I can’t think of anyone who likes having to buy car insurance, especially knowing the price is too high. Companies like Progressive, Geico and Farmers Insurance all promote huge savings with ad campaigns and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and find the best price available.
If you are insured now or need a new policy, you will benefit by learning to find better prices while maintaining coverages. Finding the best rates in Bemidji is quite easy. Minnesota vehicle owners just need to know the proper way to buy car insurance online.
Performing a rate comparison can be challenging if you don’t understand the fastest way to get free quotes. You can waste a lot of time driving to insurance companies in Bemidji, or you could save time and use online quoting to get rate comparisons in just a few minutes.
Many of the larger companies belong to an insurance system that allows shoppers to enter their coverage request one time, and at least one company provides a quote determined by their information. This eliminates the need for repetitive form submissions for each company.
To compare rates using this form now click to open in new window.
The one downside to doing it this way is you cannot specify the providers you want to price. So if you want to select individual companies to receive pricing from, we put together a list of the cheapest car insurance companies in Minnesota. View list of Minnesota insurance companies.
Take whichever approach you prefer, but compare exactly the same coverages with each company. If you are comparing mixed coverages it will be very difficult to make a fair rate comparison in Bemidji.
Save $393 a year! What?
Minnesota drivers can’t avoid all the ads that promise big savings by Progressive, Geico, Allstate and State Farm. All the ads advertise the message that you’ll save big just by moving your car insurance coverage to their company.
How is it possible that every company can say the same thing?
Insurance providers give the best rates for the driver they prefer to insure. A good example of a desirable risk could be over the age of 35, has a low-risk occupation, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. Any customer that hits that “sweet spot” gets the lowest auto insurance rates and will most likely save when they switch companies.
People who are not a match for this ideal profile may be forced to pay higher rates and the customer buying from a different company. Company advertisements say “customers that switch” not “all people who quote” save that much. This is how companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings. Because every company is different, you need to get price quotes at each policy renewal. Because you cannot predict which car insurance company will provide the lowest premium rates.
Take policy discounts and save
Companies offering auto insurance do not list their entire list of discounts very well, so the following list contains a few of the more well known and also the lesser-known credits that you can use to lower your rates.
- Low Miles Discount – Keeping the miles down may allow you to get lower premium rates due to less chance of an accident.
- Telematics Discount – Bemidji drivers who agree to allow their insurance company to scrutinize vehicle usage by using a telematics device in their vehicle such as Allstate’s Drivewise and State Farm’s In-Drive system could save a few bucks as long as they are good drivers.
- Waiver for an Accident – Not necessarily a discount, but a few companies such as Progressive and Allstate will allow you to have one accident without getting socked with a rate hike so long as you haven’t had any claims prior to the accident.
- Discount for Home Ownership – Simply owning a home can save a few bucks because of the fact that having a home demonstrates responsibility.
- New Car Discount – Buying a new car instead of a used car is cheaper because new vehicles are generally safer.
- ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Vehicles with ABS braking systems or traction control are much safer to drive so companies give up to a 10% discount.
- Theft Prevention System – Anti-theft and alarm system equipped vehicles help deter theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Driver Training Discounts – Passing a course teaching defensive driver skills could save 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
While discounts sound great, it’s important to understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like you could get a free car insurance policy, companies don’t profit that way.
Larger car insurance companies and their offered discounts include:
- State Farm may have discounts that include safe vehicle, multiple policy, multiple autos, defensive driving training, good student, and passive restraint.
- American Family has savings for early bird, mySafetyValet, accident-free, good driver, and bundled insurance.
- Geico discounts include seat belt use, five-year accident-free, military active duty, defensive driver, multi-policy, and air bags.
- 21st Century includes discounts for automatic seat belts, anti-lock brakes, 55 and older, driver training, early bird, and good student.
- Progressive offers discounts for online quote discount, online signing, continuous coverage, homeowner, multi-vehicle, good student, and multi-policy.
When comparing rates, check with all the companies to give you their best rates. Savings may not be offered everywhere. If you would like to see a list of insurance companies with discount rates in Bemidji, follow this link.
When do I need to contact an insurance agency?
Some consumers just prefer to go talk to an agent and doing so can bring peace of mind Experienced insurance agents are highly skilled in risk management and will help you if you have claims. One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is that you can find cheap car insurance rates and also buy local.
Upon completion of this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is submitted to agents in your area who will return price quotes for your business. You won’t need to visit any agencies due to the fact that quote results will go to your email. If you want to compare prices from a specific company, feel free to search and find their rate quote page and fill out their quote form.
Finding a good provider requires more thought than just the quoted price. These are some questions you should get answers to.
- Does the quote include credit and driving reports?
- Are there any extra charges for paying monthly?
- How much experience to they have in personal lines coverages?
- Are aftermarket or OEM parts used to repair vehicles?
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
- Which insurance company do they prefer to write with?
- If you raise deductibles, how much can you save?
- Can they give you a list of client referrals?
Best car insurance agent in Bemidji
If you are searching for a good insurance agency, it can be helpful to understand the types of insurance agents that you can select. Insurance agencies in Bemidji can either be independent or captive. Either one can sell and service car insurance coverage, but it’s worth learning the difference between them because it may have an impact on buying decisions.
Captive Car Insurance Agents
Agents of this type have only one company to place business with such as Allstate, State Farm and Farmers Insurance. They generally cannot shop your coverage around so you need to shop around if the rates are high. Captive insurance agents are very knowledgeable on their company’s products and that enables them to sell even at higher rates.
The following is a short list of captive insurance agents in Bemidji who can help you get comparison quotes.
Farm Bureau Insurance – 305 America Ave NW – Bemidji, MN 56601 – (218) 751-5576
State Farm Insurance – 615 Anne St NW – Bemidji, MN 56601 – (218) 751-4235
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agencies do not write with just one company so as a result can place your coverage through many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If they find a cheaper price, your agent can just switch to a different company and you don’t have to do anything.
When comparing rate quotes, we recommend you include rate quotes from independent agents to maximize your price options.
Shown below is a list of independent agencies in Bemidji who can help you get rate quotes.
Pickett Insurance Inc – 819 Paul Bunyan Dr NE – Bemidji, MN 56601 – (218) 751-1213
John H Hellquist Agency – 512 30th St NW – Bemidji, MN 56601 – (218) 751-8422
Michael J Moen Insurance – 5801 Tall Pines Rd NE – Bemidji, MN 56601 – (218) 444-9495
Scripture Agency – 750 Paul Bunyan Dr NW # 7 – Bemidji, MN 56601 – (218) 444-7545
John Carlson Agency – 1403 Bemidji Ave N – Bemidji, MN 56601 – (218) 751-9770
To view more Bemidji insurance agents, you may want to visit this complete selection of car insurance agents in Bemidji.
More detailed Minnesota car insurance information is available at the Minnesota Department of Commerce website. Minnesota consumers can read industry bulletins, get help finding coverage, and find a variety of consumer forms.
Also read more on this page for car insurance prices in Minnesota and this list of insurance agents in Bemidji, MN.
In Summary
You just learned a lot of ways to compare car insurance auto insurance rates online. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the biggest savings come from the least-expected company. Smaller companies often have lower premium rates on specific markets compared to the large companies like Progressive and Geico.
Discount car insurance is attainable on the web and from local agencies, so you need to with both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance providers may not offer internet price quotes and these small, regional companies work with independent insurance agencies.
When you , you should never buy poor coverage just to save money. In many instances, an accident victim reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits and found out when filing a claim that they should have had better coverage. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest cost, but do not skimp to save money.