Are you intimidated by the crazy number of car insurance choices in Muncie? Many other consumers are too. You have so many options available that it can turn into a challenge to find the perfect company for you.
Buying car insurance in Muncie is easy if you know what you’re doing. If you have car insurance now, you will be able to cut costs considerably using this strategy. Indiana consumers just need to learn the tricks to compare price quotes online.
Verify you’re getting all your discounts
Companies offering auto insurance don’t always list all their discounts very well, so we break down some of the more common and the harder-to-find car insurance savings. If you don’t get every credit available, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- E-sign – Certain companies will give a small break for buying a policy and signing up on their website.
- Payment Discounts – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time rather than paying monthly you could save 5% or more.
- Clubs and Organizations – Being a member of a qualifying organization could trigger savings on car insurance.
- Theft Prevention System – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Air Bag Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts up to 30%.
- Distant Student – Youth drivers living away from home attending college and don’t have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Bundle and Save – If you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you could get a discount of approximately 10% to 15%.
Keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. Even though it may seem like it’s possible to get free car insurance, you’re out of luck.
For a list of companies who offer car insurance discounts in Indiana, click here to view.
What determines how much you pay?
Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. Understanding what controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with lower car insurance prices.
Shown below are some of the factors companies use to determine rates.
- Where you live is a factor – Residing in a small town can save you money when it comes to car insurance. Urban drivers have traffic congestion and much longer commute distances. Less people living in that area translates into fewer accidents and a lower car theft rate.
- Save money with special equipment – Purchasing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can help lower your rates. Anti-theft features such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all aid in stopping your vehicle from being stolen.
- Extra add-on coverages are wasting money – There are a lot of additional coverages that you can buy on your policy. Coverages like rental car reimbursement, towing coverage and membership fees may be costing you every month. They may seem like a good idea when talking to your agent, but your needs may have changed so get rid of them and save.
- Choose a safe vehicle and save – Safer cars are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles result in less severe injuries and fewer injuries means less money paid by your insurance company and lower rates for you.
- Never allow your policy to lapse – Letting your insurance expire is a fast way to increase your car insurance rates. And not only will insurance be more expensive, getting caught without coverage might get you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
- With age comes lower rates – Young drivers in Indiana are statistically proven to be careless and easily distracted when driving so they pay higher car insurance rates. Adding a teen driver onto your car insurance can be very expensive. More mature drivers are more cautious drivers, statistically cause fewer accidents and get fewer tickets.
- Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? – Some companies give discounts to insureds who consolidate policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, you still need to compare other company rates to verify if the discount is saving money.
Additional resources for Indiana consumers
Additional detailed information is available at the Indiana Department of Insurance website. Indiana drivers can learn about specific coverages, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and read industry bulletins.
Cheaper insurance is a realistic goal
Cheap car insurance is definitely available online as well as from independent agents in Muncie, and you should be comparing both to have the best selection. There are still a few companies who don’t offer online price quotes and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.
Consumers leave their current company for a variety of reasons including poor customer service, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, lack of trust in their agent or even high rates after DUI convictions. No matter why you want to switch, switching car insurance companies is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.
Throughout this article, we presented many ideas to reduce car insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even find the most savings is with a small local company.