Little Known Tricks to Cheaper Reading Car Insurance

Are you a victim of high-priced car insurance? Believe me, there are many Reading consumers feeling the pinch from expensive car insurance.

Having so many options when it comes to car insurance, it is very difficult to choose the right car insurance company.

Don’t miss out on these money-saving discounts

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but you can get discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Some discounts apply automatically at quote time, but some must be asked about before you will receive the discount.

Anti-theft System – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems can help prevent theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Homeowners Discount – Owning a home in Reading may trigger a car insurance policy discount due to the fact that maintaining a home demonstrates responsibility.
Multiple Cars – Buying insurance for all your vehicles on one policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
Lower Rates for Military – Having a family member in the military could mean lower rates.
Seat Belt Usage – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts could cut 10% or more off your medical payments premium.
Senior Discount – Mature drivers may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
Early Switch Discount – Select companies give a discount for switching to them prior to your current policy expiring. It’s a savings of about 10%.
Drive Less and Save – Fewer annual miles could qualify for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Defensive Driving Course – Taking part in a defensive driving course could save 5% or more if your company offers it.
Sign Online – A few companies may give you up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.

Keep in mind that most discounts do not apply to the entire cost. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you won’t be that lucky. But any discount will reduce the cost of coverage.

Compare online but buy from a local Reading agent

A small number of people prefer to visit with an insurance agent and that is a personal choice. One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is you can get lower rates and still have an agent to talk to. Supporting local insurance agencies is important especially in Reading.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, the coverage information is instantly submitted to agents in your area who will battle for your business. You never need to drive around because quoted prices will be sent to the email address you provide. How cool is that?! You can find better rates and work with a local agent.

Different types of car insurance agents in Reading

When searching for local Reading agents, there are two types of insurance agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies in Reading can either be independent or captive.

Independent Agents

Independent insurance agents do not work for one specific company but instead can place your coverage amongst many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, an independent agent can move your coverage without you having to go to a different agency.

When comparison shopping, you should always include several independent insurance agents to have the most options to choose from. Reading PA car insurance

Listed below are independent insurance agents in Reading willing to provide price quotes.

Adoniram Insurance – 249 S 12th St – Reading, PA 19602 – (610) 372-2770
A Northstar Insurance Inc – 502 Walnut St – Reading, PA 19601 – (610) 373-2006

Captive Insurance Agents

These agents can only place business with one company such as AAA, State Farm, Farmers Insurance and Allstate. They generally cannot compare other company’s rates so always compare other rates. Captive agencies are very knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.

Listed below are captive agencies in Reading that can give you comparison quotes.

State Farm Insurance – 831 E Bellevue Ave – Reading, PA 19605 – (610) 921-1131
Allstate Insurance – 2038 Penn Ave – Reading, PA 19609 – (610) 670-1919

To view a complete directory of Reading captive agencies, visit this site.

Picking an auto insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just a cheap price. Agents should be asked these questions:

Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Pennsylvania?
How long has their agency been in business in Reading?
Which company do they place the most coverage with?
Are they full-time agents?
Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?

After getting good answers and an affordable coverage quote, chances are good that you have found an auto insurance agent that can properly insure your vehicles.

Buyer beware of car insurance advertising tricks

Companies like Allstate and Progressive regularly use ads in print and on television. All the ads have a common claim that you’ll save big if you move your coverage to them. How does each company claim to save you money?

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that earns them a profit. A good example of a desirable insured might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and has excellent credit. A customer getting a price quote who matches those parameters is entitled to the best price and most likely will save quite a bit of money when switching.

Drivers who are not a match for these standards will be charged higher rates which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads state “customers who switch” not “people who quote” save that much money. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently claim big savings.

That is why you absolutely need to compare as many rates as you can. It’s impossible to know which car insurance company will have the lowest rates.

Much more information about car insurance in Pennsylvania is located on the website for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department located here. Visitors are able to discover disciplinary actions, find out which companies have the most complaints, and view agent and company licensing information.

Other useful links include this page for Pennsylvania car insurance and this page of Reading insurance agents.

In conclusion

As you shop your coverage around, make sure you don’t reduce needed coverages to save money. Too many times, consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage and discovered at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your strategy should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

We covered a lot of information how to reduce car insurance prices online. It’s most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may even discover the biggest savings come from some of the smallest insurance companies. Some small companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.