It’s easy to assume that car insurance companies don’t want you to look for cheaper rates. Insureds who shop around annually are highly likely to switch insurance companies because of the good chance of finding a policy with better rates. A recent survey discovered that consumers who routinely compared rates saved over $3,500 over four years as compared to drivers who don’t regularly compare prices.
If finding the best price on insurance in Anchorage is why you’re reading this, then understanding how to find and compare insurance rates can make the process more efficient.
The recommended way to get cheaper Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid insurance is to regularly compare price quotes from different companies who provide car insurance in Anchorage.
Step 1: Take a little time to learn about what coverages are included in your policy and the things you can control to drop your rates. Many factors that are responsible for high rates like traffic citations, accidents, and poor credit history can be remedied by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes. Read the full article for information to keep prices down and get additional discounts.
Step 2: Obtain price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only provide price estimates from one company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agents can quote rates from multiple sources. View rates
Step 3: Compare the new rates to your current policy premium to see if cheaper Optima Plug-In Hybrid coverage is available. If you find a lower rate quote and decide to switch, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
The key thing to remember is to use identical coverage information on each price quote and and to get price quotes from every company you can. This enables an accurate price comparison and a complete rate analysis.
The purpose of this post is to tell you the most effective ways to compare rates. If you have insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your rates using the ideas presented in this article. But Alaska consumers need to have an understanding of how insurance companies determine how much to charge because rates fluctuate considerably.
The quickest method we recommend to compare insurance rates from multiple companies is to take advantage of the fact most insurance companies actually pay money for the chance to provide you with a free rate quote. To get started, all you need to do is give them rating details such as the year, make and model of vehicles, if a SR-22 is needed, how much school you completed, and what your job is. The data is automatically sent to multiple top-rated companies and they return quotes almost instantly.
To get price quotes for your car now, click here and find out if lower rates are available in Anchorage.
The auto insurance companies shown below are ready to provide comparison quotes in Alaska. If multiple companies are listed, we suggest you visit several of them to find the most affordable auto insurance rates.
Save money with these discounts
Some insurers don’t necessarily list all their discounts very clearly, so below is a list both the well known as well as some of the hidden insurance savings.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Drivers who always wear seat belts and also require passengers to wear their seat belts can save 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- Defensive Driver Discounts – Passing a course in defensive driver could save 5% or more and make you a better driver.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Cars that have air bags may qualify for discounts up to 30%.
- Multiple Vehicles – Insuring all your vehicles on one policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
- Switch and Save Discount – A few larger companies allow discounts for switching policies before your current Optima Plug-In Hybrid insurance policy expires. Ten percent is about the average savings.
- Save over 55 – Drivers over the age of 55 can possibly qualify for reduced rates.
- Homeowners Savings – Owning a home in Anchorage can earn you a little savings because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
- Military Deployment Discount – Being on active duty in the military could trigger a small discount.
Please keep in mind that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Most cut specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, that’s just not realistic. Any amount of discount should help lower your overall premium however.
Larger insurance companies and the discounts they provide are outlined below.
- Farm Bureau discounts include driver training, safe driver, renewal discount, 55 and retired, good student, and multi-vehicle.
- Liberty Mutual offers discounts for new graduate, new vehicle discount, multi-car, multi-policy, exclusive group savings, and newly married.
- State Farm includes discounts for passive restraint, good student, student away at school, Drive Safe & Save, good driver, multiple policy, and multiple autos.
- Auto-Owners Insurance policyholders can earn discounts including paperless, paid in full, teen driver, safe driver, and anti-lock brakes.
- GEICO offers discounts including anti-lock brakes, anti-theft, five-year accident-free, driver training, and multi-policy.
- SAFECO has savings for teen safety rewards, homeowner, anti-theft, anti-lock brakes, teen safe driver, bundle discounts, and multi-car.
If you are trying to find affordable Anchorage car insurance quotes, ask every prospective company which discounts they offer. A few discounts may not be available everywhere. If you would like to choose from a list of insurance companies with the best discounts in Alaska, follow this link.
Buying car insurance from Anchorage auto insurance agents
Some consumers still prefer to talk to a local agent and that is recommended in a lot of cases A good thing about comparing rate quotes online is the fact that you can find the best rates and still have a local agent. Buying insurance from small agencies is especially important in Anchorage.
Once you complete this simple form, the coverage information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents who will gladly provide quotes for your business. It’s much easier because you don’t need to contact any insurance agencies as quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. You’ll get the best rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. If you have a need to compare rates for a specific company, you can always jump over to their website and give them your coverage information.
Pick the best auto insurance agent in Anchorage for you
If you are wanting to find a reliable insurance agency, it’s important to understand the different types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Car insurance agencies can be described as either exclusive or independent (non-exclusive).
Independent Car Insurance Agents (or Brokers)
Agents that elect to be independent are not restricted to one company and that allows them to write policies through many companies and get you the best rates possible. If you want to switch companies, the business is moved internally and you stay with the same agent. If you need cheaper car insurance rates, we recommend you include rate quotes from a few independent agents so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare.
