Easy Tips to Cut Costs on Tulsa Car Insurance

Have you fallen victim to an overpriced car insurance policy? Believe me, you’re not the only one.

With consumers having so many companies and agents to choose from, it is very difficult to locate the lowest cost insurer.

Consumers need to get comparison quotes at least once a year due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you had the lowest price on your last policy you can probably find a lower rate today. So block out anything you think you know about car insurance because it’s time to teach you one of the easiest ways to remove unneeded coverages and save money.

Why your price might be higher

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that play a part in calculating your car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with lower car insurance prices.

Shown below are some of the items used by your company to calculate rates.

• Adjust deductibles and save – Insurance for physical damage to your car, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, protects your car from damage. Examples of covered claims would be a windshield shattered by a rock, vandalism, and burglary. Deductibles for physical damage are the amount of money you are required to spend out-of-pocket before your car insurance pays a claim. The more you’re willing to pay, the less your car insurance will be.
• Frequent car insurance claims increase rates – If you frequently file small claims, you can definitely plan on either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Insurance companies in Oklahoma award cheaper rates to insureds who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Your insurance policy is intended for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
• Rates may be lower depending on your job – Did you know your car insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Jobs such as real estate brokers, social workers and dentists tend to have the highest average rates due to stressful work requirements and lots of time spent at work. Other occupations such as pilots, historians and performers receive lower rates.
• Performance makes a difference – The performance level of the car you are insuring makes a big difference in how high your rates are. Economy passenger models receive the most favorable rates, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
• Equipment add-ons that lower car insurance rates – Driving a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention devices such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder your vehicle from being stolen.
• Safer cars are cheaper to insure – Vehicles with high crash test scores tend to have better insurance rates. These vehicles reduce injuries and lower injury rates means lower claim amounts and thus lower rates.
• Being married can save on car insurance – Having a wife or husband actually saves money on car insurance. Having a spouse usually means you are more mature than a single person and it’s proven that being married results in fewer claims.
• Do you need the policy add-ons? – There are quite a few extra bells and whistles you can purchase if you aren’t careful. Insurance for personal injury protection, better glass coverage and additional equipment coverage may be costing you every month. They may seem like a good idea when you first buy your policy, but now you might not need them so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.

Car Insurance Prices in Tulsa, Oklahoma

The are a couple different ways to compare rate quotes from Tulsa, Oklahoma insurance companies. The easiest way to find competitive insurance rates is to use the internet to compare rates. This can be done in several different ways.

1. Probably the best way consumers can make multiple comparisons is an all-inclusive rate comparison click to view form in new window. This type of form prevents you from having to do separate forms for every car insurance company. One simple form will get you price quotes from all major companies.
2. A more difficult way to compare rate quotes is spending the time to visit each company website and complete a new quote form. For sake of this example, let’s assume you want to compare rates from Nationwide, State Farm and Allstate. To find out each rate you need to spend time on each company’s site to enter your coverage information, and that’s why the first method is more popular. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Tulsa, click here.

Which method you use is up to you, but ensure you are comparing the exact same coverages for every company. If you enter different deductibles then you won’t be able to determine the best car insurance rates in Tulsa. Having just a slight variation in limits can make a big difference in price. And when price shopping your coverage, quoting more gives you a better chance of getting better pricing.

Buyer beware of car insurance advertising tricks

Allstate, GEICO and Progressive regularly use ads on television and other media. All the companies say the same thing that you can save if you move your policy. How can each company make almost identical claims? It’s all in the numbers.

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver they prefer to insure. An example of a desirable insured could be between the ages of 40 and 55, has no driving citations, and has a short commute. Any driver who fits that profile gets the lowest rates and therefore will save quite a bit of money when switching.

Potential customers who don’t measure up to the requirements will have to pay higher premiums and this can result in business going elsewhere. The ads state “customers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much money. This is how insurance companies can advertise the savings.

Because of the profiling, drivers should compare many company’s rates. It is impossible to predict which car insurance company will have the lowest rates.

Lots of discounts mean lots of savings

Car insurance can cost a lot, but you can get discounts that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you complete an application, but some may not be applied and must be inquired about prior to receiving the credit.

• College Student – Any of your kids who are attending college and do not have a car may qualify for this discount.
• 55 and Retired – If you’re over the age of 55, you may qualify for reduced rates.
• Federal Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can save as much as 8% depending on your company.
• Passive Restraint Discount – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts of more than 20%.
• Pay Upfront and Save – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time rather than paying monthly you could save 5% or more.

It’s important to understand that some of the credits will not apply to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. Just because it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don’t profit that way. Any amount of discount will cut the amount you have to pay.

For a list of insurers with the best car insurance discounts in Tulsa, follow this link.

Situations that might require an agent

When choosing the right insurance coverage, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Every situation is different so your insurance needs to address that. Here are some questions about coverages that might help in determining whether or not you might need an agent’s assistance.

• How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in Oklahoma?
• Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
• Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
• Does my policy pay for OEM or aftermarket parts?
• Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
• Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my vehicle is totaled?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

More information can be found on the website for the Oklahoma Insurance Department. Click here for link. Visitors are able to file complaints about a company, read state legal mandates and laws, and discover disciplinary actions.

More quotes mean more savings

We just covered quite a bit of information on how to save on car insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even find the lowest priced car insurance comes from a small mutual company. Some small companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than their larger competitors like GEICO and State Farm.

Affordable car insurance is available on the web and with local Tulsa insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best rate selection. Some car insurance companies do not offer online quoting and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, never reduce needed coverages to save money. In too many instances, someone sacrificed liability coverage limits to discover at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.