Elizabethtown Kentucky Car Insurance Buying Tips You Aren’t Supposed to Know

Consumers not familiar with price shopping insurance online might discover shopping for cut-rate Elizabethtown car insurance is more work than they anticipated.

Consumers should take time to compare rates at least once a year since rates go up and down regularly. If you had the best price a year ago you can probably find a better price now. So just forget all the misinformation about car insurance because you’re about to learn one of the easiest ways to properly buy coverages and cut your premium.

Quick Elizabethtown Car Insurance Quotes

When shopping for car insurance there are multiple ways to compare quotes from local in Elizabethtowncar insurance companies. The fastest way to find competitive insurance rates consists of obtaining rate quotes online. This is very easy and can be done in several different ways.

• The easiest and least time consuming way consumers can make multiple comparisons would be an industry-wide quote request form like this one (opens in new window). This form eliminates the need for repetitive form entry for each company. A single, simple form gets rate comparisons from car insurance companies with the best prices. Just one form and you’re done.
• A less efficient way to analyze rates is going to the website for every company you want to comare and request a quote. For example, we’ll assume you want to compare rates from Allstate, 21st Century and GMAC. You would have to visit each site to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is quicker.

  For a handy list of car insurance company links in Elizabethtown, click here.

• The hardest way to compare rates is to drive around to and from local Elizabethtown insurance agencies. Buying insurance online makes this process obsolete unless you have a need for the trained guidance of a licensed agent. You can, however, get the lowest quotes online and get advice from an agent in your area and we’ll talk about that later.

It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but make darn sure you compare exactly the same quote information with every price quote. If each company quotes different liability limits it will be very difficult to determine the best price in Elizabethtown. Slightly different coverages could mean much higher rates. And when comparing car insurance rates, know that comparing a large number of companies helps locate the best offered rates.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Elizabethtown

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that can help you get lower car insurance prices.

• Where you live can impact rates – Residing in a small town can be a good thing when talking about car insurance. Drivers who live in large cities have much more traffic and longer commute times. Lower population means reduced accidents.
• Proper usage rating affects rates – The more miles you rack up on your car in a year’s time the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Most insurance companies apply a rate determined by how the vehicle is used. Autos used primarily for pleasure use can get a lower rate as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Double check that your car insurance policy shows how each vehicle is driven, because it can save money.
• Your occupation can affect rates – Did you know your car insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Careers like doctors, business owners and accountants tend to have higher rates than average attributed to job stress and long work days. On the flip side, occupations like actors, athletes and performers receive lower rates.
• Marriage brings a discount – Having a spouse actually saves money when buying car insurance. Having a significant other means you’re more mature and responsible it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married are more cautious.
• More performance means more cost – The performance level of the car you own makes a big difference in the rate you pay. The lowest base rates are usually for low performance passenger models, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
• Men are more aggressive – Statistics have proven women are more cautious behind the wheel. That doesn’t necessarily mean that women are BETTER drivers than men. They both cause accidents in similar numbers, but the men cause more damage. Men also statistically get cited for more serious violations like reckless driving and DUI. Youthful male drivers are several times more likely to be in an accident and are penalized with high car insurance rates.
• Your credit rating is important – Having a bad credit rating is a important factor in determining your rates. People with high credit scores tend to be more responsible than those with lower credit scores. Therefore, if your credit history can use some improvement, you could save money insuring your by improving your rating.
• Special features that cut premiums – Choosing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Anti-theft features like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can thwart car theft.

Discounts are available to cut your rates

Auto insurance companies don’t always list all their discounts very well, so we break down some of the best known and the more hidden car insurance savings.

• Discount for New Cars – Putting insurance coverage on a new car can cost up to 25% less because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
• Distant Student – Youth drivers living away from home attending college without a vehicle on campus may qualify for this discount.
• Auto/Home Discount – If you have multiple policies with one insurance company you could get a discount of approximately 10% to 15%.
• E-sign – Some insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks simply for signing on their website.
• Employee of Federal Government – Active or retired federal employment can earn a discount up to 10% with a few car insurance companies.
• One Accident Forgiven – Some insurance companies allow you one accident without raising rates if your claims history is clear for a certain period of time.
• Early Switch Discount – Select companies give a discount for signing up prior to your current policy expiration. It’s a savings of about 10%.

