Techniques for Paying Less for Gretna, LA Auto Insurance Rates

Consumers who are new to the process of buying insurance online may find shopping for low-cost Gretna auto insurance very challenging.

You should take the time to compare prices once or twice a year because insurance rates change quite often. Just because you found the lowest rates a couple years back there may be better deals available now. You’ll find quite a bit of inaccurate information about auto insurance on the web, but we’re going to give you some great ways to find affordable auto insurance.

Free Gretna Auto Insurance Quotes

There are several ways of comparing rates from local in Gretna, Louisianaauto insurance companies. The fastest way to find the lowest rates is to get quotes online. This can be accomplished in several different ways.

1. The first (and easiest) way to get the best comparison quotes would be an industry-wide quote request form click to view form in new window. This easy form saves time by eliminating separate quotes to each individual auto insurance company. A single, simple form gets rate comparisons from auto insurance companies with the best prices. Just one form and you’re done.
2. A different way to get comparison quotes requires you to visit the website for each individual company to complete a price quote. For example, we’ll assume you want to compare rates from Allstate, State Farm and Farmers. To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is quicker. To view a list of companies in Gretna, click here.
3. The most time-consuming way of comparing rate quotes is to spend your day driving to and from local Gretna insurance agencies. The internet makes this process obsolete unless you prefer the professional advice of a licensed agent. Drivers can comparison shop online and still use a local agent and we’ll touch on that later.

It’s up to you which method you use, but double check that you are using apples-to-apples information with each company. If you enter higher or lower deductibles you can’t possibly determine the best price in Gretna. Slightly different insurance coverages can result in a big premium difference. And when comparing auto insurance rates, know that comparing more company’s prices provides better odds of finding a lower rate.

Do you qualify for a discount?

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but you can get discounts that you may not know about. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be manually applied before they will apply.

• Lower Rates for Military – Having a deployed family member may qualify for rate reductions.
• Anti-theft Discount – Anti-theft and alarm systems can help prevent theft and will save you 10% or more.
• Drivers Ed for Students – Have your child take driver’s ed class in school.
• Use Seat Belts – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could save 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
• Claim Free – Good drivers with no accidents pay much less as compared to drivers who are more careless.
• Safety Course Discount – Successfully completing a driver safety course could save 5% or more depending on where you live.
• Club Memberships – Participating in certain professional organizations could trigger savings when buying auto insurance.

Consumers should know that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So even though it sounds like all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies wouldn’t make money that way. But all discounts will bring down the amount you have to pay.

What impacts Gretna insurance rates?

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that go into determining the rates you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

Listed below are some of the factors that factor into premiums.

• Equipment add-ons that lower auto insurance rates – Choosing a vehicle with an alarm system can save you a little every year. Theft prevention devices like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can thwart your vehicle from being stolen.
• Higher deductibles cost less – Physical damage insurance, also known as collision and other-than-collision, protects your car from damage. Examples of covered claims are colliding with a building, collision with an animal, and burglary. Your deductibles are the amount of money you are required to spend out-of-pocket before a claim is paid by your company. The more you’re willing to pay, the lower your rates will be.
• Better crash test results mean better rates – Cars with high safety ratings are cheaper to insure. The safest vehicles have better occupant injury protection and lower injury rates translates into savings for insurance companies and lower rates for you.
• Type of vehicle determines base rates – The make and model of the vehicle you are insuring makes a significant difference in determining your rates. The cheapest insurance rates tend to be for small economy passenger vehicles, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
• Liability coverage protects you – Your policy’s liability coverage is the coverage that protects you if ever you are found liable for damages caused by your negligence. It provides legal defense coverage up to the limits shown on your policy. This coverage is very inexpensive as compared to coverage for physical damage, so buy as much as you can afford.

What happened to insurance agents?

A small number of people just want to buy from a local agent and that is OK! The best thing about comparing rates online is the fact that you can find the lowest rates and still choose a local agent. Buying from small agencies is important particularly in Gretna.

After filling out this short form, your insurance coverage information is transmitted to companies in Gretna who will compete for your coverage. There is no need to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. How’s that for easy! Get lower rates AND an agent nearby.

The different types of insurance agents

If you’re trying to find a local agent, you must know there are a couple different types of agents to choose from. Agents are categorized either captive or independent.

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Independent insurance agents do not work for one specific company so they have the ability to put coverage amongst many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To move your coverage to a new company, they simply move the coverage in-house and that require little work on your part. When comparison shopping, you should always include price quotes from at least one independent agent to ensure the widest selection of prices.Most can insure with smaller regional carriers which may provide better rates.

The following is a list of independent insurance agents in Gretna that can give you price quote information.

• N J Nolan Agency Inc – 1025 Franklin Ave – Gretna, LA 70053 – (504) 366-4567
• Farm Bureau Insurance – 1801 Carol Sue Ave – Gretna, LA 70056 – (504) 227-2345
• Leithman and Le Boeuf Insurance – 1025 Franklin Ave – Gretna, LA 70053 – (504) 367-7777

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agents work for only one company and examples are State Farm, Allstate and AAA. These agents are not able to place coverage with different providers so keep that in mind. These agents receive extensive training in insurance sales which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers sometimes buy insurance from these agents primarily because of loyalty to the company and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.

The following is a short list of captive agencies in Gretna that can give you price quote information.

• State Farm Insurance – 915 5th St – Gretna, LA 70053 – (504) 368-8989
• Allstate Insurance – 1430 Lafayette St – Gretna, LA 70053 – (504) 366-0774
• Farm Bureau Insurance – 1801 Carol Sue Ave – Gretna, LA 70056 – (504) 227-2345

For a full directory of auto insurance agents in Gretna, visit this site.

Selecting an insurance agency should depend on more than just a low price. Here are some questions to ask:

• Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
• Can glass repairs be made at your home?
• How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
• How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
• Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?

Once you have received satisfactory answers for all questions you ask and locked in a price quote, chances are good that you have found an auto insurance agent that meets your needs to adequately provide auto insurance.

More information is available on the Louisiana Department of Insurance website located here. Louisiana drivers can find a variety of consumer forms, read consumer alerts, and find out industry alerts.

Can you really save that much by switching?

Companies like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. All the ads make an identical promise of big savings if you switch to them. But how can every company make almost identical claims?

All the different companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For example, a desirable insured might be between 25 and 40, is a homeowner, and has great credit. A customer who fits that profile gets the lowest rates and most likely will save when switching.

Drivers who fall outside these standards must pay a more expensive rate which leads to the customer not buying. The ads say “drivers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently state the savings.

This illustrates why drivers must compare as many rates as you can. It’s impossible to know the company that will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Do the work, save more money

Drivers change insurance companies for many reasons like questionable increases in premium, extreme rates for teen drivers, unfair underwriting practices and even poor customer service. Regardless of your reason, choosing a new company can be easy and end up saving you some money.

We covered a lot of ways to lower your auto insurance rates. It’s most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may be surprised to find that the most savings is with a smaller regional carrier.

As you shop your coverage around, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are a lot of situations where consumers will sacrifice uninsured motorist or liability limits and learned later that they should have had better coverage. Your strategy should be to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.