Are you a victim of an overpriced auto insurance policy? Believe me when I say there are many consumers feeling the pinch from expensive auto insurance. Multiple car insurance companies compete to insure your vehicles, so it’s not easy to compare every company to discover the definitive lowest rate
If you have a policy now or need a new policy, you can learn to reduce the price you pay while maximizing coverage. Choosing the best insurance company for you is easy if you know what you’re doing. Consumers only need to know the best way to get comparison quotes over the internet.
How to Get Cheap Auto Insurance
Shopping for lower auto insurance rates can be exhausting if you don’t utilize the best way to get rate quotes. You could spend your day driving to agents in your area, or you can utilize the internet to get prices fast.
Most of the larger companies belong to an insurance system where prospective buyers submit their information once, and at least one company then gives them pricing based on the submitted data. This eliminates the need for quotation requests for each company you want a rate for.
To get comparison pricing now click here (opens in new window).
The only downside to doing it this way is you are unable to specify which carriers you want pricing from. So if you want to choose specific providers to compare rates, we have a page of companies who write auto insurance in your area. Click here for list of insurance companies.
Which method you use is up to you, but double check that you are using identical coverages for each price quote. If you have unequal deductibles or liability limits it’s impossible to find the best deal for your Hyundai Tucson.
Discounts are basically free money
Auto insurance companies do not advertise all available discounts very clearly, so we researched some of the best known and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you are throwing money away.
- Defensive Driving Course – Taking a driver safety course could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.
- Early Switch Discount – A few companies offer discounts for switching policies before your current policy expires. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- Student Driver Training – Have your child successfully complete driver’s ed class in high school.
- Service Members Pay Less – Having a deployed family member may qualify for rate reductions.
- Save with a New Car – Insuring a new car can save up to 30% because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
- Paperless Signup – Certain companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks simply for signing digitally online.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems are safer to drive and will save you 10% or more.
Consumers should know that some of the credits will not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.
Factors influencing Hyundai Tucson insurance rates
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that play a part in calculating your auto insurance rates. Knowing what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get lower auto insurance prices.
- Claim-free discounts can add up – Car insurance companies generally give better rates to policyholders who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you frequently file small claims, you can pretty much guarantee higher rates. Car insurance is intended to be relied upon for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
- Where you live – Being located in a small town has it’s advantages when talking about auto insurance. Urban drivers have congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Lower population means reduced accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
- Safer occupants lowers premiums – Safer cars get lower rates. Safer cars have better occupant injury protection and better occupant protection translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims passed on to you as lower rates. If the Hyundai Tucson earned at least four stars on Safercar.gov or an “acceptable” rating on iihs.org it may be receiving lower rates.
- Better credit scores mean better rates – Having a bad credit rating is a large factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. Consumers who have high credit scores tend to be less risk to insure than those with lower credit ratings. If your credit score can use some improvement, you could save money insuring your Hyundai Tucson by improving your credit score.
Your local neighborhood insurance agent
Some consumers prefer to visit with an insurance agent and that is a personal choice. Agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and give you peace of mind. One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is you can get the best rates and still have an agent to talk to.
For easy comparison, once you complete this simple form, your information is emailed to companies who will battle for your insurance coverage. You don’t have to leave your computer since price quotes are sent to the email address you provide. How’s that for easy!
Deciding on a company should depend on more than just a cheap price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
- How long has their agency been in business?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
- Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
What types of insurance agencies are out there?
When finding a good insurance agency, there are two types of insurance agents that you can select. Insurance agencies are either independent (non-captive) or captive. Both do a good job, but it’s worth learning how they differ since it can impact your selection of an agent.
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive agencies work for only one company and examples are AAA, State Farm, Farmers Insurance and Allstate. These agents are not able to compare other company’s rates so keep that in mind. Captive agencies are usually quite knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques and that can be a competitive advantage.
Independent Agents
Independent insurance agents do not work for one specific company so they can insure your vehicles with lots of companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you don’t have to find a new agent.
When comparison shopping, you should always include price quotes from at least one independent agent for the best price selection.
For a full directory of insurance agencies, click here.
After getting positive responses to these questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, you’ve probably found an auto insurance agent that will properly service your auto insurance policy.
Auto insurance ads bend the truth
Drivers get pounded daily by advertisements for car insurance savings by Allstate, GEICO and Progressive. All the companies say the same thing that you’ll save big if you switch to their company.
How do they all say the same thing?
All companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of driver that makes them money. A good example of a profitable customer could be between 25 and 40, insures multiple vehicles, and has great credit. A propective insured who meets those qualifications will get very good rates and most likely will pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Drivers who do not match these standards will be charged higher premiums and this can result in business going elsewhere. The ads state “customers that switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much money. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently make those claims. That is why it’s extremely important to get a wide range of price quotes. It is impossible to predict which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.
Smart consumers save more
We just covered a lot of information how to get a better price on Hyundai Tucson insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even find the biggest savings come from the least-expected company. These smaller insurers can often provide lower rates in certain areas than their larger competitors like Progressive and GEICO.
When buying insurance coverage, make sure you don’t skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In many instances, an insured dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits and learned later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your focus should be to get the best coverage possible at the best price while still protecting your assets.
