Price shopping your Albert Lea auto insurance might be quite difficult for people who are beginners to comparing prices online. You have so many choices that it can easily be a difficult situation to find a more affordable company.
It’s a good habit to shop coverage around once or twice a year because insurance prices change frequently. Even if you think you had the best deal on your last policy you will most likely find a better rate quote today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because you’re about to learn how to use the internet to save money, get proper deductibles and limits, all at the lowest rate.
Many insurance companies such as Allstate, Geico and Progressive give coverage prices direct online. Comparing prices online doesn’t take a lot of time because it’s just a matter of typing in your coverage information as requested by the quote form. When complete, their quoting system gets information on your driving record and credit history and quotes a price based on the data you entered.
Online price estimates streamlines rate comparisons, but the work required to visit multiple sites and type in your information is not the best way to spend an afternoon. But it’s necessary to do this in order to find the lowest price.
A quicker way to find better auto insurance pricing is to use a quote form that obtains quotes from many companies. It saves time, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes online price comparison much more efficient. After sending your information, your coverage is rated with multiple companies and you can pick any or none of the quotes returned. If the quotes result in lower rates, you can click and sign and purchase the new policy. The entire process just takes a couple of minutes and you will know how your current rates stack up.
If you want to compare rates now, click here to open in a new tab and submit the form. To compare your current rates, we recommend you type in the limits and deductibles identical to your current policy. Using the same limits helps guarantee you are getting a fair comparison using the same coverage and limits.
Do drivers who switch really save?
Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements that claim the best car insurance rates by Allstate, Geico and Progressive. They all say the same thing that drivers will save a bundle if you get a free and switch your policy.
But how can every company charge you less for car insurance? This is the trick they use.
Most companies have a preferred profile for a prospective insured that will not have excessive claims. For instance, this type of insured might have to be a married male, has no driving citations, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer that meets those criteria may get the lowest car insurance rates in Albert Lea and will probably save a lot if they switch.
Potential customers who do not meet these stringent criteria will see more expensive rates which leads to the customer not buying. If you listen closely, the ads state “people that switch” not “everyone who quotes” save the amount stated. That’s why insurance companies can advertise the way they do. Because of this risk profiling, you really need to compare rate quotes every year. It is just not possible to predict with any certainty which company will provide the lowest car insurance rates.
Components of your insurance rates
Lots of things are taken into consideration when premium rates are determined. Some are pretty understandable such as your driving history, but other criteria are not quite as obvious like your continuous coverage or how financially stable you are. A large part of saving on auto insurance is knowing some of the elements that go into determining your policy premiums. When you understand what determines base rates, this allows you to make educated decisions that can earn you much lower annual insurance costs.
The items below are a few of the things used by insurance companies to determine your rate level.
- Teenagers are high risk – Older, more experienced drivers are shown to be more cautious, tend to cause fewer accidents and get fewer tickets.Beginning drivers have a tendency to be careless and easily distracted when driving with friends therefore auto insurance rates are much higher.
- Know your vehicle’s NHTSA crash test rating – Cars with five star safety ratings can get you lower premiums. Safer cars help reduce the chance of injuries in an accident and better occupant protection means less money paid by your insurance company and lower rates for you. If your car or truck scored better than four stars on Safercar.gov or an “acceptable” rating on iihs.org you may qualify for a discount.
- Physical damage deductibles – Coverage for physical damage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, protects your car from damage. A few examples of covered claims are a broken side mirror, hitting a deer, and damage from a fallen tree branch. Deductibles for physical damage are the amount of money you are required to pay if you file a covered claim. The higher the amount you’re willing to pay, the less money you will pay for auto insurance.
- Reserve policy claims for larger damages – If you file a lot of claims you can expect either higher rates or even cancellation. Companies in Minnesota provide cheaper rates to insureds who are claim-free. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
Cut your auto insurance rates with discounts
Auto insurance can be pricey, but there are discounts available that can dramatically reduce your bill. A few discounts will automatically apply when you complete an application, but some discounts are required to be asked about in order for you to get them.
- Air Bag Discount – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts may earn rate discounts up to 30%.
- Defensive Driver Discount – Completing a driver safety course can save you 5% or more and also improve your driving technique.
- Theft Deterent System – Vehicles equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems are stolen with less frequency so companies will give you a small discount.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to use a seat belt could save 15% on medical payment and PIP coverage.
- Own a Home and Save – Owning a home in Albert Lea can save you money since home ownership is proof that your finances are in order.
- Mature Driver Discount – Drivers over the age of 55 could receive better auto insurance rates.
- Military Discounts – Having a deployed family member may qualify for rate reductions.
- Federal Government Employee – Active or former government employment could provide a small rate reduction depending on your company.
