Expert Advice on Paying Less for Casper Wyoming Car Insurance

Paying for high-priced car insurance can drain your bank account, especially in this economy. Comparing price quotes is a great way to cut your insurance bill.

With consumers having so many companies and agents to choose from, it can be impossible to pick the most cost effective insurance company.

Rate influencing factors

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that go into determining your car insurance rates. Knowing what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

Listed below are a few of the “ingredients” car insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

• Your credit rating is important – Your credit score is a big factor in determining your rates. People with high credit ratings tend to be more responsible than drivers with poor credit. If your credit rating is low, you could save money insuring your by improving your rating.
• Never let your coverage lapse – Letting your insurance expire will be a guaranteed way to bump up your car insurance costs. Not only will you pay more, but not being able to provide proof of insurance can result in a steep fine or even jail time.You may need to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the Wyoming motor vehicle department.
• Tickets mean higher rates – Even a single ticket can bump up the cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who don’t get tickets have lower premiums than bad drivers. Drivers who get serious violations such as DUI or reckless driving may be required to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
• Males pay more for insurance – Statistics have proven women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, this does not mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Men and women tend to get into accidents at a similar rate, but the men have costlier accidents. Men also statistically receive more costly citations like DUI and reckless driving. Teenage male drivers are most likely to cause an accident and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
• Marriage pays dividends – Having a wife or husband actually saves money when buying car insurance. Marriage translates into being more responsible and statistics show married couples file fewer claims.

Verify you’re getting all your discounts

Car insurance can cost a lot, but you may find discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked for before you will receive the discount.

• Seat Belt Usage – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts can save up to 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
• Driver’s Ed – Require your teen driver to successfully complete driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.
• Federal Government Employee – Simply working for the federal government could cut as much as 10% off depending on your company.
• Save over 55 – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may receive a small decrease in premiums.
• Driver Safety – Taking a defensive driving course could cut 5% off your bill and easily recoup the cost of the course.
• Discount for Life Insurance – Larger companies have lower rates if you buy life insurance.
• Military Rewards – Having a family member in the military can result in better rates.
• Sign Early and Save – A few companies offer discounts for switching to them before your current expiration date. It can save you around 10%.
• Theft Prevention System – Anti-theft and alarm systems can help prevent theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when the math indicates you can get free auto insurance, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any amount of discount will reduce the amount you have to pay.

To see a list of insurance companies with the best car insurance discounts in Casper, click this link.

Don’t listen to company ads

Car insurance companies such as Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm constantly bombard you with ads in print and on television. They all seem to say the same thing about savings if you switch your coverage to them. How can each company make the same claim? It’s all in the numbers.

All the different companies can use profiling for the driver that is profitable for them. A good example of a desirable insured might be profiled as between the ages of 40 and 55, owns a home, and has excellent credit. A driver who matches those parameters will get very good rates and as a result will probably save quite a bit of money when switching.

Drivers who do not match these standards must pay a higher premium and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads say “customers who switch” not “people who quote” save that much. That’s the way companies can advertise the savings.

This illustrates why it is so important to get as many quotes as possible. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

When should I talk to an agent?

When choosing adequate coverage, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different so your insurance needs to address that. Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight if you would benefit from professional advice.

• Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
• Are all vehicle passengers covered by medical payments coverage?
• Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
• Does my policy pay for OEM or aftermarket parts?
• Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
• Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
• How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in Wyoming?

If you can’t answer these questions, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

Additional car insurance information can be read on the website for the Wyoming Insurance Department located here. Consumers can get help finding coverage, read industry bulletins, discover disciplinary actions, and find a variety of consumer forms.

Online plus local equals savings

In this article, we presented quite a bit of information on how to save on car insurance. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the biggest savings come from a smaller regional carrier. Regional companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas compared to the large companies like Progressive and GEICO.

Cheap car insurance is available on the web and with local Casper insurance agents, so compare prices from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some companies do not offer online quoting and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.