Vehicle owners fed up with high insurance rates and are new to buying insurance online will discover sourcing is harder than they anticipated.
It’s a good habit to quote other rates periodically because car insurance prices change regularly. Even if you think you had the best price a few years ago you can probably find a better rate now. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding car insurance online but in a few minutes you can learn a bunch of ideas how to find cheap car insurance.
If you have insurance now or need new coverage, you can use these techniques to cut your premiums and possibly find even better coverage. The purpose of this article is to familiarize you with the most effective way to quote insurance. South Dakota vehicle owners only need to know the best way to find the lowest price online.
Save with these money-saving discounts
Auto insurance companies don’t always advertise the entire discount list very clearly, so we break down some of the best known in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits that may apply to you.
- Senior Citizen Rates – Drivers over the age of 55 may receive a discount up to 10%.
- Good Students Pay Less – This discount can save 20 to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
- Defensive Driving Course – Participating in a course that instructs on driving safety is a good idea and can lower rates and also improve your driving technique.
- Clear Lake Homeowners Discount – Owning your own home or condo can save a few bucks because maintaining a house demonstrates responsibility.
- Paperless Signup – A few insurance companies will give a small break on the web.
- Full Payment Discount – If you can afford to pay the entire bill rather than spreading payments over time you can avoid the installment charge.
- Drive Safe and Save – Accident-free drivers could pay up to 40% less than drivers with accident claims.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Vehicles optioned with advanced anti-theft systems are less likely to be stolen and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles that have anti-lock braking systems are safer to drive and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
As a footnote on discounts, many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. Despite the appearance that you can get free auto insurance, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.
To find providers with discount car insurance rates in South Dakota, click here.
Do I just need basic coverages?
When choosing the right insurance coverage, there really is no one size fits all plan. Each situation is unique.
Here are some questions about coverages that might help in determining whether your personal situation might need professional guidance.
- Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
- Will I lose any money if I cancel my policy before it expires?
- Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
- Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
- Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Clear Lake?
- Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
- How can I get high-risk coverage after a DUI?
- Do I have coverage when making deliveries for my home business?
- Is South Dakota a no-fault state?
- Can I afford to pay high deductible claims out of pocket?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can provide invaluable advice.
When to get advice from an insurance agency
Many people just prefer to have an agent’s advice and that is OK! Experienced insurance agents can help determine the best coverages and will help you if you have claims. The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is that you can obtain cheaper premium rates and still buy from a local agent.
By using this form (opens in new window), your information is sent to agents in your area who will give you bids for your car insurance coverage. It makes it easy because there is no need to contact any agents because prices are sent directly to your email. In the event you want to get a rate quote from a specific insurance company, you would need to find their quoting web page and complete a quote there.
Selecting an company should include more criteria than just the price. The questions below may impact your decision as well.
- Do they prorate repair cost based on vehicle mileage?
- Are there any discounts for paying up front?
- How often do they review policy coverages?
- Are they actively involved in the community?
- Are they giving you every discount you deserve?
- Will the agent help in case of a claim?
- If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
- Do they regularly work with personal auto policies in Clear Lake?
If you’re trying to find a reliable insurance agency, you must know there are a couple types of agencies and how they operate. Agencies in Clear Lake are considered either independent agents or captive agents. Either one can provide car insurance policies, but it is a good idea to know how they differ since it can affect the selection process.
Captive Agencies
These agents can only write with one company and examples are American Family, State Farm, and Allstate. They usually cannot give you multiple price quotes so they have to upsell other benefits. These agents are highly trained on sales techniques which can be an advantage. A lot of people use the same captive agent primarily because of loyalty to the company and solid financial strength.
Independent Car Insurance Agents
Independent insurance agents can quote rates with many companies and that enables them to quote your coverage with a variety of different insurance companies and get you the best rates possible. If they quote lower rates, the business is moved internally without you having to go to a different agency. If you are comparing rate quotes, you should always include price quotes from at least one independent agent to have the most options to choose from. Most can insure with mutual insurance companies which could offer lower prices.
Shown below is a short list of independent insurance agents in Clear Lake who can help you get rate quotes.
- Don Cassels Agency Inc – 302 3rd Ave S – Clear Lake, SD 57226 – (605) 874-2212
- DCN Insurance – 320 3rd Ave S – Clear Lake, SD 57226 – (605) 874-2192
To view additional insurance agents in Clear Lake, view this page of insurance agents in Clear Lake, SD.
Truth in car insurance advertising
South Dakota drivers get pounded daily by advertisements for the lowest price car insurance by companies like State Farm and Allstate. All the companies tend to make the same promise that drivers can save some big amount if you get a free and switch your coverage to them.
Is it even possible that every company can make almost identical claims?
Car insurance companies provide the lowest rates for the type of driver that will generate a profit. A good example of a driver they prefer might be over the age of 45, has never had a policy lapse, and has great credit. A propective insured who matches those parameters receives the best auto insurance rates and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.
Potential customers who do not match this ideal profile will be quoted higher prices with the end result being the customer not purchasing. If you pay attention, the ads say “customers who switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save that much. That is how insurance companies can confidently state the savings. Because of this risk profiling, it’s extremely important to compare rate quotes every year. It is just not possible to predict which company will be your best fit.
More tips and info about car insurance is located at the South Dakota Division of Insurance website. South Dakota consumers can download brochures, read industry bulletins, view a list of available companies, and file complaints about a company.
A tidy conclusion
You just learned many ways to save on car insurance. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even discover the best auto insurance rates are with the least-expected company.
Discount car insurance can be found both online in addition to local insurance agencies, so you need to with both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies don’t offer price quotes online and most of the time these small, regional companies provide coverage only through independent insurance agents.
When you , it’s very important that you do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are many occasions where someone sacrificed physical damage coverage only to discover later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at the lowest possible cost and still be able to protect your assets.