Cheaper Elgin, IL Car Insurance Rates in Five Minutes

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy high-priced car insurance? Believe me, many consumers are feeling buyer’s remorse and feel like there’s no way out.

Because there are so many insurance companies to choose from, it’s difficult to find the most cost effective provider.

Buying car insurance in Elgin is easy if you know what you’re doing. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to save some money using this strategy. But Illinois consumers benefit from understanding how big insurance companies price insurance differently and apply this information to your search.

What determines how much you pay?

Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that help determine car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates enables informed choices that may reward you with better car insurance rates.

The following are some of the factors car insurance companies consider when setting rates.

Where you live is a factor – Being located in a rural area can be a good thing when talking about car insurance. Drivers who live in large cities tend to have much more traffic and longer commute times. Lower population means fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
More performance means more cost – The make and model of the vehicle you are buying insurance for makes a big difference in determining your rates. The lowest rates are generally reserved for small economy passenger cars, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
Safer cars cost less to insure – Vehicles with high crash test scores can get you lower premiums. Safer cars protect occupants better and lower injury rates translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and lower rates for you.
Your stress level may be raising your rates – Occupations like real estate brokers, executives and dentists tend to have the highest average rates because of high stress levels and lots of time spent at work. Other jobs such as actors, historians and retirees receive lower rates.

Policy discounts you shouldn’t miss

Companies that sell car insurance don’t always list all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we took the time to find some of the more common and the harder-to-find ways to save on car insurance.

Discounts for Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents can pay as much as 50% less than drivers with accidents.
Military Discounts – Being on active duty in the military could mean lower rates.
Multiple Policy Discount – When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same company you could get a discount of at least 10% off all policies.
Homeowners Discount – Being a homeowner may trigger a car insurance policy discount due to the fact that maintaining a home demonstrates responsibility.
Federal Employees – Simply working for the federal government can earn a discount up to 10% with certain companies.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discounts do not apply the the whole policy. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. So even though they make it sound like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way.

To choose insurance companies offering car insurance discounts in Elgin, click here to view.

Shop online but buy locally

Some people just want to buy from a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is you may find better rates but still work with a licensed agent.

Upon completion of this quick form, your coverage information gets sent to insurance agents in Elgin who will battle for your business. There is no need to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent to the email address you provide. How’s that for easy! Get lower rates and a licensed agent to work with.

Deciding on an insurance company shouldn’t rely on just the premium amount. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:

What insurance companies do they work with?
Which company do they place the most coverage with?
Will your rates increase after a single accident?
If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Illinois?
Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?

Different types of insurance agents in Elgin

If you’re trying to find local Elgin agents, you must know there are a couple different agency structures to choose from. Agencies in Elgin are categorized either independent (non-captive) or captive.

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive insurance agents can only write with one company and some examples include Liberty Mutual, Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They usually cannot compare other company’s rates so always compare other rates. Captive agents are trained well on their products and sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.

Listed below are Elgin captive agents who can help you get rate quotes.

Farmers Insurance Group – 10 N Spring St # 202 – Elgin, IL 60120 – (847) 888-8353
Allstate Insurance Co – 1475 Bluff City Blvd – Elgin, IL 60120 – (847) 531-5563
American Family Insurance – 860 Summit St # 233 – Elgin, IL 60120 – (847) 841-1444
State Farm Insurance – 310 S Mclean Blvd # B – Elgin, IL 60123 – (847) 741-5733

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent insurance agents do not work for one specific company so they can insure your vehicles with multiple insurance companies and potentially find a lower price. To move your coverage to a new company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you don’t have to find a new agent. When shopping rates, it’s recommended you include price quotes from at a minimum one independent agency for the best price selection.

Below is a list of independent agents in Elgin that are able to give rate quotes.

Magnum Insurance – 302 S Mclean Blvd # B – Elgin, IL 60123 – (847) 608-7260
M G Intl Insurance Ctr – 1098 Dundee Ave – Elgin, IL 60120 – (847) 468-0300
Mitchell Agency Inc – 693 Dundee Ave – Elgin, IL 60120 – (847) 742-9696
Leo R Cox Agency – 350 Dundee Ave – Elgin, IL 60120 – (847) 742-9713
Robert Lindemann Agency – 744 Diane Ave – Elgin, IL 60123 – (847) 742-5351

To view a complete directory of car insurance agents in Elgin, please go to this site.

After getting positive responses for all questions you ask and a low price estimate, you’ve probably found a car insurance agent that is a good match to provide car insurance coverage.

There’s no such thing as the perfect policy

When choosing coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Every situation is different so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions may help you determine if your insurance needs would benefit from professional advice.

Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
How high should my medical payments coverage be?
Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
How much underlying liability do I need for an umbrella policy?
Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my vehicle is totaled?
Why is insurance for a teen driver so high in Elgin?
What vehicles should carry emergency assistance coverage?
Is pleasure use cheaper than using my vehicle to commute?

If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

To learn more about car insurance in Illinois

Even more information can be found at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Consumers can read state legal mandates and laws, find out industry alerts, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and report car insurance fraud.

Better coverage you can count on

As you restructure your insurance plan, you should never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In too many instances, consumers will sacrifice liability limits or collision coverage only to regret that they should have had better coverage. The ultimate goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.

We just covered a lot of ways to get a better price on car insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the biggest savings come from a small mutual company. Some small companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than the large multi-state companies such as Progressive and GEICO.