Saving money on Plains auto insurance is nearly impossible for consumers not familiar with shopping for insurance online. Consumers have so many companies to choose from that it can easily become a challenge to find lower rates in Plains.
Consumers need to do rate comparisons occasionally since insurance rates are rarely the same from one policy term to another. If you had the lowest rates a couple years back the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because we’re going to demonstrate the right way to buy cheaper auto insurance.
Fast and Easy Plains Auto Insurance Quotes
Performing a rate comparison can take hours if you aren’t aware of the fastest way to get free quotes. You can spend countless hours driving to insurance companies in Plains, or you can utilize the web to get rate comparisons in just a few minutes.
The majority of car insurance companies belong to an insurance system that enables customers to submit their information once, and every company provides a quote based on that data. This system prevents you from having to do quote forms to each company.
To find out how much you can save on auto insurance click here to open in new window.
One minor caviat to using this type of form is you don’t know exactly which companies you want pricing from. So if you prefer to choose specific providers for rate comparison, we put together a list of the cheapest auto insurance companies in Montana. Click to view list.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just make sure you use apples-to-apples quote information with every price quote. If you have higher or lower deductibles you will not be able to make a fair comparison in Plains.
Don’t miss out on these 5 money-saving discounts
Companies offering auto insurance don’t list all their discounts very clearly, so we took the time to find both the well known and the harder-to-find auto insurance savings. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you are paying more than you should be.
- Homeowners Savings – Simply owning a home can help you save on auto insurance because maintaining a house requires personal responsibility.
- Discount for Swiching Early – Some insurance companies reward drivers for signing up prior to your current policy expiring. The savings is around 10%.
- Payment Discounts – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you can actually save on your bill.
- Organization Discounts – Being a member of a civic or occupational organization is a good way to get lower rates when buying auto insurance.
- Air Bag Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So despite the fact that it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
For a list of insurance companies offering auto insurance discounts in Plains, follow this link.
Quote online but still have a local agent
A small number of people would prefer to talk to a local agent and that is just fine! Good agents can point out coverage gaps and help submit paperwork. The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is that you can obtain the lowest rates but still work with a licensed agent.
After filling out this short form, your insurance coverage information is instantly submitted to agents in your area who will give you bids for your coverage. There is no need to leave your computer because quoted prices will be sent immediately to your email address.
Deciding on an insurance company should depend on more than just the price. Here are some questions to ask:
- Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
- Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
- Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
If you wish to view licensed agents in Plains, visit this link.
Upon receiving good answers to any questions you have and a low price estimate, you’ve probably found an insurance company that can adequately provide auto insurance. Keep in mind once you purchase a policy you can terminate coverage for any reason so don’t assume you’re contractually obligated to the auto insurance policy with no way out.
Auto insurance coverages explained
Knowing the specifics of your policy can help you determine appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be impossible to understand and coverage can change by endorsement.
Insurance for medical payments
Med pay and PIP coverage kick in for short-term medical expenses for things like ambulance fees, EMT expenses and dental work. They can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP coverage is not available in all states and may carry a deductible
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)
This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like hail damage, rock chips in glass, hitting a bird and a broken windshield. The most your auto insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.
Auto liability insurance
Liability coverage protects you from damage or injury you incur to people or other property. Liability coverage has three limits: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show policy limits of 25/50/25 which stand for a limit of $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability coverage pays for claims like repair costs for stationary objects, loss of income and legal defense fees. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but you should buy as large an amount as possible. Montana state law requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/10,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy more coverage.
Coverage for collisions
Collision insurance covers damage to your vehicle from colliding with an object or car. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision insurance covers claims such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, scraping a guard rail, colliding with a tree, hitting a parking meter and sideswiping another vehicle. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also increase the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance
This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (25/50/10 in Montana), their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important.
Additional detailed information can be read at the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance website. Visitors are able to download brochures, discover disciplinary actions, and learn about insurance regulations.
Other useful links include FindNewCarInsurance.com and this resource to find Plains, MT insurance agents.
Quote often and quote early
Lower-priced auto insurance is available on the web as well as from independent agents in Plains, so you should compare both in order to have the best chance of saving money. There are still a few companies who don’t offer online price quotes and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.
Drivers change insurance companies for many reasons like lack of trust in their agent, extreme rates for teen drivers, delays in paying claims or even policy non-renewal. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, switching companies is less work than it seems.
We’ve covered a lot of information how to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more you quote, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from some of the lesser-known companies.