The following is a short list of independent insurance agents in Anchorage that may be able to provide rate quotes.
Associated Insurance Services
7125 Old Seward Hwy #203 – Anchorage, AK 99518 – (907) 349-2229 – View Map
Alaska Pacific Insurance Agency dba: APIA Insurance
912 E 15th Ave #100 – Anchorage, AK 99501 – (800) 890-5563 – View Map
Horace Mann Insurance Co
7926 Old Seward Hwy – Anchorage, AK 99518 – (907) 561-1393 – View Map
Exclusive Agents
Agents of this type have only one company to place business with and some examples include State Farm, AAA, and Liberty Mutual. These agents are unable to compare rates from other companies so they have to upsell other benefits. These agents receive extensive training on the products they sell which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
Below are exclusive agents in Anchorage who can help you get price quotes.
Doug McCann – State Farm Insurance Agent
360 Boniface Pkwy, Ste B5 – Anchorage, AK 99504 – (907) 272-6442 – View Map
Stacey Roy – State Farm Insurance Agent
9220 Lake Otis Pkwy Ste A6 – Anchorage, AK 99507 – (907) 345-0505 – View Map
Allstate Insurance: Roy Briley
1577 C St Ste 102 – Anchorage, AK 99501 – (907) 297-2900 – View Map
Selecting an insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just the bottom line cost. These are valid questions to ask:
- Where are claims handled?
- How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
- What is their Better Business Bureau rating?
- How would your car be valued if totaled?
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
How You Can Control Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid Insurance Prices
Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that go into determining auto insurance rates. When you understand what impacts premium levels, this enables informed choices that may result in cheaper rates.
- Uninterrupted coverage lowers prices – Not having insurance is illegal and your next policy will cost more because you let your insurance lapse. And not only will your rates increase, failure to provide proof of insurance could result in a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
- Can a thief steal your car? – Owning a car that has a built-in theft deterrent system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features such as GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all help stop vehicle theft.
- Your occupation may affect rates – Occupational choices like fire fighters, business owners, and medical professionals tend to have higher premiums than the average policyholder in part from intense work requirements and incredibly demanding work hours. Conversely, jobs like farmers, engineers and the unemployed pay lower than average rates.
- Get hitched and get cheaper prices – Your spouse can actually save you money on your auto insurance policy. Having a significant other usually means you are more stable financially it has been statistically shown that married drivers tend to have fewer serious accidents.
- Low physical damage deductibles cost more – Insurance for physical damage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, covers damage that occurs to your Kia. Examples of covered claims would be a windshield shattered by a rock, damage caused by hail, and rolling your vehicle. The deductibles state the amount of money you are required to spend if a claim is determined to be covered. The more money you’re willing to pay, the lower your rates will be.
- Liability protection limits are a factor – The liability coverage on your policy will afford coverage when you are responsible for damages from an accident. This coverage provides legal defense starting from day one. This coverage is relatively inexpensive when compared to the cost of physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
- Multi-policy discounts can save money – Most major insurers will give better rates to clients who consolidate policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. This can amount to ten or even fifteen percent. Even if you’re getting this discount you may still want to shop around to help ensure you have the lowest rates.
- Reduce rates by staying claim free – Auto insurance companies in Alaska give better rates to policyholders who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you file claims often, you can pretty much guarantee either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Insurance coverage is intended for claims that pose a financial burden.
It may be expensive, but it’s not optional
Despite the high cost, maintaining insurance is required in Alaska but it also protects you in many ways.
- Almost all states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means the state requires a specific minimum amount of liability coverage in order to get the vehicle licensed. In Alaska these limits are 50/100/25 which means you must have $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
- If your vehicle has a lienholder, it’s most likely the lender will stipulate that you have full coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you do not keep the policy in force, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Kia at a much higher rate and force you to pay much more than you were paying before.
- Insurance protects both your car and your personal assets. It will also reimburse you for all forms of 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 you cause an accident and are sued. If your Kia gets damaged, your insurance policy will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of buying insurance outweigh the cost, particularly if you ever have a claim. According to a survey of 1,000 drivers, the average driver is wasting up to $825 a year so we recommend shopping around each time the policy renews to save money.
Smart shoppers get results
In this article, we presented a lot of ways to lower your Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid insurance premium rates in Anchorage. It’s most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the better your chances of lowering your prices. Consumers may even find the most savings is with the smaller companies. Some small companies can often provide lower prices in certain areas than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm or Progressive.
Cheaper insurance in Anchorage can be sourced both online in addition to many Anchorage insurance agents, and you need to price shop both so you have a total pricing picture. Some companies do not offer online rate quotes and these regional carriers prefer to sell through local independent agents.
Additional detailed information is available at these sites:
- Child Safety Seats (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes for 18 Year Olds in Anchorage? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Unemployed Drivers in Anchorage? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for a School Permit in Anchorage? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Teenagers in Anchorage? (FAQ)
- State Car Insurance Guides (GEICO)
- Insurance losses by make and model (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)