How to Get Lower Auto Insurance Rates in Phoenix

I can’t think of anyone who fancies paying their premiums for auto insurance, especially when they could get a better deal.

It’s shocking but most drivers in Arizona have been with the same company for over three years, and 38% of drivers have never compared rates with other companies. American drivers could save nearly 46.5% a year just by comparing rates, but they don’t want to spend time to find affordable rates by getting comparison quotes. Big companies like State Farm, Farmers Insurance, GEICO and Allstate constantly blast consumers with advertising and it is difficult to separate fact from fiction and do the work needed to find the best deal.

Consumers should take time to compare rates yearly because auto insurance prices trend upward over time. Just because you found the best deal on auto insurance a year ago the chances are good that you can find a lower premium rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because you’re about to learn one of the easiest ways to find better coverage on auto insurance at a better price.

If you already have coverage or just want cheaper rates, you can learn to find better prices and still have adequate protection. Locating the most cost-effective car insurance policy in Phoenix is much easier if you know where to start. Vehicle owners only need an understanding of the best way to compare rate quotes from many companies at once.

The most recommended method to get policy rate comparisons utilizes the fact car insurance companies pay for the opportunity to provide you with free rate quotes. All consumers are required to do is provide the companies a bit of rating information such as types of safety features, if you lease or own, if you require a SR-22, and distance driven. Your insurance information is instantly submitted to many different companies and they respond with quotes within a short period of time.

To get price quotes for your car now, click here and enter your zip code.

The companies shown below provide free quotes in Phoenix, AZ. If several companies are displayed, we suggest you visit two to three different companies to get the best price comparison.

Prices above based on single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and Arizona minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, claim-free, safe-driver, and homeowner. Premium costs do not factor in vehicle location which can modify insurance rates considerably.

Liability-only versus full coverage

The information below illustrates the comparison of Ford Fusion auto insurance rates with and without full coverage. Data assumes no accidents or driving violations, $1,000 deductibles, married male driver, and no discounts are factored in.

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

Are you wasting money on full coverage?

There is no set guideline to exclude comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is 10% or more of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.

For example, let’s pretend your Ford Fusion claim settlement value is $4,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most your company will settle for is $3,000 after the deductible is paid. If you are currently paying more than $300 annually for your policy with full coverage, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.

There are some circumstances where dropping full coverage is not in your best interest. If you haven’t paid off your loan, you are required to maintain full coverage in order to satisfy the requirements of the loan. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should keep full coverage in place.

Get lower-cost rates on auto insurance with these discounts

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but there could be available discounts that many consumers don’t even know exist. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time you complete a quote, but occasionally some discounts must be specially asked for before you will receive the discount.

• ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can stop better under adverse conditions and the ABS can save up to 10%.
• Switch and Save Discount – Some auto insurance companies provide a discount for buying a policy before your current expiration date. This discount can save up to 10%.
• Telematics Data – Insureds who allow driving data submission to look at their driving habits by installing a telematics device like In-Drive from State Farm and Progressive’s Snapshot may see discounts if they show good driving skills.
• New Car Discount – Adding a new car to your policy can cost up to 25% less because newer vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
• Homeowners Savings – Owning your own home or condo can earn you a little savings because it means you have a higher level of financial diligence.
• Air Bags and Passive Restraints – Cars that have air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. Despite the appearance that all the discounts add up to a free policy, you aren’t that lucky.

Some companies that have most of the discounts above include:

• GEICO
• SAFECO
• State Farm
• MetLife
• 21st Century
• Progressive

If you need the cheapest Phoenix auto insurance quotes, ask every insurance company how you can save money. Some of the discounts discussed earlier may not be offered in your state. To see companies who offer discounts in Arizona, click here.

Seven things that impact your rates

A large part of saving on car insurance is knowing a few of the rating criteria that help calculate your premiums. If you know what influences your rates, this enables informed choices that will entitle you to lower rates. Many different elements are used in the calculation when you quote your car insurance policy. Some are obvious like an MVR report, but other factors are less apparent like where you live and annual miles driven.

Pleasure use saves money – The higher the miles on your car annually the higher your rates will be. Most companies charge rates based on how the vehicle is used. Vehicles not used for work or commuting can be on a lower rate level than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Ask your agent if your policy correctly shows the correct usage for each vehicle.

Certain employers pay higher rates – Occupational choices like military generals, airline pilots, and financial analysts have higher average rates in part from job stress and lots of time spent at work. On the flip side, jobs such as scientists, athletes and performers get better rates.

Save money with alarm systems – Selecting a car model with anti-theft technology or alarm system can earn a premium discount. Anti-theft devices like vehicle immobilizer systems, OnStar, and tracking devices like LoJack all help prevent your vehicle from being stolen.

