Cheapest Insurance for a Chrysler Town and Country in Chicago

Having to pay for overpriced Chrysler Town and Country insurance in Chicago can deplete your personal savings and force you to tighten up your finances. Doing a rate comparison can be a smart way to lower your bills every month.

A recent NerdWallet.com study revealed that a large majority of insurance policyholders in Illinois kept their policy with the same company for a minimum of four years, and just short of a majority have never even compared quotes to find lower-cost rates. Many consumers in America could save roughly 47% a year, but they don’t want to take the time to do a rate comparison.

Online insurance companies like Progressive, State Farm and GEICO increase brand awareness with catchy ads and it is difficult to see through the cute green geckos and mayhem and take the time to shop coverage around.

Low-cost auto insurance in Chicago, IL

The providers in the list below offer quotes in Illinois. If multiple companies are shown, it’s highly recommended you click on several of them to get the best price comparison.

Cost estimates assume married female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Illinois minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, homeowner, and claim-free. Premium amounts do not factor in your specific Chicago location which can alter premium rates noticeably.

Higher deductibles lower rates

One of the hardest decisions when shopping for auto insurance is where to set your physical damage deductibles. The rates below lay out the costs and benefits of buying low and high deductibles. The first rate quote example uses a $250 comprehensive and collision deductible and the second rate table uses a $500 deductible.

Cost estimates assume married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Illinois minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Premium costs do not factor in specific garaging location which can decrease or increase price quotes significantly.

Based on the above data, using a $250 deductible could cost the average driver approximately $11 more each month or $132 for a full year than quoting the higher $500 deductible. Since you would pay $250 more to file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to have at a minimum 23 months between claims, you would save more money by going with a higher deductible. Here is an example of how this decision is made.

One important caveat is that raising deductibles to get cheaper rates results in more money out-of-pocket when you have a physical damage claim. That will require some extra savings in the event you need to pay the deductible for vehicle repair.

Raise deductibles and save

The illustration below demonstrates how deductibles and can increase or decrease Chrysler Town and Country insurance prices for different ages of insureds. The costs are based on a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no discounts are factored in.

Price comparison of only insuring for liability

The information below shows the difference between Chrysler Town and Country insurance rates with liability coverage only compared to full coverage. The premium estimates are based on no violations or accidents, $100 deductibles, married female driver, and no discounts are factored in.

Deciding between full coverage and liability only

There is no exact rule for dropping full coverage, but there is a guideline you can use. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is about 10% or more of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.

For example, let’s pretend your Chrysler Town and Country settlement value is $8,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, you would only receive $7,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If it’s costing in excess of $700 annually for full coverage, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.

There are a few cases where only buying liability is not recommended. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you are required to maintain full coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle in case of an accident, you should keep full coverage on your policy.

Why Your Insurance Costs might be higher

Many different elements are used when you get a price on insurance. Some factors are common sense such as traffic violations, but other criteria are not quite as obvious such as your credit history or how financially stable you are.

Listed below are a partial list of the pieces used by your company to calculate your rate level.

• Do you really need to file that car insurance claims? – Car insurance companies in Illinois give better rates to drivers that do not abuse their auto insurance. If you frequently file small claims, you can definitely plan on either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Insurance coverage is designed for the large, substantial claims.
• A good credit rating can save money – Your credit rating can be a huge factor in determining what you pay. People that have high credit ratings tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than those with poor credit. If your credit history is not that good, you could pay less to insure your Chrysler Town and Country by repairing your credit.
• Does car insurance cost more for men? – Over the last 30 years, statistics show that females tend to be a little less risky than males. It does not mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Men and women cause accidents in similar numbers, but guys have costlier accidents. In addition to higher claims, males also receive more major tickets such as DWI and reckless driving.
• Cheaper rates after marriage – Walking down the aisle can actually save you money compared to being single. Having a spouse translates into being more mature than a single person and it’s proven that married couples file fewer claims.
• Fewer miles means better rates – The more you drive each year the more you’ll pay to insure it. A lot of insurance companies apply a rate based upon how the vehicle is primarily used. Vehicles left parked in the garage receive lower rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Incorrect rating for your Town and Country can result in significantly higher rates. Double check that your vehicle rating properly reflects annual mileage, because it can save money.
• Tickets and citations cost more than a fine – Your driving citation history influences premium rates substantially. Drivers with clean records pay less for auto insurance than their less careful counterparts. Only having one driving citation could increase your next policy renewal to the point where it’s not affordable. Drivers who have received multiple violations such as DUI or reckless driving might be required by their state to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to drive a vehicle legally.
• Teenage drivers pay higher rates – Older drivers tend to be more responsible, cause fewer claims and accidents, and usually have better credit.Teenage drivers tend to get distracted easily when behind the wheel and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher.

Discounts can help save money on Chrysler Town and Country insurance in Chicago

Some providers don’t always publicize every discount available very clearly, so the list below details some of the best known as well as the least known discounts that you can inquire about if you buy Chicago car insurance online.

