If you’re shopping for cheaper insurance online, are you confused by the dozens of car insurance companies in your area? There are such a large number of options that it can turn into hard work to locate the lowest rates for Lexus RC 300 insurance in Chicago. Chicago is an awesome place to live, but expensive car insurance premiums can make it nearly impossible to keep a tight budget.
A recent car insurance study revealed that the vast majority of car insurance customers have been with the same company for a minimum of four years, and roughly 40% of drivers have never quoted rates to find lower-cost coverage. Many drivers in Chicago could cut their rates by about $590 a year by just comparing rate quotes, but most just don’t grasp how much money they would save if they switched.
There are several ways to compare quotes from local Chicago insurance companies. The fastest way to find the lowest rates is to perform an online rate comparison. It’s important to know that comparing a wide range of rates will increase your chances of finding lower pricing.
The following companies offer free quotes in Illinois. If multiple companies are listed, we recommend you visit as many as you can to get the cheapest price.
Score discounts on Chicago auto insurance
Not too many consumers would say auto insurance is affordable, but there could be significant discounts that could drop your premiums quite a bit. Certain credits will be shown at quote time, but some need to be requested specifically before being credited.
- Telematics Data Discounts – Insureds that choose to allow companies to track driving habits by using a telematics device in their vehicle such as Progressive’s Snapshot might get better premium rates if they exhibit good driving behavior.
- No Claim Discounts – Insureds with no claims or accidents pay less in comparison with insureds who have frequent claims or accidents.
- Chicago Homeowners Pay Less – Just being a homeowner can earn you a little savings because maintaining a house means you have a higher level of financial diligence.
- Lower Rates for Military – Having a deployed family member could be rewarded with lower premium rates.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles that have anti-lock braking systems prevent accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
Policy discounts save money, but most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. Even though it appears having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
A list of companies and a selection of discounts are shown below.
- American Family includes discounts for accident-free, early bird, multi-vehicle, TimeAway discount, and defensive driver.
- Farm Bureau has savings for youthful driver, good student, multi-policy, 55 and retired, driver training, and renewal discount.
- State Farm has discounts for anti-theft, multiple policy, good driver, good student, Drive Safe & Save, defensive driving training, and Steer Clear safe driver discount.
- Travelers policyholders can earn discounts including continuous insurance, multi-car, good student, IntelliDrive, multi-policy, and payment discounts.
- The Hartford may offer discounts for driver training, good student, bundle, vehicle fuel type, air bag, and anti-theft.
- GEICO offers discounts including anti-lock brakes, multi-vehicle, emergency military deployment, seat belt use, membership and employees, and anti-theft.
- Progressive discounts include multi-policy, good student, multi-vehicle, online signing, and online quote discount.
When comparing rates, check with every company how many discounts you can get. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts may not be available in Chicago.
Insurance agent or online?
Certain consumers still like to sit down and talk to an agent. One of the best bonuses of comparing insurance prices online is that you can find cheap rate quotes and also buy local. And supporting neighborhood insurance agencies is definitely important in Chicago.
For easy comparison, once you complete this simple form, the coverage information gets sent to agents in your area that provide free Chicago auto insurance quotes for your insurance coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to leave your computer due to the fact that quote results will go directly to your email. You can find lower rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. If for some reason you want to compare prices from one company in particular, you can always visit that company’s website and give them your coverage information.
Insurance agent types
When searching for a good insurance agency, there are a couple of types of insurance agents from which to choose. Chicago agents can be described as either exclusive or independent.
Independent Agents
Agents that choose to be independent are normally appointed by many insurers and that enables them to quote your coverage through many different auto insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If your premiums go up, your agent can switch companies and you don’t have to do anything.
When searching for an agent, you definitely need to contact independent agents to ensure the widest selection of prices. They also have the ability to place coverage with less well-known companies which can be an advantage.
Featured below is a short list of independent agencies in Chicago who can help you get comparison quotes.
