Paying for overpriced car insurance can draw down your monthly budget and put a big crunch on your finances. Comparing price quotes can help to slash your bill and have more diposable income.
There are many auto insurance companies to buy insurance from, and though it is a good thing to have a selection, more choices can make it harder to get the best deal.
It’s a good idea to compare premium rates periodically because car insurance prices are constantly changing. Despite the fact that you may have had the best price six months ago a different company probably has better rate quotes today. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because you’re going to get a crash course in the best way to properly buy coverages and cut your premium.
Why you might pay higher rates in Robbinsdale
Lots of factors are used in the calculation when you quote your car insurance policy. Some factors are common sense such as traffic violations, but other factors are not quite as obvious like your continuous coverage or your commute time.
The items below are a few of the things that factor into your prices.
- Certain employers raise prices – Do you work in a high-stress field? Careers like military personnel, executives and dentists generally have the highest average rates attributed to intense work requirements and lots of time spent at work. Other professions such as actors, historians and retirees have the lowest average rates.
- Marriage can lower rates – Having a significant other can get you a discount on your policy. Having a spouse generally demonstrates drivers are more mature than a single person it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married file infrequent claims.
- Tickets cost more than a fine – Only having one driving citation can increase the cost of insurance twenty percent or more. Attentive drivers tend to pay less for car insurance as compared to those with violations. Drivers who have received careless citations such as reckless driving or DUI are required to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to prevent a license revocation.
- Add-on coverages that aren’t used – There are many extra bells and whistles that you can buy if you aren’t diligent. Coverage for things like rental car reimbursement, better glass coverage, and additional equipment coverage may not be needed and are just wasting money. They may seem like a good idea initially, but now you might not need them so consider taking them off your policy.
- Better car insurance rates with anti-theft devices – Choosing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can help lower your premiums. Theft prevention devices like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all help stop auto theft and help lower rates.
- Teenage vs. mature drivers – Mature drivers have been proven to be more responsible, cause fewer claims and accidents and get fewer tickets.Teen drivers are statistically shown to be inattentive and easily distracted when driving therefore car insurance rates are much higher.
- Where you live is a factor – Residing in smaller towns and rural areas of the country can be a good thing when shopping for auto insurance. Less people translates into fewer accident claims in addition to lower liability claims Urban drivers have to deal with much more traffic and more time behind the wheel. The longer drive time means more chance of being in an accident.
Effectively comparing car insurance prices is a ton of work if you don’t understand the most efficient way to do it. You could spend your day discussing policy coverages with insurance agencies in Robbinsdale, or you can utilize online quoting to maximize your effort.
Many insurance companies belong to an insurance system that allows shoppers to complete one form, and each company returns a competitive quote. This eliminates the need for form submissions to each individual car insurance company. To compare rates now click to open in new window.
The only downside to comparing rates this way is that you can’t choose the companies you want pricing from. So if you prefer to pick specific providers to receive pricing from, we have a listing of low cost car insurance companies in Minnesota. Click here for list of insurance companies in Minnesota.
Whichever way you use, do your best to use equivalent coverages and limits for each comparison quote. If you enter unequal deductibles or liability limits you will not be able to determine the lowest rate in Robbinsdale. Slightly different insurance coverages can mean a large discrepancy in price. And when price shopping your coverage, comparing a wide range of rates helps increase your odds of locating a lower rate. Not every company allows you to get online rate quotes, so you should also compare price quotes from the smaller companies as well.
Will you really save $458 on car insurance?
Popular car insurance providers such as Progressive, Allstate and Geico continually stream ads on TV and radio. They all seem to make the same claim that you can save if you move your car insurance policy to them. That’s great but how can every company charge you less for auto insurance? It’s all in the numbers.
All companies have specific characteristics for the right customer that earns them a profit. For instance, a profitable customer may need to be between the ages of 30 and 50, has a clear driving record, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. Any new insured who matches that profile may get the lowest auto insurance rates in Robbinsdale and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.
Insureds who are not a match for these standards may be required to pay a higher premium with the end result being the prospect going elsewhere. The wording the ads use say “customers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” will save that much if they switch. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently make claims that they all have the best premium rates.
This emphasizes why drivers must compare quotes as often as possible. You cannot predict the company that will have the best auto insurance rates for your profile.
Are you getting every discount?
Some providers do not list every disount available in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of both the well known and the harder-to-find discounts that you may qualify for.
- Buy New and Save – Buying a new car model can save up to 30% since new vehicles are generally safer.
- College Student Discount – Children who are attending college without a vehicle on campus may be insured at a cheaper rate.
- Homeowners Savings – Simply owning a home can earn you a little savings because owning a home shows financial diligence.
- Multi-Vehicle Discounts – Purchasing coverage when you have multiple cars with one company can get a discount on all vehicles.
- Theft Prevention System – Cars, trucks, and SUVs equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and will save you 10% or more.
- One Accident Forgiven – This isn’t a discount exactly, but some companies like Liberty Mutual and Geico will forgive one accident without getting socked with a rate hike so long as you are claim-free for a certain period of time.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Not every insurance company offers life insurance, but if they do you may earn a discount if you purchase life insurance.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles and place coverage with the same company you will save nearly 15% which can help you find .
Discounts lower rates, but some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. Despite the appearance that all the discounts add up to a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way.
Some of the insurance companies that may offer policyholders some of the above discounts include:
- State Farm
- Liberty Mutual
- American Family
- Progressive
- Farmers Insurance
- Auto-Owners Insurance
- SAFECO
Before you buy a policy, ask each company how many discounts you can get. All car insurance discounts may not apply to policyholders in Robbinsdale.
When in doubt talk to an agent
When it comes to choosing adequate coverage, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s so this has to be addressed. For instance, these questions can help discover whether you will benefit from professional help.
- Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
- How much underlying liability do I need for an umbrella policy?
- When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
- Do all my vehicles need collision coverage?
- Is pleasure use cheaper than using my vehicle to commute?
- Why is insurance for a teen driver so high in Robbinsdale?
- Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?
- What should my uninsured motorist coverage limits be in Minnesota?
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 agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier
Much more information about car insurance in Minnesota can be read on the located here. Minnesota drivers can file complaints about a company, view agent and company licensing information, discover disciplinary actions, and learn about insurance regulations.
Additional helpful sites include this online resource for free quotes in Minnesota and this page for help finding agents in Robbinsdale, MN.
Affordable car insurance is out there
In this article, we covered a lot of techniques to reduce car insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the lowest prices come from a small mutual company. These companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates compared to the large companies like State Farm and Allstate.
When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s not a good idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are a lot of situations where an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits and discovered at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your objective should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.