Cheap Honda Ridgeline Insurance in Chicago

Have you finally had enough of scraping the payment together to buy auto insurance? You are in the same boat as many other Illinois consumers.

Unthinkable but true, nearly 70% of customers kept their coverage with the same auto insurance company for more than four years, and nearly the majority have never shopped around. With the average auto insurance premium being $1,847, American drivers could cut their rates by 47% a year by just comparing rate quotes, but they just assume it takes a lot of time to compare other rate quotes.

Many insurance companies compete for your insurance dollar, so it's not easy to compare every insurer to get the lowest price on Honda Ridgeline insurance in Chicago.

If you have auto insurance now, you should be able to get lower rates using these methods. Choosing the most cost-effective auto insurance policy in Chicago seems hard but is not really that difficult. Although Illinois car owners do need to understand the methods companies use to compete online because rates fluctuate considerably.

The cheapest Chicago Honda Ridgeline insurance rate quotes online

When quoting car insurance, remember that comparing more quotes will increase your chances of finding the best price.

The auto insurance companies shown below provide quotes in Illinois. If more than one company is shown, it's a good idea that you compare several of them to find the cheapest auto insurance rates.

Data assumes single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Illinois minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, safe-driver, claim-free, homeowner, and multi-policy. Price estimates do not factor in Chicago location which can increase or decrease price quotes noticeably.

Can higher deductibles save money?

One of the more difficult decisions when buying auto insurance is where should you set your physical damage deductibles. The rates below sum up how much more rates are when you buy lower versus higher coverage deductibles. The first table uses a $250 deductible for comp and collision and the second pricing table uses a $500 deductible.

Data variables include married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Illinois minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, claim-free, multi-vehicle, homeowner, and multi-policy. Price estimates do not factor in vehicle location which can impact coverage rates greatly.

Using the data above, we can ascertain that using a $250 deductible costs about $11 more each month or $132 for a full year than selecting the higher $500 deductible. Since you would have to pay $250 more to file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you average at least 23 months between claim filings, you would save more money if you elect the higher deductible.

One thing to be aware of is that raising deductibles results in more money out-of-pocket when you do file a claim. You need to have enough money put aside in the event you need to pay the deductible to have repairs made.

Lower rates by qualifying for discounts

Some companies do not advertise every policy discount very well, so the list below gives a summary of a few of the more well known as well as the least known discounts that may be available.

• Anti-lock Brake Discount - Cars with ABS braking systems or traction control prevent accidents and the ABS can save up to 10%.
• New Vehicle Savings - Buying a new car instead of a used Ridgeline is cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
• Senior Citizen Discount - If you're over the age of 55, you are able to get a small decrease in premiums.
• Federal Government Employee - Having worked for a branch of the government may qualify for a discount when you quote Chicago car insurance depending on your auto insurance provider.
• Life Insurance Discount - If the company offers life insurance, you could get a small discount if you purchase life insurance from them.

A little disclaimer on discounts, most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though you would think you could get a free auto insurance policy, companies don't profit that way.

Car insurance companies that have some of the above discounts are:

• Progressive
• Farmers Insurance
• Farm Bureau
• State Farm
• GEICO
• SAFECO
• Liberty Mutual

Double check with each insurance company what discounts are available to you. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not be available to policyholders in every state. To see insurance companies who offer online Honda Ridgeline insurance quotes in Chicago, follow this link.

Eight factors that determine insurance costs

Many things are taken into consideration when you quote your car insurance policy. Some are pretty understandable such as your driving history, but other criteria are more transparent such as your marital status or your vehicle rating. It's important that you understand the factors that aid in calculating the price you pay for car insurance. If you have some idea of what determines base rates, this helps enable you to make changes that can help you get big savings.

Listed below are some of the things used by your company to calculate rates.