- Illinois Vehicle Auto Insurance (Xpert)
1858 W 18th St – Chicago, IL 60608 – (312) 226-1033 – View Map - Great Northern Insurance Agency
5632 S Pulaski Rd – Chicago, IL 60629 – (773) 838-3900 – View Map - Active Insurance Agency – Auto Insurance
1034 N Ashland Ave – Chicago, IL 60622 – (773) 286-3473 – View Map
Exclusive Agents
Exclusive insurance agents can usually just insure with one company such as American Family, State Farm, and Allstate. These agents are not able to compare rates from other companies so they really need to provide good service. Exclusive agencies are usually well trained on their company’s products and that can be a competitive advantage. Drivers often use the same exclusive agent mostly because of the prominence of the brand rather than having the cheapest rates.
Below is a short list of exclusive insurance agents in Chicago that can give you price quotes.
- John Kim – State Farm Insurance Agent
5700 N Lincoln Ave #209 – Chicago, IL 60659 – (773) 561-1700 – View Map - Sylvia Torres Underhill – State Farm Insurance Agent
2422 S Oakley Ave – Chicago, IL 60608 – (773) 376-1166 – View Map - Roni Siegel – State Farm Insurance Agent
860 N Clark St – Chicago, IL 60610 – (312) 751-0500 – View Map
Deciding on an insurance agent requires you to look at more than just the quoted price. The questions below may impact your decision as well.
- Does the agent have a valid license to sell insurance in Illinois?
- Which family members are covered?
- Do they write coverage based solely on cost?
- Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
- Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
- Are aftermarket or OEM parts used to repair vehicles?
- Will you work with the agent or an assistant?
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
Situations that may require an agent’s advice
Keep in mind that when it comes to choosing coverage online or from an agent, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s situation is unique so your insurance should reflect that
These are some specific questions might help in determining if your situation might need an agent’s assistance.
- When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
- Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
- How do I file an SR-22 for a DUI in Illinois?
- Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?
- Is upholstery damage covered by car insurance?
- Do I need rental car coverage?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area.
Auto insurance coverage considerations
Understanding the coverages of auto insurance can help you determine the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Auto insurance terms can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Listed below are typical coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)
This coverage protects you and your vehicle when other motorists either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your Lexus RC 300.
Due to the fact that many Illinois drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (which is 20/40/15), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Usually the UM/UIM limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Comprehensive insurance
This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive can pay for things like damage from a tornado or hurricane, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and a broken windshield. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for expenses like dental work, doctor visits, prosthetic devices, hospital visits and EMT expenses. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants as well as getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Collision protection
This will pay to fix damage to your RC 300 resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage pays for claims such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, backing into a parked car, sideswiping another vehicle and damaging your car on a curb. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also increase the deductible on your RC 300 to bring the cost down.
Liability coverages
Liability insurance will cover damages or injuries you inflict on other’s property or people in an accident. It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show values of 20/40/15 that translate to $20,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $40,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $15,000 of coverage for damaged property. Some companies may use a combined single limit or CSL which combines the three limits into one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability can pay for things such as medical services, funeral expenses, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, pain and suffering and court costs. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible. Illinois requires drivers to carry at least 20/40/15 but you should consider buying more coverage.
Quote often and quote early
Some insurance providers do not offer rate quotes online and usually these smaller companies work with local independent agents. Lower-priced Lexus RC 300 insurance in Chicago can be bought both online as well as from independent agents in Chicago, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money.
You just learned a lot of techniques to get a better price on Lexus RC 300 insurance in Chicago. It’s most important to understand that the more times you quote, the better your comparison will be. You may even be surprised to find that the most savings is with the smaller companies. Regional companies may only write in your state and offer lower car insurance rates compared to the large companies like Allstate and Progressive.
To learn more, feel free to browse these articles:
- Teen Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for a Ford F-150 in Chicago? (FAQ)
- Auto Insurance Facts and Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- All About Airbag Safety (State Farm)
- Should I Purchase an Umbrella Liability Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)