It’s a fact that car insurance companies don’t want you to look for a cheaper policy. People who shop around for cheaper rates are very likely to switch companies because there is a significant possibility of finding better rates. A recent auto insurance study discovered that drivers who shopped around saved over $850 each year compared to those who never compared prices.
If finding the cheapest price for insurance is your ultimate goal, then learning about how to shop for insurance rates can save money and time.
It takes a little time, but the best way to find lower priced Lincoln Continental insurance in Pittsburgh is to compare prices at least once a year from companies that sell auto insurance in Pennsylvania.
- Step 1: Try to learn about individual coverages and the things you can change to prevent high rates. Many risk factors that result in higher prices such as high-risk driving behaviors and an imperfect credit rating can be amended by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility. Read the full article for more ideas to help prevent expensive coverage and get additional discounts.
- Step 2: Quote rates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can give quotes from one company like GEICO and Allstate, while independent agents can provide prices for a wide range of insurance providers. View prices
- Step 3: Compare the price quotes to your existing policy and see if there is a cheaper rate in Pittsburgh. If you find a lower rate and buy the policy, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Step 4: Tell your current company to cancel your current policy and submit any necessary down payment along with the completed application to the new company. As soon as coverage is bound, keep the new certificate verifying coverage somewhere easily accessible.
The most important part of this process is to try to use the same coverage limits and deductibles on each quote and and to get rates from as many companies as you can. Doing this provides a level playing field and a thorough selection of prices.
Save a ton with discounts
Insurance is neither fun to buy or cheap, but there’s a good chance there are discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Certain discounts will be applied at quote time, but once in a while a discount must be asked for before being credited. If you check and find you aren’t receiving every discount you deserve, you may be paying too high a price.
- Driver’s Education for Students – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers successfully complete driver’s ed class as it can save substantially.
- Defensive Driver Discounts – Taking time to complete a course teaching defensive driving skills may get you a small discount if you qualify.
- Passive Restraints – Cars that have air bags can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.
- Discounts for Multiple Vehicles – Having multiple vehicles with the same insurance company can reduce rates for all insured vehicles.
- Discounts for Cautious Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents can save as much as half off their rates as compared to drivers with claims.
- No Charge for an Accident – This one is not really a discount per se, but companies like State Farm, Progressive and GEICO may permit one accident without the usual rate increase with the catch being you have to be claim-free for a particular time prior to the accident.
- Use Seat Belts – Requiring all passengers to fasten their seat belts can save a little off the PIP or medical payment premium.
Consumers should know that some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though the math looks like you could get a free insurance policy, nobody gets a free ride.
Larger insurance companies and a partial list of their discounts are included below.
- GEICO may have discounts that include federal employee, seat belt use, multi-policy, emergency military deployment, anti-theft, and five-year accident-free.
- USAA offers discounts including defensive driver, driver training, safe driver, military installation, and vehicle storage.
- Progressive offers premium reductions for multi-policy, multi-vehicle, online signing, online quote discount, and good student.
- American Family may offer discounts for multi-vehicle, TimeAway discount, accident-free, early bird, defensive driver, bundled insurance, and good driver.
- Esurance may include discounts for claim free, paid-in-full, safety device, anti-theft, good driver, and homeowner.
- Farmers Insurance discounts include switch companies, early shopping, distant student, bundle discounts, teen driver, alternative fuel, and youthful driver.
- State Farm offers discounts for anti-theft, good student, driver’s education, multiple autos, and good driver.
If you need cheaper Pittsburgh car insurance quotes, ask each insurance company to apply every possible discount. Savings might not be available to policyholders in Pittsburgh. If you would like to view providers who offer free Lincoln Continental insurance quotes in Pennsylvania, click here.
Cutting your Pittsburgh car insurance rates is pretty simple and can save money. You just need to spend a little time comparing free Pittsburgh car insurance quotes provided by online insurance companies.
