Feel like you’re a prisoner to an overpriced auto insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you you are not the only one feeling buyer’s remorse. Insurance companies such as GEICO and Progressive promote their brand names with TV and radio ads and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and find the best price available.
If you have a current auto insurance policy or are shopping for new coverage, you can follow these tips to shop for the lowest rates and possibly find even better coverage. Finding the best rates is quite easy. Vehicle owners just need to understand the proper methods to shop their coverage around online.
Policy discounts you shouldn’t miss
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you may find discounts to help bring down the price. A few discounts will automatically apply when you purchase, but a few need to be manually applied prior to getting the savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles with factory air bags can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
- Use Seat Belts – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts can save up to 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
- Government Employees – Simply working for the federal government could cut as much as 10% off for TL coverage with certain companies.
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Low mileage vehicles can earn better rates on cars that stay parked.
- Senior Discount – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get reduced rates for TL coverage.
- Military Discounts – Being on active duty in the military could mean lower rates.
- Homeowners Savings – Being a homeowner may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because maintaining a house is proof that your finances are in order.
- Payment Method – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.
- Clubs and Organizations – Affiliation with a professional or civic organization could qualify you for a break when buying auto insurance for TL coverage.
- College Student – Youth drivers who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have a car may qualify for this discount.
Keep in mind that most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only cut specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears you could get a free auto insurance policy, companies don’t profit that way. But all discounts will cut your overall premium however.
To choose providers with the best auto insurance discounts, click this link.
Auto Insurance Prices
Performing a rate comparison can take time and effort if you don’t utilize the easiest way. You can waste hours driving to insurance companies in your area, or you could use the internet to get rates in a matter of minutes.
The majority of car insurance companies participate in an industry program that allows shoppers to send in one quote, and at least one company returns a competitive quote determined by their information. This system prevents you from having to do repetitive form submissions for each company.
To find out how much you’re overpaying now click to open in new window.
The only drawback to using this type of system is that consumers can’t choose which carriers to get pricing from. If you would rather choose specific providers to compare rates, we have assembled a list of companies who write auto insurance in your area. Click here to view list.
Which method you use is up to you, but ensure you’re using apples-to-apples coverages on every quote you get. If you use differing limits you can’t possibly determine the lowest rate for your Acura TL.
Acura TL insurance rates can be determined by these details
Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that come into play when calculating your auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with lower auto insurance prices.
- Your job and insurance rates – Occupations such as doctors, business owners and financial analysts are shown to have higher average rates in part from job stress and long work hours. Conversely, jobs such as pilots, engineers and retirees pay the least for TL coverage.
- A clean driving record saves money – Even a single ticket can bump up the cost twenty percent or more. Drivers who don’t get tickets receive lower rates than bad drivers. Drivers who get serious violations such as DUI or reckless driving may be required to file a SR-22 with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
- Optional equipment can affect rates – Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft devices such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder your vehicle from being stolen.
- Safer cars cost less to insure – Vehicles with good safety scores get lower rates. These vehicles reduce injuries and better occupant protection means lower claim amounts and lower rates for you. If your Acura TL scored better than four stars on Safercar.gov you are probably receiving a discount.
- Do you have enough liability coverage? – Liability insurance is the protection if a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability provides for a legal defense up to the limits shown on your policy. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so drivers should carry high limits.
- Extra add-on coverages are wasting money – There are a ton of extra coverages that can waste your money if you aren’t careful. Things like vanishing deductibles, accident forgiveness and additional equipment coverage may be wasting your money. These may sound like a good investment initially, but now you might not need them so remove them from your policy.
- Pay less after the wedding – Being married can get you a discount on auto insurance. Having a spouse usually means you are more mature than a single person and statistics show married drivers get in fewer accidents.
When might I need the advice of an agent?
When buying adequate coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance needs to address that. These are some specific questions can aid in determining whether you might need professional guidance.
- What should my uninsured motorist coverage limits be in my state?
- Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my Acura TL is totaled?
- Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
- Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
- Are my friends covered when driving my Acura TL?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to an agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and may give you better protection.
Neighborhood insurance agents
Some consumers just want to buy from a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Good agents can answer important questions and give you someone to call. The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is the fact that you can find the best rates but also keep your business local. And supporting local agencies is important especially in small towns and cities.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this simple form, your coverage information is transmitted to insurance agents who will give you bids for your business. You don’t have to drive around since price quotes are sent straight to your inbox. It doesn’t get any easier!
Insurance agent types
When researching a reliable agent, there are two types of agencies to choose from. agents can either be captive or independent (non-captive). While both can insure your vehicles, but it’s worth mentioning how they are different because it can influence the selection process.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agents are not locked into one company so they can insure your vehicles with lots of companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To move your coverage to a new company, an independent agent can move your coverage and you don’t have to find a new agent.
When comparison shopping, it’s a good idea to get quotes from multiple independent agents for the best price selection.
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive insurance agents work for only one company such as State Farm, AAA and Liberty Mutual. They are unable to compare other company’s rates so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. These agents are usually quite knowledgeable on the products they sell which can be an advantage.
To view a complete directory of insurance agents, visit this site.
Deciding on an auto insurance agent requires more thought than just the premium amount. Agents should be asked these questions:
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in your state?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
Upon receiving acceptable answers to your questions and an affordable coverage quote, you’ve probably found an insurance agency that meets your needs to properly service your auto insurance policy.
In conclusion
We just showed you quite a bit of information on how to reduce Acura TL insurance prices online. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the higher the chance of saving money. You may be surprised to find that the best price on auto insurance is with a lesser-known regional company. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm or Progressive.
The cheapest Acura TL insurance can be sourced both online in addition to many insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who do not provide the ability to get a quote online and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
As you prepare to switch companies, it’s not a good idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are many occasions where an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage and learned later that it was a big mistake. The proper strategy is to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.
