Top 6 Ways to Save Money on Car Insurance in Mansfield
Having to pay for overpriced car insurance can take a big chunk out of your checking account, especially in this economy. Comparison shopping is a great way to cut your insurance bill.
Multiple insurance companies compete for your hard-earned dollar, and because of this it can be hard to compare auto insurance companies and get the best coverage at the lowest price
You should make it a habit to get comparison quotes yearly since rates change regularly. Despite the fact that you may have had the lowest price last year there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Starting now, block out anything you think you know about car insurance because you’re going to learn the fastest and easiest way to lower your annual insurance bill.
If you currently have a car insurance policy, you should be able to lower your premiums substantially using this information. Finding affordable coverage in Mansfield is quite easy. Nevertheless, Ohio consumers do need to learn how the larger insurance companies compete online and take advantage of how the system works.
Car Insurance Prices in Mansfield
There are several ways of comparing rates from different in Mansfieldinsurance companies. The recommended way to compare insurance prices involves getting comparison quotes online. This can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.
- The best way consumers can make multiple comparisons would be an industry-wide quote request form click here to open form in new window. This method saves time by eliminating boring form submissions for each company you want a rate for. A single, simple form will get you price quotes from several companies.
- A more time consuming way to analyze rates is to manually visit each individual company website and request a quote. For example, let’s say you want comparison quotes from State Farm, GEICO and Progressive. To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is quicker.
For a list of links to insurance companies in Mansfield, click here.
It’s up to you which method you use, but make sure you use the exact same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote. If you enter unequal deductibles or liability limits it’s not possible to determine the lowest rate in Mansfield. Just a small difference in coverages may result in a large different in cost. And when comparing car insurance rates, know that getting more free quotes gives you a better chance of getting the best offered rates.
Do you really save 40% when you switch?
Companies like GEICO, State Farm and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. All the ads make an identical promise of big savings if you switch your policy. But how can every company make almost identical claims? It’s all in the numbers.
Different companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver they prefer to insure. An example of a driver they prefer might be over the age of 50, is a homeowner, and has a short commute. A driver who meets those qualifications will get the preferred rates and as a result will probably save a lot of money.
Potential insureds who don’t qualify for the “perfect” profile will have to pay higher prices which leads to the customer not buying. The ad wording is “customers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much money. That’s why insurance companies can claim big savings. Because of the profiling, you need to get quotes from several different companies. It’s just too difficult to predict which car insurance company will have the lowest rates.
Don’t miss out on these six money-saving discounts
Car insurance companies don’t always publicize all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list some of the more common as well as the least known car insurance savings.
- Good Students Pay Less – Getting good grades can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The discount lasts up to age 25.
- Government Employees – Employees or retirees of the government can save as much as 8% with select insurance companies.
- Driver’s Ed – Require your teen driver to enroll in driver’s education if it’s offered in school.
- Accident Free – Drivers who don’t have accidents can save substantially when compared to accident-prone drivers.
- Defensive Driving Course – Completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could cut 5% off your bill and easily recoup the cost of the course.
- E-sign – Some insurance companies may give you up to $50 just for signing your application on their website.
It’s important to understand that many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don’t profit that way.
For a list of insurers with discount car insurance rates in Mansfield, click here.
Car insurance coverage specifics
Knowing the specifics of your car insurance policy can be of help when determining appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy. These are typical coverages found on most car insurance policies.
Coverage for collisions
This pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage pays for things such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, backing into a parked car, colliding with another moving vehicle, crashing into a ditch and hitting a parking meter. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to raise the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Medical costs insurance
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for bills such as prosthetic devices, hospital visits, rehabilitation expenses and nursing services. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Comprehensive or Other Than Collision
Comprehensive insurance pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive insurance covers things like vandalism, a broken windshield, hail damage and damage from flooding. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.
UM/UIM Coverage
This coverage gives you protection when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your vehicle.
Due to the fact that many Ohio drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (Ohio limits are 12,500/25/7,500), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked.
Liability auto insurance
Liability coverage can cover damage or injury you incur to other people or property. It protects YOU against claims from other people, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have policy limits of 50/100/50 which means $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability coverage pays for claims like loss of income, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, court costs and funeral expenses. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford. Ohio requires drivers to carry at least 12,500/25,000/7,500 but you should think about purchasing higher limits.
In Summary
As you shop your coverage around, do not buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are a lot of situations where drivers have reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to find out that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The proper strategy is to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.
Budget-conscious car insurance can be found both online in addition to many Mansfield insurance agents, so you should compare both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.
More detailed Ohio car insurance information can be read at the Ohio Department of Insurance website. Ohio consumers can find a variety of consumer forms, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and learn about insurance regulations.
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