Beware! Car Insurance Companies' Prices Vary Dramatically
One reason car insurance companies price increases with their loss experience. If the company made bad decisions and their drivers experienced more accidents or had higher claims than they expected, the increased cost reflects in the price of the premiums. This may reflect across the board on all their premiums or be driver group or auto specific.
Even though a neighbor may get a great price with that company, it doesn't mean you will also find the company to be the cheapest rate. If you're age is different or the type of car you drive, they may have higher rates for your car or age if the company experienced a lot of high claims for that type of car or driver. Never simply take the word of a friend but check for specific rates when you compare prices.
The price of your car insurance also depends on how efficiently the car insurance companies are and their cost for running the company. Sometimes smaller companies or bare bones car insurance companies offer great rates because their office expenditure isn't huge. They often don't have overpaid executives that simply suck the money from the company without adding to the efficiency.
Car insurance companies also invest some of the money they receive in premiums and offset some of the cost with the investment funds. If they don't have good returns on the investment, the premiums increase.
You also need to check the ratings of the car insurance company before you jump at any low price. Financial ratings from organizations like AM Best are important but you need to look further. If you find the company has a lot of customer complaints about payment or service, back away rapidly.
Another way to avoid forced increases in premium is to get competitive quotes. Before the Internet became a powerful shopping tool, it took hours of calling and repeating your information to even secure a few quotes from local representatives. Most people decided that it was not just too much work, it was also uncomfortable telling strangers everything about your driving history. When you left your number for a call back quote, it meant months of solicitation calls followed your inquiry.
Today, it takes only a few minutes of anonymous searching on the Internet to find the car insurance companies with the best rates. Most websites offer you the luxury of getting quotes from multiples of car insurance companies and all you need to do is input your information once. You can secure quotes 24/7 on the Internet, unlike the business hours only quotes from brick and mortar insurance offices. There's no need to be captive to high rates anymore. You'll find everything you need to start saving money on premiums just a keystroke away.