There isn’t anyone who gets a kick out of paying for car insurance, especially knowing their premiums are too high.
Smart shoppers know that auto insurance companies don’t want you shop around. Drivers who shop around once a year are likely to switch car insurance companies because of the good chance of finding a lower-priced company. A recent car insurance study discovered that people who faithfully checked for cheaper rates saved $865 a year as compared to drivers who don’t make a habit of comparing rates.
If finding the cheapest price for Lincoln Mark LT insurance in Philadelphia is your target objective, then understanding the best way to shop and compare car insurance can save time and make the process easier. There is such a variety of auto insurance companies to purchase coverage from, and though it is a good thing to be able to choose, so many choices can make it hard to compare rates and cut insurance costs.
It’s important to compare prices periodically because car insurance prices are usually higher with each renewal. Even if you think you had the best price on Lincoln Mark LT insurance in Philadelphia on your last policy other companies may now be cheaper. Block out anything you think you know about car insurance because it’s time to teach you the best way to save money, get proper coverage and the best rates.
Why You Might Pay Lower Rates in Philadelphia
Lots of things are used when you get a price on insurance. Most are fairly basic such as traffic violations, but some are not as apparent such as your marital status or your vehicle rating.
Do you have enough liability coverage? – Your auto insurance policy’s liability coverage will provide protection if you are responsible for damages from an accident. Liability insurance provides legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. Liability is cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so insureds should have plenty of protection for their assets.
Urban areas may pay more – Having an address in less populated areas is a positive aspect when talking about auto insurance. Urban drivers regularly have congested traffic and more time behind the wheel. Fewer drivers and short commutes means a lower chance of having an accident as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
Tickets mean higher prices – A bad driving record impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Getting just one driving citation can boost insurance rates to the point where it’s not affordable. Good drivers get better rates as compared to those with violations. Drivers who have severe citations like reckless driving or DUI may be required to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to prevent a license revocation.
Do females or males drive better? – Statistics demonstrate women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, this does not mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Males and females cause at-fault accidents in similar percentages, but the men cause more damage. Men also tend to have more aggressive citations such as reckless driving.
Eliminate extra policy coverages – There are a ton of extra add-on coverages that may not really be needed but may not be useful. Insurance for rental car coverage, high-cost glass coverage, and additional equipment coverage are probably not needed. These coverages may sound good when discussing your needs, but if you don’t need them eliminate them to save money.
Consolidate policies and save – Many insurance companies will give a discount to people who consolidate policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Even if you’re getting this discount it’s in your best interest to compare other company rates to ensure the best deal. You may still be able to find lower rates by buying insurance from more than one company.
High stress vocation may mean higher rates – Careers such as real estate brokers, executives, and accountants tend to pay higher premium rates in part from high stress and lengthy work days. On the flip side, jobs like scientists, students and retirees pay lower than average rates.
Better premiums on cars with good safety ratings – Safer cars tend to have lower insurance rates. These vehicles help reduce the chance of injuries in an accident and reduced instances of injuries means less claims paid which can mean better rates for you. If your Lincoln Mark LT has at least four stars on Safercar.gov you may qualify for a discount.
Finding a better price on auto insurance is not a difficult process. You just have to take a few minutes to get quotes to discover which company has affordable Lincoln Mark LT insurance quotes.
Online shopping is fast and free, and it takes the place of having to drive around to local Philadelphia insurance agencies. Shopping for auto insurance online reduces the need to sit down with an agent unless you want the personal advice of an agent trained in personal lines coverage. You can, however, compare online quotes but purchase the actual policy in an agency.
The companies in the list below are ready to provide price comparisons in Pennsylvania. If multiple companies are listed, we recommend you compare several of them in order to find the most competitive rates.
Auto insurance is not optional in Pennsylvania
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Lincoln Mark LT in Philadelphia, insuring your vehicle is most likely required but also gives you several important benefits.
- The majority of states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to buy a minimum amount of liability insurance coverage in order to be legal. In Pennsylvania these limits are 15/30/5 which means you must have $15,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $5,000 of property damage coverage.
- If your vehicle has a lienholder, most banks will require that you buy insurance to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If you do not keep the policy in force, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Lincoln at a more expensive rate and require you to fork over for it.
- Auto insurance preserves both your car and your personal assets. Insurance will pay for most medical and hospital costs for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, will also pay attorney fees if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If your Lincoln gets damaged, your auto insurance policy will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of buying auto insurance more than cancel out the cost, especially with large liability claims. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer is wasting up to $700 annually so it’s important to compare rates at every renewal to save money.