The providers in the list below have been selected to offer free quotes in Pittsburgh, PA. In order to find the cheapest auto insurance in Pennsylvania, we recommend you visit two to three different companies in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Smart Buyers Can Slash Their Insurance Rates
Many different elements are part of the calculation when you quote your car insurance policy. A few of the factors are predictable like your driving record, but others are more transparent like your vehicle usage or how safe your car is.
Shown below are a few of the “ingredients” companies use to determine premiums.
- Drive a safer car and pay less – Vehicles with high crash test scores cost less to insure. Vehicles built for safety protect occupants better and lower rates of occupant injuries means your insurance company pays less and thus lower rates.
- Get a ticket, pay higher costs – Your driving citation history impacts premiums far more than you think. Drivers with clean records pay less for auto insurance as compared to careless drivers. Getting just one speeding ticket or other violation can increase the cost of insurance forty percent or more. Drivers who have received multiple violations such as reckless driving or DUI may find they need to maintain a SR-22 with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to prevent their license from being revoked.
- Pay more for higher performance vehicles – The performance level of the car, truck or SUV you are insuring makes a significant difference in determining your rates. Low performance passenger vehicles usually are quite affordable to insure, but that’s not the only thing that factors into the final price.
- How do annual miles impact rates? – The higher the miles on your Lincoln every year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Almost all companies rate vehicles based upon how the vehicle is primarily used. Vehicles that sit idle most of the time qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. An improperly rated Continental may be costing you. Make sure your vehicle rating is showing the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.
- When should you file car insurance claims? – If you are the type of insured that files lots of claims don’t be surprised to see much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Companies in Pennsylvania provide discounts to policyholders who are not frequent claim filers. Your insurance policy is designed for larger claims.
- Rental and towing coverage may not be needed – There are a lot of additional coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you aren’t careful. Coverages for vanishing deductibles, towing, and extra equipment coverage are examples of these. You may think they are a good idea when deciding what coverages you need, but if you have no use for them get rid of them and save.
- Qualify for multi-policy discounts – Many insurance companies apply better rates to clients who have multiple policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to ten or even fifteen percent. If you currently are using one company, you still need to compare other company rates to help ensure you have the lowest rates. You may still find better rates by buying insurance from more than one company.
Which policy gives me the best coverage?
When choosing proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s needs are different.
Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining if your insurance needs will benefit from professional help.
- What should my uninsured motorist coverage limits be in Pennsylvania?
- I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
- Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
- Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
- When should I not file a claim?
- Why do I have to buy liability insurance?
If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can help protect your family.
Insurance agents can help
Many drivers still like to sit down and talk to an agent and that is OK! Good insurance agents can help you choose the best coverages and will help you if you have claims. A good thing about getting online price quotes is that you can find cheaper car insurance rates but also keep your business local. Supporting local agencies is definitely important in Pittsburgh.
For easy comparison, once you complete this quick form, your insurance data is instantly submitted to local insurance agents in Pittsburgh who can give free rate quotes for your insurance coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to even leave your home because quoted prices will be sent directly to you. In the event you want to get a price quote from one company in particular, you can always search and find their rate quote page and complete a quote there.
Insurance agent types
When researching a local Pittsburgh insurance agent, it helps to know the two different agency structures from which to choose. Pittsburgh agents are either exclusive agents or independent agents. Either can sell and service insurance coverage, but we need to point out the difference in how they write coverage because it can impact which agent you choose.
Independent Agents
These agents can quote rates with many companies and that gives them the ability to insure with multiple insurance companies and find you cheaper rates. To move your coverage to a new company, they simply move the coverage in-house and the insured can keep the same agent.
If you are comparing rate quotes, you should always get insurance quotes from independent agents for maximum quote selection. A lot of them also have access to small regional insurance companies which may have better rates.
Featured below are Pittsburgh independent insurance agencies who can help you get free price quotes.
- T.W. Butts Insurance Agency
4893 Campbells Run Rd – Pittsburgh, PA 15205 – (412) 787-7800 – View Map - Spodek Insurance Agency, Inc.
4349 Murray Ave – Pittsburgh, PA 15217 – (412) 521-8600 – View Map - MADIA INSURANCE AGENCY INC
9370 McKnight Rd #300A – Pittsburgh, PA 15237 – (412) 367-9200 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Exclusive agencies can only quote rates from one company and examples are AAA, Allstate, State Farm, or Farmers Insurance. Exclusive agencies are unable to give you multiple price quotes so always compare other rates. These agents are usually quite knowledgeable on their company’s products which aids in selling service over price. Many people use the same exclusive agent mainly due to high brand loyalty and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.
