It’s an obvious conclusion that insurance companies don’t want you shop around. Insureds who compare rates annually will presumably buy a different policy because of the good chance of finding better rates. Remarkably, a study showed that people who compared rates once a year saved on average $850 each year compared to other drivers who didn’t regularly shop around.
If saving money on car insurance in Indianapolis is your ultimate goal, then having an understanding of how to get rate quotes and compare insurance premiums can make the process less intimidating.
Truthfully, the best way to get discount car insurance rates is to regularly compare prices from companies who sell insurance in Indianapolis. Drivers can shop around by following these guidelines.
- Take a little time to learn about how companies set rates and the measures you can take to prevent expensive coverage. Many rating criteria that drive up the price like speeding tickets, accidents and a lousy credit rating can be remedied by making lifestyle changes or driving safer.
- Compare rates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only give prices from one company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can provide price quotes from multiple companies.
- Compare the new quotes to the premium of your current policy to determine if switching companies saves money. If you find a lower rate quote and buy the policy, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
- Provide notification to your current agent or company to cancel your current car insurance policy. Submit the completed application along with a down payment to the new insurer. As soon as you can, place your new proof of insurance certificate with your registration paperwork.
One piece of advice is to use the same liability limits and deductibles on every price quote and and to get rates from as many companies as possible. Doing this provides the most accurate price comparison and a better comparison of the market.
Locating the most cost-effective car insurance policy in Indianapolis can really be easy if you know what you’re doing. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will most likely be able to shop for the lowest rates using the following tips. But Indiana consumers do need to understand the methods companies use to determine how much to charge and use it to find better rates.
Best companies for cheap Oldsmobile Bravada insurance in Indiana
The companies shown below are ready to provide comparison quotes in Indianapolis, IN. If several companies are displayed, it’s a good idea that you get prices from several of them to get the most competitive price.
Lower rates by qualifying for discounts
Auto insurance is expensive, but there may be some discounts to reduce the price significantly. Most are applied at quote time, but some must be asked for before being credited. If you do not double check each discount available, you are not getting the best rate possible.
- Paperwork-free – A few larger online companies will provide an incentive for buying your policy on your computer.
- Defensive Driver Discounts – Taking time to complete a defensive driving course can save you 5% or more and make you a better driver.
- Pay Early and Save – By making one initial payment instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may have a lower total premium amount.
- Senior Citizens – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you can get a slight reduction on a Indianapolis car insurance quote.
- No Charge for an Accident – Not necessarily a discount, but a few companies such as State Farm, Progressive and GEICO will turn a blind eye to one accident without raising rates with the catch being you have to be claim-free for a specific time period.
- Seat Belt Usage – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could cut 10% or more on medical payment and PIP coverage.
- Driver Education Discount – Reduce the cost of insurance for teen drivers by having them enroll and complete driver’s education in school.
- Own a Home – Owning a home in Indianapolis may trigger a policy discount on auto insurance since owning and maintaining a home means you have a higher level of financial diligence.
As is typical with insurance, most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Most only cut specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like you can get free auto insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way.
Companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are:
- Progressive has discounts for continuous coverage, multi-policy, online quote discount, good student, online signing, and homeowner.
- Farmers Insurance may include discounts for multi-car, bundle discounts, electronic funds transfer, mature driver, and good student.
- Farm Bureau has savings for driver training, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, youthful driver, 55 and retired, and good student.
- State Farm offers discounts including passive restraint, good driver, Drive Safe & Save, good student, driver’s education, defensive driving training, and safe vehicle.
- GEICO includes discounts for federal employee, seat belt use, defensive driver, military active duty, multi-policy, and anti-lock brakes.
- SAFECO offers premium reductions for anti-theft, safe driver, anti-lock brakes, homeowner, and drive less.
- Liberty Mutual offers discounts for preferred payment discount, good student, multi-policy, teen driver discount, newly retired, and new vehicle discount.
Before buying, ask every company to give you their best rates. Some discounts might not be offered in your area. If you would like to choose from a list of providers who offer free Oldsmobile Bravada insurance quotes in Indiana, click here.
Informed Consumers Can Cut Their Insurance Rates
Lots of factors are considered when premium rates are determined. Some are obvious like an MVR report, although others are not quite as obvious such as your credit history or how safe your car is. Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that help determine your policy premiums. If you understand what determines base rates, this allows you to make good choices that can earn you cheaper rates.
Shown below are some of the most common factors used by insurance companies to determine your rate level.
- Tickets drive up rates – Drivers who don’t get tickets have lower premiums than bad drivers. Having just one moving violation can bump up the cost substantially. Drivers who have received multiple citations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to prevent their license from being revoked.
- Rates may be lower depending on your occupation – Jobs such as doctors, airline pilots, and emergency personnel usually pay higher rates than the rest of us because of intense work situations and extremely grueling work hours. On the flip side, occupations like scientists, historians and homemakers pay lower than average rates.
