No one in their right mind enjoys paying for auto insurance, especially when the cost is too high.
You have multiple car insurance companies to pick from, and even though it’s nice to be able to choose, too many choices makes it more difficult to find the best rates.
Smart consumers take time to compare prices occasionally because insurance rates are usually higher with each renewal. Even if you got the lowest rates two years ago you can probably find a lower rate today. Starting now, forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because you’re going to learn the best way to save money, get proper coverage and the best rates.
Buying car insurance in Johnston is not that difficult. Essentially every driver who is shopping for auto insurance will more than likely be able to save money. Nevertheless, Iowa car owners benefit from understanding how the larger insurance companies price insurance differently because it can help you find the best coverage.
Finding Auto Insurance Deals in Johnston, IA
Effectively comparing auto insurance prices can be a daunting task if you don’t utilize the fastest way to get free quotes. You can waste hours driving to insurance agencies in Johnston, or you could use the web to get rate comparisons in just a few minutes.
Most car insurance companies belong to a marketplace where prospective buyers submit one quote, and each company provides a quote determined by their information. This eliminates the need for quotation requests to each individual auto insurance company.
To compare pricing click here (opens in new window).
The only drawback to doing it this way is you are unable to specify the companies you will receive quotes from. So if you prefer to choose specific providers to receive pricing from, we have a listing of companies who write auto insurance in Iowa. Click here for list of insurance companies in Iowa.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just compare the exact same information for every company. If you enter different liability limits it will be next to impossible to determine which rate is truly the best in Johnston. Just a small difference in limits may cause a big price difference. Keep in mind that quoting more helps locate a better price.
Beware of misleading auto insurance ads
Companies like Geico, State Farm and Progressive consistently run television and radio advertisements. All the ads make an identical promise about savings if you change to them. But how can every company say the same thing? It’s all in the numbers.
Different companies have a certain “appetite” for the right customer that earns them a profit. For example, a profitable customer could be between 25 and 40, has no driving citations, and chooses high deductibles. A propective insured who matches those parameters will qualify for the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.
Drivers who fall outside this ideal profile will be quoted a higher premium which usually ends up with business not being written. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much. That’s the way companies can claim big savings. This emphasizes why it is so important to get a wide range of price quotes. Because you never know which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.
Are you getting all your discounts?
Auto insurance companies don’t always publicize all available discounts very clearly, so we researched some of the more common and the harder-to-find auto insurance savings.
- Club Memberships – Being a member of a qualifying organization is a good way to get lower rates when shopping for auto insurance.
- E-sign – Certain companies will give a small break for buying a policy and signing up online.
- Government Employees – Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off with certain companies.
- Accident Waiver – A few companies allow you one accident without raising rates if your claims history is clear for a certain period of time.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with the same insurance company you could get a discount of at least 10% off all policies.
- Driver’s Ed – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully complete driver’s ed class in high school.
Consumers should know that most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it just doesn’t work that way.
For a list of insurance companies with discount auto insurance rates in Johnston, follow this link.
Can’t I compare rates from local Johnston agents?
Some people prefer to get advice from a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is you can get lower rates but still work with a licensed agent.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this quick form, the coverage information is transmitted to participating agents in Johnston who will return price quotes for your business. There is no reason to visit any agencies since price quotes are sent directly to your email. It’s the lowest rates AND a local agent.
Choosing a company needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Iowa?
- If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
- Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
- What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
- Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
- How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
Below are Johnston insurers that may be willing to give price quotes.
State Farm Insurance – 5501 NW 86th St, Johnston, IA 50131 – (515) 223-5566
American Family Insurance – 5500 Merle Hay Rd # C, Johnston, IA 50131 – (515) 255-9300
Frank Stout Insurance – 6521 Merle Hay Rd, Johnston, IA 50131 – (515) 276-0914
After getting acceptable answers and an acceptable price quote, it’s possible that you found an insurer that will service your policy. But remember, you can always cancel your coverage at any time so don’t assume that you are obligated to the auto insurance policy for the entire policy term.
More tips and info about auto insurance is located at the Iowa Insurance Division website. Visitors are able to find out industry alerts, file complaints about a company, and learn about specific coverages.
Other related articles:
- 9 Discounts Johnston Shoppers Miss when Shopping for Auto Insurance Online
- Find an Auto Insurance Agent in Johnston
- Free Guide to Saving Money on Johnston Rhode Island Car Insurance Online
Car insurance coverage information
Understanding the coverages of your auto insurance policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy. These are the normal coverages found on most auto insurance policies.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage
Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your vehicle.
Due to the fact that many Iowa drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (20/40/15), their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important.
Medical payments coverage and PIP
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for expenses such as funeral costs, EMT expenses, hospital visits, rehabilitation expenses and surgery. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers you and your occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Comprehensive coverage
This coverage covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive can pay for things like rock chips in glass, vandalism and theft. The highest amount your auto insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.
Liability coverages
This coverage provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to other people or property in an accident. It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have values of 100/300/100 which means a limit of $100,000 per injured person, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery.
Liability coverage protects against claims such as structural damage, repair costs for stationary objects, pain and suffering, bail bonds and medical services. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible. Iowa requires drivers to carry at least 20,000/40,000/15,000 but you should think about purchasing higher limits.
Coverage for collisions
This covers damage to your vehicle resulting from colliding with an object or car. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision can pay for claims like scraping a guard rail, hitting a mailbox and crashing into a ditch. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. It’s also possible to raise the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
More comparisons equals lower rates
As you shop your coverage around, never buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are too many instances where someone sacrificed liability coverage limits and found out when filing a claim that the savings was not a smart move. The aim is to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.
Throughout this article, we presented many ideas to get a better price on auto insurance. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get rates for, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. You may even discover the lowest rates come from a small local company. Regional companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost compared to the large companies like Allstate or State Farm.