How to Get Lower Car Insurance Rates in Aurora

No normal person gets a kick out of paying for car insurance, especially knowing the price is too high.

Remarkably, a study showed that the vast majority of drivers have remained with the same car insurance company for four years or more, and virtually 40% of consumers have never even shopped around for lower-cost coverage. With the average car insurance premium being $1,500, Aurora drivers could save an average of as much as 40% each year, but they mistakenly think it's difficult to go online and compare rates. Insurance companies such as Allstate, Progressive and GEICO increase brand awareness with advertising and it is challenging if not impossible to see past the corporate glitz and find the best price available.

If you have a current car insurance policy or just want cheaper coverage, you can use these techniques to save money without reducing protection. Buying affordable car insurance in Aurora is quite easy if you know the best way to do it. Smart shoppers only have to learn how to shop their coverage around from multiple carriers.

Insurance discounts are available to get cheap rates

Companies don't list all possible discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of some of the more common and the harder-to-find discounts that you can inquire about if you buy Aurora car insurance online.

• Early Payment Discounts - By paying your entire bill at once rather than paying monthly you could save up to 5%.
• Low Miles Discount - Low mileage vehicles may allow you to get substantially lower rates.
• ABS Braking Discount - Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can stop better under adverse conditions and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• Data Collection Discounts - Drivers that enable companies to study driving habits by using a small device installed in their vehicle such as In-Drive from State Farm or Allstate's Drivewise system may get a rate reduction as long as the data is positive.
• Accident Waiver - Not necessarily a discount, but companies like Libery Mutual, GEICO and Allstate will allow you to have one accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you haven't had any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
• Senior Citizen Rates - If you're over the age of 55, you can get a small decrease in premiums.
• No Claim Discounts - Insureds with no claims or accidents pay much less compared to insureds who have frequent claims or accidents.

You can save money using discounts, but some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, company stockholders wouldn't be very happy.

Some of the larger companies who might offer some of the discounts shown above include:

• GEICO
• USAA
• Progressive
• American Family
• Esurance
• Farmers Insurance
• State Farm

When getting a coverage quote, ask each insurance company the best way to save money. Some discounts listed above may not be available in your area. To view insurers that can offer you the previously mentioned discounts in Aurora, follow this link.

Buy Aurora car insurance online

Most of the larger companies make it easy to get price estimates from their websites. Getting car insurance prices online is very simple as you simply type in the coverages you want as detailed in the form. When the form is submitted, their rating system automatically retrieves your driving record and credit report and returns a price quote based on the information you submitted. This makes it a lot easier to compare rates and it's also necessary to compare as many rates as possible if you want to get lower-cost rates.

To save time and fill out one form to compare multiple rates now, compare rates from the companies below. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend you type in the insurance coverages identical to your current policy. Doing this assures you will be getting a price comparison using the same coverage and limits.

The providers in the list below can provide quotes in Illinois. If the list has multiple companies, we recommend you get price quotes from several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.

Table data assumes single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and Illinois minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-vehicle, claim-free, homeowner, and multi-policy. Prices do not factor in your specific Aurora location which can affect price quotes greatly.

Deductible comparison

The chart below shows how different deductible levels and can change Ford Focus insurance costs for different categories of driver ages. The premiums are based on a married female driver, comp and collision included, and no policy discounts are applied.

Ford Focus rates are for example purposes only. To get rates for your specific vehicle, click here.

Raise deductibles and save

One of the more difficult decisions when buying auto insurance is the level to set your comp and collision deductibles. The comparisons below can help you visualize the difference in cost when you buy lower versus higher comp and collision deductibles. The first price estimate table uses a $100 deductible and the second rate table uses a $500 deductible.

Kia Optima rates are for example purposes only. To get rates for your specific vehicle, click here.

Data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Illinois minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, multi-vehicle, homeowner, safe-driver, and claim-free. Rate information does not factor in Aurora location which can decrease or increase premiums considerably.

We can estimate from the data above that using a $100 deductible costs about $19 more each month or $228 each year than opting for the higher $500 deductible. Because you would pay $400 more to settle a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you normally go more than 21 months between claims, you would save money if you choose a higher deductible.

Auto insurance premiums by gender

The chart below shows the comparison of auto insurance rates for male and female drivers in Aurora. The premium estimates are based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, comprehensive and collision coverage, $100 deductibles, drivers are single, and no other discounts are factored in on a Toyota Camry LE.

Toyota Camry rates are for example purposes only. To get rate quotes for your specific vehicle, click here.

Why you might pay higher rates in Aurora

Part of the car insurance buying process is learning some of the factors that are used to determine your policy premiums. When consumers understand what determines premiums, this allows you to make good choices that may result in cheaper rates. Lots of things are used when you get a price on insurance. Some are pretty understandable such as your driving record, although others are more obscure such as your marital status or how safe your car is.

The factors shown below are some of the most common factors that factor into your premiums.

