the Arkansas Insurance Department website. Arkansas consumers can get help finding coverage, file complaints about a company, and report car insurance fraud.

Other useful links include FindNewCarInsurance.com and this link where you can make Van Buren car insurance comparisons.

In the end, you save

When you buy insurance online, never buy poor coverage just to save money. Too many times, someone sacrificed physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The ultimate goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.

Budget-conscious car insurance is available from both online companies in addition to many Van Buren insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some companies do not provide online quoting and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.