Free Guide to Paying Less for Joliet, IL Auto Insurance Online

Searching for low-cost Joliet auto insurance online can seem to be problematic for beginners to price shopping online. With such a large number of companies in the marketplace, how can you effectively compare the different rates to find the lowest price?

It’s important to get comparison quotes once or twice a year due to the fact that insurance rates trend upward over time. Even if you got the lowest rates last year other companies may now be cheaper. So just forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because you’re going to get a crash course in the best methods to save on auto insurance.

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

Most major insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive allow you to get coverage price quotes on the web. The process is fairly simple as you simply type in your coverage preferences into a form. After the form is submitted, the system pulls reports for credit and driving violations and returns pricing information determined by many factors.

This makes it a lot easier to compare rates but having to visit multiple sites and enter the same data into a form can be a bit repetitive. But it’s very important to get many rate quotes if you are searching for a lower rate.

Quote rates the easy way

A quicker way to find lower prices uses one simple form that gets prices from several different companies. It’s a real time-saver, requires less work, and makes online price comparison a little more enjoyable. Immediately after submitting the form, it is quoted and you can select your choice of the quotes that you receive. If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you simply finish the application and purchase the new policy. The entire process only takes a few minutes and could lower your rates considerably.

If you want to find out how much you’re overpaying now, click here to open in a new tab and input your coverage information. To compare your current rates, we recommend you replicate just like they are on your policy. Doing this assures you’re receiving a rate comparison for similar coverage.

These discounts can lower your rates

Companies don’t always publicize every discount very clearly, so here is a list both the well known and also the lesser-known auto insurance savings. If you’re not getting every credit you deserve, you are throwing money away.

• Student in College – Children who live away from home without a vehicle on campus may qualify for this discount.
• More Vehicles More Savings – Buying coverage for multiple cars or trucks on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
• Safe Drivers – Safe drivers may receive a discount up to 45% less than less cautious drivers.
• Multi-policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with the same company you could get a discount of approximately 10% to 15%.
• Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles with anti-theft systems help deter theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
• Discount for New Cars – Adding a new car to your policy can be considerably cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
• Drive Less and Save – Keeping the miles down can earn better rates on cars that stay parked.
• Defensive Driver – Taking part in a defensive driving course could save 5% or more if your company offers it.

It’s important to understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. So even though they make it sound like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it just doesn’t work that way.

For a list of insurers offering auto insurance discounts in Illinois, click here.

Joliet Rates are Influenced by These Factors

It’s important that you understand some of the elements that go into determining auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates enables informed choices that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.

• Your job and insurance rates – Occupations like real estate brokers, executives and dentists are shown to have the highest average rates in part from job stress and lots of time spent at work. Other occupations such as scientists, historians and the unemployed pay the least.
• Keep rates low by being claim-free – Companies in Illinois give cheaper rates to insureds who do not file claims often. If you frequently file small claims, you can look forward to either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
• Proper usage rating affects rates – The more you drive in a year the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most companies apply a rate based on how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks left parked in the garage get more affordable rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Make sure your auto insurance policy is rated on the correct driver usage.
• How your age affects price – Youthful drivers in Illinois are statistically proven to be less responsible in a vehicle so auto insurance rates are higher. Mature drivers tend to be more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and tend to be better behind the wheel.
• What are your deductibles? – Your deductibles define the amount you are willing to pay in the event of a claim. Physical damage insurance, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, protects your car from damage. Some instances where coverage would apply would be running into the backend of another car, collision with an animal, or theft. The more you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your company will charge you for insurance.

The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest

We just covered many ways to get a better price on auto insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may even find the most savings is with a lesser-known regional company.

Insureds change insurance companies for any number of reasons including high rates after DUI convictions, being labeled a high risk driver, delays in paying claims and even unfair underwriting practices. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding a great new company is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.

As you shop your coverage around, do not sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. Too many times, drivers have reduced physical damage coverage and discovered at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your goal should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.

More sites with auto insurance information

Additional detailed information is available at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Illinois consumers can discover disciplinary actions, find disaster information, and view a list of available companies.