Are you overwhelmed by the number of auto insurance options in Shelby? Many other consumers are too. Drivers have so many options that it can easily become a real hassle to find the lowest price.
Shelby Auto Insurance Quote Comparison
To find the best auto insurance prices, there are several ways to compare rate quotes and find the best price. The fastest way to find competitive insurance rates is simply to get online rate quotes. This can be done in a couple of different ways.
- The easiest and least time consuming way to get quotes for comparison is an all-inclusive rate comparison like this one (opens in new window). This type of form prevents you from having to do separate quote forms for each company. Just one form will get you rate comparisons from all major companies. It’s definitely the quickest method.
- A slightly less efficient method to find lower rates consists of visiting each company’s website and request a quote. For example, we’ll pretend you want comparison quotes from Auto-Owners, Safeco and Liberty Mutual. You would have to spend time on each company’s site to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is quicker. For a handy list of car insurance company links in Shelby, click here.
- The hardest method of comparing rate quotes is to waste gas driving to different Shelby agent offices. Shopping for auto insurance online makes this process obsolete unless you require the personal advice only provided by licensed Shelby agents. However, consumers can find lower rates online and get advice from an agent in your area. We’ll cover that shortly.
It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but double check that you are using the exact same information for each comparison quote. If your comparisons have different deductibles then you won’t be able to make a fair comparison in Shelby. Slightly different coverages could mean much higher rates. Keep in mind that comparing a large number of companies will enable you to find lower pricing.
Discounts are great for lower rates
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but you can get discounts to help bring down the price. Some trigger automatically at the time you complete a quote, but a few must be asked for before being credited.
- Safe Driver Discount – Insureds without accidents can pay as much as 50% less than their less cautious counterparts.
- Theft Prevention System – Anti-theft and alarm systems are stolen less frequently and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Driver Safety – Taking a defensive driving course could cut 5% off your bill if you qualify.
- Student in College – Any of your kids who are attending college without a vehicle on campus can receive lower rates.
- E-sign – Certain companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks just for signing your application online.
- Homeowners Discount – Simply owning a home can help you save on auto insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home shows financial diligence.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Low mileage vehicles could be rewarded with discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
- New Car Discount – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can save up to 30% due to better safety requirements for new cars.
- Military Discounts – Having a family member in the military could mean lower rates.
- Air Bag Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
As a disclaimer on discounts, some credits don’t apply to the entire cost. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. So despite the fact that it appears you could get a free auto insurance policy, you won’t be that lucky. Any amount of discount will help reduce the amount you have to pay.
For a list of providers with the best auto insurance discounts in Montana, follow this link.
Online quotes with a local Shelby insurance agent
Some consumers would rather buy from a local agent and that is a personal choice. The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is the fact that you can find better rates and still have an agent to talk to. Buying from small agencies is definitely important in Shelby.
After completing this quick form, your insurance coverage information gets sent to local insurance agents who will return price quotes for your coverage. You don’t have to leave your house since price quotes are sent to your email. You’ll get the best rates and an insurance agent to talk to.
Shown below are agents in Shelby that may be willing to give price quotes.
- Seubert Insurance – 114 Division St, Shelby, MT 59474 – (406) 434-5211
- State Farm Insurance – 111 1st St S, Shelby, MT 59474 – (406) 434-5342
- Farmers Insurance Group – 424 Main St, Shelby, MT 59474 – (406) 434-7930
- Seubert Insurance – 234 Front St, Shelby, MT 59474 – (406) 434-5211
For a full directory of Shelby insurance agents, simply jump to this page.
Choosing an provider requires more thought than just a low price. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:
- Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
- What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
- If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
- Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
- Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
Once you have received answers to your satisfaction to all your questions and a good coverage price, you have narrowed it down to a company that is a good match to provide auto insurance coverage. Just keep in mind consumers can cancel your policy at any point so don’t assume that you’re stuck with a specific agent with no way to switch.
Car insurance 101
Having a good grasp of your policy helps when choosing which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Coverage for medical payments – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for bills for things like EMT expenses, chiropractic care, ambulance fees, rehabilitation expenses and pain medications. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Collision coverages – This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision insurance covers things such as hitting a mailbox, driving through your garage door, colliding with another moving vehicle and sideswiping another vehicle. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also increase the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Comprehensive coverages – This coverage will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things such as a broken windshield, hitting a bird and damage from flooding. The maximum amount a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider dropping full coverage.
Uninsured and underinsured coverage – Your UM/UIM coverage provides protection when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your vehicle.
Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits (25/50/10), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage should not be overlooked. Most of the time these limits are set the same as your liablity limits.
Liability insurance – This can cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their 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. As an example, you may have liability limits of 25/50/25 which means $25,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Some companies may use a combined limit that pays claims from the same limit without having the split limit caps.
Liability can pay for claims like repair bills for other people’s vehicles, bail bonds, structural damage, pain and suffering and funeral expenses. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a personal decision, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford. Montana requires drivers to carry at least 25,000/50,000/10,000 but you should think about purchasing more liability than the minimum.
A little work can save a LOT of money
Consumers who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including delays in responding to claim requests, policy non-renewal, poor customer service and not issuing a premium refund. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch switching auto insurance companies can be easy and end up saving you some money.
Cost effective auto insurance is definitely available online as well as from independent agents in Shelby, so you should compare both to have the best selection. Some auto insurance companies don’t offer online quoting and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.
As you prepare to switch companies, never reduce needed coverages to save money. There are a lot of situations where an accident victim reduced physical damage coverage and discovered at claim time that it was a big error on their part. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford.
Additional information is available on the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance website through this link. Visitors are able to download brochures, report car insurance fraud, file complaints about a company, and read industry bulletins.