I can’t think of anyone who looks forward to paying for car insurance, especially when their premiums are through the roof. Numerous car insurance companies battle to insure your vehicles, so it’s not easy to compare every insurer and get the best coverage at the best rate
How to Compare Car Insurance
Shopping for lower car insurance rates can be exhausting if you aren’t aware of the most efficient way to do it. You could waste a few hours talking to agents in your area, or you could save time and use the web to get prices fast.
Most of the larger companies participate in an industry program that allows shoppers to send in one quote, and every company then returns a price quote based on the submitted data. This saves time by eliminating repetitive form submissions for each company. To compare pricing click to open in new window.
The one downside to using this type of form is you cannot specify the providers you want to price. So if you want to select from a list of companies to compare rates, we have a listing of car insurance companies in your area. Click here for list of insurance companies.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just ensure you’re using apples-to-apples quote information for every quote you compare. If you enter different deductibles it will be next to impossible to determine the best price for your Volvo C30.
Are you getting all your discounts?
The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but there are discounts available to cut the cost considerably. Some trigger automatically when you complete an application, but lesser-known reductions have to be specially asked for in order for you to get them. If you’re not getting every credit you deserve, you are paying more than you should be.
- Life Insurance – Some companies give a break if you buy life insurance.
- Drivers Ed for Students – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver’s education if offered at their school.
- Employee of Federal Government – Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount on C30 coverage depending on your company.
- Clubs and Organizations – Participating in a civic or occupational organization may earn a discount on car insurance on C30 coverage.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way. Any amount of discount will reduce the amount you have to pay.
To choose providers with the best car insurance discounts, click this link.
Impacting insurance rates for a Volvo C30
Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that play a part in calculating the price you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.
- With age comes lower rates – More mature drivers tend to be more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and receive fewer citations. Young drivers have a tendency to be less responsible when driving therefore car insurance rates are much higher.
- Big city or small town – Living in a small town can be a good thing when buying car insurance. Fewer people means fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. Urban drivers tend to have much more traffic to deal with and a longer drive to work. Longer commute distances means higher likelihood of an accident.
- Frequent car insurance claims increase rates – If you frequently file small claims, you can pretty much guarantee either higher rates or even cancellation. Insurance companies provide better rates to people who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Car insurance is intended for the large, substantial claims.
- Safe vehicles cost less to insure – Safer cars tend to have better insurance rates. Safe vehicles protect occupants better and better occupant protection means less money paid by your insurance company and more competitive rates for policyholders. If the Volvo C30 is rated at least an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website it is probably cheaper to insure.
- Poor credit can mean higher rates – Credit score is a big factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. If your credit rating is lower than you’d like, you could potentially save money when insuring your Volvo C30 by improving your credit score. Drivers who have good credit tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with poor credit.
- Liability coverage protects you – Liability coverage provides coverage if a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability provides legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not skimp.
- Discounts for multiple policies – Most car insurance companies give discounts to customers who carry more than one policy. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. Even with this discount, it’s still a good idea to compare rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
What if I want to buy from a local agent?
Some people just want to buy from a local agent and that is OK! Agents can help determine the best coverages and give you peace of mind. One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find the best rates but still work with a licensed agent. Buying from local businesses is definitely important in small towns and cities.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this short form, your insurance coverage information is submitted to agents in your area who will compete for your business. You don’t have to leave your computer as quotes are delivered to the email address you provide. How’s that for easy!
Do you need an independent or captive insurance agency?
When researching a reliable agent, there are a couple of different agency structures from which to choose. Agencies are classified as either captive or independent (non-captive). Either one can do a good job, but it’s good to learn how they are different since it can impact buying decisions.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agencies are not employed by any specific company but rather can write business with any number of different companies and potentially find a lower price. To transfer your coverage to a different company, your agent can switch companies and you won’t have to switch agencies.
When shopping rates, you should always include at a minimum one independent agency to ensure the widest selection of prices.
Agency Captives
Captive agencies work for only one company such as AAA, State Farm, Farmers Insurance and Allstate. They usually cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agencies are well schooled in insurance sales which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
To view a complete directory of car insurance agents, click here.
Deciding on an auto insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just a cheap price. Some important questions to ask are:
- If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
- Do they make recommendations based only on price?
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in your state?
- If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
Once you have received acceptable answers to these questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, most likely you have located an auto insurance agent that is a good match to properly insure your vehicles.
Quote more, save more
You just learned many tips how you can shop for Volvo C30 insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even discover the lowest premiums are with a smaller regional carrier. Smaller companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas compared to the large companies like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.
Budget-conscious Volvo C30 insurance is attainable online as well as from independent agents, so compare prices from both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies don’t offer online quoting and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.
