Are you tired of wondering where the money will come from each month for car insurance? You are no different than many other South Dakota drivers. Due to the large number of different company options, it is very difficult to find the lowest price company.
Pricing affordable car insurance coverage in Philip is not that difficult. If you have a policy now or need a new policy, you can use these techniques to get lower rates while maintaining coverages. South Dakota consumers only need an understanding of the most efficient way to buy car insurance over the internet.
The majority of larger companies like State Farm and Allstate allow you to get insurance quotes on the web. Doing online price comparisons is pretty easy because it’s just a matter of typing in your coverage preferences on the page. After you complete the form, their quoting system gets reports for credit and driving violations and quotes a price based on these and other factors. This makes comparing rates easy, but having to visit several different sites and enter the same data into a form gets old quite quickly. Unfortunately, it is important to perform this step if you want to find the best price possible.
Compare rates the easy way
The smarter way to compare car insurance pricing requires only one form that obtains quotes from many companies. It saves time, requires less work, and makes price shopping online much more efficient. Immediately after submitting the form, it is rated and you are able to buy any one of the returned quotes.
If a lower price is quoted, you can simply submit the application and purchase coverage. The whole process takes just a few minutes to complete and can result in significant savings.
To find out if lower rates are available, click here to open in new window and begin entering your coverage information. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you type in deductibles and limits just like they are on your policy. This makes sure you’re receiving a price comparison based on the exact same insurance coverage.
Don’t be fooled by advertising claims
Consumers in South Dakota can’t get away from ads that promise big savings by companies like State Farm and Allstate. All the ads state the claim about saving some big amount after switching your coverage.
How does every car insurance company make the same claim? This is the way they can do it.
Many companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of driver that is profitable for them. For example, a profitable customer should be a mature driver, owns their home, and insures a new vehicle. Anybody who fits those characteristics receive the lowest rate quotes and as a result will probably save when switching.
People who don’t measure up to this ideal profile will be quoted more expensive rates and the customer not buying. If you pay close attention to the ads, they say “customers that switch” but not “all drivers who get quotes” save that much money. That is how companies can truthfully make it sound like they have such great rates.
Because every company is different, drivers should compare many company’s rates. Because you never know which insurance companies will give you lower prices than your current company.
You have control over your car insurance prices
Lots of factors are considered when pricing auto insurance. A few of the factors are predictable like your driving record, but other factors are more transparent such as your credit history or your vehicle rating.
- Good drivers pay less – Being a careful driver has a huge affect on how much you pay. Even one ticket can increase rates twenty percent or more. Drivers who don’t get tickets pay less for auto insurance than bad drivers. Drivers who get license-revoking violations like DUI or willful reckless driving may be required to complete a SR-22 with their state motor vehicle department in order to continue driving.
- Multiple policies with one company – Most larger insurance companies will award lower prices to customers that buy multiple policies in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even if you already get this discount, it’s in your best interest to check prices from other companies to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
- Save miles driven and save money – Driving more miles every year the higher the price you pay to insure it. A lot of companies calculate prices partially by how you use the vehicle. Autos that do not get driven very much can get a lower rate than cars that get driven a lot. Ask your agent if your declarations sheet shows the proper vehicle usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
- Impacts performance impacts auto insurance prices – The performance of the car or truck you need to insure makes a significant difference in determining your rates. The lowest rates are usually found on lower performance four cylinder passenger cars, but many other things help determine your insurance rates.
Cheaper rates with these discounts
Some insurance providers don’t always list their entire list of discounts very clearly, so the list below contains both well-publicized as well as the least known discounts that you may qualify for.
- Multiple Cars – Insuring primary and secondary vehicles on the same car insurance policy could earn a price break for each car.
- Safety Restraint Discount – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to buckle up may be able to save a few bucks off the PIP or medical payment premium.
- Renewal Discounts – Some insurance companies reward drivers for renewing your policy before your current expiration date. It could save around 10% when you .
- Driver Safety – Taking a defensive driver course is a good idea and can lower rates depending on where you live.
- College Student – Youth drivers living away from home attending college and leave their car at home may qualify for this discount.
Discounts save money, but please remember that most discounts do not apply the the whole policy. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. Just because you may think adding up those discounts means a free policy, it’s just not the way it works.
Some of the larger companies that may offer some of the above discounts possibly include:
When getting a coverage quote, ask each insurance company to give you their best rates. Discounts may not be offered everywhere. To view insurers that offer multiple discounts in Philip, click here.
Compare rates but still have a local neighborhood Philip car insurance agent
A lot of people would prefer to buy from a licensed agent and often times that is recommended Most agents can help determine the best coverages and give you someone to call. A good thing about getting online price quotes is the fact that drivers can get cheaper prices and still have a local agent. Buying from neighborhood agents is important particularly in Philip.
By using this simple form, your insurance coverage information is submitted to participating agents in Philip who will give you bids for your car insurance coverage. You don’t have to find an agent due to the fact that quote results will go immediately to you. If for some reason you want to get a rate quote for a specific company, just jump over to their website and complete a quote there.
When narrowing the list to find a reliable insurance agency, it’s important to understand the different types of agents that you can choose from. Philip agents are classified as either independent agents or captive agents depending on their employer. Either type can write policy coverage, but it’s important to point out the subtle differences since it could factor into your agent selection.
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agents are not employed by any specific company and that is an advantage because they can write policies amongst many companies and find you cheaper rates. If your agent finds better pricing, your agent can just switch to a different company which makes it simple for you. When comparing car insurance rates, we highly recommend that you include price quotes from several independent agencies to have the best price comparison.
Shown below is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Philip that may be able to provide pricing information.
Cathy Knight Insurance – 145 S Center St – Philip, SD 57567 – (605) 859-2466
Gottsleben Insurance Agency – 21190 Grindstone Rd – Philip, SD 57567 – (605) 859-2273
Gottsleben Insurance Agency – 21190 Grindstone Rd – Philip, SD 57567 – (605) 859-2273
Captive Insurance Agencies
Agents that elect to be captive can only quote rates from one company such as State Farm, Allstate, and Farm Bureau. They are unable to place coverage with different providers so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. They receive a lot of sales training on the products they sell and that can be a competitive advantage.
Below are Philip captive insurance agencies that are able to give rate quotes.
State Farm Insurance – 101 N Center Ave – Philip, SD 57567 – (605) 859-2559
To contact agents in your neighborhood, view this page of insurance agencies in Philip, SD.
Picking an insurance agency requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. A good agent will have answers to these questions.
- Is there a 24/7 contact number?
- If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
- Who are their largest clients?
- Is the coverage adequate for your vehicle?
- How many years have they been established?
- What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
- If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
After receiving positive responses to any questions you have and a low price estimate, it’s a good possibility that you have found an insurance agency that is a good match to provide car insurance coverage.
Summing up your car insurance search
You just read a lot of tips how to shop for car insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers could even find that the lowest prices come from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. Smaller companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates than their larger competitors like State Farm or Progressive.
As you prepare to switch companies, you should never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In too many instances, consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage only to discover later that it was a big error on their part. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.
More sites with car insurance information
Much more information about car insurance in South Dakota can be found on the through this link. South Dakota drivers can learn about insurance regulations, report car insurance fraud, discover disciplinary actions, and view agent and company licensing information.