Learn the Secrets to Paying Less for Independence, KY Car Insurance

Expensive car insurance can take a big chunk out of your savings account and force you to make sacrifices. Shopping your coverage around is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to help make ends meet.

Drivers have multiple insurers to choose from, and although it’s a good thing to be able to choose, too many choices makes it more difficult to compare company pricing.

You should make it a habit to price shop coverage occasionally due to the fact that insurance rates are variable and change quite frequently. If you had the best deal two years ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Don’t believe everything you read about car insurance on the internet, so by reading this article, you’re going to learn some guaranteed methods to stop overpaying for insurance.

Choosing the best insurance company for you in Independence is easy if you know what you’re doing. Essentially anyone who buys car insurance should be able to reduce their rates. But Kentucky car owners can benefit by having an understanding of the methods companies use to determine prices because it can help you find the best coverage.

Cheap Independence Car Insurance Comparisons

The are a couple different ways of comparing rate quotes from car insurance companies in your area. The simplest method to find competitive insurance rates consists of shopping online. This is very easy and can be done in a couple of different ways.

Probably the best way consumers can make multiple comparisons would be an industry-wide quote request form click here to open form in new window. This method eliminates the need for repetitive form submissions to each individual car insurance company. Filling out one form will get you rate comparisons from car insurance companies with the best prices.
A different way to find lower rates requires visiting the website for each individual company and complete a new quote form. For examples sake, let’s assume you want to compare USAA, Liberty Mutual and American Family. To get each rate you have to take the time to go to each site and enter your policy data, which is why most consumers use the first method.
For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Independence, click here.
The least recommended way of getting rate comparisons is to spend time driving to local Independence insurance agencies. Shopping for car insurance online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you want the professional advice of a local Independence agent. You can, however, price shop your coverage online but still have the advice of a local agent and we’ll touch on that later.

Which method you use is up to you, but make absolute certain that you use identical coverage information on every quote. If each company quotes different deductibles then you won’t be able to determine the lowest rate in Independence. Having just a slight variation in coverage limits can make a big difference in price. Keep in mind that having more price comparisons will improve the odds of getting lower pricing.

Buy Cheaper Car Insurance with These Tips

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that play a part in calculating car insurance rates. Knowing what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in big savings.

More claims means more premium – If you tend to file frequent claims, you can pretty much guarantee either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Companies in Kentucky award lower rates to drivers who do not file claims often. Auto insurance is intended for the large, substantial claims.
Car features impact rates – Driving a car with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all hinder your vehicle from being stolen.
Don’t let your coverage lapse – Driving with no insurance is a misdemeanor and your next policy will cost more because you let your coverage lapse. And not only will your rates increase, getting caught without coverage can result in a steep fine or even jail time.
Pay less after the wedding – Being married can get you a discount on your car insurance policy. Having a spouse is viewed as being more responsible and statistics show being married results in fewer claims.
Policy add-ons can waste money – There are a ton of extra bells and whistles that you can get tricked into buying if you aren’t careful. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, accidental death and membership fees are some examples. They may seem good initially, but your needs may have changed so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.

Discounts are basically free money

Companies don’t necessarily list every available discount very clearly, so here is a list both well-publicized and the more hidden discounts you could be receiving.

Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.
One Accident Forgiven – A few companies will allow you to have one accident without raising rates if your claims history is clear prior to the accident.
Drivers Ed for Students – Have your child enroll in driver’s education if offered at their school.
Lower Rates for Military – Being deployed with a military unit may qualify for rate reductions.
Government Employees – Simply working for the federal government may qualify you for a discount with select insurance companies.
Use Seat Belts – Requiring all passengers to use a seat belt can save 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.

It’s important to understand that most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So even though it sounds like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.

To choose providers with the best car insurance discounts in Independence, click this link.

Can’t I compare rates from local Independence agents?

A small number of people would rather get advice from a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find better rates but also keep your business local.

After filling out this short form, your information is instantly submitted to participating agents in Independence who will battle for your business. There is no reason to drive around because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. Now that’s easy! It’s the lowest rates AND a local agent.

Choosing an provider shouldn’t rely on just a low price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:

Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
Are they full-time agents?
What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
Which company do they place the most coverage with?

Two different types of insurance agents

When searching for local Independence agents, you must know there are a couple types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Independence agents are either independent (non-captive) or captive.

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive insurance agents have only one company to place business with such as State Farm, AAA and Liberty Mutual. Captives cannot provide prices from multiple companies so keep that in mind. Captive agents are well schooled on their products and sales techniques which can be an advantage.

Below are Independence captive insurance agencies who can help you get price quote information.

State Farm Insurance – 5195 Madison Pike – Independence, KY 41051 – (859) 356-9292
Farm Bureau Insurance – 1997 Walton Nicholson Pike – Independence, KY 41051 – (859) 356-2161

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent agents are not employed by any specific company but instead can place your coverage with many different companies depending on which coverage is best. If your agent finds better pricing, an independent agent can move your coverage and you don’t have to find a new agent.

When comparing rates, it’s recommended you include price quotes from multiple independent agents for the best price selection.

Listed below is a list of independent agents in Independence that can give you price quote information.

Miller Insurance – 859 Bristow Rd – Independence, KY 41051 – (859) 371-4349
Daniel Gaddis Insurance – 11565 Taylor Mill Rd – Independence, KY 41051 – (859) 356-0077

To view a complete directory of insurance agents in Independence, go to this page.

After getting positive responses and an affordable coverage quote, most likely you have located an insurance agency that will adequately provide car insurance.

Smart shoppers get results

While you’re price shopping online, make sure you don’t skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. Too many times, consumers will sacrifice comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to find out that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your focus should be to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.

Discount car insurance can be sourced on the web and also from your neighborhood Independence agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance companies may not provide online quoting and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.

We just covered some good ideas how to compare car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may even discover the best prices are with a small mutual company. These companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost compared to the large companies like State Farm and Allstate.

More information about car insurance

Even more information is located at the Kentucky Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, read industry bulletins, find a variety of consumer forms, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.