Buying lower-cost Hiawatha car insurance may at first seem to be challenging for people that are not comfortable with quoting and online price comparisons. Since there are so many companies in the marketplace, how are we expected to possibly compare every company in order to find the lowest price?
If you are insured now or are shopping for new coverage, you can use these techniques to find the best rates while maximizing coverage. Buying affordable car insurance coverage in Hiawatha can be fairly easy. Iowa consumers only need an understanding of the most efficient way to compare prices over the internet.
Discount Hiawatha car insurance rates
Car insurance can be pricey, but there could be available discounts to help offset the cost. Certain credits will be shown when you get a quote, but a few need to be specially asked for prior to getting the savings. If you do not check that you are getting every discount you deserve, it’s possible you qualify for a lower rate.
- Theft Prevention System – Anti-theft and alarm system equipped vehicles can help prevent theft so companies will give you a small discount.
- Bundled Policy Discount – If you combine your home and auto policies with one company they may give you a discount of at least 10 to 15 percent or more.
- Military Deployment Discount – Having an actively deployed family member could trigger a small discount.
- Paperwork-free – A few larger online companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up on the web.
- Low Miles Discount – Driving fewer miles can earn better prices on cars that stay parked.
- Good Grades Discount – A discount for being a good student could provide a savings of up to 20% or more. The good student discount can last up until you turn 25.
As a footnote on discounts, most discount credits are not given the the whole policy. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like you can get free auto insurance, you’re out of luck.
A list of companies and their offered discounts are included below.
- State Farm offers premium reductions for safe vehicle, accident-free, Steer Clear safe driver discount, good driver, driver’s education, good student, and multiple autos.
- Geico offers discounts for anti-theft, driver training, five-year accident-free, multi-policy, federal employee, and multi-vehicle.
- Progressive policyholders can earn discounts including online signing, online quote discount, multi-vehicle, homeowner, and good student.
- 21st Century may offer discounts for homeowners, air bags, theft prevention, teen driver, and good student.
- American Family discounts include multi-vehicle, mySafetyValet, good student, good driver, TimeAway discount, and defensive driver.
- The Hartford has discounts for good student, air bag, vehicle fuel type, bundle, and anti-theft.
- AAA offers discounts including education and occupation, good driver, pay-in-full, AAA membership discount, multi-car, and good student.
If you need lower rates, check with each company or agent which credits you are entitled to. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not be available to policyholders in Hiawatha. For a list of car insurance companies who offer online car insurance quotes in Hiawatha, click here.
Shop online but buy locally
Certain consumers would rather sit down and talk to an agent and doing that can be a smart decision Agents can help you choose the best coverages and give you someone to call. An additional benefit of comparing car insurance online is that you can obtain cheap rate quotes but still work with a licensed agent. Putting coverage with neighborhood agents is still important in Hiawatha.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, your information is sent to companies in Hiawatha that can give you for your insurance coverage. You never need to find an agent on your own as quotes are delivered directly to you. If you want to get a price quote from a particular provider, feel free to find their quoting web page and give them your coverage information.
Two types of Hiawatha car insurance agents
If you are wanting to purchase car insurance from a good insurance agency, it helps to know the two different types of agents and how they can write your policy. Car insurance agents in Hiawatha can be classified as either captive or independent. Both can sell affordable car insurance policies, but it’s worth learning the difference between them since it could factor into which type of agent you select.
Independent Agents
These type of agents are not limited to a single company and that is an advantage because they can write policies with multiple insurance companies and get the cheapest rates. If they quote lower rates, your policy is moved internally and you can keep the same agent. When comparing car insurance rates, you will want to get several quotes from at least one independent agent to maximize your price options. Most also have access to small mutual carriers which may provide better rates.
Below is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Hiawatha that can give you free rate quotes.
- Walterman Insurance Brokerage – 1450 Boyson Rd – Hiawatha, IA 52233 – (319) 294-2331
- Buechel Insurance – 2203 Heritage Blvd – Hiawatha, IA 52233 – (319) 378-9141
Captive Insurance Agencies
Agents that choose to be captive have only one company to place business with and examples are Farmers Insurance, Allstate, or State Farm. Captive agents cannot shop your coverage around so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Captives are highly trained in insurance sales and that allows them to sell at a higher price point. Consumers frequently purchase coverage from captives partially due to the prominent brand name rather than low rates.
Shown below are captive agencies in Hiawatha that can give you price quote information.
- American Family Insurance – 1450 Boyson Rd # C2-2 – Hiawatha, IA 52233 – (319) 366-3377
- Farm Bureau Insurance – 1327 Boyson Rd – Hiawatha, IA 52233 – (319) 393-8318
- State Farm Insurance – 1450 Boyson Rd # C – Hiawatha, IA 52233 – (319) 395-0332
To see available agencies near you, see this list of insurance agents in Hiawatha.
Finding the right insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just a cheap quote. You should also get answers to these questions.
- Does the agency have a positive business rating?
- Does the agent have a valid license to sell insurance in Iowa?
- Will the agent help in case of a claim?
- If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
- Can they give you a list of client referrals?
Save $422 a year! What?
Iowa consumers get pounded daily by advertisements that claim the best prices from the likes of State Farm and Allstate. They all make the point that drivers can save some big amount if you move your policy.
That’s great but how can every company cost less than your current company?
Many companies have strict underwriting profiles for the type of driver that earns them the most money. For instance, a driver they prefer could possibly be a married female, insures multiple vehicles, and drives newer vehicles. Any customer who fits that profile gets the lowest premium rates and most likely will save if they switch.
Potential customers who are not a match for those criteria may be forced to pay a higher premium which results in the prospect going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “drivers who switch” not “everyone who quotes” save that much money. This is how companies can claim big savings.
Different companies use different criteria so you really need to do a quote comparison often. It’s not possible to predict which insurance companies will be your best fit.
More information can be found on the Iowa Insurance Division website through this link. Iowa consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, read state legal mandates and laws, file complaints about a company, and learn about specific coverages.
Other informative sites include QuoteClickInsure.com and this link where you can get more info about Hiawatha coverage.
In Summary
We just covered many ways to reduce car insurance prices online. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the biggest savings come from a small mutual company.
While you’re price shopping online, it’s not a good idea to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In too many instances, someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage and learned later that the savings was not a smart move. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at the best possible price, not the least amount of coverage.
Low-cost car insurance can be bought both online and from local insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best rate selection. Some companies may not offer online price quotes and many times these smaller companies prefer to sell through independent insurance agencies.