There isn't anyone who looks forward to buying insurance, in particular when it costs too dang much.
Shockingly, the majority of drivers have bought insurance from the same company for four years or more, and just short of a majority have never even compared quotes to find affordable rates. The average driver in Illinois could save about 40% every year just by getting comparison quotes, but they don't know the benefits if they replace their high priced policy.
With people having so many insurance companies to choose from, it's difficult to locate the most cost effective insurance company.
It's a good idea to shop coverage around yearly due to the fact that insurance prices are variable and change quite frequently. Despite the fact that you may have had the best deal on Ford Transit Connect insurance in Chicago last year you can probably find a better rate now. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about insurance because you're about to learn the best methods to buy cheaper Ford Transit Connect insurance in Chicago.
Finding the cheapest insurance coverage in Chicago can initially seem challenging. If you are already insured, you should be able to reduce premiums using the techniques covered below. But Illinois drivers must know the methods companies use to determine how much to charge.
Companies offer many discounts on Ford Transit Connect insurance in Chicago
Auto insurance is not inexpensive, but you might already qualify for some discounts to cut the cost considerably. Certain credits will be shown at quote time, but once in a while a discount must be asked about prior to getting the savings. If you do not check that you are getting every discount you qualify for, you may be paying too high a price.
- Military Rewards - Having a family member in the military could trigger a small discount.
- Professional Organizations - Belonging to qualifying clubs or civic groups could qualify you for a break when getting a Chicago auto insurance quote.
- Pay Now and Pay Less - If you pay your bill all at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may have a lower total premium amount.
- Switch and Save Discount - Some insurance companies reward drivers for renewing your policy early. It could save around 10% when you buy Chicago auto insurance online.
- Distant Student - Youth drivers who are attending college and don't have a car could get you a discount.
- Seat Belt Usage - Drivers who require all occupants to buckle up could save 15% off PIP or medical payments premium.
- Low Mileage Discounts - Driving less may enable drivers to earn substantially lower rates.
- Multi-line Discount - Some companies give a small discount if you purchase some life insurance too.
- Good Driver Discounts - Insureds without accidents can save as much as half off their rates than their less cautious counterparts.
- Sign Online - A handful of auto insurance companies provide a small discount get Chicago auto insurance over the internet.
Drivers should understand that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, it's just not the way it works.
Some companies that may offer policyholders these money-saving discounts are:
When getting a coverage quote, ask every prospective company what discounts are available to you. Discounts may not be available in Chicago. If you would like to view insurers that offer many of these discounts in Chicago, click here to view.
When comparison shopping, there are several ways of comparing rate quotes from many available auto insurance companies in Illinois. One of the best ways to find affordable insurance rates is to perform an online rate comparison.
Getting free rate quotes online is quite simple, and it makes it a waste of time to spend your day driving to insurance agents' offices. Buying insurance online makes this unnecessary unless your situation requires the professional assistance that you can only get from talking to an agent. Although you can comparison shop your insurance online but have a local agent actually write the policy.
Just keep in mind that comparing all the rates in your area will enable you to find more affordable insurance.
The following companies are our best choices to provide price comparisons in Illinois. If multiple companies are listed, it's highly recommended you click on several of them to find the cheapest auto insurance rates.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Transit Connect XL 2WD | $98 | $196 | $268 | $16 | $80 | $658 | $55 |
Transit Connect XLT 2WD | $168 | $398 | $294 | $18 | $88 | $966 | $81 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Table data represents single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and Illinois minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, claim-free, multi-policy, homeowner, and multi-vehicle. Prices do not factor in vehicle location which can raise or lower prices greatly.
Careless driving habits raise auto insurance rates
The diagram below illustrates how violations and accidents can influence Ford Transit Connect auto insurance costs for different ages of insureds. The premium estimates are based on a single male driver, full coverage, $250 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.
Educated Choices Result in Lower Insurance Rates
Multiple criteria are taken into consideration when premium rates are determined. A few of the factors are predictable such as traffic violations, but other criteria are more obscure such as your credit history or how safe your car is. The best way to find cheaper car insurance is to take a look at a few of the rating criteria that come into play when calculating your car insurance rates. If you have some idea of what determines base rates, this helps enable you to make changes that could help you find lower rates.
- Discounts for married drivers - Having a spouse can actually save you money on car insurance. Having a spouse is viewed as being more responsible it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married are more cautious.
- Eliminate unneeded extra policy coverages - There are a lot of optional add-on coverages that may not really be needed when buying car insurance. Add-on coverages like replacement cost coverage, towing coverage, and term life insurance are probably not needed. You may think they are a good idea when you first buy your policy, but your money might be better spent on other coverage so think about removing them and cutting costs.
- Cars with good safety ratings mean better car insurance rates - Vehicles with high crash test scores tend to be cheaper to insure. Safer cars help reduce the chance of injuries in an accident and better occupant protection means your insurance company pays less and more competitive rates for policyholders.
- Premiums drop with age - Teen drivers in Illinois are proven to get distracted easily with other occupants in the car so they pay higher car insurance rates. Adding a inexperienced driver onto a policy will cause a huge premium hike. Mature drivers are proven to be safer behind the wheel, file fewer claims, and usually have better credit.
- Do you know your deductibles? - Physical damage insurance, aka comp and collision, covers your vehicle from damage. Examples of covered claims are running into the backend of another car, damage from fire, and damage from a fallen tree branch. The deductibles represent how much money you are willing to pay if a claim is determined to be covered. The more expense you pay before a claim is paid (deductible), the less money you will pay for car insurance.
