There isn’t anyone who fancies paying their premiums for auto insurance, in particular when their premiums are too high. Big-name insurance companies like Allstate and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads and it is difficult to ignore the promise of big savings and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.
Smart consumers take time to do rate comparisons at least once a year because prices are variable and change quite frequently. Even if you think you had the lowest rate a few years ago you can probably find a better premium rate now. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because you’re about to learn the best methods to find better rates and still maintain coverage.
Rate influencing factors
When buying auto insurance it’s important to understand some of the elements that go into determining the level of your policy premiums. If you understand what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this enables you to make decisions that could help you find lower auto insurance prices.
- More miles driven equals more premium – The higher the miles on your car every year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. A lot of insurance companies charge to insure your cars based on how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks left parked in the garage receive lower rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Double check that your auto insurance coverage is showing the correct driver usage.
- Your location is important – Living in areas with lower population is a positive aspect if you are looking for the lowest rates. Fewer people means fewer accidents and a lower car theft rate. Residents of big cities have to deal with more aggressive driving styles and longer commute times. The longer drive time statistically corresponds to a higher accident and claim rate.
- Incidental coverages can add up – Insurance policies have a lot of extra coverages that may not really be needed if you aren’t diligent. Insurance for rental car coverage, towing, and Farm Bureau memberships are probably not needed. You may think they are a good idea when deciding what coverages you need, but your needs may have changed so get rid of them and save.
- Don’t let your auto insurance lapse – Not maintaining insurance is illegal and you will pay a penalty because you let your insurance lapse. Not only will you pay more, getting caught without coverage could result in fines and jail time. You could then be forced to file a SR-22 with the Montana department of motor vehicles.
- Liability coverage is critical – Liability coverage will afford coverage if ever you are found liable for causing personal injury or damage in an accident. This coverage provides legal defense up to the limits shown on your policy. It is affordable coverage compared to comp and collision, so do not skimp.
Auto insurance quotes comparison
Performing a rate comparison can be a daunting task if you aren’t aware of the best way to get rate quotes. You can spend countless hours driving to insurance companies in Fairfield, or you could save time and use the internet to get rates in a matter of minutes.
All the larger companies belong to a marketplace that allows shoppers to complete one form, and every company can provide price quotes for coverage. This prevents consumers from doing form submissions to each individual auto insurance company. To submit your quote information now, click to open in new window.
The only downside to using this type of system is that consumers can’t choose which insurance companies to get pricing from. If you prefer to choose specific insurance companies to compare rates, we have assembled a list of auto insurance companies in Montana. Click here for list of insurance companies in Montana.
Take whichever approach you prefer, but make absolute certain that you use apples-to-apples information for every quote you compare. If you are comparing different values for each quote it will be very difficult to make a fair rate comparison in Fairfield. Just a small difference in coverage limits could throw off the whole comparison. Keep in mind that comparing more quotes provides better odds of finding better pricing.
Can switching companies really save?
Popular auto insurance providers such as Allstate, Geico and Progressive consistently run ads on TV and radio. All the ads advertise claims that you’ll save big if you move your coverage. Is it even possible that every company can give you a lower rate? Just pay attention to how they say it.
Insurance providers look for specific characteristics for the type of customer that will most likely be profitable. One example of a desirable risk should be married and over the age of 30, has never had a policy lapse, and does not commute to work. Any customer that matches those criteria will probably get the lowest car insurance rates and will also pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
People who do not match this stringent profile must pay more expensive rates which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say “drivers that switch” not “everyone who quotes” can save as much as they claim. That is how insurance companies can confidently make claims that they all have the best prices.
Because each company has a different risk profile, you need to quotes as often as possible. Because without a comparison, you cannot know with any certainty which company will provide you with the cheapest premium rates.<img class="alignright" style="padding-top:15px;" src="https://www.carinsurancediy.com/wp-content/uploads/ci175-78.jpg" alt="Montana car insurance prices”/>
Discounts to earn lower Fairfield auto insurance rates
Buying auto insurance is not cheap, but you may find discounts that many people don’t even know exist. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time you complete a quote, but some discounts are required to be asked about prior to getting the savings.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Not all insurance companies offer life insurance, but some may give you a break if you buy auto and life insurance together.
