5 Discounts Longmont Shoppers Overlook when Quoting Auto Insurance on the Web

No one enjoys paying for auto insurance, especially knowing their premiums are through the roof.

With consumers having so many options when it comes to auto insurance, it is very difficult to choose the cheapest car insurance company.

You probably qualify for some discounts

Auto insurance companies do not list every discount very clearly, so the following is a list of both the well known as well as the least known auto insurance savings.

  • Multiple Vehicles – Having multiple vehicles on the same auto insurance policy qualifies for this discount.
  • Air Bag Discount – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings up to 30%.
  • Low Mileage Discounts – Fewer annual miles could be rewarded with discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
  • Sign Early and Save – Some companies give discounts for switching policies before your current policy expires. It can save you around 10%.
  • Discounts for Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents may save up to 50% more than less cautious drivers.

It’s important to note that many deductions do not apply to the entire cost. A few only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. Just because you may think you can get free auto insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way.

To choose insurance companies offering auto insurance discounts in Longmont, click this link.

How to Compare Longmont Auto Insurance Costs

All the larger auto insurance companies such as Progressive, Allstate and GEICO quote coverage price quotes on the web. This process is quite easy as you simply enter your coverage preferences as detailed in the form. When complete, their system automatically orders your driving record and credit report and quotes a price based on these and other factors. This helps simplify price comparisons, but having to visit many different websites and fill out multiple forms is repetitive and time-consuming. But it’s very important to get many rate quotes in order to find better prices.

The smarter way to lower your auto insurance bill uses one simple form that gets prices from a lot of companies. It saves time, reduces the work, and makes quoting online much easier to do. Once the form is submitted, it is quoted and you are able to buy any one of the quotes returned. If you find a better price you simply finish the application and buy the new coverage. The entire process just takes a couple of minutes and may result in a nice savings.

To quickly find out how much you’re overpaying now, simply click here to open in new window and begin entering your coverage information. To compare your current rates, we recommend you complete the form with the coverage information just like they are on your policy. This way, you will be getting an apples-to-apples comparison for the exact same coverage.

It’s not one size fits all

When choosing the best auto insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a cookie cutter policy. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so this has to be addressed. These are some specific questions can aid in determining if you would benefit from professional advice.

  • Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in Colorado?
  • Do I have coverage if my license is suspended?
  • I don’t drive much so do I pay less?
  • Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
  • Is there coverage for injuries to my pets?
  • Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
  • Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.

Comparing rates from local agents

A small number of people would rather visit with an insurance agent and that is a personal choice. The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is you can get the lowest rates but also keep your business local.

After filling out this simple form, your insurance coverage information is submitted to insurance agents in Longmont who will compete for your business. There is no need to leave your computer as quotes are delivered directly to your email. How cool is that?! Get lower rates and a licensed agent to work with.

Choosing an insurance company needs to be determined by more than just the premium amount. Some important questions to ask are:

  • What insurance company do they write the most business with?
  • Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
  • Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
  • Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
  • Can glass repairs be made at your home?
  • Will your rates increase after a single accident?

What types of insurance agents are in Longmont?

When searching for a good insurance agency, you need to know there are two different types of agents to choose from. Agencies in Longmont are classified as either independent or captive.

Agency Captives

These agents write business for a single company and some examples include Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. These agents are not able to compare other company’s rates so always compare other rates. Captive agencies receive extensive training on the products they sell which helps them compete with independent agents.

The following is a list of captive agencies in Longmont who can help you get comparison quotes.

Allstate Insurance – 1930 Main St – Longmont, CO 80501 – (303) 772-4600
Farm Bureau Insurance – 720 Main St – Longmont, CO 80501 – (303) 776-7842
Shelter Insurance – 1630 Main St # 103 – Longmont, CO 80501 – (303) 772-1609
State Farm Insurance – 1811 Hover Rd – Longmont, CO 80501 – (303) 651-0111
American Family Insurance – 923 Main St – Longmont, CO 80501 – (303) 776-9870
Farmers Insurance Group – 1225 Ken Pratt Blvd – Longmont, CO 80501 – (303) 485-6860
Colorado car insurance prices

Independent Agents

These agents do not work for one specific company but rather can write business with multiple insurance companies depending on which coverage is best. If your agent finds better pricing, an independent agent can move your coverage and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparison shopping, we recommend you include price quotes from several independent insurance agents to have the most options to choose from.

Below are Longmont independent agents who can help you get price quotes.

Cindy Miller Insurance – 351 N Coffman St # 200 – Longmont, CO 80501 – (303) 774-2637
Jodi Lynch Agency – 939 Coffman St – Longmont, CO 80501 – (303) 678-0911
Westmoreland Agency – 1801 Sunset Pl # A – Longmont, CO 80501 – (303) 678-0358
SRI Agency Inc – 615 Ken Pratt Blvd – Longmont, CO 80501 – (303) 485-8899
Ron Webster Insurance – 421 21st Ave # 203 – Longmont, CO 80501 – (303) 684-0385

For a complete listing of insurance agents in Longmont, simply jump to this page.

After getting reasonable responses to any questions you have and locked in a price quote, you’ve probably found an auto insurance agent that meets your needs to provide auto insurance coverage.

The fine print in auto insurance ads

Auto insurance providers like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO consistently run ads on TV and radio. They all say the same thing that you can save if you change your coverage to them. But how can every company make almost identical claims?

All the different companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of driver that earns them a profit. A good example of a preferred risk could possibly be between 25 and 40, insures multiple vehicles, and chooses high deductibles. Any driver who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Drivers who fall outside these standards will be charged higher premiums and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ad wording is “people who switch” not “people who quote” save money. That’s the way insurance companies can state the savings. That is why you absolutely need to quote coverage with many companies. Because you never know which company will fit your personal profile best.

Coverage specifics

Learning about specific coverages of a auto insurance policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Auto insurance terms can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. These are the usual coverages found on most auto insurance policies.

Medical expense insurance

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for short-term medical expenses like dental work, EMT expenses, rehabilitation expenses and funeral costs. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover all vehicle occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers

This provides protection when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your vehicle.

Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (25/50/15 in Colorado), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage should not be overlooked.

Collision insurance

Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision coverage pays for things such as sideswiping another vehicle, rolling your car, driving through your garage door, hitting a parking meter and colliding with a tree. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. Another option is to choose a higher deductible to save money on collision insurance.

lower rates in Longmont

Auto liability

This coverage protects you from damage that occurs to other’s property or people. It protects YOU from legal claims by others. Liability doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show values of 50/100/50 that means you have a limit of $50,000 per injured person, $100,000 for the entire accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery.

Liability can pay for things like pain and suffering, legal defense fees and medical expenses. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a personal decision, but you should buy as large an amount as possible. Colorado requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/15,000 but you should consider buying better liability coverage.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision)

Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like a broken windshield, rock chips in glass and hitting a deer. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.

In Summary

Cost effective auto insurance can be found on the web as well as from independent agents in Longmont, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who don’t offer online price quotes and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.

As you prepare to switch companies, it’s a bad idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. Too many times, an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage and found out when filing a claim that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The aim is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price while still protecting your assets.

More tips and info about auto insurance can be found at the Colorado DORA Division of Insurance website. Consumers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, get help finding coverage, and download brochures.