- Insurance is expensive for teenage drivers – Drivers with little experience have been known to be careless and easily distracted when behind the wheel so they pay higher insurance rates. Older people are proven to be safer behind the wheel, statistically cause fewer accidents, and are safer drivers.
- More traffic equals higher costs – Residing in a small town is a good thing when insuring your vehicles. People who live in big cities tend to have congested traffic and more severe claims. Less people translates into fewer accident claims and lower theft and vandalism rates.
- Insurance policy lapses increase insurance rates – Not having insurance is not a good idea and insurance companies will penalize you for letting your insurance lapse for non-payment. Not only will rates go up, not being able to provide proof of insurance can result in a revoked license or a big fine. You may need to file a SR-22 with the Indiana DMV.
Buying from insurance agents
Certain consumers would prefer to visit with an insurance agent and that is not a bad decision A nice benefit of comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain cheap rate quotes but also keep your business local.
To find an agent, once you fill out this form (opens in new window), the quote information is emailed to local insurance agents who will gladly provide quotes for your business. There is no need to find an agent on your own since price quotes are sent to you directly. Get lower rates AND a local agent. If you want to get a comparison quote from a specific insurance company, you can always search and find their rate quote page and complete a quote there.
Selecting an provider shouldn’t rely on just the premium amount. The following questions are important to ask.
- Are they able to provide referrals?
- Are they involved in claim handling?
- Do they specialize in personal lines auto insurance in Indianapolis?
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
- Who are their largest clients?
- What is the financial rating for the quoted company?
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
Insurance agent types
When looking for a good insurance agency, you must know there are a couple different types of agents that you can select. Car insurance policy providers can be categorized as either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive.
Exclusive Agencies
Agents in the exclusive channel generally can only insure with one company and some examples include AAA, Allstate, and State Farm. Exclusive agencies are unable to provide other company’s prices so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. These agents are highly trained on what they offer which helps them sell on service rather than price. A lot of people buy insurance from these agents mainly due to the brand name rather than having the cheapest rates.
The following is a list of exclusive agents in Indianapolis who can help you get rate quotes.
- Allstate Insurance: Donald Oldham
303 N Alabama St #360 – Indianapolis, IN 46204 – (317) 687-0777 – View Map - Elizabeth Marshall – State Farm Insurance Agent
6124 N College Ave – Indianapolis, IN 46220 – (317) 255-2700 – View Map - Frances Johnson – State Farm Insurance Agent
5707 N Michigan Rd – Indianapolis, IN 46228 – (317) 257-3504 – View Map
Independent Car Insurance Agencies
Agents in the independent channel can sell policies from many different companies and that allows them to write policies through many different car insurance companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If you are not satisfied with one company, your policy is moved internally and that require little work on your part.
When comparison shopping, you absolutely need to contact at a minimum one independent agency for maximum quote selection. Many can place coverage with companies that do not advertise much that many times have cheaper rates.
Listed below are Indianapolis independent insurance agents that are able to give price quote information.
- Indiana State Agency
2425 N Meridian St – Indianapolis, IN 46208 – (317) 923-7722 – View Map - Multiline Insurance Agency
9801 Fall Creek Rd #156 – Indianapolis, IN 46256 – (317) 476-6141 – View Map - Nationwide Insurance: Brelage Insurance Agency Inc
5451 Emerson Way – Indianapolis, IN 46226 – (317) 591-2660 – View Map
After getting acceptable answers to any questions you have and a low price estimate, you may have found a car insurance agent that is a good match to service your policy.
Quote more and you will save more
Consumers who switch companies do it for many reasons like an unsatisfactory settlement offer, not issuing a premium refund, delays in paying claims and even unfair underwriting practices. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding a great new company can be less work than you think.
Some insurance companies may not offer rate quotes online and usually these small insurance companies work with local independent agencies. Budget-conscious Oldsmobile Bravada insurance can be sourced both online and with local Indianapolis insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to get a complete price analysis.
When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s very important that you do not buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are a lot of situations where an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage only to discover later that they should have had better coverage. The ultimate goal is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest cost.
Even more information is located in the articles below:
- Auto Insurance for Teen Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has the Cheapest Indianapolis Auto Insurance for 19 Year Olds? (FAQ)
- How Much is Indianapolis Auto Insurance for a Ford Escape? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Nissan Versa in Indianapolis? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Handicapped Drivers in Indianapolis? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Teachers in Indianapolis? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Indianapolis Car Insurance Rates for a Toyota Highlander? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for High School Students in Indianapolis? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance for 18 Year Olds in Indianapolis? (FAQ)
- How Can I Save Money on Auto Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Alcohol Impaired Driving FAQ (iihs.org)
- Car Insurance FAQ (Trusted Choice)
- Winter Driving (Insurance Information Institute)