Consumers should know that some credits don’t apply the the whole policy. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. Despite the fact that it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you won’t be that lucky.
Popular auto insurance companies and their offered discounts include:
- Progressive offers premium reductions for online signing, multi-vehicle, online quote discount, multi-policy, homeowner, and continuous coverage.
- Geico has discounts for multi-vehicle, air bags, daytime running lights, driver training, and five-year accident-free.
- State Farm may offer discounts for student away at school, multiple policy, good student, defensive driving training, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and driver’s education.
- Esurance may include discounts for claim free, safety device, good student, paid-in-full, homeowner, and good driver.
- The Hartford includes discounts for air bag, driver training, defensive driver, good student, anti-theft, and bundle.
Before you buy a policy, ask every insurance company how many discounts you can get. All car insurance discounts might not apply in Albert Lea. To locate providers that offer some of these discounts in Minnesota, follow this link.
Don’t I need to get advice from an insurance agency?
Certain consumers just prefer to sit down and talk to an agent and that is just fine! Good agents can help you build your policy and will help you if you have claims. An additional benefit of comparing insurance prices online is that you can find the lowest rates but also keep your business local.
After filling out this form (opens in new window), the quote information is emailed to agents in your area who will gladly provide quotes for your insurance coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to leave your house since rate quotes are delivered to the email address you provide. If you wish to compare rates from a specific auto insurance provider, don’t hesitate to find their quoting web page to submit a rate quote request.
Picking the best insurance company should depend on more than just the premium amount. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- How often do they review coverages?
- Which companies do they recommend if they are an independent agency?
- Is there a 24/7 contact number?
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
- What is the financial rating for the quoted company?
Types of car insurance agents in Albert Lea
If you are wanting to purchase auto insurance from a reliable insurance agent, there are a couple of different types of agents and how they work. Auto insurance policy providers can be categorized as either independent agents or captive agents depending on their employer. Either one can sell and service auto insurance coverage, but it’s worth mentioning why they differ since it can affect which agent you choose.
Captive Auto Insurance Agencies
These type of agents work for only one company like Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. These agents are unable to provide other company’s prices so keep that in mind. Captive agencies receive extensive training on what they offer which helps them sell on service rather than price. Consumers often buy from the same agent for years mostly because of the prominence of the brand and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
The following are captive insurance agencies in Albert Lea who may provide you with price quote information.
- American Family Insurance – 1907 E Main St – Albert Lea, MN 56007 – (507) 377-2290
- Farm Bureau Insurance – 242 S Broadway Ave – Albert Lea, MN 56007 – (507) 373-7802
- State Farm Insurance – 505 Bridge Ave – Albert Lea, MN 56007 – (507) 377-0227
- Allstate Insurance – 206 W Clark St – Albert Lea, MN 56007 – (507) 373-6139
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Agents of this type do not have single company limitations and that gives them the ability to insure through many companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If you are not satisfied with one company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and that require little work on your part. If you are trying to find cheaper rates, we recommend you get quotes from multiple independent agents for maximum quote selection. Most also write with companies that do not advertise much which may provide better rates.
Shown below is a list of independent insurance agencies in Albert Lea that are able to give comparison quotes.
- Thompson Insurance – 1330 W Main St – Albert Lea, MN 56007 – (507) 377-2852
- Fred Nelson Agency – 115 S Newton Ave – Albert Lea, MN 56007 – (507) 373-2181
- Vern Haase Agency – 204 S Washington Ave – Albert Lea, MN 56007 – (507) 373-1456
- Phil Stewart Insurance – 114 N Shore Ave – Albert Lea, MN 56007 – (507) 373-3333
- Strong Agency Inc – 209 S Washington Ave – Albert Lea, MN 56007 – (507) 373-3062
To view more Albert Lea insurance agents, see this complete selection of auto insurance agents in Albert Lea.
One last thing to lower rates
Budget-conscious auto insurance can be bought online and also from your neighborhood Albert Lea agents, and you need to price shop both so you have a total pricing picture. Some auto insurance companies don’t offer rate quotes online and most of the time these smaller companies only sell coverage through independent agencies.
You just learned many ideas to lower your auto insurance car insurance rates. The key concept to understand is the more price quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the lowest car insurance rates come from some of the lesser-known companies.
As you restructure your insurance plan, it’s very important that you do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. In too many instances, consumers will sacrifice collision coverage and learned later that they should have had better coverage. Your goal should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.
More detailed Minnesota auto insurance information is available at the Minnesota Department of Commerce website. Minnesota consumers can get help finding coverage, download brochures, read industry bulletins, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.
Other useful links include this page for auto insurance in Minnesota and this list of insurance agents in Albert Lea, MN.