Learn How to Compare Colorado Springs Auto Insurance Like a Professional

Have you fallen victim to an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Believe me, you’re not alone. Because you have many auto insurance companies to choose from, it can be hard to choose the most cost effective car insurance company.

How to Lower your Auto Insurance Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. Understanding what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in big savings.

The list below includes some of the items companies use to determine premiums.

  • Claim-free discounts can add up – If you file claims often, you can definitely plan on either higher rates or even cancellation. Insurance companies in Colorado give better rates to people who are claim-free. Car insurance is meant to be used in the event of major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • Higher deductibles cost less – Coverage for physical damage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply are colliding with a building, vandalism, or theft. Your deductibles are how much you are willing to pay if you file a covered claim. The more expense you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.
  • Theft deterrents lower rates – Owning a car with an alarm system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention features like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can help prevent your car from being stolen.
  • Teen drivers pay high rates – More mature drivers are viewed as being more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and are safer drivers. Young drivers are known to be more careless when driving therefore auto insurance rates are much higher.
  • Always keep insurance in force – Letting your insurance expire will be a guaranteed way to increase your auto insurance rates. Not only will rates go up, getting caught without coverage may earn you a license revocation or jail time.Then you may be required to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the Colorado department of motor vehicles.

Compare Colorado Springs Auto Insurance Costs

There are a variety of methods to compare auto insurance quotes, and some are easier and takes less work. You can spend countless hours talking to insurance companies in Colorado Springs, or you could save time and use the web to get pricing more quickly.

Most major companies belong to a marketplace that allows shoppers to complete one form, and each company returns a rated price based on the submitted data. This saves time by eliminating repetitive form submissions to each company.

To find out how much you’re overpaying now click to open in new window.

The one downside to comparing rates this way is buyers cannot specifically choose the insurers to get quotes from. So if you prefer to pick from a list of companies for rate comparison, we have assembled a list of auto insurance companies in Colorado. View list of Colorado insurance companies.

Which method you use is up to you, but make darn sure you compare identical coverage information for each comparison quote. If your comparisons have different deductibles you can’t possibly make a fair comparison to find the cheapest car insurance in Colorado Springs, CO.

Advertising myths

Consumers constantly see and hear ads for cheaper car insurance from companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive. All the ads say the same thing that you’ll save big if you move your policy.

How does each company make the same claim?

Different companies have a certain “appetite” for the right customer that earns them a profit. For instance, a driver they prefer could possibly be a mature driver, has no prior claims, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A propective insured that hits that “sweet spot” will get very good rates and as a result will probably save quite a bit of money when switching.Colorado Springs CO car insurance prices

Potential insureds who do not match the “perfect” profile must pay more money which leads to business not being written. The ad wording is “customers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. That’s why insurance companies can confidently claim big savings. This illustrates why drivers should get as many comparisons as possible. It’s not possible to predict which company will have the lowest rates.

You probably qualify for some discounts

Auto insurance companies do not advertise every discount very clearly, so the following is a list of both the well known and the more hidden savings tricks you should be using. If you’re not getting every credit available, you’re paying more than you need to.

  • Seat Belts Save – Drivers who require all occupants to use a seat belt can save up to 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
  • 55 and Retired – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may receive a discount up to 10%.
  • Resident Student – Any of your kids living away from home attending college and do not have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
  • Good Student – Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply until age 25.
  • Accident Free – Good drivers with no accidents can earn big discounts when compared with drivers who are more careless.
  • Multiple Vehicles – Buying coverage for multiple vehicles on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
  • Low Mileage Discounts – Driving fewer miles can qualify you for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
  • Theft Prevention Discount – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
  • Payment Method – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of paying each month you can actually save on your bill.
  • Safe Drivers – Safe drivers can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than their less cautious counterparts.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way.

But buying car insurance online seems impersonal

Some consumers would prefer to visit with an insurance agent and that is a personal choice. Professional agents can help determine the best coverages and give you someone to call. One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find better rates but also keep your business local.

Once you complete this simple form, your insurance data is immediately sent to agents in your area who will battle for your coverage. You don’t have to leave your computer since price quotes are sent immediately to your email address. It doesn’t get any easier!

Selecting an insurance company shouldn’t rely on just a low price. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:

  • What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
  • Do they assist clients in filing claims?
  • Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
  • What insurance company do they write the most business with?
  • Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
  • What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
  • What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?

How to choose the best car insurance agent in Colorado Springs

When researching a good Colorado Springs insurance agent, you must know there are a couple types of insurance agents from which to choose. Insurance agencies in Colorado Springs are either captive or independent. Either one can do a good job, but it’s good to learn how they differ since it can impact the selection process.

Agency Captives

These agents work for only one company and some examples include AAA, Allstate, State Farm, Farmers Insurance or Liberty Mutual. They are unable to place coverage with different providers so they have no alternatives for high prices. They are very knowledgeable on their company’s products and that can be a competitive advantage.

Shown below are Colorado Springs captive insurance agencies who can help you get comparison quotes.

American Family Insurance – 220 Security Blvd – Colorado Springs, CO 80911 – (719) 391-3853
Liberty Mutual Insurance – 730 Village Center Dr – Colorado Springs, CO 80919 – (719) 531-9777
State Farm Insurance – 1120 N Circle Dr # 10 – Colorado Springs, CO 80909 – (719) 380-1155
Shelter Insurance – 1283 Kelly Johnson Blvd – Colorado Springs, CO 80920 – (719) 590-6067
Allstate Insurance – 2812 W Colorado Ave # 100 – Colorado Springs, CO 80904 – (719) 593-7344
Farmers Insurance Group – 4740 Flintridge Dr # 112 – Colorado Springs, CO 80918 – (719) 548-9694

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent agents are not required to write business for one company but rather can write business amongst many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, an independent agent can move your coverage and that require little work on your part. When searching for an agent, we recommend you include multiple independent agents to ensure the widest selection of prices.

Below is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Colorado Springs who can help you get price quotes.

Mario J Aragon Agency Inc – 3510 Galley Rd # 102 – Colorado Springs, CO 80909 – (719) 570-0707
Insurance Connection – 6740 Dublin Ter – Colorado Springs, CO 80918 – (719) 328-1950
Insurance Benefit Connection – 1423 W Colorado Ave – Colorado Springs, CO 80904 – (719) 634-6900
Dave Karstens Agency Inc – 3225 Templeton Gap Rd # 104 – Colorado Springs, CO 80907 – (719) 636-3336
David L Dauphin Agency – 2930 Austin Bluffs Pkwy – Colorado Springs, CO 80918 – (719) 532-1101

To view a full list of auto insurance agents in Colorado Springs, visit this site.

Once you have received answers to your satisfaction for all questions you ask as well as a affordable price, it’s possible that you found an insurance agency that meets your needs to properly insure your vehicles.

Even more information is available at the Colorado DORA Division of Insurance website. Colorado consumers can find disaster information, view a list of available companies, and find out industry alerts.

Final thoughts

Budget-conscious auto insurance is attainable online in addition to many Colorado Springs insurance agents, and you need to price shop both so you have a total pricing picture. Some companies do not provide online price quotes and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.

When trying to cut insurance costs, never reduce needed coverages to save money. There are too many instances where someone sacrificed physical damage coverage and found out when filing a claim that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your goal should be to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.

We’ve covered a lot of techniques to get a better price on auto insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more times you quote, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers could even find that the most savings is with a smaller regional carrier. Regional companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm and Allstate.