No one in their right mind likes paying for auto insurance, particularly when they are paying too much.
Having so many options, it’s difficult to find the lowest cost insurance company.
The purpose of this post is to introduce you to the most effective way to quote insurance. If you are paying for car insurance now, you should be able to cut costs considerably using these techniques. Although South Dakota drivers must learn the way insurance companies sell online and take advantage of how the system works.
Compare Sisseton Auto Insurance Costs
There are multiple methods you can shop for auto insurance but there is one way that is more efficient than others. You could spend the better part of a day talking about coverages with insurance companies in Sisseton, or you can stay home and use online quotes to quickly compare rates.
Many popular insurance companies belong to an insurance system that allows shoppers to enter their policy data once, and at least one company provides a quote based on the submitted data. This prevents consumers from doing repetitive form submissions for each company you want a rate for.
To find out what other companies charge click to open in new window.
The only downside to using this type of system is that consumers can’t choose the providers you will receive quotes from. So if you prefer to choose specific providers for rate comparison, we have a page of auto insurance companies in South Dakota. Click here for list of insurance companies in South Dakota.
Which method you use is up to you, but make sure you use identical coverage information with every price quote. If you are comparing higher or lower deductibles it will be next to impossible to make a fair comparison in Sisseton. Quoting even small variations in coverages can mean a large discrepancy in price. Keep in mind that more quotes helps locate the best price.
Save $416 a year? Really?
Auto insurance providers like Allstate and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. They all have a common claim that you’ll save big if you switch to them. How do they all say the same thing?
Different companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of driver they prefer to insure. A good example of a driver they prefer might be between 25 and 40, has no prior claims, and has excellent credit. A customer who meets those qualifications gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.
Drivers who don’t qualify for the “perfect” profile will be charged higher premiums and this can result in business going elsewhere. The ads state “customers that switch” not “people who quote” save that much money. That’s the way companies can advertise the savings.
That is why drivers must get as many quotes as possible. It is impossible to predict which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.
Are you getting all your discounts?
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, buy you may qualify for discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Most are applied when you complete an application, but a few must be requested specifically before you will receive the discount.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts may earn rate discounts up to 30%.
- Theft Prevention System – Vehicles with anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
- Federal Employees – Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off with a few auto insurance companies.
- Homeowners Discount – Being a homeowner can help you save on auto insurance because maintaining a house is proof that your finances are in order.
- No Charge for an Accident – A few companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums so long as you haven’t had any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
- Sign Online – Some insurance companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy online.
- Multiple Vehicles – Buying coverage for multiple vehicles with the same company qualifies for this discount.
- Military Discounts – Being deployed with a military unit could be rewarded with lower premiums.
- Life Insurance Discount – Some companies give a break if you buy life insurance.
- Payment Method – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of paying each month you could save up to 5%.
Drivers should understand that most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most cut individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies don’t profit that way. But all discounts will help reduce your premiums.
What is the best insurance coverage?
When it comes to choosing adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Every insured’s situation is different and your policy should reflect that. For example, these questions might help in determining if your insurance needs could use an agent’s help.
- Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
- What are South Dakota no-fault laws?
- When should I remove comp and collision on my vehicle?
- Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?
- Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
- Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.
What about using a local agent?
A small number of people would prefer to sit down with an agent and that is OK! The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is that you can obtain lower rates but also keep your business local. And providing support for small agencies is especially important in Sisseton.
Upon completion of this simple form, the quote information gets sent to companies in Sisseton who will battle for your business. You don’t have to leave your house as quotes are delivered directly to your email. How cool is that?! You can find the lowest rates AND a local agent.
Is a captive or independent insurance agent right for you?
If you’re trying to find an insurance agent, you need to know there are two types of agencies to choose from. Agencies in Sisseton are categorized either independent (non-captive) or captive.
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Independent agencies are not employed by any specific company but rather can write business with many different companies depending on which coverage is best. To move your coverage to a new company, your agent can switch companies and you won’t have to switch agencies. When comparison shopping, we recommend you include multiple independent agents to have the most options to choose from.
Shown below is a short list of independent agents in Sisseton that can give you pricing information.
TLJ Universal Insurance Inc – 310 2nd Ave W – Sisseton, SD 57262 – (605) 698-3944
Dennis Schulz Insurance – 612 Veterans Ave – Sisseton, SD 57262 – (605) 698-3130
Captive Insurance Agents
This type of agents can only place business with one company and examples are Allstate, State Farm and Farmers Insurance. Captives cannot provide prices from multiple companies so keep that in mind. These agents receive extensive training in insurance sales which can be an advantage.
Below is a short list of captive agents in Sisseton that can give you price quote information.
State Farm Insurance – 113 E Oak St – Sisseton, SD 57262 – (605) 698-3136
To view a complete directory of auto insurance agents in Sisseton, visit this site.
Choosing an insurance agent should depend on more than just the premium amount. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
- If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
Once you have satisfactory answers for all questions you ask as well as a affordable price, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that can adequately provide auto insurance.
Coverages available on your policy
Understanding the coverages of auto insurance aids in choosing the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Shown next are the normal coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers
This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. It can pay for injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.
Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits (South Dakota limits are 25/50/25), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family. Normally the UM/UIM limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision)
This coverage covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things like a tree branch falling on your vehicle, theft and damage from getting keyed. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.
Liability car insurance
Liability coverage protects you from damage that occurs to other people or property by causing an accident. It protects you against other people’s claims. Liability doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have policy limits of 50/100/50 that means you have a limit of $50,000 per injured person, $100,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property. Alternatively, you may have one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which provides one coverage limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability coverage protects against things like repair bills for other people’s vehicles, structural damage and legal defense fees. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible. South Dakota requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/25,000 but you should consider buying higher limits.
Medical expense insurance
Med pay and PIP coverage pay for expenses for doctor visits, hospital visits, EMT expenses, chiropractic care and dental work. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Auto collision coverage
Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage pays for things such as driving through your garage door, hitting a mailbox and crashing into a building. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. Another option is to increase the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Shop smart and save
We covered a lot of techniques to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. You may even discover the lowest rates come from a smaller regional carrier. They often have lower prices on specific markets compared to the large companies like State Farm and Allstate.
Cheaper auto insurance can be purchased online and also from your neighborhood Sisseton agents, so compare prices from both to get a complete price analysis. Some auto insurance companies may not provide online price quotes and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.
As you shop your coverage around, do not buy poor coverage just to save money. There are too many instances where consumers will sacrifice liability limits or collision coverage only to regret that the savings was not a smart move. Your strategy should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.
Additional consumer information websites
Additional auto insurance information is located on the website for the South Dakota Division of Insurance through this link. Visitors are able to view a list of available companies, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and read industry bulletins.