- Savings for New Vehicles – Insuring a vehicle that is new can cost up to 25% less because newer vehicles are generally safer.
- Mature Driver Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you are able to get a small discount on rates.
- Early Switch Discount – A few companies offer discounts for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiring. The savings is around 10%.
- Good Drivers – Drivers without accidents can save up to 40% or more on their compared to rates paid by drivers with frequent claims.
- Service Members Pay Less – Being on active duty in the military could qualify you for better prices.
- Passenger Safety Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
- Seat Belts Save – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could cut 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.
- Defensive Driving Course – Successfully completing a driver safety course can save you 5% or more and also improve your driving technique.
- Waiver for an Accident – This isn’t a discount exactly, but a handful of insurance companies will let one accident slide without the usual rate increase as long as you don’t have any claims for a certain period of time.
It’s important to note that some of the credits will not apply to your bottom line cost. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So when the math indicates it’s possible to get free car insurance, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.
Companies that have most of the discounts above possibly include:
Check with each insurance company to give you their best rates. Depending on the company, some discounts may not apply to policyholders in Fairfield. If you would like to view insurers that offer many of these discounts in Fairfield, click here.
Local Fairfield insurance agents and auto insurance
Some consumers would prefer to have an agent’s advice and often times that is recommended One of the benefits of comparing rate quotes online is that drivers can save money and get cheap auto insurance rates but also keep your business local. Putting coverage with local agencies is definitely important in Fairfield.
By using this form (opens in new window), your information gets sent to insurance agents in Fairfield who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to leave your house due to the fact that quote results will go to you directly. You can find better rates AND a local agent. If you wish to quote rates from one company in particular, you just need to jump over to their website and fill out their quote form.
Fairfield car insurance agents are either independent or captive
If you’re trying to find a reliable insurance agency, you need to know there are two different agency structures and how they can quote your rates. Agents in Fairfield can be described as either independent (non-captive) or captive.
Independent Auto Insurance Agencies or Brokers
These type of agents often have affiliation with several companies and that enables them to quote your coverage through many different auto insurance companies and find you cheaper rates. If you are not satisfied with one company, your agent can switch companies and you don’t have to find a new agent.
If you are trying to find cheaper rates, you definitely need to compare quotes from several independent insurance agents in order to compare the most rates.
Featured below is a short list of independent agents in Fairfield who can help you get competitive price quotes.
Robert Swartz Insurance – 4th St S # 8 – Fairfield, MT 59436 – (406) 467-2543
Captive Insurance Agencies
These type of agents can only provide pricing for a single company and some examples include State Farm, AAA, Farmers Insurance or Allstate. They usually cannot provide rate quotes from other companies so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captives are highly trained on what they offer which helps offset the inability to provide other markets.
Choosing the best insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. Any good agent should know the answers to these questions.
- Is the quote a firm price?
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Montana?
- Does the agency have a positive business rating?
- In the event of vehicle damage, can you pick the collision repair facility?
- How long has the business existed?
- Can they help ensure a fair claim settlement?
- Do they have 24-hour customer assistance?
Additional information can be read on the found here. Montana drivers can view agent and company licensing information, read state legal mandates and laws, find a variety of consumer forms, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.
More related Fairfield auto insurance information:
- Auto Insurance in Fairfield Ohio 8 Discounts Drivers are Missing
- Follow These Tested Ways for Paying Less for Fairfield Auto Insurance
Summing up your auto insurance search
Cheaper auto insurance is definitely available from both online companies as well as from insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance companies do not offer online rate quotes and usually these smaller providers only sell through local independent agents.
We covered many ideas to get a better price on auto insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even discover the lowest prices come from some of the lesser-known companies. They can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than their larger competitors like State Farm, Geico and Nationwide.