Paying for high-priced auto insurance can empty your savings account and put the squeeze on your family’s finances. Comparing price quotes is free and is an excellent way to lower your monthly bill.
Consumers have many car insurance companies to buy insurance from, and although it’s nice to have a choice, it can be more difficult to find the lowest cost provider.
Companies offer discounts so take them!
Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but companies offer discounts to help offset the cost. Most are applied when you quote, but a few need to be specifically requested prior to receiving the credit.
- Senior Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you may receive a discount up to 10%.
- Driver Safety – Taking part in a course in driver safety could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.
- Theft Prevention System – Anti-theft and alarm systems are stolen less frequently and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Larger companies have a break if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
- Discount for Good Grades – Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts until age 25.
- E-sign – Certain companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying your policy on their website.
- College Student – Children who live away from home without a vehicle on campus may qualify for this discount.
- Claim Free – Claim-free drivers can earn big discounts as compared to accident-prone drivers.
Consumers should know that most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though it sounds like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any amount of discount will help reduce your overall premium however.
What impacts Gillette insurance rates?
Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels enables informed choices that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.
- Frequent auto insurance claims increase rates – If you are a frequent claim filer, you can pretty much guarantee either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Car insurance companies in Wyoming give better rates to insureds who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Auto 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, also known as collision and other-than-collision, protects your car from damage. Examples of covered claims would be collision with another vehicle, damage from fire, and burglary. The deductibles are the amount of money you are required to spend before your auto insurance pays a claim. The more expense you’re willing to pay, the lower your rates will be.
- Where you reside plays a part – Residing in a small town can be a good thing when talking about auto insurance. Fewer drivers means a lower chance of having an accident and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. City drivers have much more traffic to deal with and longer commutes to work. More time commuting means more change of being in an accident.
- Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance – Safer cars get lower rates. These vehicles have better occupant injury protection and any reduction in injury severity translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders.
- Traffic violations increase rates – Whether or not you get tickets has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Drivers who don’t get tickets tend to pay less for car insurance compared to drivers with tickets. Even one ticket can bump up the cost by twenty percent. Drivers with flagrant tickets such as DUI or reckless driving are required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility to the state department of motor vehicles in order to keep their license.
- Rates may be lower depending on your job – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for auto insurance? Careers like doctors, executives and accountants have higher rates than average because of high stress levels and lots of time spent at work. On the flip side, professions such as actors, athletes and homemakers get better rates.
- Protect your assets with liability insurance – Liability insurance is the coverage that protects you when you are found to be at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It provides for a legal defense up to the limits shown on your policy. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to physical damage coverage, so drivers should carry high limits.
- Little extras can really add up – There are many additional coverages that you can get tricked into buying on your policy. Coverages like vanishing deductibles, accidental death and motor club memberships may be wasting your money. They may seem like a good idea initially, but if you don’t need them get rid of them and save.
Do I just need basic coverages?
When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage, there isn’t really a one size fits all 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 may help you determine whether or not you will benefit from professional help.
- Does my insurance cover my expensive audio equipment?
- Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
- How much underlying liability do I need for an umbrella policy?
- Do no-fault laws apply in Wyoming?
- When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
- Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
- Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Additional auto insurance information is available on the website for the Wyoming Insurance Department found here. Wyoming consumers can view a list of available companies, find a variety of consumer forms, report car insurance fraud, and read consumer alerts.
Final considerations
When you buy insurance online, don’t be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are many occasions where an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to regret that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The ultimate goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best price while still protecting your assets.
Lower-priced auto insurance is definitely available both online and also from your neighborhood Gillette agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance companies may not provide online quoting and these smaller companies work with independent agents.