Nobody I know likes having to buy car insurance, especially when their premiums are too high. Multiple insurers compete for your hard-earned dollar, so it can be very hard to choose a company and uncover the absolute lowest cost out there.
It is always a good idea to take a look at other company’s rates yearly because rates are variable and change quite frequently. Even if you think you had the best price six months ago other companies may now be cheaper. There is a lot of bad advice regarding car insurance online, so with this article, you’re going to get some proven techniques to quit paying high car insurance rates.
If you are insured now or are just looking to switch companies, you can learn to reduce the price you pay while maintaining coverages. Buying car insurance in New Rockford is quite easy. North Dakota vehicle owners just need to know the most effective way to get comparison rates over the internet.
Comprehensive New Rockford Car Insurance Comparison
All the larger car insurance companies like State Farm and Allstate allow you to get price estimates on their websites. Obtaining pricing is pretty painless as you just type in as requested by the quote form. Once you submit the form, their system obtains reports for credit and driving violations and generates pricing information. Online quotes makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the time required to go to many different websites and enter the same data into a form is not the best way to spend an afternoon. But it’s very important to have as many quotes as possible in order to find a lower rate.
An easier way to compare rates uses one simple form to return rates from more than one company. The form is fast, reduces the work, and makes online price comparison much simpler. After sending the form, it is rated and you can select any or none of the returned quotes. If a lower price is quoted, you can click and sign and buy the new coverage. It takes less than 15 minutes and could lower your rates considerably.
If you want to find out what other companies charge, click here to open in a new tab and enter your information. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended you input your coverages exactly as they are listed on your policy. This makes sure you’re receiving a rate comparison based on identical coverages.
The car insurance bait and switch
Consumers constantly see and hear ads for car insurance savings from companies such as State Farm and Allstate. They all say the same thing that you can save if you change your policy.
How does each company make the same claim? This is how they do it.
All companies have a preferred profile for the right customer that earns them a profit. For example, a desirable insured might be between 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and has excellent credit. A driver who matches those parameters receives the best rates and as a result will probably pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Potential customers who are not a match for the “perfect” profile must pay more money which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ads state “customers that switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. This is how insurance companies can confidently state the savings. This illustrates why drivers must get as many quotes as possible. You cannot predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.
Rate influencing factors
It’s important that you understand some of the elements that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. Understanding what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that could result in big savings.
Shown below are a partial list of the pieces that factor into premiums.
- Theft deterrents lower rates – Purchasing a vehicle with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft devices such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all aid in stopping your car from being stolen.
- Never go without insurance – Driving without insurance can get your license suspended and car insurance companies will penalize you for letting your insurance lapse. And not only will insurance be more expensive, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance may earn you a license revocation or jail time.You may then be required to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with the North Dakota DMV.
- Safe vehicles cost less to insure – Safer cars can get you lower premiums. These vehicles have better occupant injury protection and fewer injuries translates into savings for insurance companies and thus lower rates.
- Mature drivers pay less – More mature drivers are more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and receive fewer citations. Teenage drivers tend to be less responsible when driving therefore car insurance rates are much higher.
Don’t pay full price with these discounts
Auto insurance companies don’t necessarily list every discount in an easy-to-find place, so we break down both the well known and the more hidden discounts you could be receiving. If they aren’t giving you every credit possible, you are paying more than you should be.
- Senior Discount – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get a small decrease in premiums.
- Safety Course Discount – Completing a course in driver safety can save you 5% or more if you qualify.
- Safe Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents may receive a discount up to 45% less than drivers with accident claims.
- Paperwork-free – A handful of insurance companies will give a small break for buying a policy and signing up online.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Insuring multiple cars or trucks with the same company qualifies for this discount.
- Theft Prevention System – Vehicles with anti-theft systems help deter theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Multiple Policy Discount – When you have multiple policies with the same company you may save up to 20% off your total premium.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can avoid accidents and will save you 10% or more.
Keep in mind that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because you may think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you’re out of luck.
To see a list of insurers who offer car insurance discounts in North Dakota, follow this link.
Your personal situation dictates your coverage
When choosing adequate coverage, there is no best way to insure your cars. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s so this has to be addressed. For instance, these questions may help you determine if you could use an agent’s help.
- I don’t drive much so do I pay less?
- Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
- Is my business laptop covered if it gets stolen from my vehicle?
- Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
- Should I sign the liability waiver when renting a car?
- Does having multiple vehicles earn me a discount?
- Does my vehicle qualify for pleasure use?
- When would I need additional glass coverage?
If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It only takes a few minutes and can provide invaluable advice.
More quotes mean more savings
When trying to cut insurance costs, don’t be tempted to buy poor coverage just to save money. There are many occasions where an accident victim reduced physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The ultimate goal is to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.
You just learned quite a bit of information on how to shop for car insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers could even find that the most savings is with a smaller regional carrier. These companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm and Allstate.
More tips and info about car insurance can be read at the North Dakota Insurance Department website. Consumers can read state legal mandates and laws, file complaints about a company, and view agent and company licensing information.
Additional helpful sites include this link for North Dakota coverage information and this list of insurance agents in New Rockford, ND.