Obtaining a Free Car Insurance Quote

Insurance is one of those things that we all need to protect us from the unforeseen. When it comes to obtaining coverage for our vehicles many of tend to find one insurer and stick with them. However, smart consumers know that by being a comparison shopper when it comes to obtaining coverage can significantly reduce their monthly premiums. Many insurers have made being a smart consumer easy by offering the ability to get a free car insurance quote directly through your computer.

One of the largest insurance companies out there that focuses most of its marketing efforts and sales online is Progress Auto Insurance. They are unique in that they not only will give you their rates, but also provide rates from competing companies. Many times they are the lowest, but on occasion other companies can beat their rates and they actually encourage you to use the other guy if they can’t match or beat the competition! Talk about customer service!

Of course, there are hundreds of insurers you could use. Since you probably don’t want to spend days or weeks online or on the phone getting quotes it is best to narrow your selection down to about 10 companies and go from there. Remember, the reputation of the company is as important as the rate you receive – you want an insurance company that will be there for you, not just one that collects the premiums and then disappears into the night when you need to file a claim.

Once you find an insurer with a good rate you might want to do a little background research on them online by seeing what others are saying. How is their customer service? What about claims handling? Do they offer low rates at first and then raise them significantly when it comes time for renewal?

Being a smart consumer means you will be able to find the best deal to meet your insurance needs while making sure you have a reputable company to stand behind you if you are ever involved in an accident.

Lower Your Car Insurance Rate

If You Refuse To Pay High Insurance RatesHere Are 7 Bargaining Chips you Can Use to Negotiate a Better Insurance Rate.

Lower Your Car Insurance Rate

Having a good driving record is one of the best ways to keep your car insurance rates down. Here are a few other ways to help lower your costs.

1.Shop Around

Make companies compete for your business. Prices will vary from company to company. So, be sure to ask at least 3-4 different companies for a quote. Make them earn your business.

Talk to your friends, neighbors and coworkers about their insurance policies. If theyre happy with their insurance company there is a good chance you will be too.

There are dozens of companies on line willing to give you a free car insurance quote (like FreeCarInsuranceQuotes.org and CarInsurance.com). This may be a good starting place for you. Keep your eyes and ears open for radio and TV advertisements.

Again, these agencies are willing to compete for your business; so, dont settle.

2.Ask For Higher Deductibles

Deductibles are what you pay before your insurance policy kicks in. By raising your deductible, you can lower your insurance rates significantly. For instance, raising your deductible from 250 to 500 can reduce your collision and comprehensive coverage 10-30 percent. Raising your deductible to a 1000 could save you as much as 40% or better.

Just be sure you have the cash on hand to cover yourself in the event of a claim.

3.Have Safety Anti-theft Devices Installed

You may be eligible for further insurance discounts if your vehicle is equipped with one or more options: anti-lock brakes, automatic seat belts, air bags, or traction control.

Installing a vehicle recovery systems such as LoJack or Teletracer can save you up to 7-10% per year.

Other Anti-theft devices like The Club are relatively inexpensive and can also help to reduce your insurance premiums.

4.Consolidate Insurance Policies

Insuring two or more vehicles through the same insurance company can help to reduce your insurance rates by as much as 10%-15%. Covering your home through the same company that insures your vehicles can help lower your rates by an additional 10%-15%.

5.Teenagers and College Bound Drivers

Teenagers and college bound drivers may consider driving the family car instead of driving his or her own vehicle. Students attending school and living away from home can reduce their premiums by as much as 30-50 percent this way.

6.Take Advantage of Low Mileage Discounts

Many insurance companies offer reduced insurance rates to people who car pool to work or find other ways to keep their mileage low.

7.Safety Courses

Along with having a clean driving record, taking additional drivers safety courses could save you some 7-10% on your car insurance. If you are given a traffic citation, ask about the types of courses they offer. Some states willing to keep your insurance record clean if you agree to take complete these courses.

Conclusion

Lowering your auto insurance, in many instances, is about knowing what questions to ask and what you are entitled to. Since many companies arent going to do your homework for you, here is the short list of discounts you should inquire about:

[ ] Low Mileage
[ ] 500 Deductible
[ ] 1000 Deductible
[ ] More than One Car
[ ] No Accidents in 3 Years, 5 Years, and so on
[ ] No Moving Violations in 3 Years
[ ] Driver Training Course
[ ] Defensive Driving Courses
[ ] Anti-Theft Devices
[ ] Safety Features (like Air Bags, Anti-lock Brakes, Daytime Running Lights, etc.)
[ ] Student Drivers with Good Grades
[ ] Consolidating Policies
[ ] College Students Away From Home
[ ] Long-Time Customers
[ ] Discounts for Non Smokers and Retirees

Deductions will vary from state to state and from insurance company to insurance company. So be sure to ask.

