Never Compare Fort Wayne, IN Auto Insurance Without Knowing These Money Saving Methods

Confused by the sheer number of auto insurance choices in Fort Wayne? You have a lot of company. There are so many options available that it can turn into more work than you anticipated to compare prices.

If you currently have car insurance, you should be able to lower your premiums substantially using these tips. Locating affordable protection in Fort Wayne is easy if you know what you’re doing. But Indiana drivers must know how insurance companies price insurance differently and take advantage of how the system works.

Free Quotes for Auto Insurance in Fort Wayne

When shopping for auto insurance there are multiple ways of comparing rates from local in Fort Wayneauto insurance companies. The quickest method to find competitive insurance rates is to get quotes online. This can be accomplished using a couple different methods.

One of the best ways consumers can analyze rates is an all-inclusive rate comparison click here to open form in new window. This easy form keeps you from doing separate quotes to each individual auto insurance company. A single form gets rate comparisons from multiple low-cost companies. Just one form and you’re done.

A more time consuming way to get quotes online requires a visit to each company website and request a quote. For sake of this example, we’ll assume you want comparison quotes from Nationwide, Farmers and GMAC. You would have to take the time to go to each site and enter your policy data, and that’s why the first method is more popular. For a handy list of car insurance company links in Fort Wayne, click here.

The least recommended way to get comparison rates is driving around to and from local Fort Wayne insurance agencies. Buying insurance online makes this process obsolete unless you prefer the personal advice of a local Fort Wayne agent. It is possible to get the lowest quotes online but still have the advice of a local agent and we’ll touch on that later.

It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but double check that you are using exactly the same information with each company. If you compare different values for each quote it will be impossible to make a fair comparison in Fort Wayne. Just a small difference in coverages can result in a big premium difference. And when quoting auto insurance, remember that getting more free quotes will increase your chances of finding the best price.

Save big with these discounts

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but there are discounts available that you may not even be aware of. A few discounts will automatically apply when you complete an application, but less common discounts must be specifically requested prior to getting the savings.

Low Mileage Discounts – Fewer annual miles could qualify for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
Payment Method – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of paying each month you could save up to 5%.
Drivers Ed for Students – Have your child enroll in driver’s education in high school.
Air Bag Discount – Cars that have air bags may earn rate discounts of up to 25% or more.
Multi-policy Discount – When you combine your home and auto insurance with one insurance company you could get a discount of up to 20% off your total premium.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. Even though it may seem like you can get free auto insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any amount of discount will help reduce your overall premium however.

To choose insurance companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Indiana, click here to view.

Can’t I compare rates from local Fort Wayne agents?

Some people prefer to sit down with an agent. The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find lower rates and still have an agent to talk to. Buying from small agencies is important particularly in Fort Wayne.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this simple form, your information is transmitted to local insurance agents in Fort Wayne who will give you bids for your business. You won’t need to drive around due to the fact that quote results will go to the email address you provide. Now that’s easy! You’ll get the best rates and work with a local agent.

Types of insurance agents

When researching local Fort Wayne agents, you must know there are a couple different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agents are either independent (non-captive) or captive. compare rates in Indiana

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent agents do not work for one specific company but rather can write business with multiple insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To move your coverage to a new company, the business is moved internally without you having to go to a different agency. When searching for an agent, we recommend you get quotes from several independent insurance agents to get the best comparison. They also have the ability to place coverage with smaller regional carriers which can be an advantage.

Listed below are independent insurance agents in Fort Wayne willing to provide pricing information.

PLPD Auto Insurance – 3213 E State Blvd – Fort Wayne, IN 46805 – (260) 484-7573
Affordable Agency – 6656 Saint Joe Rd # B – Fort Wayne, IN 46835 – (260) 485-2526
Davenport Agency Inc – 5914 E State Blvd – Fort Wayne, IN 46815 – (260) 493-0888
Joe Cochran Agency – 1032 Huffman St – Fort Wayne, IN 46808 – (260) 422-6494
Summit City Insurance – 6206 Constitution Dr # B – Fort Wayne, IN 46804 – (260) 432-7999

Captive Insurance Agents

These agents can only write with one company and some examples include AAA, Allstate and State Farm. Captives cannot give you multiple price quotes so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captive agencies receive extensive training on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents. Consumers sometimes purchase coverage from captives mainly due to high brand loyalty and strong financial ratings.

