Have you had enough of being strong-armed each month for car insurance? You’re in the same situation as most other car owners.
There is such a variety of insurers to pick from, and although it’s a good thing to have a choice, having more insurers makes it harder to adequately compare rates.
Finding affordable coverage is not that difficult. Basically, anyone who buys car insurance most likely will be able to find lower rates. But consumers must know how the larger insurance companies sell insurance online and apply this information to your search.
Why your Oldsmobile Aurora might be costing you more
An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.
- Better credit means lower rates – Your credit rating is a large factor in your rate calculation. Drivers with excellent credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers who have lower credit ratings. If your credit can use some improvement, you could potentially save money when insuring your Oldsmobile Aurora by improving your rating.
- Always keep insurance in force – Having an insurance coverage lapse is a guaranteed way to bump up your car insurance costs. Not only will rates go up, failure to provide proof of insurance may earn you a revoked license or a big fine.
- Careful drivers pay lower rates – Even a single moving violation can bump up the cost by twenty percent. Drivers who don’t get tickets receive lower rates than bad drivers. Drivers who get serious violations like DUI or reckless driving may be required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
- Your location is important – Being located in less populated areas is a positive aspect when talking about car insurance. Less people living in that area means a lower chance of having an accident and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. Drivers who live in large cities have more traffic problems and longer commutes to work. More time commuting can result in more accidents.
- High numbers of claims are not good – Companies generally give better rates to drivers who do not file claims often. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can definitely plan on either higher rates or even cancellation. Car insurance is intended to be relied upon for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
- Younger drivers pay higher rates – Teen drivers have a tendency to be less responsible when behind the wheel so car insurance rates are higher. Older insureds tend to be more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers.
- Being married can save on car insurance – Being married can actually save you money when buying car insurance. Marriage is viewed as being more mature it has been statistically shown that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
- Extra add-on coverages are wasting money – There are a lot of add-on coverages that can waste your money if you aren’t careful. Things like roadside assistance, accident forgiveness and term life insurance are some examples. They may seem like a good idea when talking to your agent, but if they’re wasting money remove them from your policy.
Take discounts and save
Companies offering auto insurance do not list all their discounts very clearly, so here is a list both well-publicized and the more hidden ways to save on car insurance.
- Homeowners Savings – Owning a home may trigger a car insurance policy discount due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
- Clubs and Organizations – Affiliation with a qualifying organization is a good way to get lower rates when buying car insurance for Aurora coverage.
- Payment Discounts – If you pay your bill all at once rather than paying monthly you may reduce your total bill.
- E-sign – A handful of insurance companies give back up to $50 simply for signing over the internet.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles are safer to drive and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Defensive Driving Course – Taking part in a defensive driving course could cut 5% off your bill if you qualify.
- Safe Driver Discount – Drivers who avoid accidents can pay as much as 50% less for Aurora coverage than drivers with accidents.
- Theft Prevention System – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Accident Free – Claim-free drivers can save substantially when compared to accident-prone drivers.
- Multiple Policy Discount – When you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you may earn approximately 10% to 15%.
A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. Just because it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way.
Do drivers who switch really save $458 a year?
Car insurance providers like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. They all have a common claim that you’ll save big if you switch your policy. How do they all say the same thing? It’s all in the numbers.
All companies have a certain “appetite” for the driver that is profitable for them. A good example of a preferred risk could be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no tickets, and has a high credit rating. A propective insured that hits that “sweet spot” will get the preferred rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.
Potential customers who don’t qualify for this ideal profile will be charged higher prices which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save money. This is how insurance companies can confidently make the claims of big savings. That is why drivers must compare many company’s rates. It’s impossible to know which company will have the lowest rates.
Which policy gives me the best coverage?
When it comes to buying adequate coverage, there isn’t really a one size fits all plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance should reflect that Here are some questions about coverages that might help in determining whether or not you would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Are rental cars covered under my policy?
- Am I covered when using my vehicle for business?
- How many claims can I have before being cancelled?
- Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
- What vehicles should carry emergency assistance coverage?
- When would I need additional glass coverage?
- At what point should I drop full coverage?
- Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
- Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
If you can’t answer these questions, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier
The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest
Budget-conscious Oldsmobile Aurora insurance is attainable from both online companies and also from your neighborhood agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. A few companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.
When trying to cut insurance costs, never reduce needed coverages to save money. There are a lot of situations where someone dropped physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your strategy should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.
