Shopping for low-cost Bonners Ferry auto insurance may be impossible for vehicle owners new to quoting and buying their auto insurance over the internet. With dozens of insurance companies available, how can Bonners Ferry drivers have time to compare all the different companies and get the lowest price?
It’s important to get comparison quotes as often as possible since insurance prices are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Just because you had the best deal a year ago other companies may now be cheaper. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because I’m going to teach you the tricks you need to know to find better rates and still maintain coverage.
Find hidden discounts to get affordable Bonners Ferry auto insurance quotes
Buying auto insurance is not cheap, but you may be missing some discounts that could drop your premiums quite a bit. Certain credits will be shown when you complete an application, but a few must be specifically requested before being credited. If you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you’re paying more than you need to.
- Early Renewal Discounts – A few larger companies offer discounts for buying a new policy early. This discount can save up to 10%.
- Responsible Driver Discounts – Drivers who avoid accidents can save up to 40% or more on their than less cautious drivers.
- Service Members Pay Less – Being on active deployment in the military could be rewarded with lower auto insurance rates.
- ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Vehicles that have steering control and anti-lock brakes are much safer to drive and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Options like air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings of more than 20%.
- Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who always wear seat belts and also require passengers to use a seat belt could cut 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.
It’s important to understand that many deductions do not apply to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
Companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are outlined below.
- American Family may offer discounts for good student, accident-free, multi-vehicle, TimeAway discount, defensive driver, and Steer into Savings.
- Farm Bureau includes discounts for multi-vehicle, multi-policy, 55 and retired, driver training, youthful driver, and renewal discount.
- State Farm has discounts for safe vehicle, defensive driving training, passive restraint, Steer Clear safe driver discount, multiple policy, good driver, and multiple autos.
- Travelers discounts include payment discounts, save driver, hybrid/electric vehicle, home ownership, good student, IntelliDrive, and student away at school.
- The Hartford offers premium reductions for anti-theft, bundle, vehicle fuel type, good student, and defensive driver.
- Geico policyholders can earn discounts including federal employee, emergency military deployment, multi-vehicle, military active duty, and good student.
- Progressive offers discounts including good student, multi-vehicle, continuous coverage, online quote discount, multi-policy, and homeowner.
When comparing rates, check with every insurance company which discounts you may be entitled to. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not be available to policyholders in your state. To view providers who offer free auto insurance quotes in Idaho, follow this link.
You may require the services of a local insurance agent
Some people just prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that can be a smart move Most agents will help you protect your assets and help you file claims. One of the benefits of getting free rate quotes online is the fact that you can find cheaper prices but also keep your business local.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, your information is transmitted to local insurance agents in Bonners Ferry who will give competitive quotes for your insurance coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to contact any insurance agencies since price quotes are sent to you instantly. If you need to get a comparison quote for a specific company, you can always find their quoting web page and fill out their quote form.
Selecting a insurance company shouldn’t rely on just a cheap price quote. Some important questions to ask are:
- Will they make sure you get an adequate claim settlement?
- How experiences are they in personal risk management?
- Are they giving you every discount you deserve?
- What insurance companies do they work with in Bonners Ferry?
- Will the company cover a rental car if your car is getting fixed?
- Will a damage claim use OEM or aftermarket replacement parts?
- Does the company have a local claim office in Bonners Ferry?
If you want a reputable agency, you need to know there are two different types of agencies and how they can service your needs differently. Insurance agencies in Bonners Ferry are classified as either independent or captive. Both do a good job, but we need to point out the subtle differences because it can factor into your agent selection.
Captive Insurance Agencies
Captive agents can only write with one company and some examples include Farmers Insurance and State Farm. Captive agents are unable to compare other company’s rates so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. They are well schooled on their company’s products and that enables them to sell even at higher rates. Some consumers prefer to choose to use a captive agent partially due to loyalty to the company rather than having the cheapest rates.
Listed below are Bonners Ferry captive agencies who can help you get rate quotes.
- Farm Bureau Insurance – 6426 Kootenai St # 101 – Bonners Ferry, ID 83805 – (208) 267-5502
Independent Auto Insurance Agencies
Agents of this type are not restriced to one company so they can write business with many different companies and find you cheaper rates. If your agent finds better pricing, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you won’t have to switch agencies.
When comparing auto insurance rates, we highly recommend that you include price quotes from multiple independent agents in order to compare the most rates. Most independent agents also contract with additional companies that you may not be familiar with which could offer lower prices.
The following are Bonners Ferry independent agencies that are able to give rate quotes.
- Kayser Insurance – 7156 Main St – Bonners Ferry, ID 83805 – (208) 267-5621
- John Langs Insurance – 6387 Kootenai St – Bonners Ferry, ID 83805 – (208) 267-3530
For more Bonners Ferry insurance agents, feel free to visit this page of insurance agencies in Bonners Ferry.
After getting good responses for all questions you ask and locked in a price quote, you have narrowed it down to an auto insurance agent that can be relied on to properly service your auto insurance policy.
Don’t listen to company ads
Consumers can’t escape the ads that claim the lowest premium rates by State Farm, Allstate and Geico. They all tend to make the same promise about how much you will save if you change to them.
How do they all lower your premium rates? It’s all in how they say it.
Many companies give the cheapest rates for the type of customer they prefer to insure. An example of a desirable insured might be described as a female over age 40, has a clean driving record, and does not commute to work. Anyone that fits those parameters will get very good Bonners Ferry rates and will save when switching.
Potential insureds who do not match these criteria will be charged a more expensive rate which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads say “drivers that switch” not “everyone who quotes” will save that much if they switch. This is how insurance companies can state the savings. Because of these techniques, you really should get a wide range of price quotes. Because you cannot predict which company will provide you with the cheapest prices.
Additional resources for Idaho consumers
More tips and info about auto insurance can be read at the Idaho Department of Insurance website. Idaho drivers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, find out industry alerts, file complaints about a company, and read state legal mandates and laws.
Other useful links include QuoteClickInsure.com and QuoteClickSave.com.
Persistence pays off
When you , make sure you don’t skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. Too many times, someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your goal is to find the BEST coverage at the best price, but do not skimp to save money.
We just covered quite a bit of information on how to save on auto insurance. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the best car insurance rates are with the least-expected company.
Drivers who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as not issuing a premium refund, being labeled a high risk driver, high prices and policy cancellation. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new insurance company is not as hard as you think.