New Techniques for Paying Less for on West Memphis, AR Car Insurance

Tired of not being able to afford to insure your vehicles every month? You are no different than many other Arkansas drivers. With so many online and local companies to choose from, it is very difficult to choose the cheapest company.

You should make it a habit to compare prices periodically since rates change regularly. If you had the lowest rates a couple years back there may be better deals available now. Starting now, forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because we’re going to show you the best way to lower your annual insurance bill.

Tips to Get Lower West Memphis Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that go into determining your car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to big savings.

• Sex matters – Statistics demonstrate women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, don’t assume that women are better drivers. Men and women are in accidents in similar numbers, but the males cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. They also have more aggressive citations like reckless driving and DUI.
• Performance makes a difference – The performance of the car you are insuring makes a significant difference in how high your rates are. Economy passenger vehicles generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
• Your car’s features help determine rates – Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Theft prevention features like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all hinder auto theft.
• Always keep insurance in force – Letting your insurance expire is a guaranteed way to bump up your car insurance costs. And not only will insurance be more expensive, getting caught without coverage will get you a steep fine or even jail time.
• Choose a safe vehicle and save – Vehicles with high crash test scores get lower rates. The safest vehicles reduce injuries and any reduction in injury severity means less money paid by your insurance company and thus lower rates.
• A clean driving record saves money – Even one citation can increase rates by twenty percent. Good drivers have lower premiums than bad drivers. If you have serious violations like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may find they need to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.

Save money by taking advantage of these discounts

Car insurance companies don’t always publicize all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we break down both the well known and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using. If they aren’t giving you every credit you qualify for, you are throwing money away.

• Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accidents.
• No Claims – Good drivers with no accidents pay much less compared to drivers who are more careless.
• Club Memberships – Affiliation with a professional or civic organization could trigger savings when buying car insurance.
• Service Members Pay Less – Being on active duty in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
• Theft Prevention Discount – Anti-theft and alarm systems help deter theft and will save you 10% or more.

It’s important to note that many deductions do not apply to the entire cost. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears it’s possible to get free car insurance, you’re out of luck.

For a list of providers who offer car insurance discounts in Arkansas, click here.

Beware of misleading car insurance ads

Arkansas consumers constantly see and hear ads for cheaper car insurance from the likes of Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm. All the ads make an identical promise about savings if you move your coverage to them.

How do they all make almost identical claims? It’s all in the numbers.

Different companies have a preferred profile for the driver that earns them a profit. For example, a desirable insured might be profiled as over the age of 40, is a homeowner, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Any driver who fits that profile receives the best rates and as a result will probably save when switching.

Consumers who are not a match for the requirements will be quoted a more expensive rate which leads to business going elsewhere. The ads say “customers that switch” not “everybody who quotes” save money. That is how companies can state the savings. This emphasizes why you need to compare many company’s rates. It’s not possible to predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

When should I use an insurance agent?

When choosing adequate coverage, there isn’t really a “perfect” insurance plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and your policy should reflect that. For instance, these questions might help in determining whether or not you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
• When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
• If my vehicle is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
• What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
• I don’t drive much so do I pay less?
• What is the minimum liability in Arkansas?

If you can’t answer these questions, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It’s fast, free and you can get the answers you need.

More tips and info about car insurance is located at the Arkansas Insurance Department website. Consumers can discover disciplinary actions, learn about insurance regulations, and view a list of available companies.

Additional helpful sites include BankRate.com’s Car Insurance: When not to Skimp and this link where you can make West Memphis car insurance comparisons.

Compare but don’t skimp

We just covered quite a bit of information on how to lower your car insurance rates. It’s most important to understand that the more times you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the best price on car insurance is with the least-expected company. Regional companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than their larger competitors like Allstate or State Farm.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, never buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many situations where consumers will sacrifice liability limits or collision coverage only to regret at claim time that it was a big error on their part. The proper strategy is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.