Find Consumer Tested Strategies to Save on Shreveport Auto Insurance

Comparison shopping for Shreveport auto insurance can seem to be nearly impossible for consumers new to comparing rates online. People have so many choices that it can quickly become a lot of work to find the best price in Shreveport.

You should take the time to check auto insurance prices before your policy renews because prices are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Even if you think you had the best rates last year you will most likely find a better rate today. There is a lot of bad advice regarding auto insurance online, so we’re going to give you the easiest ways to reduce your auto insurance bill.

Why your price might be higher

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that play a part in calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to big savings.

Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? – Most companies give discounts to insureds who have multiple policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, you may still want to compare rates to make sure you are getting the best deal.
Big city or small town – Living in small towns and rural areas can save you money when buying auto insurance. Urban drivers have to deal with traffic congestion and much longer commute distances. Fewer drivers translates into fewer accidents.
Poor driving leads to higher costs – Careful drivers have lower premiums than their less careful counterparts. Even a single speeding ticket can boost insurance rates twenty percent or more. Drivers with dangerous tickets such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence are required to file a SR-22 with their state motor vehicle department in order to prevent a license revocation.
Men fork out a little more – Statistics demonstrate that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, don’t assume that women are better drivers. Men and women are in accidents in similar percentages, but men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also have more aggressive citations such as reckless driving.
Liability coverage is cheap – Liability insurance provides coverage when you are found to be at fault for personal injury or accident damage. It will provide legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to physical damage coverage, so do not skimp.

How to Get Shreveport Auto Insurance Comparison Quotes

Most major insurance companies quote pricing on their websites. Getting online rates is pretty painless as you simply enter your coverage preferences into the quote form. When the form is submitted, the system orders credit information and your driving record and generates a price based on these factors.

Quoting online makes comparing rates easy, but the time required to go to multiple sites and type in the same information is not the best way to spend an afternoon. Unfortunately, it is important to get many rate quotes in order to find better auto insurance pricing.

There is a better way!

The easiest way to find better auto insurance pricing uses one form that obtains quotes from multiple companies. It saves time, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes online shopping much easier. Once the form is submitted, your coverage is rated and you are able to buy any of the pricing results.

If a lower price is quoted, you can click and sign and buy the new coverage. The whole process only takes a few minutes and you’ll know if lower rates are available.

In order to compare rates now, click here and enter your information. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend that you enter the coverages as shown on your current policy. This ensures you will have a rate comparison based on identical coverages.

Pay less by taking advantage of discounts

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but there are discounts available that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time of quoting, but a few need to be asked for before being credited. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you are throwing money away.

Accident Forgiveness – A few companies will forgive one accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don’t have any claims for a certain period of time.
Discount for Good Grades – This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
Low Mileage Discounts – Fewer annual miles could qualify for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
Driver’s Ed – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully complete driver’s ed class if offered at their school.
Pay Upfront and Save – By paying your policy upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may reduce your total bill.
Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Drivers who require all occupants to wear their seat belts can save up to 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
Auto/Life Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with lower rates if you buy auto and life insurance together.
Homeowners Savings – Owning a home in Shreveport may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because of the fact that having a home demonstrates responsibility.
Anti-theft Discount – Anti-theft and alarm systems are stolen less frequently and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.

Consumers should know that some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. Even though it may seem like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies wouldn’t make money that way. But any discount will bring down your overall premium however.

To choose providers who offer auto insurance discounts in Louisiana, click here. price insurance in Shreveport

What happened to insurance agents?

A small number of people just want to visit with an insurance agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Agents can point out coverage gaps and help you file claims. One of the great benefits of comparing rates online is that you can obtain better rates but still work with a licensed agent. And providing support for small agencies is definitely important in Shreveport.

After filling out this quick form, your coverage information is sent to agents in your area who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no need to visit any agencies as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. How cool is that?!

Is a captive or independent car insurance agent right for you?

If you’re trying to find a local agent, there are a couple of different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agents are classified as either independent or captive. Either one can insure your vehicles, but it’s worth learning how they differ since it can impact your selection of an agent.

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

These agents are not employed by any specific company but rather can write business with lots of companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move the coverage in-house without you having to go to a different agency. When comparison shopping, you should always contact several independent insurance agents for maximum quote selection. Most have the option of insuring with different regional companies which can be an advantage.

Listed below is a short list of independent agencies in Shreveport that are able to give comparison quotes.

Dean Insurance Inc – 3100 Knight St – Shreveport, LA 71105 – (318) 219-3509
Bromell Agency Inc – 9300 Mansfield Rd # 112 – Shreveport, LA 71118 – (318) 687-1222
Direct General Ins Agency – 502 Stoner Ave # A – Shreveport, LA 71101 – (318) 425-0689
Alcor General Agency Inc – 929 Olive St – Shreveport, LA 71104 – (318) 226-9549
Ken WEBB Insurance Brokerage – 1700 Centenary Blvd – Shreveport, LA 71101 – (318) 222-1411

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agents have only one company to place business with such as Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They usually cannot shop your coverage around so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. These agents receive extensive training in insurance sales which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers frequently buy insurance from these agents mostly because of high brand loyalty and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.

Listed below is a list of captive agencies in Shreveport that are able to give rate quotes.

Allstate Insurance – 7600 Pines Rd – Shreveport, LA 71129 – (318) 798-6856
Farm Bureau Insurance – 8640 Business Park Dr – Shreveport, LA 71105 – (318) 524-5200
State Farm Insurance – 8216 Jewella Ave – Shreveport, LA 71108 – (318) 688-8312
Shelter Insurance – 220 Carroll St # C1 – Shreveport, LA 71105 – (318) 686-5521

For a complete listing of Shreveport captive insurance agents, go to this page.

Deciding on an insurance agency needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. Agents should be asked these questions:

Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
How long has their agency been open in Shreveport?
Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?

Upon receiving good answers to your questions and an acceptable price quote, you may have just found an auto insurance agent that can insure your vehicles.

Situations that might require an agent

When buying adequate coverage, there isn’t really a cookie cutter policy. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.

For instance, these questions may help you determine if your situation will benefit from professional help.

Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
Should I buy more coverage than the required Louisiana minimum liability coverage?
Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
Who is covered by my policy?
Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
When should I remove comp and collision on my vehicle?
Are all vehicle passengers covered by medical payments coverage?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and may give you better protection.

Additional auto insurance information can be found on the Louisiana Department of Insurance website. Click here for link. Consumers can find out which companies have the most complaints, download brochures, and read industry bulletins.

Additional helpful sites include Wikipedia and this link where you can make Shreveport auto insurance comparisons.

The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest

When you buy insurance online, you should never buy poor coverage just to save money. Too many times, someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage to discover at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The ultimate goal is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price.

Cheaper auto insurance can be purchased from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Shreveport agents, so compare prices from both so you have a total pricing picture. A few companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.

Insureds leave their current company for any number of reasons including lack of trust in their agent, poor customer service, policy cancellation and even delays in responding to claim requests. Whatever your reason, finding a great new company can be easy and end up saving you some money.