• Combine policies with the same company - Many companies will award a discount to customers who have multiple policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount applied, consumers should still shop around to help ensure you have the lowest rates.
• Type of vehicle determines base costs - The performance of the car, truck or SUV you are trying to find cheaper insurance for makes a huge difference in the rate you pay. The lowest rates are usually found on the lowest performance passenger cars, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
• Big cities have higher prices - Residing in areas with lower population is a positive aspect when insuring your vehicles. Fewer drivers on the road means fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. People in densely populated areas tend to have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Longer commute distances means higher likelihood of an accident.
• Save money with alarm systems - Buying a car with a theft deterrent system can save you some money. Theft deterrent systems such as OnStar found on GM vehicles, advanced tracking like LoJack, and vehicle immobilization systems all help stop car theft and help bring rates down.
• Rental and towing coverage may not be needed - Policies have extra bells and whistles that sound like a good idea at the time on your car insurance policy. Insurance for things like personal injury protection, towing coverage, and motor club memberships may be wasting your money. They may seem like a good idea when discussing your needs, but if you have no use for them eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
• No car insurance policy gaps is important - Letting your insurance expire is a fast way to increase your car insurance rates. In addition to paying higher premiums, getting caught without coverage could result in a steep fine or even jail time.

Special considerations

When quoting and comparing coverage, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Every insured's situation is different.

For instance, these questions might help in determining whether your personal situation may require specific advice.

• Can I insure my car for more than it's worth?
• Is my camper covered for physical damage?
• Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?
• Do I need rental car coverage?
• Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
• Do I need replacement cost coverage?
• Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
• Is there coverage for injuries to my pets?
• Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
• Am I covered if I break a side mirror?

If you're not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form. It is quick, free and you can get the answers you need.

When should I talk to an insurance agent?

Certain consumers still like to buy from a local agent and that is not a bad decision Experienced insurance agents can help you build your policy and help submit paperwork. One of the great benefits of comparing insurance prices online is that you can find the best rates and also buy local.

Upon completion of this simple form, your information gets sent to insurance agents in Aurora who will give you quotes for your business. It's much easier because you don't need to do any legwork because prices are sent immediately to your email address. If you need to get a price quote from one company in particular, just jump over to their website and fill out the quote form the provide.

Picking an provider is decision based upon more than just a cheap price quote. Agents should be asked these questions:

• Do they have adequate Errors and Omissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
• Is the agent properly licensed in Illinois?
• Does the agent help file claims?
• Do they prorate repair cost based on vehicle mileage?
• Does the company have a solid financial rating?
• Are they actively involved in the community?
• What companies can they write with?
• Which insurance company do they prefer to write with?

Exclusive or Independent: There is a difference

When searching for a reliable insurance agency, it's helpful to know the types of agencies and how they are slightly different. Insurance agencies in Aurora can either be exclusive or independent (non-exclusive). Either can insure your vehicles, but it's good to learn the difference in the companies they write for since it can impact the kind of agent you use.

Exclusive Insurance Agencies

Agents of this type can usually just insure with one company and some examples include State Farm, Allstate, and Farm Bureau. Exclusive agents cannot give you multiple price quotes so they have no alternatives for high prices. Exclusive agents receive extensive training on sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.

Listed below is a short list of exclusive agencies in Aurora that are able to give price quotes.

More Aurora agents

Independent Insurance Agents

Agents that choose to be independent are appointed with more than one company and that allows them to write policies through many different car insurance companies depending on which coverage is best. If you want to switch companies, they can switch companies in-house and that require little work on your part. If you need lower rates, we highly recommend that you get some free quotes from several independent insurance agents so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare.

Listed below are independent agencies in Aurora willing to provide comparison quotes.

More Aurora agents

Why you need quality insurance for your vehicle

Even though rates can get expensive, insurance may be required for several reasons.

• Just about all states have mandatory insurance requirements which means you are required to buy a specific minimum amount of liability insurance if you don't want to risk a ticket. 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.
• If you took out a loan on your vehicle, most lenders will require that you have full coverage to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank may insure your vehicle at a much higher premium rate and force you to pay much more than you were paying before.
• Insurance preserves both your assets and your vehicle. Insurance will also pay for hospital and medical expenses for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If your vehicle gets damaged, your policy will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.

The benefits of insuring your car more than cancel out the cost, specifically if you ever have a liability claim. On average, a vehicle owner in Aurora is currently overpaying as much as $850 per year so you should quote rates at least once a year to be sure current rates are still competitive.

Quote often and quote early

We just showed you a lot of techniques to get a better price on auto insurance in Aurora. The most important thing to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the lowest premium rates come from the smaller companies.

As you shop your coverage around, don't be tempted to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are too many instances where an insured cut comprehensive coverage or liability limits and discovered at claim time they didn't purchase enough coverage. Your goal is to buy enough coverage at the best cost, not the least amount of coverage.

Consumers leave their current company for any number of reasons including policy cancellation, unfair underwriting practices, questionable increases in premium and lack of trust in their agent. No matter why you want to switch, finding a great new company is not as hard as you think.

For more information, feel free to browse the resources below:

• Your Car has been Stolen: Now What? (Allstate)
• Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for Veterans in Chicago? (FAQ)
• How Can I Save Money on Auto Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
• Should I Purchase an Umbrella Liability Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)
• Determining Your Vehicle's Value and Repair Cost (Insurance Information Institute)
• Teen Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)