Perplexed by the number of auto insurance choices in Spearfish? Lot’s of other consumers are too. People have so many options that it can turn into a big hassle to find the lowest price.
You should make it a habit to price shop coverage on a regular basis because prices change frequently. Even if you think you had the lowest rates on your last policy you can probably find a better price now. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because you’re about to learn the fastest way to find better coverage at a better price.
Comprehensive Spearfish Auto Insurance Comparison Quotes
All major auto insurance companies like Progressive, Allstate and Geico quote pricing on the web. This process is fairly straightforward as you just enter your coverage preferences as requested by the quote form. When complete, their system sends out for information on your driving record and credit history and quotes a price determined by many factors.
Quoting online simplifies rate comparisons, but the time required to go to multiple sites and fill out multiple forms gets old quite quickly. But it’s absolutely necessary to perform this step if you are searching for the lowest auto insurance rates.
There is an easier way!
The smarter way to lower your auto insurance bill makes use of a single form to get prices from more than one company. It saves time, requires less work, and makes price shopping online much more enjoyable and efficient. As soon as you send your information, it is rated and you can choose your choice of the price quotes you receive.
If a lower price is quoted, you can click and sign and purchase the new policy. This process takes less than 15 minutes and can result in significant savings.
To quickly find out if lower rates are available, click here and submit your coverage information. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you input coverages and limits exactly as they are listed on your policy. This way, you will have rate comparison quotes based on the exact same insurance coverage.
Ads can be misleading
Consumers in South Dakota can’t ignore all the ads for the lowest price auto insurance by companies like Progressive, Allstate and Geico. All the ads make the same claim that you can save after switching to them.
How do they all claim to save you money?
Insurance companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of driver they prefer to insure. For example, a profitable customer might be profiled as over the age of 40, has no prior claims, and has a short commute. A customer who matches those parameters will get very good rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.
Drivers who do not match the requirements will be charged a higher premium and this can result in business not being written. The ads say “people who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. That’s the way insurance companies can advertise the way they do.
That is why drivers must get a wide range of price quotes. It’s impossible to know the company that will fit your personal profile best.
Companies offer discounts so take them!
Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but you may find discounts to help bring down the price. Most are applied when you purchase, but less common discounts must be asked about before you will receive the discount. If you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Student Driver Training – Have your child take driver’s ed class in school.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can reduce accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Insuring multiple cars or trucks on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Resident Student – Children who live away from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Government Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job could cut as much as 10% off depending on your company.
- Lower Rates for Military – Being on active duty in the military can result in better rates.
- Discount for New Cars – Adding a new car to your policy can save up to 30% compared to insuring an older model.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of making monthly payments you could save up to 5%.
Keep in mind that most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So when the math indicates it’s possible to get free car insurance, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any qualifying discounts will bring down the cost of coverage.
To see a list of providers offering auto insurance discounts in South Dakota, click here to view.
Neighborhood agents for auto insurance
Some people would prefer to buy from a local agent. Professional agents can point out coverage gaps and help in the event of a claim. One of the great benefits of price shopping on the web is you may find better rates and still choose a local agent. And providing support for local insurance agencies is definitely important in Spearfish.
Upon completion of this short form, the quote information is transmitted to local insurance agents who will compete for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to leave your house due to the fact that quote results will go immediately to your email address.
Spearfish auto insurance agents come in two flavors
If you’re trying to find local Spearfish agents, you must know there are a couple types of agencies that you can select. Insurance agencies in Spearfish are categorized either independent (non-captive) or captive. While both can do a good job, but it’s worth mentioning how they differ since it may influence your agent selection.
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent insurance agents are not employed by any specific company but instead can place your coverage with lots of companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If you are not satisfied with one company, your agent can switch companies without you having to go to a different agency. When comparison shopping, it’s recommended you get quotes from at least one independent agent for maximum quote selection. Most have the option of insuring with different regional companies who may have lower rates.
Shown below are Spearfish independent insurance agencies that may be able to provide competitive price quotes.
- Robert P Burnett Agency Inc – 204 N Main St – Spearfish, SD 57783 – (605) 642-2300
- John Haivala Insurance – 1230 North Ave # 2 – Spearfish, SD 57783 – (605) 642-8352
- Horace Mann Insurance Co – 1104 Crow Peak Ln – Spearfish, SD 57783 – (605) 642-9644
Agency Captives
Captive agencies can only place business with one company such as American Family, Liberty Mutual and AAA. They generally cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they have no alternatives for high prices. These agents receive extensive training on their products and sales techniques and that can be a competitive advantage. Consumers frequently buy insurance from these agents mainly due to the prominence of the brand and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Below is a short list of captive agencies in Spearfish that are able to give rate quotes.
- Farm Bureau Insurance – 348 E Colorado Blvd – Spearfish, SD 57783 – (605) 642-4399
- Farmers Insurance Group – 517 N Main St – Spearfish, SD 57783 – (605) 644-0951
For a complete listing of captive agencies in Spearfish, click here to link.
Choosing an insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just the price. Here are some questions to ask:
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
Upon receiving acceptable answers to all your questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, you’ve probably found an auto insurance agent that is a good match to properly insure your vehicles. Just keep in mind once you purchase a policy you can cancel coverage at any point so don’t assume that you are obligated to your new company with no way to switch.
Auto insurance specifics
Having a good grasp of auto insurance can help you determine the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Auto liability
This can cover damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property in an accident. It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see liability limits of 100/300/100 that means you have $100,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Some companies may use a combined limit which limits claims to one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.
Liability coverage protects against things such as medical expenses, bail bonds, structural damage, repair costs for stationary objects and pain and suffering. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a personal decision, but consider buying as much as you can afford. South Dakota requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/25,000 but you should consider buying higher limits.
Coverage for medical payments
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for short-term medical expenses for things like surgery, funeral costs, ambulance fees, dental work and prosthetic devices. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Collision coverage protection
Collision coverage covers damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage pays for claims like sustaining damage from a pot hole, sideswiping another vehicle and colliding with a tree. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from lower value vehicles. Another option is to bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Comprehensive coverages
Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for claims such as fire damage, damage from getting keyed, hail damage, damage from a tornado or hurricane and a broken windshield. The maximum amount your auto insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Uninsured and underinsured coverage
This coverage provides protection from other drivers when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your vehicle.
Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits (South Dakota limits are 25/50/25), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Normally these limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Final considerations
Cheaper auto insurance can be bought on the web and with local Spearfish insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best rate selection. A few companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.
When shopping online for auto insurance, it’s not a good idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There have been many situations where drivers have reduced full coverage and found out when filing a claim that it was a big mistake. The ultimate goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.
We covered many ideas to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the biggest savings come from an unexpected company.
Additional auto insurance information is available on the South Dakota Division of Insurance website through this link. Visitors are able to view agent and company licensing information, read consumer alerts, and find disaster information.