• Low Mileage Discounts – Driving less may enable drivers to earn lower auto insurance rates on the low mileage vehicles.
• Onboard Data Collection – People who choose to allow data collection to look at driving patterns remotely such as In-Drive from State Farm or Allstate’s Drivewise system might see lower rates if they exhibit good driving behavior.
• Anti-lock Brakes – Cars and trucks that have steering control and anti-lock brakes are much safer to drive and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• College Student – Children living away from Chicago attending college and do not take a car to college may be able to be covered for less.
• Drive Safe and Save – Drivers who avoid accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates compared to accident prone drivers.
• Lower Rates for Military – Having an actively deployed family member may qualify for rate reductions.
• Air Bags and Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems could see savings of 20% or more.
• Defensive Driving Course – Taking time to complete a safe driver course could earn you a small percentage discount and also improve your driving technique.
• Senior Citizen Rates – If you’re over the age of 55, you may receive better auto insurance rates.
• Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) on the premium charged for medical payments and/or PIP.

One last thing about discounts, most discounts do not apply to the entire cost. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like you could get a free auto insurance policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.

A few of the larger companies and some of their more popular discounts include:

• State Farm has discounts for multiple autos, good driver, student away at school, Drive Safe & Save, Steer Clear safe driver discount, defensive driving training, and driver’s education.
• American Family includes discounts for early bird, multi-vehicle, air bags, accident-free, Steer into Savings, mySafetyValet, and bundled insurance.
• GEICO may offer discounts for anti-theft, good student, multi-policy, air bags, anti-lock brakes, and emergency military deployment.
• 21st Century offers discounts for automatic seat belts, driver training, student driver, homeowners, air bags, and 55 and older.
• Progressive may have discounts that include homeowner, online quote discount, online signing, good student, multi-vehicle, and continuous coverage.

Before buying, ask every insurance company which discounts you qualify for. Discounts might not be available to policyholders in your area. To find providers that can offer you the previously mentioned discounts in Illinois, click here.

What if I want to buy from local Chicago car insurance agents?

Certain consumers would prefer to have an agent’s advice and that is recommended in a lot of cases A nice benefit of comparing car insurance online is that you can find cheaper rates and also buy local. Buying from and supporting neighborhood agents is important especially in Chicago.

To help locate an agent, after submitting this quick form, the coverage information is immediately sent to local insurance agents in Chicago who will give competitive quotes to get your business. It’s much easier because you don’t need to search for an agent because quoted prices will be sent instantly to you. You can get cheaper car insurance rates without having to waste a lot of time. In the event you want to get a price quote from a specific car insurance provider, you would need to go to their quote page and fill out the quote form the provide.

When narrowing the list to find a reliable insurance agency, it’s helpful to know the types of insurance agents and how they can write your policy. Agencies in Chicago can be categorized as either exclusive or independent.

Independent Car Insurance Agents (or Brokers)

Agents in the independent channel are not employed by any specific company and that enables them to quote your coverage through many different car insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If you want to switch companies, an independent agent can move your coverage and that require little work on your part.

If you need lower rates, it’s a good idea to contact independent agents to get the best comparison.

Featured below is a list of independent agents in Chicago who can help you get pricing information.

View more Chicago agents

Exclusive Car Insurance Agencies

Agents that choose to be exclusive write business for a single company and some examples include Farmers Insurance, State Farm, Allstate, and AAA. Exclusive agents cannot give you multiple price quotes so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. These agents are trained well on sales techniques which can be an advantage.

The following is a short list of exclusive insurance agents in Chicago that are able to give price quotes.

View more Chicago agents

Picking the best car insurance agent requires more thought than just the price. The questions below may impact your decision as well.

• How many years have they been established?
• Where are claims handled?
• Will high miles depreciate repair valuations?
• Do they have adequate Errors and Omissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
• Do they have cheaper tiers of coverage?

If you feel you receive good answers to any questions you may have as well as offering an affordable quote, you may have found an insurance agent that is a good match to insure your vehicles.

Don’t give up on cheap premiums

Some insurance companies may not have rate quotes online and these regional carriers prefer to sell through independent insurance agents. Lower-priced auto insurance in Chicago can be bought on the web in addition to local insurance agencies, and you need to price shop both so you have a total pricing picture.

We covered some good ideas how you can compare Chrysler Town and Country insurance rates in Chicago. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even be surprised to find that the lowest rates come from the smaller companies. Some small companies may have significantly lower car insurance rates on certain market segments as compared to the big name companies such as Progressive or GEICO.

For more information, link through to these articles:

• Auto Insurance 101 (About.com)
• Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Rates for 16 Year Olds in Chicago? (FAQ)
• What is the Best Car Insurance in Chicago, IL? (FAQ)
• Safety Tips for Teen Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)
• Distracted Driving Extends Beyond Texting (State Farm)
• Understanding Rental Car Insurance (Insurance Information Institute)