Finding cheap rates for Strasburg auto insurance can seem to be frustrating for drivers not familiar with online comparison shopping. Consumers have so many companies to choose from that it can easily become a burden to compare prices in North Dakota.
You should make it a habit to quote other rates on a regular basis due to the fact that insurance prices go up and down regularly. If you had the lowest quotes at your last renewal the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Don’t believe everything you read about auto insurance out there, but I’m going to show you some good information on how to lower your auto insurance bill.
This information will tell you how to effectively get price quotes and some money-saving tips. If you currently have car insurance, you will most likely be able to cut costs considerably using these methods. North Dakota drivers just need to learn the proper methods to compare prices online.
The fastest way that we advise to compare rate quotes is to take advantage of the fact auto insurance companies have advanced systems to give you rate quotes. The only thing you need to do is provide the companies a bit of rating information including any included safety features, driver ages, level of coverage desired, and an estimate of your credit level. Your insurance information is then sent to multiple auto insurance providers and they return rate quotes immediately.
If you would like to compare rates now, click here and find out if lower rates are available.
Don’t listen to company ads
Consumers in North Dakota can’t ignore all the ads that promise big savings for switching by State Farm and Allstate. They all seem to state the claim of big savings just by moving your auto insurance coverage to their company.
Is it even possible that every company can offer drivers better rates? This is the trick they use.
Many companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that earns them the most money. For example, a driver they prefer might be between the ages of 30 and 45, has a clean driving record, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Anybody who fits that profile may get the lowest prices in Strasburg and will cut their rates substantially.
Potential insureds who may not quite match the “perfect” profile will have to pay a higher premium with the end result being the customer buying from a different company. If you pay close attention to the ads, they say “people that switch” not “all people who quote” save that much when switching. That’s why companies can truthfully make claims like that.
This really drives home the point why drivers must compare price quotes frequently. It’s just too difficult to predict with any certainty which company will fit your personal profile best.
How insurance providers determine rates
Consumers need to have an understanding of a few of the rating criteria that help calculate your policy premiums. When you understand what influences your rates, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to big savings. Multiple criteria are used when you quote your car insurance policy. Some factors are common sense such as your driving history, although others are more obscure such as whether you are married or how safe your car is.
- Your career may increase prices – Occupational choices like military personnelairline pilots and stock brokers tend to have higher rates than average due to stressful work requirements and long work hours. Conversely, occupations such as scientists, historians and the unemployed have the lowest average rates.
- Consolidate home and auto and save – Lots of companies will award better rates to insureds that buy multiple policies, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. The amount of the discounts can be ten or even fifteen percent. Even though this discount sounds good, consumers should still get quotes from other companies to ensure the best deal. Consumers may find better rates by buying insurance from more than one company.
- Cheaper to insure women? – Statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. Now that doesn’t mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Men and women have accidents at a similar rate, but the male of the species tend to have higher claims. Men also statistically get more serious tickets like DWI (DUI) or reckless driving.
- Policy add-ons add up – Policies have extra add-on coverages that can waste your money when buying auto insurance. Insurance for rental car reimbursement, death and dismemberment, and additional equipment coverage are some examples. The coverages may be enticing initially, but if you don’t need them remove them and pocket the money.
- When should you not file a policy claims? – If you are the type of insured that files lots of claims you shouldn’t be surprised to get increased rates or even have your policy non-renewed. Auto insurance companies in North Dakota generally give lower rates to insureds who do not file claims often. Your insurance policy is intended for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
Discounts can really help lower rates
Auto insurance is not an enjoyable expense, but there may be some discounts to help offset the cost. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you complete an application, but some must be specially asked for in order for you to get them.
- Own a Home and Save – Simply owning a home may trigger a policy discount on auto insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
- Discount for Multiple Policies – If you insure your home and vehicles and insure them with the same company they may give you a discount of nearly 15% which can help you find .
- Clubs and Organizations – Affiliation with a professional or civic organization may earn a discount on auto insurance.
- Discount for Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may earn rate discounts of more than 20%.
- Seat Belts Save – Requiring all passengers to fasten their seat belts can save up to 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
- Senior Citizen Rates – Drivers over the age of 55 may qualify for a discount up to 10%.
- Government Employee Discount – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can earn a discount up to 10% with select insurance companies.
One last thing about discounts, most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, that’s just not realistic.
The best auto insurance companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts include:
- Progressive may include discounts for continuous coverage, online signing, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, homeowner, good student, and online quote discount.
- Farmers Insurance has discounts for alternative fuel, electronic funds transfer, bundle discounts, switch companies, youthful driver, and homeowner.
- Farm Bureau may offer discounts for good student, safe driver, multi-vehicle, 55 and retired, renewal discount, and youthful driver.
- State Farm offers discounts including anti-theft, good driver, driver’s education, good student, Drive Safe & Save, and student away at school.
- Geico policyholders can earn discounts including defensive driver, seat belt use, good student, multi-vehicle, and anti-theft.
- SAFECO includes discounts for anti-theft, teen safety rewards, multi-car, accident prevention training, teen safe driver, and safe driver.
- Liberty Mutual offers premium reductions for good student, safety features, multi-policy, exclusive group savings, new graduate, new vehicle discount, and newly retired.
When comparing rates, check with each company or agent which discounts they offer. All car insurance discounts might not be available to policyholders in Strasburg.
Are car insurance agents used anymore?
Certain consumers prefer to get advice from a local agent and that is not a bad decision Licensed agents can answer important questions and help in the event of a claim. A good thing about getting free rate quotes online is that drivers can save money and get cheap rate quotes but also keep your business local. And supporting neighborhood agents is still important in Strasburg.
By using this form (opens in new window), your information is instantly submitted to agents in your area that can give you for your auto insurance coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to leave your house due to the fact that quote results will go instantly to you. If you need to compare prices from a particular provider, feel free to find their quoting web page and fill out the quote form the provide.
If you want to get more information on agents near you, view this complete selection of insurance agencies in Strasburg, ND.
Deciding on an provider should include more criteria than just a cheap quote. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Is the agency active in community causes in Strasburg?
- Do they regularly work with personal auto policies in Strasburg?
- What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
- When do they do policy reviews?
- Do they reduce claim amounts on high mileage vehicles?
- Are they giving you every discount you deserve?
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
- Is there any savings for paying the full premium?
Upon getting good feedback to any questions you may have and a good coverage price, chances are good that you have found an insurer that is reliable enough to service your policy.
Don’t give up on lower rates
We just covered a lot of techniques to compare auto insurance car insurance rates online. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the biggest savings come from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.
More affordable auto insurance can be bought online and from local agencies, so you need to with both to have the best rate selection. A few companies do not offer online price quotes and usually these regional insurance providers prefer to sell through local independent agencies.
While you’re price shopping online, make sure you don’t reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are a lot of situations where an accident victim reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits and discovered at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your objective should be to purchase plenty of coverage at the lowest possible cost.
More information can be found on the North Dakota Insurance Department website located here. Consumers can download brochures, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and discover disciplinary actions.