Drivers should understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Most cut individual premiums such as comp or med pay. Just because you may think it’s possible to get free car insurance, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.

To choose insurers who offer car insurance discounts in Elizabethtown, click this link.

Is my situation unique?

When buying the right insurance coverage, there isn’t really a perfect coverage plan. Every situation is different.

For instance, these questions might help in determining if your situation may require specific advice.

• How much liability do I need to cover my assets?
• How many claims can I have before being cancelled?
• How do I file an SR-22 for a DUI in Kentucky?
• Do I need medical payments coverage since I have good health insurance?
• Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
• Do I qualify for additional discounts?
• Does my vehicle need full coverage?

If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.

Your local neighborhood insurance agent

Some consumers would prefer to talk to a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is you can get lower rates and still have an agent to talk to.

For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, the coverage information is instantly submitted to companies in Elizabethtown who will give you bids for your business. You won’t need to even leave your home due to the fact that quote results will go directly to your email. Now that’s easy! It’s the lowest rates and work with a local agent.

Selecting an insurer needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. These are valid questions to ask:

• Is working in the agency their full-time job?
• If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
• What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
• Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
• Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
• How long has their agency been open in Elizabethtown?
• How are they compensated?
• What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?

What type of Elizabethtown insurance agency is right for you?

When finding a reputable insurance agent or broker, you must know there are a couple different types of agents from which to choose. Elizabethtown agents can either be independent (non-captive) or captive.

Captive Insurance Agents

This type of agents can only write with one company like AAA, State Farm, Farmers Insurance and Allstate. These agents are not able to provide prices from multiple companies so they have to upsell other benefits. Captive agencies are trained well in insurance sales which helps them compete with independent agents. Consumers sometimes purchase coverage from captives mainly due to the brand legacy and strong financial ratings.

The following is a short list of captive insurance agencies in Elizabethtown willing to provide comparison quotes.

• Kentucky Farm Bureau Ins Co – 2909 Ring Rd – Elizabethtown, KY 42701 – (270) 765-4400
• Allstate Insurance – 428 W Dixie Ave # 4 – Elizabethtown, KY 42701 – (270) 765-7129
• State Farm Insurance – 417 N Mulberry St – Elizabethtown, KY 42701 – (270) 234-8200

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent insurance agents do not work for one specific company but instead can place your coverage with lots of companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If your agent finds better pricing, they simply move the coverage in-house without you having to go to a different agency. When searching for an agent, we recommend you include at least one independent agent to get the best comparison. Most have the option of insuring with lesser-known insurance companies which can be an advantage.

Shown below is a short list of independent agents in Elizabethtown that can give you price quotes.

• Nationwide Insurance – 611 W Poplar St # C7 – Elizabethtown, KY 42701 – (270) 765-6617
• Direct General Ins Agency – 604 N Mulberry St # D – Elizabethtown, KY 42701 – (270) 765-5457
• Heartland Insurance-Financial – 913 N Mulberry St – Elizabethtown, KY 42701 – (270) 769-5912

For a full directory of insurance agents in Elizabethtown, visit this link.

Upon receiving positive feedback and an affordable coverage quote, you’ve probably found an insurance agency that meets your needs to service your policy.

A tidy conclusion

We just showed you a lot of ways to get a better price on car insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more companies you get rates for, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Drivers may discover the best price on car insurance is with the least-expected company.

The cheapest car insurance can be purchased online as well as from independent agents in Elizabethtown, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance providers don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.

People change insurance companies for any number of reasons including delays in responding to claim requests, policy non-renewal, lack of trust in their agent or high prices. Regardless of your reason, finding a great new company can be easier than you think.

Informative consumer insurance sites

Even more information is available at the Kentucky Department of Insurance website. Consumers can read consumer alerts, get help finding coverage, file complaints about a company, and report car insurance fraud.

Additional helpful sites include this page for car insurance prices in Kentucky and this list of insurance agents in Elizabethtown.