Feel like you’re a prisoner to an overpriced car insurance policy? Believe me when I say there are many Conrad consumers feeling the pinch from expensive car insurance. Multiple car insurance companies compete for your business, and it can be difficult to compare rates to get the best price available.
Which Car Insurance is Cheapest in Conrad?
Finding a lower price on insurance is a fairly straight forward process. Drivers just need to spend a few minutes comparing rates online with multiple companies. This can be done in several different ways.
- The single most time-saving way to compare a lot of rates at once is to use a rate comparison form like this one (opens in new window). This easy form saves time by eliminating separate forms for each company. One simple form will return price quotes direct from many companies.
- A slightly less efficient method to find lower rates requires visiting each company website to complete a price quote. For instance, let’s assume you want rates from Auto-Owners, Safeco and Allstate. You would have to spend time on each company’s site to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is more popular.
For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Conrad, click here.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just ensure you are comparing exactly the same coverages and limits for every company. If you are comparing differing limits it will be impossible to decipher which rate is best in Conrad.
These discounts can lower your rates
Car insurance companies don’t always advertise every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list some of the best known and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using. If they aren’t giving you every credit you qualify for, you are throwing money away.
- Military Rewards – Having a deployed family member could mean lower rates.
- Homeowners Pay Less – Being a homeowner may trigger a car insurance policy discount because maintaining a house demonstrates responsibility.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings up to 30%.
- Driver’s Ed – Require your teen driver to complete a driver education course in school.
- Payment Method – By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
It’s important to understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. So even though they make it sound like all the discounts add up to a free policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.
To see a list of companies who offer car insurance discounts in Montana, click here to view.
Different people need different coverages
When choosing coverage, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Every insured’s situation is different and your policy should reflect that. For instance, these questions could help you determine whether you may require specific advice.
- How many claims can I have before being cancelled?
- Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
- Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
- Who is covered by my policy?
- When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
- Is my vehicle covered for flood damage?
If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can provide invaluable advice.
Understand what determines the rate you pay
It’s important that you understand the rating factors that go into determining car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.
Listed below are a partial list of the pieces companies use to determine your rates.
- Don’t let your coverage lapse – Allowing your car insurance policy to lapse is a quick way to trigger a rate increase. And not only will your rates increase, failure to provide proof of insurance might get you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.You may then be required to file a SR-22 with the Montana motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
- Drive less and save money – Driving more miles in a year the more you will pay for car insurance. Most insurance companies charge to insure your cars determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars that are left in the garage receive lower rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Verify your car insurance coverage shows the proper vehicle usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
- More performance means more cost – The performance of the vehicle you own makes a big difference in how high your rates are. The lowest base rates tend to be for lower performance four cylinder passenger cars, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
- More than one policy can earn a discount – Many insurance companies provide better rates to insureds who have multiple policies with them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can be 10 percent or more. Even if you’re getting this discount it’s in your best interest to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal.
- Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance – Safer cars tend to have better insurance rates. The safest vehicles have better occupant injury protection and fewer injuries means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
- Low deductibles can be expensive – Coverage for physical damage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, is used to repair damage to your car. A few examples of covered claims would be colliding with a building, damage from fire, and rolling your vehicle. The deductibles are how much you are required to spend if you file a covered claim. The more expense you have to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
- Where you reside plays a part – Choosing to live in small towns and rural areas can save you money when insuring your vehicles. Lower population means reduced accidents. Drivers in populated Montana areas regularly have traffic congestion and longer commutes to work. Higher commute times means more change of being in an accident.
Better coverage you can count on
As you shop your coverage around, never buy less coverage just to save a little money. There have been many cases where someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits and found out when filing a claim they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your strategy should be to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.
In this article, we covered some good ideas how you can shop for car insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. Consumers may even find the best price on car insurance is with the smaller companies. They may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate, Geico and Progressive.
Lower-priced car insurance can be purchased from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Conrad, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some car insurance companies don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.
Learn more about car insurance in Montana
Even more information can be read at the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance website. Consumers can download brochures, report car insurance fraud, read consumer alerts, and find a variety of consumer forms.
Also read more on these car insurance answers and this page where you can research Conrad insurance agents.