Finding affordable Helena auto insurance is challenging for people who are new to comparing rates online. People have so many options available that it can turn into a real challenge to find the best price in Helena.
It’s smart to take a look at other company’s rates at least once a year since rates are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. If you had the lowest rates a few years ago a different company probably has better rates today. There is a lot of wrong information about auto insurance online, so I’m going to show you a lot of great tips on how to put money back in your pocket.
Comparison of Auto Insurance in Helena, Montana
Shopping for lower auto insurance rates can take time and effort if you aren’t aware of the fastest way to get free quotes. You could waste time talking about coverages with agents in Helena, or you could use the internet to maximize your effort.
Many companies take part in a program where prospective buyers submit their information once, and each company can give them a price based on that data. This saves time by eliminating quote forms for every auto insurance company.
To access this free quoting program, click here (opens in new window).
One minor caviat to getting quotes like this is you don’t know exactly which carriers to get pricing from. If you prefer to choose specific insurance companies to compare rates, we have a listing of companies who write auto insurance in Montana. Click here to view list.
Whichever way you use, make sure you use identical information with every price quote. If you compare different liability limits it’s not possible to determine the lowest rate in Helena.
Companies offer discounts so take them!
Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but discounts can save money and there are some available to reduce the price significantly. Certain discounts will be applied when you get a quote, but a few need to be manually applied prior to getting the savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount you deserve, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Discount for Good Grades – Performing well in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. This discount can apply until age 25.
- Federal Employees – Simply working for the federal government can earn a discount up to 10% with certain companies.
- Early Signing – A few companies offer discounts for buying a policy before your current expiration date. This can save 10% or more.
- Paperwork-free – A few companies give back up to $50 for buying your policy digitally online.
- Multi-policy Discount – When you have multiple policies with the same company you may earn at least 10% off all policies.
Drivers should understand that some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only cut specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. Even though it may seem like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it just doesn’t work that way. Any amount of discount will cut the cost of coverage.
To choose companies with discount auto insurance rates in Helena, follow this link.
Smart Buyers can Save Money
Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.
- Allowing your policy to lapse raises rates – Driving with no insurance is a misdemeanor and auto insurance companies will penalize you for letting your coverage lapse. And not only will insurance be more expensive, but not being able to provide proof of insurance might get you a steep fine or even jail time.
- Performance level impacts rates – The type of vehicle you drive makes a big difference in how high your rates are. Lower performance four cylinder passenger cars receive the most favorable rates, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
- Keep rates low by being claim-free – Car insurance companies in Montana award better rates to people who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can pretty much guarantee either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Auto insurance is designed for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
- Your location is important – Residing in a small town has it’s advantages when buying auto insurance. City drivers tend to have congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Fewer drivers means fewer accidents and a lower car theft rate.
- Better credit scores mean better rates – Credit history is a large factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. If your credit is not that good, you could potentially save money when insuring your by repairing your credit. Drivers who have excellent credit tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with lower credit scores.
- Policy add-ons can waste money – There are a lot of additional coverages that you can buy when buying auto insurance. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, towing coverage and additional equipment coverage may be costing you every month. They may seem good when you first buy your policy, but now you might not need them so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
- Low deductibles can be expensive – Physical damage coverage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Examples of covered claims are collision with another vehicle, vandalism, and burglary. Your deductibles are how much you are required to spend in the event of a claim. The more money you’re willing to pay, the lower your rates will be.
- Proper usage rating affects rates – Driving more miles in a year the higher your rate. Most insurance companies price each vehicle’s coverage determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars that are left in the garage qualify for better rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Verify your auto insurance coverage shows the proper vehicle usage.
A tidy conclusion
As you restructure your insurance plan, never buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are many occasions where someone dropped full coverage only to regret at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The ultimate goal is to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.
Insureds leave their current company for many reasons like an unsatisfactory settlement offer, delays in responding to claim requests, delays in paying claims and even being labeled a high risk driver. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch choosing a new company is not as hard as you think.
The cheapest auto insurance can be found on the web and with local Helena insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers do not offer the ability to get a quote online and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.
More information can be read on the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance website. Click here for link. Consumers can find out industry alerts, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and read industry bulletins.
Other informative sites include III.org’s auto insurance page and this page of insurance agents in Helena.