Also the key to lowering your auto insurance rate is not necessarily how many discounts you are eligible for. Its the bottom line that matters.

How to Save on Car Insurance

Everyone who owns a car needs auto insurance. This article will give you some tips on lowering your auto insurance costs. You will find a checklist of items to ask your insurance agent that may qualify for discounts. Keep in mind that not all discounts can be applied with all insurance companies in all states.

1.Shop Around

Go to your favorite search engine and type in “free car insurance quotes online”. You’ll see a long list of insurance companies that you may even be familiar with. Visit at least five car insurance websites and look for a link to free quotes. You will then be asked basic information about yourself, your driving history, and your car’s make, model, and year. It just takes a couple of minutes, and shortly thereafter, they will email you a no obligation quote. Write down their website address, their toll free number, and customer service email address.

Each insurance company will ask you generally the same questions, and will give you options about how much coverage you will want. Find your current policy, if you have one, and take note of the coverage you currently have. Always provide the same information and ask for the same coverage at each company so you will be comparing apples to apples. Read the fine print and make sure nothing is excluded from the quote like Rental car coverage, towing, medical, etc…

For the purposes of the quote, the insurance company will not ask you your social security number, but keep in mind your actual cost maybe higher or lower depending on your credit history. If you’re not sure about some of the terminology or coverage, take notes so that you can ask the insurance company about them directly.

Once you have at least five quotes emailed to you, take the lowest two or three quotes and see if they are less than what you are paying now. Most likely at least one of them is much lower. At this point you will want to call them directly to get the most accurate quote by providing additional personal information. For additional discounts, here is a checklist of things you should ask about.

[ ]500 deductible

[ ]1,000 deductible

[ ]Paying monthly, semi-annually, or annually

[ ]More than 1 car

[ ]No Accidents in 3 Years

[ ]No Moving Violations in 3 Years

[ ]Driver Training Courses

[ ]Defensive Driving Courses

[ ]Anti-Theft Devices

[ ]Low Annual Mileage

[ ]Air Bags

[ ]Anti-Lock Brakes

[ ]Daytime Running Lights

[ ]Student Drivers with Good Grades

[ ]Auto and Homeowners Coverage with the Same Company

[ ]College Students away from Home

[ ]Long-Time Customer

[ ]Other Discounts

2.Saving Insurance Premium on cars you own outright.

If you own a clear title to your car, meaning there is no bank loan on it, then you may want to consider dropping the collisioncomprehensive coverage. As a rule of thumb, if the cars value is less than 3000, it may not make sense for you to pay for this additional coverage. Over time, the cost of the additional insurance premium will exceed the value of the car. It’s pretty simple math.

Check the fair market value of your car either through Edmunds.com or even your local newspaper. See what other people are trying to get for the same car. Keep in mind your cars mileage, condition, and age. Has it been in an accident before? Does it have unusually high mileage in excess of 15,000 miles per year? Does it need new tires? You get the idea. Be realistic, because in the event that this car is in an accident and is damaged beyond repair, it is unlikely you will get the full value of the car.

3.Ask About Insurance Rates in Different Areas

Rates can vary widely even in the same state. Different locals have different accident rates, population, and crime. These all factor in to the final cost. If you are moving to a different area, ask about what the rates are for that town.

4.Ask About Getting Other Insurance Policies Together With Your Auto Insurance

Combining insurance policies with the same company can often give you additional discounts. If you own a home, ask about combining your homeowners insurance with your auto insurance. Also ask about other polices, such as life, health, and business insurance. Most insurance companies cover a wide range of policies and will give substantial discounts when you do business exclusively with them.

5.A Clean Credit History Can Reduce Car Premiums:

Having good credit can also lower your insurance costs. Many insurance companies will use credit information to price auto insurance policies. Drivers with good credit and a clean driving record may qualify as a “preferred” customer with lower risk and will be rewarded with lower premiums.

6.Low Mileage Discounts

Some companies offer discounts to drivers who drive a lower than average number of miles per year. If you car pool, take public transportation like the subway, or work from home, you will most likely drive few miles per year than the average driver.

7.Group Insurance

Some insurers offer discounts to drivers who work for certain companies or belong to professional associations, and alumni groups. Ask your employer, group or clubs that you belong to if they have any special arrangements with different insurance companies.

Using all of these tips can save you hundreds of pounds per year, especially when you have multiple cars and multiple drivers in the same household.

The Costly Lure Of Free Car Insurance

Although not a completely stagnant market, selling new motorcars in the UK these days is hard work. Combating this, one very successful way that car manufacturers have found to attract new buyers to the motorcar market in the UK is to offer the first years car insurance completely free with the purchase of a new motorcar.

Wonderful, but before you jump in and buy that new car, consider this: