Norman Oklahoma Auto Insurance Buying Tips You Aren’t Supposed to Know

If you’re new to shopping for auto insurance online, it’s easy to be confused by the hoards of auto insurance companies all offering big savings in Norman.

If you currently have car insurance, you will be able to cut costs considerably using this information. The purpose of this article is to instruct you on how to effectively get price quotes and some tricks to saving. Although Oklahoma drivers must know how companies determine prices and take advantage of how the system works.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Car insurance companies don’t always publicize all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so we took the time to find both well-publicized and the harder-to-find auto insurance savings.

• Student in College – Any of your kids living away from home attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle may be able to be covered for less.
• Senior Discount – Older drivers may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
• Payment Method – If you pay your bill all at once instead of paying each month you could save 5% or more.
• Multiple Vehicles – Insuring multiple vehicles on one policy could earn a price break for each car.
• Government Employees – Simply working for the federal government may qualify you for a discount with certain companies.
• Life Insurance Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give better rates if you take out a life insurance policy as well.
• Homeowners Discount – Owning a home in Norman may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because owning a home is proof that your finances are in order.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. Just because it seems like you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.

For a list of insurance companies offering auto insurance discounts in Oklahoma, follow this link.

Why you might pay higher rates in Norman

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that play a part in calculating your auto insurance rates. Understanding what influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.

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

• What are your deductibles? – Your deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend before a claim is paid by your company. Coverage for physical damage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply are colliding with a building, damage caused by hail, and windstorm damage. The higher the amount you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your auto insurance will be.
• Where you live is a factor – Being located in a rural area has it’s advantages when it comes to auto insurance. Less people living in that area translates into fewer accidents. Drivers who live in large Oklahoma cities have to deal with congested traffic and much longer commute distances. More time on the road can result in more accidents.
• More miles equals more premium – Driving more miles in a year’s time the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Most insurance companies apply a rate based on their usage. Autos not used for work or commuting qualify for better rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Ask your agent if your auto insurance coverage is rated on the proper vehicle usage.
• Do you need the policy add-ons? – There are a ton of additional coverages that can waste your money if you aren’t careful. Things like personal injury protection, accident forgiveness and term life insurance are examples of these. They may seem good initially, but if they’re wasting money remove them from your policy.

Your coverage should be tailored to you

When buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s situation is a little different.

For example, these questions can help discover if you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• What are the financial responsibility laws in Oklahoma?
• Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
• Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
• How high should my medical payments coverage be?
• Am I covered if I crash into my own garage door?
• Is my vehicle covered for smoke damage?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form.

But I prefer to buy car insurance from an agent

Certain consumers prefer to buy from a local agent. One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is that you can obtain better rates and still have an agent to talk to.

After completing this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is submitted to companies in Norman who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. You never need to leave your computer due to the fact that quote results will go to your email. Now that’s easy! You can find better rates AND a local agent.

Deciding on an insurance company shouldn’t rely on just the bottom line cost. Agents should be asked these questions:

• Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
• How are claims handled?
• How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
• If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
• If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
• Do they make recommendations based only on price?
• Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?

The following are Norman insurers that are able to give rate quotes.

• State Farm Insurance – 2411 Springer Dr, Norman, OK 73069 – (405) 366-6900
• Valley Agency – 110 N Mercedes Dr # 300, Norman, OK 73069 – (405) 573-9837
• Monroe Insurance – 1100 Rambling Oaks Dr, Norman, OK 73072 – (405) 360-9500
• R W Gray Insurance – 3750 W Main St # Aa, Norman, OK 73072 – (405) 364-1558

For a complete listing of Norman insurance agents, please view this page.

Once you have received answers to your satisfaction as well as a affordable price, you may have just found an provider that will properly service your auto insurance policy.

Do drivers who switch really save $426 a year?

Allstate and Progressive continually stream ads in print and on television. All the companies make the same claim that you’ll save big after switching your policy. How do they all claim to save you money?

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the driver that makes them money. An example of a driver they prefer might be over the age of 50, has no driving citations, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Any driver who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and therefore will save when switching.

Drivers who are not a match for the “perfect” profile will be quoted higher prices and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads state “customers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much money. That’s the way insurance companies can claim big savings. This emphasizes why it’s extremely important to get as many comparisons as possible. You cannot predict which auto insurance company will have the lowest rates.

Additional resources for Oklahoma consumers

Additional detailed information is available at the Oklahoma Insurance Department website. Oklahoma drivers can read state legal mandates and laws, view a list of available companies, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.

More quotes mean more savings

Insureds leave their current company for many reasons like poor customer service, policy cancellation, delays in responding to claim requests or even high prices. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding a great new company can be easier than you think.

We covered a lot of ways to compare auto insurance prices online. It’s most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Drivers may discover the best price on auto insurance is with a lesser-known regional company.

Budget-conscious auto insurance is attainable both online in addition to many Norman, OK insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who do not provide online price quotes and these smaller companies work with independent agents.