Listed below is a list of captive insurance agencies in Fort Wayne that can give you price quotes.

Farm Bureau Insurance – 7217 Engle Rd – Fort Wayne, IN 46804 – (260) 432-8744
State Farm Insurance – 3118 Mallard Cove Ln – Fort Wayne, IN 46804 – (260) 744-3218
American Family Insurance – 3718 Allen Ave – Fort Wayne, IN 46805 – (260) 484-2749
Shelter Insurance – 1402 E State Blvd – Fort Wayne, IN 46805 – (260) 484-4077
Allstate Insurance – 1910 Saint Joe Center Rd # 51 – Fort Wayne, IN 46825 – (260) 483-6221
Farmers Insurance Group – 10816 Coldwater Rd – Fort Wayne, IN 46845 – (260) 637-3599

To view a complete directory of captive insurance agents in Fort Wayne, please click here.

Deciding on an insurance agency needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:

If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
Is working in the agency their full-time job?
Which company do they place the most coverage with?
Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?

Once you have positive responses and a good coverage price, you may have just found an insurance agency that will insure your vehicles.

When should I talk to an agent?

When it comes to choosing coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no cookie cutter policy. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.

For example, these questions could help you determine whether or not you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

Do I need higher deductibles?
When should I remove comp and collision on my vehicle?
Do I need motorclub coverage?
What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?
What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
Does my vehicle need full coverage?
Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
When should my teen driver be added to my policy?

If you can’t answer these questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.

Factors that affect insurance rates

It’s important that you understand some of the elements that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that could result in big savings.

Safer cars are cheaper to insure – Cars with high safety ratings are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles protect occupants better and any reduction in injury severity translates into savings for insurance companies and lower rates for you.
Pay less if you’re married – Getting married actually saves money on your policy. Having a significant other is viewed as being more responsible and it’s proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
Your occupation can affect rates – Jobs such as lawyers, social workers and dentists tend to pay the highest average rates because of job stress and lots of time spent at work. Other occupations like actors, historians and retirees have the lowest average rates.
Increase deductibles and save – Physical damage deductibles define the amount you are required to spend before your auto insurance pays a claim. Physical damage insurance, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, covers damage that occurs to your car. A few examples of covered claims would be running into the backend of another car, damage caused by hail, or theft. The more you have to pay, the less your auto insurance will be.
Your credit rating is important – A driver’s credit rating is a important factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. Drivers who have good credit tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers with lower credit scores. If your credit rating can use some improvement, you could potentially save money when insuring your by repairing your credit.
A lapse in coverage is a bad thing – Allowing your auto insurance policy to lapse is a fast way to increase your auto insurance rates. Not only will rates go up, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance may earn you a steep fine or even jail time.Then you may be required to file a SR-22 with the Indiana DMV.
Extra add-on coverages are wasting money – There are quite a few additional coverages you can purchase if you aren’t careful. Coverages like personal injury protection, better glass coverage and term life insurance are examples of these. They may seem good at first, but if they’re wasting money get rid of them and save.

Auto insurance ads bend the truth

Companies like State Farm and Allstate constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. All the ads make the same claim that you’ll save big if you switch to them. How do they all make the same claim?

Different companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that makes them money. An example of a profitable customer might be between 25 and 40, owns a home, and has excellent credit. A driver who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and most likely will save quite a bit of money when switching.

Consumers who do not match the “perfect” profile must pay more money which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save money. That is how companies can truthfully state the savings.

This illustrates why you absolutely need to compare many company’s rates. You cannot predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

Summing up your auto insurance search

As you shop your coverage around, make sure you don’t buy less coverage just to save a little money. In too many instances, drivers have reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.

Drivers leave their current company for any number of reasons including extreme rates for teen drivers, delays in responding to claim requests, high prices and policy non-renewal. No matter why you want to switch, finding a new company is actually quite simple.

Affordable auto insurance can be sourced both online and with local Fort Wayne insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who do not offer online quoting and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

To learn more about auto insurance in Indiana

Much more information about auto insurance in Indiana can be found on the Indiana Department of Insurance website located here. Indiana consumers can get help finding coverage, find out industry alerts, and view a list of available companies.