Never Compare Kalamazoo Michigan Auto Insurance Without Knowing These Money Saving Methods

Are you overwhelmed by the wide range of auto insurance choices in Kalamazoo? You have a lot of company. Drivers have so many options available that it can easily become a challenge to find the best price.

Companies offer discounts so take them!

Companies that sell car insurance do not list every available discount very clearly, so we took the time to find both well-publicized and the harder-to-find auto insurance savings.

Service Members Pay Less – Having a family member in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
E-sign – A few companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks just for signing your application on their website.
Government Employees – Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off with select insurance companies.
Save with a New Car – Insuring a new car can cost up to 25% less since new cars are generally safer.
Memberships – Participating in a qualifying organization could trigger savings on auto insurance.
Driver’s Ed – Cut your cost by having your teen driver complete a driver education course if offered at their school.
Multi-car Discount – Insuring more than one vehicle on one policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
Discount for Good Grades – Performing well in school can save 20 to 25%. The good student discount can last up to age 25.
Bundle and Save – If you have multiple policies with one insurance company you will save 10% to 20% off each policy.
No Charge for an Accident – A few companies allow you one accident before your rates go up as long as you don’t have any claims for a set time period.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it just doesn’t work that way.

For a list of insurance companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Kalamazoo, click here.

Why you might pay higher rates in Kalamazoo

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that help determine auto insurance rates. Understanding what influences your rates enables informed choices that will entitle you to better auto insurance rates.

Type of vehicle determines base rates – The performance of the car you are insuring makes a huge difference in your rates. The lowest base rates are generally reserved for lower performance four cylinder passenger cars, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
Adjust deductibles and save – Coverage for physical damage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered could be colliding with a building, collision with an animal, or theft. The deductibles are how much you are willing to pay if you file a covered claim. The more expense the insured has to pay upfront, the lower your rates will be.
Credit scores impact auto insurance rates – Having a bad credit score is a important factor in calculating your auto insurance rates. So if your credit rating is lower than you’d like, you could be paying less to insure your by improving your rating. Drivers who have high credit scores tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with poor credit.
Teen drivers pay high rates – Teenage drivers in Michigan are statistically proven to be more careless behind the wheel so they pay higher auto insurance rates. Having to add a youthful driver onto your auto insurance can really hurt. Older drivers are viewed as being more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and tend to be better behind the wheel.
Proper usage rating affects rates – The more miles you rack up on your car in a year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Almost all companies price each vehicle’s coverage based on their usage. Vehicles used primarily for pleasure use qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. Double check that your auto insurance policy properly reflects how each vehicle is driven.
Protect your assets with liability insurance – Liability insurance provides coverage when you are found liable for personal injury or accident damage. Liability provides legal defense starting from day one. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
Do you need the policy add-ons? – There are a ton of extra coverages you can purchase when buying auto insurance. Insurance for roadside assistance, better glass coverage and term life insurance are some examples. They may seem good when you first buy your policy, but if they’re wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
Being married is a good thing – Being married can actually save you money when buying auto insurance. Having a significant other usually means you are more mature it has been statistically shown that being married results in fewer claims.

Price shop online but buy from a local Kalamazoo agent

A small number of people just want to buy from a local agent and that is a personal choice. The best thing about price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find lower rates and still choose a local agent. Kalamazoo insurance comparisons

For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), your coverage information is submitted to participating agents in Kalamazoo who will compete for your business. You won’t need to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. How cool is that?! It’s the lowest rates and a licensed agent to work with.

Deciding on an insurer requires more thought than just the price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

Which company do they place the most coverage with?
Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?

To contact a specific insurance agent in Kalamazoo, please click here.

After receiving answers to your satisfaction and an affordable coverage quote, most likely you have located an insurance company that meets your needs to service your policy.

Learn more today

More tips and info about auto insurance can be read at the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation website. Michigan drivers can view a list of available companies, find out industry alerts, discover disciplinary actions, and file complaints about a company.

Also read more on this page for auto insurance prices in Michigan and this list of agents in Kalamazoo, MI.

One last thing

You just read many ways to compare auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers could even find that the best price on auto insurance is with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.

Low-cost auto insurance can be purchased both online and also from your neighborhood Kalamazoo agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers may not provide online price quotes and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.

When trying to cut insurance costs, do not buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many cases where consumers will sacrifice liability limits or collision coverage only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The ultimate goal is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.