Popular Strategies for Buying Great Bend, KS Car Insurance at a Discount

I can’t think of a single person who cherishes buying car insurance, in particular when they are paying too much.

Drivers have multiple insurance companies to buy insurance from, and though it is a good thing to have multiple companies, too many choices makes it more difficult to find the lowest cost provider.

Finding affordable coverage in Great Bend is not rocket science. Just about every driver who buys car insurance will more than likely be able to cut their insurance bill. Nevertheless, Kansas vehicle owners need to have an understanding of the way companies compete online.

How to Get Cheap Car Insurance in Great Bend, Kansas

The are a couple different ways of comparing rate quotes from local in Great Bend, Kansascar insurance companies. The simplest method to find the cheapest insurance rates is to use the internet to compare rates. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.

One of the best ways to find low rates is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This easy form keeps you from doing repetitive form submissions for each company you want a rate for. Completing one form compares rates from multiple companies.

A slightly less efficient method to shop for car insurance online is spending the time to visit the website for every company you want to comare and request a quote. For example, let’s say you want rates from Allstate, Safeco and Travelers. To find out each rate you need to spend time on each company’s site and enter your information, which is why the first method is quicker.

To view a list of companies in Great Bend, click here.

The least recommended way to compare rates is to drive around to different Great Bend agent offices. Shopping for car insurance online makes this process obsolete unless you want the personal advice that only a license agent can provide. It is possible to comparison shop online but still have the advice of a local agent and you’ll learn how to do that later.

However you get your quotes, be sure to compare exactly the same coverage limits and deductibles with each company. If you are comparing higher or lower deductibles you will not be able to find the best deal in Great Bend. Having just a slight variation in insurance coverages could mean much higher rates. It’s important to know that getting more free quotes helps you find the best offered rates.

The car insurance bait and switch

Car insurance providers like Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm regularly use television and radio advertisements. They all make the same claim about savings if you move to their company. How does each company say the same thing?

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver they prefer to insure. A good example of a desirable insured might be profiled as between 25 and 40, a clean driving record, and chooses high deductibles. Any new insured that hits that “sweet spot” is entitled to the best price and therefore will cut their rates substantially.

Potential insureds who do not match the requirements will be charged higher rates and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state “customers that switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much. That’s why companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings. That is why you should get as many comparisons as possible. Because you never know which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

These discounts can lower your rates

Companies offering auto insurance do not advertise all available discounts very clearly, so here is a list both the well known as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.car insurance image

  • Federal Government Employee – Being employed by or retired from a federal job could cut as much as 10% off depending on your company.
  • Safe Driver Discount – Safe drivers may save up to 50% more than drivers with accident claims.
  • New Car Discount – Insuring a new car can save up to 30% because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
  • Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
  • Accident Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay less compared to bad drivers.
  • Air Bag Discount – Cars that have air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings of 20% or more.
  • Safety Course Discount – Completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could save 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
  • Seat Belts Save – Requiring all passengers to use a seat belt can save 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.

It’s important to note that most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like all the discounts add up to a free policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.

To see a list of companies with the best car insurance discounts in Kansas, click here.

Comparing rates from local agents

Some people prefer to visit with an insurance agent. One of the great benefits of comparing insurance prices online is you can get the best rates but still work with a licensed agent.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this simple form, your insurance data is emailed to insurance agents in Great Bend who will battle to get your business. You never need to leave your computer due to the fact that quote results will go directly to your email. It doesn’t get any easier! You can find the lowest rates AND a local agent.

Choosing an provider shouldn’t rely on just a cheap price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:

  • Which company do they place the most coverage with?
  • How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
  • What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
  • Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
  • Are they full-time agents?

The type of insurance agent you choose is important

If you’re trying to find a reputable insurance agent or broker, you must know there are a couple different types of agents to choose from. Agents are classified as either independent or captive.

Captive Agents

Captive agents are contracted to one company and examples are American Family, State Farm and Allstate. These agents are not able to compare other company’s rates so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captives are trained well on the products they sell and that can be a competitive advantage.

Shown below is a short list of captive insurance agencies in Great Bend who may provide you with comparison quotes.

State Farm Insurance – 2112 10th St – Great Bend, KS 67530 – (620) 793-8446
American Family Insurance – – Great Bend, KS 67530 – (620) 793-8003
Shelter Insurance – 1910 18th St – Great Bend, KS 67530 – (620) 793-9390
Farmers Insurance Group – 1815 11th St – Great Bend, KS 67530 – (620) 793-9378
Farm Bureau Insurance – 4210 8th St – Great Bend, KS 67530 – (620) 792-1246

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

These agents do not work for one specific company but instead can place your coverage with any number of different companies and potentially find a lower price. If your agent finds better pricing, they simply move the coverage in-house and that require little work on your part.

When searching for an agent, you should always include price quotes from at least one independent agent for maximum quote selection.

The following is a list of independent insurance agents in Great Bend willing to provide price quotes.

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Shawn Panzer Agency Inc – 2008 11th St – Great Bend, KS 67530 – (620) 792-9000
Knudson Insurance – 2201 16th St – Great Bend, KS 67530 – (620) 792-3643
Goss Insurance – 1911 Lakin Ave – Great Bend, KS 67530 – (620) 792-4515

To view a full list of Great Bend insurance agents, go to this page.

After getting answers to your satisfaction to your questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, most likely you have located an insurance agency that is a good match to provide car insurance coverage.

It’s not one size fits all

When choosing the best car insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s situation is unique so your insurance needs to address that. For example, these questions may help you determine if your insurance needs might need professional guidance.

  • What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
  • Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
  • Does my insurance cover damage caused when ticketed for reckless driving?
  • Should I buy additional glass protection?
  • Should I buy more coverage than the required Kansas minimum liability coverage?
  • Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
  • Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
  • Will my vehicle be repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

Additional detailed information is available at the Kansas Insurance Department website. Kansas consumers can download brochures, get help finding coverage, discover disciplinary actions, and read state legal mandates and laws.

Buy online or local, you save

When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s very important that you do not buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In many instances, consumers will sacrifice comprehensive coverage or liability limits and discovered at claim time that it was a big error on their part. Your aim should be to purchase plenty of coverage at the best price while still protecting your assets.

We just showed you some good ideas how to compare car insurance prices online. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Consumers could even find that the lowest priced car insurance comes from an unexpected company. These smaller insurers may cover specific market segments cheaper than their larger competitors like Progressive and GEICO.