Follow These Insider Ways for Lower South Bend, IN Auto Insurance

I can’t think of anyone who likes having to buy auto insurance, in particular when the cost is too high.

With consumers having so many choices, it can be challenging to find the lowest price company.

Consumers need to compare rates every six months because prices are usually higher with each renewal. Despite the fact that you may have had the best price a couple years back you may be paying too much now. Forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because you’re about to find out the right way to get good coverage at a lower rate.

Don’t pay full price with these discounts

Auto insurance companies do not advertise every available discount very well, so here is a list both the well known and the more hidden discounts you could be receiving.

  • Own a Home – Owning a home in South Bend can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home shows financial diligence.
  • Defensive Driving Course – Completing a driver safety course could possibly earn you a 5% discount depending on where you live.
  • Senior Citizens – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you can possibly qualify for a discount up to 10%.
  • Low Mileage Discounts – Keeping the miles down can earn a substantially lower rate.
  • Anti-theft Discount – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems can help prevent theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
  • E-sign – A handful of insurance companies give back up to $50 just for signing your application on their website.
  • New Vehicle Savings – Adding a new car to your policy can be considerably cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
  • Good Student – This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. The good student discount can last until age 25.

Consumers should know that some credits don’t apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So when the math indicates you could get a free auto insurance policy, it doesn’t quite work that way.

To see a list of insurers who offer auto insurance discounts in Indiana, follow this link.

Low Cost South Bend Auto Insurance

There are several ways of comparing rate quotes from different in South Bend, Indianainsurance companies. The fastest way to find competitive insurance rates is to use the internet to compare rates. This can be done in a couple of different ways.

  1. The most efficient way consumers can analyze rates is a comparison rater form (click to open form in new window). This easy form prevents you from having to do separate quotes for every auto insurance company. A single form compares rates from auto insurance companies with the best prices.
  2. A harder way to obtain and compare quotes online requires a visit to the website for each individual company and fill out their own quote form. For sake of this example, let’s say you want to compare GEICO, Farmers and Allstate. You would have to take the time to go to each site to input your insurance information, and that’s why the first method is more popular.

    For a list of links to insurance companies in South Bend, click here.

  3. The least efficient method of comparing rate quotes is to spend time driving to different South Bend agent offices. Shopping for auto insurance online makes this process obsolete unless you have a need for the professional advice only provided by licensed South Bend agents. Drivers can obtain prices from the web but buy from a local insurance agent and we’ll cover that in a bit.

It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just double check that you are using identical coverages and limits with every price quote. If your comparisons have different liability limits you can’t possibly determine the best price in South Bend. Having just a slight variation in coverages can make a big difference in price. Just keep in mind that obtaining a wide range of quotes will improve the odds of getting lower pricing.

How to Lower your Auto Insurance Rates

It’s important that you understand the rating factors that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.

  • What type of vehicle do you drive? – The performance of the vehicle you are insuring makes a substantial difference in determining your rates. Small economy passenger vehicles receive the most favorable rates, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
  • Allowing your policy to lapse raises rates – Having an insurance coverage lapse is a fast way to bump up your auto insurance costs. Not only will rates go up, getting caught without coverage can result in a license revocation or jail time.
  • Choose a safe vehicle and save – Safer cars can get you lower premiums. These vehicles protect occupants better and lower injury rates translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and lower rates for you.
  • Do you need the policy add-ons? – There are many add-on coverages that you can buy on your policy. Things like personal injury protection, towing coverage and motor club memberships are examples of these. These may sound like a good investment when you first buy your policy, but if you don’t need them remove them from your policy.
  • Traffic citations inflate rates – Even a single ticket can increase rates by twenty percent. Good drivers get better rates than people who have multiple driving citations. Drivers who get severe violations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with the DMV in their state in order to drive a vehicle legally.

What coverages do I need?

When it comes to buying coverage, there really is no “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s situation is a little different so your insurance needs to address that. Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine if your situation may require specific advice.South Bend IN auto insurance

  • Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
  • Do I need higher deductibles?
  • Do I get a pro-rated refund if I cancel my policy early?
  • What are Indiana no-fault laws?
  • What discounts do I qualify for?
  • If my vehicle is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
  • Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
  • Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
  • How much liability coverage do I need in Indiana?

If you’re not sure about those questions, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

Local South Bend agents and auto insurance

Some consumers would prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is OK! The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is that you can obtain lower rates and still have an agent to talk to.

Upon completion of this simple form, your information is sent to insurance agents in South Bend who will battle for your business. You won’t need to drive around since price quotes are sent to the email address you provide. How’s that for easy! It’s the lowest rates and an insurance agent to talk to.

Selecting an insurer needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. These questions are important to ask:

  • Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
  • Does the agency support the community they serve?
  • Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
  • Do they regularly work with personal auto policies?
  • Are there any discounts that you might be missing?

How to choose the best insurance agent in South Bend

When looking for a good insurance agency, you need to know there are two different types of agents to choose from. South Bend agents are classified as either captive or independent.

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive insurance agents write business for a single company like Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They are unable to give you multiple price quotes so they have no alternatives for high prices. They are very knowledgeable on their company’s products which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.

Listed below is a list of captive insurance agents in South Bend willing to provide price quote information.

State Farm Insurance – 219 N Dixie Way – South Bend, IN 46637 – (574) 272-4511
American Family Insurance – 410 Lincoln Way W # 101 – South Bend, IN 46601 – (574) 674-5299
Farm Bureau Insurance – 5605 Us 31 S – South Bend, IN 46614 – (574) 291-3840
Farmers Insurance Group – 1730 Miami St – South Bend, IN 46613 – (574) 258-5500
Allstate Insurance – 3014 Ardmore Trl – South Bend, IN 46628 – (574) 289-5300

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent agents are not employed by any specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with lots of companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To transfer your coverage to a different company, the agent simply finds a different carrier without you having to go to a different agency. When comparing rates, you should always include price quotes from multiple independent agents to ensure the widest selection of prices.

South Bend IN auto insurance

Below are independent insurance agencies in South Bend willing to provide rate quotes.

Hubner Family Agency – 1216 Lincoln Way E – South Bend, IN 46601 – (574) 233-7695
Robert Farley Insurance – 24558 Adams Rd – South Bend, IN 46628 – (574) 272-3337
Taylor and Moyer Agency Inc – 300 S Saint Louis Blvd # 200 – South Bend, IN 46617 – (574) 287-2905
Becky Deacon Agency Inc – 202 N Dixie Way # 200 – South Bend, IN 46637 – (574) 271-1902
Acceptance Insurance Co – 4714 W Western Ave – South Bend, IN 46619 – (574) 232-3221

For a full directory of licensed insurance agents in South Bend, go to this page.

Once you have good answers for all questions you ask as well as a affordable price, you may have just found an insurance agent that will adequately provide auto insurance.

Buy online or local, you save

Lower-priced auto insurance is definitely available both online and also from your neighborhood South Bend agents, so you should compare both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

In this article, we covered many ideas to shop for auto insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may even discover the lowest premiums are with an unexpected company. Smaller companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates than their larger competitors like State Farm and Allstate.

Additional Indiana consumer information

Even more information is located at the Indiana Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to find out which companies have the most complaints, download brochures, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.