How many times have you put off comparing quotes for more competitive Acura TLX insurance in Chicago? Locating cheaper insurance for a new or used Acura TLX in Illinois can turn out to be a lot of work, but you can learn these tips to make it easier. There are more efficient ways to find auto insurance online so you’re going to learn the best way to quote coverages for a Acura and locate the cheapest rates from both online companies and Chicago agents.
A recent NerdWallet.com study revealed that the vast majority of consumers kept buying from the same company for a minimum of four years, and virtually 40% of consumers have never compared rates with other companies. The average driver in Chicago could save 40% each year, but they don’t believe the big savings they would realize if they switched to a cheaper policy.
Locating the best insurance company for you in Chicago is easy if you know what you’re doing. If you have a policy now or need new coverage, follow these tips to get lower rates and still get good coverage. Smart shoppers just have to learn how to find the lowest price from many companies at once.
Getting more affordable Acura TLX auto insurance pricing can be surprisingly simple. All that’s required is to spend a few minutes to compare rates from different insurance companies.
The auto insurance companies shown below can provide free quotes in Illinois. If multiple companies are listed, it’s a good idea that you visit two to three different companies to find the most competitive auto insurance rates.
Best reasons to buy insurance in Illinois
Even though it can be expensive, insurance is mandatory in Illinois but it also protects more than you think.
- Just about all states have minimum liability requirements which means you are required to buy a specific minimum amount of liability coverage if you don’t want to risk a ticket. In Illinois these limits are 20/40/15 which means you must have $20,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $40,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $15,000 of property damage coverage.
- If your Acura has a lien holder, it’s most likely the lender will stipulate that you buy insurance to guarantee payment of the loan. If the policy lapses, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Acura at a much higher rate and force you to reimburse them for the much more expensive policy.
- Insurance protects not only your car but also your financial assets. Insurance will pay for medical expenses for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability insurance will also pay attorney fees if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to have it repaired.
The benefits of buying enough insurance outweigh the cost, particularly for liability claims. Despite what companies tell you, the average driver overpays as much as $850 per year so it’s recommended you shop around at every renewal to ensure rates are competitive.
Can you really save that much by switching?
Consumers in Illinois can’t escape the ads that claim the lowest auto insurance rates from the likes of Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm. All the ads tend to make the same promise that drivers can save some big amount if you just switch your coverage.
Is it even possible that every company can give you a lower rate on Acura TLX insurance in Chicago? Here is the trick they use.
Most companies offer their best rates for the type of insured that earns them the highest profit. For instance, a desirable insured may need to be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no claims, and drives less than 5,000 miles a year. Any customer who meets those qualifications gets the lowest auto insurance rates and have a good chance to save when switching.
Consumers who fall short of these criteria may be forced to pay higher premiums which usually ends up with business not being written. If you listen to the ad wording, they say “people that switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” will save that much if they switch. This is how insurance companies can make claims that they all have the best premium rates. This emphasizes why you should get Chicago auto insurance quotes from several different companies. It’s just not possible to know with any certainty which company will have the best Acura TLX insurance in Chicago.
Cheaper Acura TLX insurance in Chicago
Some companies don’t necessarily list every discount available in a way that’s easy to find, so here is a list a few of the more common and also the more inconspicuous credits that may apply to you. If you check and find you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you are throwing money away.
- Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles with anti-theft systems can help prevent theft and can earn a small discount on your policy.
- Good Student Discount – Being a good student can earn a discount of 20% or more. The discount lasts up until you turn 25.
- Membership in Organizations – Being in certain professional organizations could qualify you for a break on your bill.
- Policy Bundle Discount – When you combine your auto and homeowners insurance and place coverage with the same company you could earn a discount of approximately 10% to 15%.
- Driving Data Discount – Policyholders that allow their company to track driving manner remotely such as Drivewise from Allstate or Snapshot from Progressive may get a rate reduction if they are good drivers.
- Paperless Signup – Some car insurance companies will provide an incentive for buying a policy and signing up online.
- Own a Home and Save – Owning a house in Chicago can save a few bucks because it requires a higher level of personal finance.
As a sidenote, most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. If you do the math and it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don’t profit that way.
Auto insurance companies that may offer policyholders these money-saving discounts may include but are not limited to:
When quoting, ask each company the best way to save money. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts may not apply to policyholders in Chicago. If you would like to choose from a list of companies that offer the discounts shown above in Illinois, click here to view.