• Tickets and citations cost more than a fine - Good drivers get better rates as compared to those with violations. Having just one citation may cause rates to rise forty percent or more. Drivers who have received flagrant tickets like reckless driving or DUI might be required by their state to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to legally drive a vehicle.
• Advanced alarms and GPS tracking - Selecting a car model with a theft deterrent system can save you some money. Systems that thwart thieves like GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can help prevent car theft and help bring rates down.
• Lower rates with a multi-policy discount - Many companies provide lower prices to people who carry more than one policy in the form of a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, it's always a smart idea to shop around to verify if the discount is saving money.
• Insurance costs and driver gender - Statistics show females are less aggressive when driving. However, don't assume that women are BETTER drivers than men. They both are in at-fault accidents at about the same rate, but the men cause more damage. Not only that, but men also receive more major tickets like DWI (DUI) or reckless driving.
• Vehicles with better crash test results mean better rates - Cars with five star safety ratings can get you lower premiums. Highly rated vehicles result in less severe injuries and lower injury rates translates directly to fewer claims passed on to you as lower rates.
• Low physical damage deductibles can be expensive - Physical damage deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend if a covered claim is submitted. Coverage for physical damage, also called 'full coverage', insures against damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered could be colliding with a stationary object, damage caused by hail, and damage caused by road hazards. The higher the amount you pay before a claim is paid (deductible), the better rate you will receive.
• Younger drivers cost more - Teenage drivers in Illinois have a tendency to be careless and easily distracted when at the wheel of a vehicle therefore car insurance rates are much higher. Older people have been proven to be more responsible, file fewer claims, and get fewer tickets.
• Discounts for married couples - Having a wife or husband actually saves money on car insurance. Having a significant other is viewed as being more responsible and statistics prove being married results in fewer claims.

Local Chicago insurance agents

A small number of people would prefer to buy from a licensed agent and doing that can be a smart decision One of the benefits of getting free rate quotes online is that you can find cheap rate quotes but still work with a licensed agent. Putting coverage with local agencies is especially important in Chicago.

To help locate an agent, after submitting this form (opens in new window), the quote information gets sent to local insurance agents that can give you free Chicago car insurance quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. It's much easier because you don't need to drive around since price quotes are sent instantly to you. It's the lowest rates AND an agent nearby. If you wish to get a rate quote from a specific auto insurance provider, just jump over to their website and give them your coverage information.

Finding a good company requires you to look at more than just a cheap price quote. Here are some questions you should ask.

• How often do they review coverages?
• Is insurance their full-time profession?
• What insurance company do they write the most business with?
• Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
• Is auto insurance their primary focus in Chicago?

Once you have answers to your satisfaction to any questions you may have and locked in a price quote, chances are good that you have found an provider that meets the criteria to adequately provide auto insurance.

Insurance agents can help

When quoting and choosing your policy for your vehicles, there is no "perfect" insurance plan. Each situation is unique.

These are some specific questions may help you determine whether your personal situation may require specific advice.

• Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
• Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in Illinois?
• When should my teen driver be added to my policy?
• Are my friends covered when driving my car?
• Is my custom stereo system covered?
• Can I use my car for my catering business?
• How can I get the company to pay a claim?
• Can my babysitter drive my car?
• Do I need medical payments coverage since I have good health insurance?

If you're not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to an agent. If you don't have a local agent, simply complete this short form.

Compare. Compare. Compare.

More affordable car insurance in Chicago is attainable both 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 online price quotes and many times these smaller providers prefer to sell through independent agents.

Insureds leave their current company for a variety of reasons including denial of a claim, unfair underwriting practices, being labeled a high risk driver or policy non-renewal. Whatever your reason, finding the right car insurance provider is not as hard as you think.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, you should never buy poor coverage just to save money. In many cases, an accident victim reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to regret at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your focus should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the lowest possible cost while still protecting your assets.

Even more information can be found at these sites:

• Understanding your Policy (NAIC.org)
• What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Hybrid Vehicles in Chicago? (FAQ)
• How Much are Chicago Auto Insurance Quotes for Used Cars? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for College Students in Chicago? (FAQ)
• How Much are Chicago Auto Insurance Rates for Nurses? (FAQ)
• What if I Can't Find Coverage? (Insurance Information Institute)
• Credit and Insurance Scores (Insurance Information Institute)
• Distracted Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)