Easy Ways to Cut Costs on Columbus Auto Insurance

Are you intimidated by the sheer number of auto insurance options in Columbus? Many other drivers are as well. Consumers have so many companies to choose from that it can turn into a real hassle to locate the lowest price.

You should make it a habit to price shop coverage periodically since rates tend to go up over time. Even if you got the best price on your last policy you can probably find a better price now. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because we’re going to demonstrate how to quote online to save money, get proper deductibles and limits, all at the lowest rate.

If you are insured now or need a new policy, you can learn to cut your premiums and possibly find even better coverage. This information will instruct you on the best way to quote coverages and some money-saving tips. Indiana consumers just need to learn the proper methods to buy auto insurance online.

Don’t overlook these discounts

Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but you can get discounts to cut the cost considerably. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time of quoting, but a few must be manually applied in order for you to get them. If you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you’re just leaving money on the table.

Discount for Life Insurance – Select insurance companies reward you with lower rates if you buy life insurance.
New Car Discount – Putting insurance coverage on a new car can cost up to 25% less due to better safety requirements for new cars.
Passive Restraints – Cars that have air bags can receive discounts of more than 20%.
Multiple Cars – Insuring all your vehicles with the same company can get a discount on all vehicles.
Federal Government Employee – Simply working for the federal government may qualify you for a discount depending on your company.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies don’t profit that way. Any amount of discount will cut your premiums.

To see a list of insurance companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Columbus, click here.

Comprehensive Columbus Auto Insurance Comparison Quotes

Getting a cheaper price on insurance can be relatively painless. Consumers just need to spend a few minutes to compare quotes provided by online insurance companies. This can be done using a couple different methods.

The most efficient way consumers can make multiple comparisons is an all-inclusive rate comparison click to view form in new window. This easy form saves time by eliminating repetitive form submissions for each company you want a rate for. A single, simple form will return quotes from auto insurance companies with the best prices. It’s the fastest way to compare.

A slightly less efficient method to get quotes online is to take the time to go to each individual company website to complete a price quote. For examples sake, we’ll pretend you want to compare rates from State Farm, Safeco and GMAC. To get each rate you have to spend time on each company’s site and enter your policy data, which is why most consumers use the first method. For a handy list of car insurance company links in Columbus, click here. price insurance in Columbus

It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just double check that you are using apples-to-apples coverage limits with each company. If your comparisons have differing limits it will be very difficult to determine the best price in Columbus.

What impacts Columbus insurance rates?

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that go into determining auto insurance rates. Understanding what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

Listed below are some of the factors companies use to determine rates.

Do you know you’re credit rating? – A driver’s credit rating is a huge factor in determining your rates. Drivers who have high credit ratings tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers with lower credit ratings. Therefore, if your credit rating can use some improvement, you could save money insuring your by spending a little time repairing your credit.
Your auto insurance rates can be influenced by your job – Careers like doctors, business owners and accountants have higher rates than average because of high stress and long work hours. On the flip side, occupations such as pilots, athletes and the unemployed get better rates.
Lower rates with optional equipment – Owning a car with an alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft devices like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can help prevent auto theft.
Poor driving leads to higher costs – Just one speeding ticket can boost insurance rates twenty percent or more. Careful drivers have lower premiums than people who have multiple driving citations. Drivers who have severe citations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may need to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to drive a vehicle legally.
Men pay higher rates – The statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, don’t assume that women are better drivers. Women and men have accidents in similar numbers, but the male of the species cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also tend to receive more costly citations such as DWI and reckless driving.
Safer occupants lowers premiums – Safer cars tend to have better insurance rates. These vehicles result in less severe injuries and better occupant protection translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Performance level impacts rates – The performance of the vehicle you own makes a big difference in your rates. Low performance passenger vehicles generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
Don’t buy coverages you don’t need – There are quite a few extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying on your policy. Things like roadside assistance, accidental death and term life insurance may be costing you every month. These may sound like a good investment when talking to your agent, but if they’re wasting money remove them from your policy.

The auto insurance bait and switch

Indiana drivers can’t ignore all the ads that promise big savings from companies such as Allstate and Progressive. They all have a common claim about savings after switching your policy.

How can each company say the same thing? This is how they do it.

All companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that makes them money. For example, a profitable customer might be profiled as between the ages of 40 and 55, has no prior claims, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A driver that hits that “sweet spot” will get very good rates and therefore will save when switching.

Potential customers who don’t meet the “perfect” profile will have to pay higher premiums which usually ends up with business not being written. The ads say “people who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. This is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings.

Because of the profiling, you should quote coverage with many companies. It is impossible to predict which company will fit your personal profile best.

The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest

When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s a bad idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. Too many times, an insured cut physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your focus should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price while still protecting your assets.

Lower-priced auto insurance can be bought on the web and with local Columbus insurance agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.

We covered some good ideas how you can reduce auto insurance prices online. It’s most important to understand that the more you quote, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may even find the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a small mutual company.

Additional auto insurance links

Much more information about auto insurance in Indiana can be found on the Indiana Department of Insurance website. Click here for link. Indiana consumers can file complaints about a company, read industry bulletins, find out industry alerts, and read state legal mandates and laws.