Tired of being strong-armed to keep your car insured? You have the same problem as millions of other people. There is such a variety of auto insurance companies to insure vehicles with, and even though it’s nice to have a selection, it makes it harder to compare rates and find the lowest cost auto insurance.
Consumers need to compare premium rates as often as possible because auto insurance prices are usually higher with each renewal. Even if you got the best deal six months ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the right way to buy cheaper auto insurance.
When shopping for , there are a couple of ways of comparing rate quotes from lots of South Dakota auto insurance companies. The best way to find cheaper rates is to perform an online rate comparison. This is very easy and can be done in a couple of different ways.
- The most recommended method consumers can analyze rates is an all-inclusive rate comparison (click to open form in new window). This form saves time by eliminating separate forms to each individual auto insurance company. One form will get you rate comparisons from many national carriers.
- Another way to get quotes online consists of visiting the website for each individual company and fill out a new quote form. For example, let’s assume you need rates from USAA, Liberty Mutual and Farmers. To get each rate you have to navigate to each company’s site and repeatedly type in your coverage information, which is why first method is reommended.
For a list of links to insurance companies in Worthing, click here.
The method you choose is up to you, but do your best to enter nearly identical deductibles and coverage limits for every quote you compare. If you have different liability limits it will be impossible to make a fair rate comparison in Worthing. Just a small difference in coverage limits can make a big difference in price. Keep in mind that comparing more rates from different companies helps locate the best offered rates. Some regional insurers cannot provide online rate quotes, so it’s recommended that you also compare rates from them as well.
Auto insurance policy discounts you can’t miss
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but you might already qualify for some discounts that you may not even be aware of. Some discounts apply automatically at quote time, but a few must be inquired about prior to getting the savings.
- No Claim Discounts – Good drivers with no accidents pay less as opposed to drivers with a long claim history.
- Driver Education Discount – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers enroll in driver’s education if offered at their school.
- Discount for Swiching Early – Some auto insurance companies reward drivers for buying a new policy prior to the expiration date on your current policy. This discount can save up to 10%.
- Policy Bundle Discount – If you can combine your auto and homeowners policy with the same company you could save at least 10 to 15 percent or more.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars, trucks, and SUVs that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents so you can save 10 percent or more.
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Keeping the miles down could qualify for better rates on cars that stay parked.
- Cautious Driver Discount – Accident-free drivers can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than their less cautious counterparts.
- Discount for Life Insurance – If the company offers life insurance, you could get a lower premium rate if you buy some life insurance in addition to your auto policy.
- Discount for Home Ownership – Just being a homeowner can save you money because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
- Mature Driver Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you may qualify for a small discount on rates.
Discounts save money, but please remember that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like you can get free auto insurance, nobody gets a free ride.
A few popular companies and some of the discounts include:
- State Farm offers discounts for safe vehicle, defensive driving training, Drive Safe & Save, driver’s education, and Steer Clear safe driver discount.
- Geico offers discounts including anti-lock brakes, multi-policy, good student, multi-vehicle, and membership and employees.
- SAFECO has discounts for multi-car, teen safe driver, safe driver, homeowner, drive less, and bundle discounts.
- Farmers Insurance may include discounts for homeowner, alternative fuel, youthful driver, good student, and pay in full.
- AAA may offer discounts for AAA membership discount, anti-theft, multi-car, good student, multi-policy, and pay-in-full.
- USAA may have discounts that include defensive driver, loyalty savings, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, new vehicle, and good student.
When quoting, ask every prospective company which credits you are entitled to. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not be offered in every state.
How your Worthing premiums are determined
One of the most helpful ways to save on auto insurance is to to have a grasp of some of the factors that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. If you have some idea of what determines premiums, this allows you to make good choices that will entitle you to big savings. Lots of factors are part of the calculation when you get your auto insurance bill. Some of the criteria are obvious such as traffic violations, although others are not as apparent like where you live or your financial responsibility.
- Use credit responsibly and save – Having a bad credit rating is a big factor in your rate calculation. Therefore, if your credit is lower than you’d like, you may save money insuring your vehicle by repairing your credit. Insureds that have very high credit ratings tend to be less risk to insure than those with bad credit.
- Driving citations drive up premiums – Your driving record impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Only having one speeding ticket could increase your next policy renewal twenty percent or more. Careful drivers tend to pay less for car insurance compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who have gotten careless violations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may find they need to file a SR-22 with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
- Multiple policies with one company – Most auto insurance companies will give lower prices to policyholders that purchase more than one policy, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to five, ten or even twenty percent. If you currently are using one company, it’s in your best interest to compare other company rates to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still find lower rates by buying from different companies
- Safer cars cost less to insure – Vehicles with high crash test scores cost less to insure. Vehicles engineered for safety have better occupant injury protection and better occupant protection means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Insurance agents can help
When buying the best auto insurance coverage, there is no one size fits all plan. Every situation is different so your insurance should reflect that Here are some questions about coverages that might help in determining whether your personal situation may require specific advice.
- Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
- Are my friends covered when driving my vehicle?
- Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
- Is pleasure use cheaper than using my vehicle to commute?
- Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- Am I getting all the discounts available?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
More tips and info about auto insurance can be read at the South Dakota Division of Insurance website. Consumers can view a list of available companies, read consumer alerts, and learn about specific coverages.
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Big names are not always cheapest
Popular auto insurance providers such as Progressive, Geico, Allstate and State Farm constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. They all try to convey promises about how much you will save just by moving to their company. How is it plausible that every one can sell you cheaper insurance coverage? Here is how they do it.
Auto insurance companies give the best rates for the right customer they prefer to insure. An example of this type of risk profile could be a married male, has few claims, and drives a car with an anti-theft system. A customer that matches those criteria will get the preferred premium rates and therefore will cut their rates substantially.
People who are not a match for the requirements will see a more expensive rate and this can result in the prospect going elsewhere. The trick companies use is to say “customers who switch” not “all people who quote” save that much. That’s the way companies can truthfully advertise the savings. This really illustrates why you need to do a quote comparison often. Because you cannot predict the company that will have better car insurance rates than you’re paying now.
Don’t give up on lower rates
Some companies may not offer price quotes online and usually these regional insurance providers only sell through independent agencies. Lower-priced auto insurance can be sourced both online in addition to local insurance agencies, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money.
As you restructure your insurance plan, it’s not a good idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are many occasions where drivers have reduced collision coverage and found out when filing a claim that the savings was not a smart move. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best possible price, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.