9 Must-Know Tips When Buying Pinedale Wyoming Car Insurance

If online car insurance comparisons are new to you, you may be overwhelmed because of the huge number of online companies all offering big savings in Pinedale.

Shopping for the lowest cost protection in Pinedale is easy if you know what you’re doing. Just about every driver who carries car insurance will most likely be able to find better rates. Although Wyoming drivers need to have an understanding of how the larger insurance companies sell online and apply this information to your search.

These discounts can slash car insurance rates

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but there are discounts available that many people don’t even know exist. Certain discounts will be applied when you purchase, but less common discounts must be requested specifically prior to receiving the credit.

• Sign Online – Some insurance companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.
• Homeowners Discount – Owning a home in Pinedale can help you save on car insurance because owning a home is proof that your finances are in order.
• Safe Driver Discount – Drivers who avoid accidents may save up to 50% more than less cautious drivers.
• Federal Employees – Employees or retirees of the government may qualify you for a discount with select insurance companies.
• Auto/Life Discount – Larger companies have better rates if you take out auto and life insurance together.
• Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Driving fewer miles could qualify for a substantially lower rate.
• Claim Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories can save substantially compared to accident-prone drivers.
• Seat Belts Save – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could save 15% off the personal injury premium cost.

Consumers should know that many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way. Any amount of discount will cut the amount you have to pay.

Pinedale Car Insurance Quote Comparison

The are a couple different ways of comparing price quotes from different in Pinedale, WYinsurance companies. The recommended way to find the cheapest insurance rates consists of shopping online. This is very easy and can be done in a couple of different ways.

• The fastest way to get quotes for comparison is to use a rate comparison form click to view form in new window. This easy form saves time by eliminating repetitive form entry to each individual car insurance company. One form will return quotes from all major companies. It’s the fastest way to compare.
• Another way to obtain and compare quotes online consists of visiting the website for every company you want to comare to complete a price quote. For sake of this example, let’s assume you want comparison quotes from GEICO, Farmers and State Farm. To get each rate you have to take the time to go to each site to enter your coverage information, and that’s why the first method is more popular. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Pinedale, click here.
• The least efficient method of getting rate comparisons is to spend time driving to different Pinedale agent offices. The internet eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you want the trained guidance of a licensed agent. You can, however, comparison shop online but buy from a local insurance agent and we’ll touch on that later.

However you get your quotes, make absolute certain that you use apples-to-apples coverage information for each price quote. If you use differing limits it will be very difficult to determine the lowest rate in Pinedale. Just a small difference in coverages may result in a large different in cost. Just remember that having more price comparisons gives you a better chance of getting the best price.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that help determine car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.

• Marriage pays dividends – Being married can actually save you money on your policy. Having a spouse is viewed as being more responsible and it’s statistically proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
• Tickets mean higher rates – Good drivers get better rates than their less careful counterparts. Only having one moving violation can increase rates by as much as thirty percent. Drivers with dangerous tickets like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions are required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to prevent a license revocation.
• Special features that cut premiums – Purchasing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft features like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all aid in stopping auto theft.
• Safer occupants lowers premiums – Vehicles with good safety scores can get you lower premiums. These vehicles have better occupant injury protection and lower injury rates translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and thus lower rates.
• Low deductibles can be expensive – Coverage for physical damage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, is used to repair damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply are running into the backend of another car, collision with an animal, and burglary. Physical damage deductibles are how much you are required to spend if you file a covered claim. The more money you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the bigger discount you will receive.
• Don’t cancel a policy without a new one in place – Having an insurance coverage lapse will be a guaranteed way to trigger a rate increase. Not only will rates go up, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance can result in a revoked license or a big fine.

Your insurance agent down the street

Certain consumers just want to visit with an insurance agent and that is just fine! One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is that you can obtain lower rates but still work with a licensed agent. And supporting local agencies is important especially in Pinedale.

Once you complete this simple form, your insurance coverage information is emailed to participating agents in Pinedale who will give you bids for your coverage. There is no reason to even leave your home due to the fact that quote results will go to your email. Now that’s easy! Get lower rates and an insurance agent to talk to.

Pick the best insurance agency in Pinedale for you

When researching local Pinedale agents, you must know there are a couple types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Insurance agencies in Pinedale are classified as either captive or independent.

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent agents are not required to write business for one company but rather can write business amongst many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to find a new agent.

When comparison shopping, we recommend you contact at a minimum one independent agency for maximum quote selection. They also have the ability to place coverage with smaller companies who may have lower rates.

Below are Pinedale independent agents that are able to give price quote information.

• Farm Bureau Insurance – 24 Country Club Lane – Pinedale, WY 82941 – (307) 367-2141
• Farm Bureau Insurance – 107 1/2 E Pine – Pinedale, WY 82941 – (307) 367-2141

Agency Captives

These agents can only write with one company such as Allstate, State Farm and Farmers Insurance. They generally cannot provide prices from multiple companies so always compare other rates. Captives are usually quite knowledgeable on the products they sell which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers often purchase coverage from captives partially due to high brand loyalty and strong financial ratings.

Shown below are Pinedale captive agents that can give you rate quotes.

• Farm Bureau Insurance – 24 Country Club Lane – Pinedale, WY 82941 – (307) 367-2141

To view a full list of captive insurance agencies in Pinedale, please go to this site.

Selecting an auto insurance agent requires more thought than just a cheap price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:

• What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
• Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
• How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
• Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
• Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?

Once you have received good answers as well as a affordable price, you’ve probably found a car insurance agent that can properly insure your vehicles.

Can switching companies really save?

Companies like Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm consistently run ads on TV and radio. All the ads have a common claim that you’ll save big if you change your coverage to them. How do they all make almost identical claims? It’s all in the numbers.

Insurance companies can use profiling for the right customer they prefer to insure. A good example of a profitable customer could possibly be between the ages of 40 and 55, has no prior claims, and has great credit. Any new insured that hits that “sweet spot” will get very good rates and therefore will save quite a bit of money when switching.

Consumers who are not a match for the requirements will be charged higher prices which leads to business not being written. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. That is how companies can claim big savings.

That is why it’s extremely important to get quotes from several different companies. It’s not possible to predict the company that will have the lowest rates.

Affordable insurance is out there

People who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including not issuing a premium refund, high prices, being labeled a high risk driver and even policy non-renewal. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a great new company is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.

As you prepare to switch companies, it’s very important that you do not buy poor coverage just to save money. Too many times, drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to regret that the savings was not a smart move. Your aim should be to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

Budget-conscious car insurance is available from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Pinedale, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. A few companies don’t offer online price quotes and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

For more information

More information is available on the Wyoming Insurance Department website through this link. Consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, get help finding coverage, report car insurance fraud, and find disaster information.