Neighborhood agents and insurance
A lot of people still prefer to visit with an insurance agent and that is just fine! Professional agents are highly skilled in risk management and help submit paperwork. The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is that you can find lower rates and still have a local agent.
To find an agent, once you fill out this short form, the quote information gets sent to local insurance agents who will gladly provide quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to even leave your home because prices are sent to you. If for some reason you want to quote rates from a specific insurance provider, just find their quoting web page to submit a rate quote request.
Choosing an company is decision based upon more than just the price. You should also get answers to these questions.
- What kind of financial rating does the company have?
- Do they have adequate Errors and Omissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
- What company holds the largest book of business for them?
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
If you’re trying to find a reliable agent, it helps to know the two different types of agencies and how they are distinctly different. Agencies in Chicago are considered either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive. Either one can sell and service insurance coverage, but we need to point out the difference between them because it may have an impact on the selection process.
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Agents that choose to be exclusive can only place business with one company like Farmers Insurance and State Farm. Exclusive agents cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they have no alternatives for high prices. Exclusive agents are well schooled on their company’s products which helps offset the inability to provide other markets. Drivers often buy from the same agent for years mostly because of the brand legacy and strong financial ratings.
The following is a list of exclusive agents in Chicago who may provide you with rate quotes.
- Jim Mays Jr – State Farm Insurance Agent
4465 N Milwaukee Ave – Chicago, IL 60630 – (773) 282-1500 – View Map - Judith Gleason – State Farm Insurance Agent
2643 N Harlem Ave – Chicago, IL 60707 – (773) 637-8547 – View Map - GEICO Insurance Agent
8549 S Cicero Ave – Chicago, IL 60652 – (773) 582-2886 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agencies
Independent insurance agents can quote rates with many companies and that gives them the ability to insure with any number of different companies depending on which coverage is best. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to do anything.
When searching for an agent, we recommend you get insurance quotes from a couple of independent agencies in order to compare the most rates. Most also have access to companies you’ve never heard of which can save you money.
Below is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Chicago that can give you rate quotes.
- Thomas Ward Insurance Group
707 W Willow St – Chicago, IL 60614 – (312) 254-1500 – View Map - Talro Insurance Agency
4900 W Belmont Ave – Chicago, IL 60641 – (773) 205-8255 – View Map - Beyer Insurance Agency
35 E Upper Wacker Dr #1730 – Chicago, IL 60601 – (312) 922-5300 – View Map
Specific coverage details
Learning about specific coverages of your policy aids in choosing appropriate coverage for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Coverage for liability
This will cover damage that occurs to people or other property in an accident. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You might see policy limits of 20/40/15 which stand for $20,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $40,000, and $15,000 of coverage for damaged property.
Liability can pay for claims such as legal defense fees, bail bonds, structural damage and repair costs for stationary objects. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy higher limits if possible. Illinois requires drivers to carry at least 20/40/15 but drivers should carry more liability than the minimum.
Coverage for medical payments
Med pay and PIP coverage reimburse you for bills like EMT expenses, surgery, pain medications, dental work and nursing services. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover all vehicle occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Uninsured and underinsured coverage
This coverage protects you and your vehicle when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your Acura TLX.
Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (20/40/15 in Illinois), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is very important.
Auto collision coverage
This covers damage to your TLX resulting from colliding with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage protects against claims such as backing into a parked car, colliding with a tree, hitting a mailbox and scraping a guard rail. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to choose a higher deductible on your TLX to bring the cost down.
Comprehensive coverages
This pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things like vandalism, fire damage and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The highest amount your insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.
A conclusion for your car insurance search
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s very important that you do not buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are a lot of situations where an insured dropped liability coverage limits only to regret at claim time that it was a big mistake. The ultimate goal is to find the BEST coverage at the best cost, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Insureds switch companies for a number of reasons such as high prices, policy cancellation, being labeled a high risk driver or even lack of trust in their agent. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a new company is actually quite simple.
There are still a few companies who do not provide online quoting and usually these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents. Cheaper car insurance in Chicago can be bought both online in addition to many Chicago insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both so you have a total pricing picture.
More information is located on the following sites:
- Red Light Cameras (State Farm)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Infrequent Drivers in Chicago? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for a Ford F-150 in Chicago? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Teachers in Chicago? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Chicago Car Insurance Quotes for Low Mileage Drivers? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for a Company Car in Chicago? (FAQ)
- Prom Night Tips for Teen Drivers (State Farm)
- How do I File a Claim? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Can I Drive Legally without Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Vehicle Insurance (Wikipedia)