- Safeguard your assets with liability - Your policy's liability coverage will afford coverage when you are responsible for personal injury or accident damage. This coverage provides legal defense coverage up to the limits shown on your policy. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to comp and collision, so do not skimp.
- Accidents will cost you - Being a careful driver influences premium rates substantially. Having just one moving violation may increase your cost to the point where it's not affordable. Drivers with clean records get better rates than their less careful counterparts. Drivers who get severe tickets such as reckless driving or DUI may find they need to prove financial responsibility with their state in order to drive a vehicle legally.
Auto insurance agents can find coverage gaps
Some consumers just prefer to sit down with an agent and that can be a great decision The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find lower rates and still have an agent to talk to.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this form (opens in new window), your insurance data gets sent to local insurance agents in Chicago who will return price quotes for your business. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won't have to do any legwork since rate quotes are delivered to you instantly. You can most likely find cheaper rates and a licensed agent to talk to. If for some reason you want to compare prices from a particular provider, just go to their quote page and complete a quote there.
Finding the right company shouldn't rely on just the quoted price. These questions are important to ask:
- Where would glass claims be handled in Chicago?
- How are they compensated?
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
- Will high miles depreciate repair valuations?
- Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
- What is their Better Business Bureau rating?
- If they are an independent agency in Chicago, which companies do they recommend?
Choose an insurance agent wisely
If you want to buy car insurance from a reputable insurance agent or broker, there are two types of insurance agents and how they function. Agents can be categorized as either exclusive or independent agents depending on their company appointments.
Exclusive Car Insurance Agencies
Exclusive insurance agents can only provide pricing for a single company and some examples include Allstate and State Farm. Exclusive agencies are unable to shop your coverage around so always compare other rates. Exclusive agents are very knowledgeable on their company's products which helps offset the inability to provide other markets.
Below is a short list of exclusive agents in Chicago who may provide you with price quotes.
Greg King - State Farm Insurance Agent
5508 S Lake Park Ave - Chicago, IL 60637 - (773) 643-6200 - View Map
Jim Tom - State Farm Insurance Agent
4317 N Lincoln Ave - Chicago, IL 60618 - (773) 477-3300 - View Map
Russ Spinelli - State Farm Insurance Agent
1525 E 53rd St #727 - Chicago, IL 60615 - (773) 955-3133 - View Map
Independent Car Insurance Agencies
Agents in the independent channel are appointed with more than one company and that enables them to quote your coverage with an assortment of companies and potentially find a lower price. To move your coverage to a new company, they simply switch companies in-house and you won't have to switch agencies.
When comparing car insurance rates, we highly recommend that you get rate quotes from a few independent agents to get the most accurate price comparison.
Shown below is a short list of independent agencies in Chicago that can give you price quote information.
American Auto Insurance
3201 N Harlem Ave #1 - Chicago, IL 60634 - (773) 286-3500 - View Map
Edwards Insurance Agency, Inc.
11113 S Kedzie Ave - Chicago, IL 60655 - (773) 396-5526 - View Map
Illinois Vehicle Auto Insurance (Xpert)
1858 W 18th St - Chicago, IL 60608 - (312) 226-1033 - View Map
Once you have reasonable responses to any questions you may have as well as a affordable price, chances are good that you have found a car insurance agent that will properly service your car insurance policy.
Three reasons to insure your Ford Transit Connect
Even though it can be expensive, insurance may be mandatory for several reasons.
First, just about all states have mandatory insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific limits of liability insurance coverage in order to drive the car legally. In Illinois these limits are 20/40/15 which means you must have $20,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $40,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $15,000 of property damage coverage.
Second, if your vehicle has a loan, most banks will stipulate that you buy full coverage to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the bank will be required to insure your Ford at an extremely high rate and force you to pay for the much more expensive policy.
Third, insurance protects your Ford Transit Connect and your assets. It will also cover most medical and hospital costs for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance will also pay attorney fees if you cause an accident and are sued. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, your policy will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, especially if you ever need it. According to a recent study, the average American driver is wasting up to $750 every year so it's important to compare rates at every renewal to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Find cheaper insurance prices by comparing often
Affordable Ford Transit Connect insurance in Chicago is attainable online in addition to many Chicago insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance companies don't offer the ability to get a quote online and these small insurance companies only sell through independent agents.
In this article, we presented a lot of information how to reduce Ford Transit Connect insurance premium rates online in Chicago. The key concept to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better likelihood of getting cheaper Chicago auto insurance quotes. You may even find the lowest premium rates come from some of the smallest insurance companies. They may cover specific market segments cheaper than their larger competitors like GEICO and State Farm.
To learn more, feel free to visit the articles below:
- Protect Yourself Against Auto Theft (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap Chicago Auto Insurance for Drivers with a Bad Driving Record? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers Over Age 50 in Chicago? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes for Felons in Chicago? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Teachers in Chicago? (FAQ)
- How Much are Chicago Car Insurance Rates for Unemployed Drivers? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Jeep Wrangler in Chicago? (FAQ)
- Automakers compete to add autobraking (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Think You're a Safe Driver? (State Farm)
- Understanding Your Insurance Deductible (Insurance Information Institute)
- Teen Driving and Texting (State Farm)