Shown below are exclusive insurance agencies in Pittsburgh that are able to give price quote information.
- Darlene Shelton-Lamot – State Farm Insurance Agent
911 Western Ave – Pittsburgh, PA 15233 – (412) 322-1064 – View Map - Mike Dudenas – State Farm Insurance Agent
901 Castle Shannon Blvd – Pittsburgh, PA 15234 – (412) 561-5012 – View Map - Eric Morris – State Farm Insurance Agent
2015 Babcock Blvd – Pittsburgh, PA 15209 – (412) 821-0225 – View Map
Finding the right car insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just a cheap price. The questions below may impact your decision as well.
- Is the coverage adequate for your vehicle?
- Do you need full coverage on every vehicle?
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Pennsylvania?
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
- Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?
Upon receiving satisfactory answers for all questions you ask as well as cheaper Continental insurance quotes, you may have just found an insurance agency that is reliable enough to properly insure your vehicles.
Why you need quality insurance for your Lincoln vehicle
Despite the high insurance cost for a Lincoln Continental in Pittsburgh, paying for car insurance is most likely required but also gives you several important benefits.
- The majority of states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means state laws require specific limits of liability 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 Lincoln has a loan, most banks will make it a condition of the loan that you have comprehensive coverage to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the bank will be required to insure your Lincoln at a much higher premium rate and force you to pay for the expensive policy.
- Car insurance protects not only your Lincoln Continental but also your financial assets. It will also provide coverage for medical expenses for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance also covers legal expenses if you are sued as the result of an accident. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance definitely exceed the cost, especially if you ever need it. As of last year, the average driver in Pennsylvania is overpaying more than $850 per year so it’s important to compare rates once a year at a minimum to ensure rates are inline.
Car insurance company ratings
Choosing a good quality car insurance company can be a challenge considering how many companies there are to choose from in Pennsylvania. The ranking data shown next may help you select which insurers you want to consider shopping your coverage with.
Top 10 Pittsburgh Car Insurance Companies by A.M. Best Rank
- USAA – A++
- GEICO – A++
- Travelers – A++
- State Farm – A++
- Allstate – A+
- Nationwide – A+
- Esurance – A+
- Erie Insurance – A+
- Progressive – A+
- Titan Insurance – A+
Top 10 Pittsburgh Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Value
- The General
- The Hartford
- Titan Insurance
- Farmers Insurance
- 21st Century
- Safeco Insurance
- AAA Insurance
- State Farm
- Travelers
- Progressive
You can lower your auto insurance rates
Consumers who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as delays in responding to claim requests, high rates after DUI convictions, policy cancellation and questionable increases in premium. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch choosing a new company can be easier than you think.
Cheaper Lincoln Continental insurance in Pittsburgh can be sourced online and from local insurance agents, so you need to shop Pittsburgh car insurance with both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance providers do not provide rate quotes online and these regional carriers sell through local independent agencies.
You just read a lot of tips how to compare Lincoln Continental insurance car insurance rates in Pittsburgh. It’s most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the best car insurance rates are with some of the smallest insurance companies.
Additional detailed information is located in these articles:
- Dangers of fake or stolen airbags (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes for a Ford Explorer in Pittsburgh? (FAQ)
- How Much is Auto Insurance for Infrequent Drivers in Pittsburgh? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for a Toyota Tacoma in Pittsburgh? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance for 19 Year Olds in Pittsburgh? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Toyota RAV4 in Pittsburgh? (FAQ)
- How Much is Car Insurance for a Toyota Camry in Pittsburgh? (FAQ)
- Teen Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Teen Driving Statistics (GEICO)
- How Can I Save Money on Auto Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Vehicle Safety Ratings (iihs.org)