Discounts for affordable insurance quotes
Car insurance is not cheap, but there could be available discounts to reduce the price significantly. Certain credits will be shown when you complete an application, but once in a while a discount must be inquired about before you get the savings. If they aren’t giving you every credit possible, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Discount for Low Mileage – Driving fewer miles may allow you to get discounted prices on garaged vehicles.
- Paper-free Discount – Some of the larger companies will provide an incentive for buying your policy on their website.
- Discounts for New Vehicles – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can save you some money since new model year vehicles are generally safer.
- No Claims – Good drivers with no accidents can save substantially as opposed to insureds who have frequent claims or accidents.
- Safe Driver Discount – Safe drivers can save up to 40% or more on their Philadelphia auto insurance quote compared to accident prone drivers.
- Theft Prevention System – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with anti-theft systems are stolen with less frequency and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Renewal Discounts – Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching policies prior to the expiration date on your current Mark LT insurance policy. You may see this discount when you get Philadelphia auto insurance quotes online.
- Air Bag Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts may earn rate discounts of more than 20%.
- Driver Education Discount – Require your teen driver to enroll and complete driver’s education as it will make them better drivers and lower rates.
Policy discounts save money, but most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. Even though it may seem like all the discounts add up to a free policy, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.
If you would like to view insurance companies with discount insurance rates in Philadelphia, click this link.
Local insurance agents
Many drivers just prefer to buy from a local agent and that can be a great decision Professional agents can help you build your policy and help you file claims. A nice benefit of price shopping on the web is the fact that drivers can get cheap auto insurance quotes but also keep your business local.
Upon completion of this form (opens in new window), your information is instantly submitted to companies in Philadelphia that can give you free Philadelphia auto insurance quotes for your business. There is no reason to even leave your home because prices are sent directly to your email. If you want to quote rates from a specific company, you would need to navigate to their website and complete a quote there.
Finding the right company requires more thought than just a cheap price quote. Some important questions to ask are:
- Can glass repairs be made at your home?
- Can you use your own choice of collision repair facility?
- How long has their agency been open in Philadelphia?
- Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
- How are they compensated?
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
- How often do they review coverages?
If you need to find a local agent, you should know the different types of agents and how they work. Auto insurance policy providers are categorized either independent agents or exclusive agents. Either can sell and service auto insurance coverage, but it’s important to point out the difference in the companies they write for because it can influence your agent selection.
Exclusive Auto Insurance Agencies
Agents of this type can usually just insure with one company and examples are State Farm or Allstate. Exclusive agents cannot compare other company’s rates so they have to upsell other benefits. Exclusive agents are usually well trained on the products they sell which helps overcome the inability to quote other rates.
Below is a list of exclusive agencies in Philadelphia willing to provide rate quotes.
Vince Ovecka – State Farm Insurance Agent
456 E Girard Ave – Philadelphia, PA 19125 – (215) 739-0800 – View Map
Joe Ems – State Farm Insurance Agent
7348 Frankford Ave – Philadelphia, PA 19136 – (215) 333-5100 – View Map
Michael DeCarlo – State Farm Insurance Agent
326 S 19th St Ste 2 – Philadelphia, PA 19103 – (215) 772-0100 – View Map
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Agents that elect to be independent are not employed by one company and that is an advantage because they can write policies through many companies and get the cheapest rates. If your premiums go up, your policy is moved internally which is easy for the insured. If you need lower rates, you should always include rate quotes from a couple of independent agencies for maximum quote selection.
Below are Philadelphia independent agents who can help you get price quote information.
Rexach Insurance Agency
2932 N 5th St – Philadelphia, PA 19133 – (215) 229-6320 – View Map
Torri Insurance Agency
214 Fairmount Ave – Philadelphia, PA 19123 – (800) 701-5909 – View Map
Fabey Insurance Agency
619 E Girard Ave – Philadelphia, PA 19125 – (215) 425-7640 – View Map
In the end, you can save money
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, don’t be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your aim should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest cost, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Low-cost Lincoln Mark LT insurance in Philadelphia can be found on the web and with local Philadelphia insurance agents, so you need to shop Philadelphia auto insurance with both to have the best rate selection. Some companies may not have online quoting and many times these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through independent agencies.
To learn more, link through to the resources below:
- Auto Insurance 101 (About.com)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for Low Mileage Drivers in Philadelphia? (FAQ)
- Distracted Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Side Impact Crash Tests (iihs.org)
- Older Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)