Learn How to Buy Hays, KS Auto Insurance Like an Expert

If online auto insurance comparisons are new to you, it’s easy to get confused by the large number of auto insurance companies all offering big savings in Hays.

Choosing the best insurance company for you in Hays is quite easy. If you are paying for car insurance now, you should be able to lower your premiums substantially using these techniques. Kansas consumers just need to know the best way to get comparison rates online.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.

The following are some of the factors auto insurance companies consider when setting your rates.

Multi-policy discounts can save money – Some companies will award you with lower prices to insureds who have multiple policies with them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even if you’re getting this discount it’s in your best interest to shop around to make sure you are getting the best deal.
Your auto insurance rates can be influenced by your job – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for auto insurance? Jobs such as lawyers, architects and dentists have the highest average rates attributed to stressful work requirements and lengthy work days. Other occupations such as farmers, historians and performers get better rates.
Traffic citations inflate rates – Your driving citation history impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Just one speeding ticket may increase your cost by twenty percent. Drivers with clean records tend to pay less for car insurance than people who have multiple driving citations. Drivers who have severe citations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may need to file a SR-22 with their state DMV in order to drive a vehicle legally.
Don’t get talked into coverage you don’t need – There are a lot of add-on coverages that you can buy on your auto insurance policy. Coverages for roadside assistance, towing coverage and motor club memberships may be costing you every month. They may seem good initially, but if you don’t need them eliminate them to save money.
Safer occupants lowers premiums – Vehicles with good safety scores can get you lower premiums. The safest vehicles result in less severe injuries and fewer injuries means less money paid by your insurance company passed on to you as lower rates.
Having a spouse can save you money – Having a wife or husband can actually save you money on auto insurance. Having a spouse usually means you are more responsible and statistics show drivers who are married are more cautious.
How your age affects price – Teenage drivers in Kansas are statistically proven to be more careless behind the wheel so they pay higher auto insurance rates. Adding a youthful driver to your policy can be very expensive. Older drivers are viewed as being more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Car insurance companies don’t always advertise all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so we break down both well-publicized and the more hidden discounts you could be receiving. If you aren’t receiving every discount you deserve, you are throwing money away.

Government Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job may qualify you for a discount with select insurance companies.
Defensive Driving Course – Completing a course in driver safety could possibly earn you a 5% discount if you qualify.
Discounts for Safe Drivers – Safe drivers can pay as much as 50% less than less cautious drivers.
Paperless Signup – Some insurance companies will give a small break simply for signing online.
Theft Prevention System – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Discount for Swiching Early – Some insurance companies reward drivers for signing up prior to your current policy expiration. The savings is around 10%.
Air Bag Discount – Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can receive discounts up to 30%.
Pay Now and Pay Less – If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying monthly you can actually save on your bill.
Good Students Pay Less – Getting good grades can save 20 to 25%. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
Bundle and Save – When you have multiple policies with one company you could get a discount of at least 10% off all policies.

It’s important to note that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think you can get free auto insurance, companies don’t profit that way.

What if I want to buy from a local Hays agent?

A small number of people prefer to talk to a local agent and that is OK! Agents can help determine the best coverages and give you peace of mind. The best thing about price shopping on the web is you can get the best rates but also keep your business local.

After filling out this quick form, your insurance coverage information is emailed to local insurance agents in Hays who will return price quotes to get your business. You never need to leave your house because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. How’s that for easy!

Deciding on a company should depend on more than just a low price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in Kansas?
Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
What insurance company do they write the most business with?

Choose an insurance agent wisely

When finding a local agent, there are a couple of different types of agents that you can select. Agents are either independent or captive. While both can insure your vehicles, but it’s important to know how they differ since it can impact the selection process.

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agencies have only one company to place business with such as Liberty Mutual, Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. These agents are not able to compare other company’s rates so they have to upsell other benefits. Captive agents are very knowledgeable on the products they sell which can be an advantage. Some consumers prefer to purchase coverage from captives mostly because of the brand legacy and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.

Listed below is a short list of captive insurance agencies in Hays willing to provide rate quotes. Car insurance in Hays KS

Shelter Insurance – 2705 Vine St # 9 – Hays, KS 67601 – (785) 625-5588
Farm Bureau Insurance – 2716 Plaza Ave – Hays, KS 67601 – (785) 628-2831
State Farm Insurance – 339 E 8th St – Hays, KS 67601 – (785) 628-2312
American Family Insurance – 1502 Vine St – Hays, KS 67601 – (785) 625-2823
Farmers Insurance Group – 738 E 8th St – Hays, KS 67601 – (785) 628-1294
Allstate Insurance Co – 2819 Plaza Ave – Hays, KS 67601 – (785) 625-7100

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Independent insurance agents are not locked into one company so they have the ability to put coverage with many different companies and potentially find a lower price. To move your coverage to a new company, the business is moved internally and you don’t have to find a new agent.

When comparison shopping, it’s a good idea to include several independent insurance agents to ensure the widest selection of prices. They also have the ability to place coverage with different regional companies which can save you money.

The following is a list of independent agencies in Hays that can give you price quotes.

Bennett Agency – 105 E 27th St – Hays, KS 67601 – (785) 625-9560
Federated Insurance Co – 2017 Vine St – Hays, KS 67601 – (785) 625-6810
Clarence Jacobs Jr Agency – 2001 Vine St – Hays, KS 67601 – (785) 625-5915
Copper Agency – 2707 Vine St # 15 – Hays, KS 67601 – (785) 628-3612
Brooke Insurance and Financial – 1401 Main St # A – Hays, KS 67601 – (785) 625-2820

For a full directory of insurance agents in Hays, visit this site.

Upon receiving reasonable responses to any questions you have and a low price estimate, it’s possible that you found an insurance agency that meets your needs to properly insure your vehicles.

Misconceptions in auto insurance advertisements

Kansas consumers constantly see and hear ads for car insurance savings from the likes of GEICO, State Farm and Progressive. They all seem to make an identical promise of big savings if you switch your coverage to them.

How do they all make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.

All the different companies can use profiling for the right customer they prefer to insure. An example of a driver they prefer might be profiled as a mature driver, insures multiple vehicles, and has great credit. A driver who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Consumers who do not match the “perfect” profile will be charged a higher premium and this can result in the customer not buying. Company advertisements say “people who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much. That is how companies can truthfully state the savings. That is why it is so important to get quotes from several different companies. It’s impossible to know which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

How do I know if I need professional advice?

When it comes to choosing the best auto insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no single plan that fits everyone. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.

These are some specific questions can aid in determining whether you will benefit from professional help.

What are Kansas no-fault laws?
Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
What can I do if my company denied a claim?
When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
Will my vehicle be repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
Am I covered if I crash into my own garage door?
Why is insurance for a teen driver so high in Hays?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form. It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.

More detailed Kansas auto insurance information can be read at the Kansas Insurance Department website. Kansas drivers can discover disciplinary actions, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find disaster information, and find a variety of consumer forms.

Other informative sites include Wikipedia and this link where you can get more info about Hays coverage.

Quote often and quote early

Cheaper auto insurance can be purchased online as well as from independent agents in Hays, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some companies don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

We just covered a lot of information how to shop for auto insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the lowest rates come from some of the lesser-known companies.

Drivers change insurance companies for a number of reasons such as unfair underwriting practices, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, delays in responding to claim requests or lack of trust in their agent. Regardless of your reason, choosing a new insurance company is less work than it seems.