Save money with higher deductibles – The deductibles you choose tell how much you are willing to pay before your car insurance pays a claim. Physical damage insurance, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be rearending another vehicle, collision with a deer, or theft of your vehicle. The more of the claim you pay before a claim is paid (deductible), the better rate you will receive.

Little extras can really add up – Insurance policies have a lot of extra bells and whistles that you can get tricked into buying on your policy. Insurance for replacement cost coverage, high-cost glass coverage, and Farm Bureau memberships are probably not needed. These coverages may sound good when discussing your needs, but if you don’t need them remove them and pocket the money.

Gals tend to take less risk – Statistics have proven that females take fewer risks when driving. The data does not necessarily mean that women are better drivers. Both genders are responsible for accidents at a similar rate, but the male of the species get into accidents with more damage. They also get higher numbers of serious violations like driving under the influence (DUI). Young males are several times more likely to be in an accident and therefore are the most expensive to insure.

Cars with good safety ratings lower car insurance rates – Vehicles with good safety scores tend to have lower insurance rates. Safer cars result in less severe injuries and lower injury rates means less claims paid and cheaper rates on your policy. If your car or truck has at least four stars on Safercar.gov you may qualify for a discount.

Local Phoenix auto insurance agents

Many drivers would rather sit down and talk to an agent and doing so can bring peace of mind Licensed agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help file insurance claims. One of the benefits of comparing rates online is the fact that you can find cheap insurance rates and still buy from a local agent. Buying from neighborhood insurance agencies is important particularly in Phoenix.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this simple form, your information is transmitted to insurance agents in Phoenix who will gladly provide quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. There is no reason to find an agent on your own as quotes are delivered to your email. If you want to get a rate quote from one company in particular, don’t hesitate to go to their quote page and complete a quote there.

When researching a good insurance agency, there are a couple of types of insurance agents from which to choose. Agents in Phoenix are considered either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for. Either one can provide insurance policies, but it’s good to learn why they differ because it can influence the selection process.

Independent Insurance Agents (or Brokers)

Independent insurance agents do not have single company limitations so as a result can place your coverage through many different insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To move your coverage to a new company, they simply move your policy to a different company and the insured can keep the same agent. If you need cheaper insurance rates, you will want to get insurance quotes from independent agents for the best price selection.

The following are Phoenix independent insurance agents who can help you get free insurance rate quotes.

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Exclusive Agents

These type of agents can only provide one company’s prices and some examples include Allstate and State Farm. They usually cannot provide rate quotes from other companies so you might not find the best rates. These agents are highly trained on their products and sales techniques which aids in selling service over price.

The following are Phoenix exclusive insurance agencies willing to provide price quote information.

View more agents

Picking the best insurance agent requires more thought than just a cheap quote. Here are some questions you should ask.

• Can glass repairs be made at your home?
• Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
• How often do they review policy coverages?
• What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
• Can you contact them at any time?
• Do they write coverage based solely on cost?

Misconceptions in insurance advertisements

Arizona consumers can’t avoid all the ads for insurance savings from companies such as State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. They all convey the message about savings if you just switch your coverage.

How does every company make the same claim? Just pay attention to how they say it.

Insurance providers are able to cherry pick for the right customer they prefer to insure. For example, a profitable risk profile may be over the age of 45, carries high limits, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Any new insured who fits that profile receive the lowest rate quotes in Phoenix and will most likely cut their insurance rates if they switch.

Potential insureds who do not match these standards will probably have to pay a higher rate and this can result in the customer not buying. The trick companies use is to say “drivers that switch” not “everyone who quotes” save that much. That is how insurance companies can make claims that they all have the best rates.

Because of the profiling, you should compare as many free Phoenix auto insurance quotes as you can. You cannot predict which company will fit your personal profile best.

Be persistent to save money

Discount insurance in Phoenix is available from both online companies and with local Phoenix insurance agents, so get free Phoenix auto insurance quotes from both of them so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and these smaller companies prefer to sell through local independent agents.

Throughout this article, we presented some good ideas how to save on insurance in Phoenix. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the higher your chance of finding cheaper Phoenix auto insurance quotes. Consumers may even find the lowest priced insurance comes from the least-expected company. Smaller companies may have significantly lower car insurance rates on certain market segments than their larger competitors like State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.

While you’re price shopping online, do not sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In many instances, consumers will sacrifice liability coverage limits and discovered at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your objective should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

To learn more, link through to the resources below:

• Credit and Insurance Scores (Insurance Information Institute)
• Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for a Toyota Tacoma in Phoenix? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Phoenix Car Insurance Rates for a Toyota Tundra? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates for a Subaru Outback in Phoenix? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Phoenix Auto Insurance for 17 Year Olds? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Phoenix Auto Insurance Quotes for a Ford Explorer? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Phoenix Auto Insurance Rates for 4×4 Vehicles? (FAQ)
• Bodily Injury Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
• Insuring a Leased Car (Insurance Information Institute)