Finding better rates for Pierre car insurance is always difficult for beginners to buying insurance online. There are so many companies to choose from that it can be a big hassle to compare prices in Pierre.
It’s a good habit to compare prices at least once a year due to the fact that insurance rates are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Despite the fact that you may have had the best rates two years ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Starting now, forget all the misinformation about car insurance because you’re going to get a crash course in one of the best ways to remove unneeded coverages and save money.
Take these 5 discounts and save
Car insurance companies do not list every discount very well, so we took the time to find some of the more common and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving. If you don’t get every credit you deserve, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Senior Discount – Mature drivers may be able to get a small decrease in premiums.
- No Charge for an Accident – Certain companies will allow you to have one accident before your rates go up if your claims history is clear prior to the accident.
- Good Student – Getting good grades can save 20 to 25%. The discount lasts until age 25.
- Drive Safe and Save – Drivers who don’t get into accidents may save up to 50% more than drivers with accidents.
- Payment Discounts – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of paying each month you can actually save on your bill.
As a disclaimer on discounts, many deductions do not apply to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So despite the fact that it appears all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won’t be that lucky.
To choose providers with discount car insurance rates in South Dakota, follow this link.
Low Cost Pierre Car Insurance
Lowering your car insurance rates is surprisingly easy. The only requirement is to spend a little time comparing rates online from several insurance companies. This can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.
The fastest way to get quotes for comparison is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This easy form prevents you from having to do repetitive form submissions for every car insurance company. One form submission compares rates from multiple companies. It’s the fastest way to compare.
A different way to shop for car insurance online is to manually visit the website for every company you want to comare and request a quote. For sake of this example, let’s say you want to compare Geico, State Farm and GMAC. To get rate quotes you would need to spend time on each company’s site to input your insurance information, and that’s why the first method is more popular.
For a handy list of car insurance company links in Pierre, click here.
However you get your quotes, make absolute certain that you use the exact same coverages with each company. If you use different deductibles it will be very difficult to determine which rate is truly the best in Pierre.
Which policy gives me the best coverage?
When it comes to buying the best car insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s situation is a little different.
These are some specific questions could help you determine whether you might need professional guidance.
- What is covered by UM/UIM coverage?
- Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
- Who is covered by my policy?
- Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
- Does my personal auto insurance policy cover using my vehicle for business use?
- Does my personal policy cover me when driving my company car?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form. It is quick, free and may give you better protection.
Do car insurance companies bend the truth?
Consumers in South Dakota can’t ignore all the ads for the lowest price auto insurance from companies such as State Farm, Geico and Progressive. They all seem to make an identical promise that you can save after switching your policy.
How can each company claim to save you money? It’s all in the numbers.
All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer they prefer to insure. For example, a preferred risk might be between 30 and 50, owns a home, and has a high credit rating. Any new insured who fits that profile gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save quite a bit of money when switching.
Consumers who are not a match for these standards must pay a more expensive rate and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads say “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save money. That is how insurance companies can advertise the way they do. This illustrates why you absolutely need to compare as many rates as you can. It’s not possible to predict which company will give you the biggest savings.
Car insurance coverage options
Having a good grasp of car insurance aids in choosing appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Comprehensive protection
Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like theft, damage from flooding and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The highest amount your car insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Liability
This coverage will cover damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property by causing an accident. It protects you from claims by other people, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show values of 50/100/50 which means $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery.
Liability insurance covers things such as loss of income, court costs, medical expenses and emergency aid. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford. South Dakota requires drivers to carry at least 25,000/50,000/25,000 but you should think about purchasing higher limits.
Medical expense coverage
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for expenses such as X-ray expenses, surgery and dental work. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Uninsured or underinsured coverage
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. It can pay for medical payments for you and your occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since many South Dakota drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (which is 25/50/25), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.
Collision coverage
Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage protects against things like damaging your car on a curb, driving through your garage door, scraping a guard rail and hitting a parking meter. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible to bring the cost down.
And the best car insurance company is…
Lower-priced car insurance can be found from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Pierre, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some companies don’t offer online price quotes and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.
Drivers who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including high rates after DUI convictions, delays in responding to claim requests, an unsatisfactory settlement offer or even questionable increases in premium. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a great new company is easier than you think.
Throughout this article, we presented many ways to lower your car insurance rates. The most important thing to understand is the more times you quote, the higher the chance of saving money. Drivers may discover the lowest rates come from some of the lesser-known companies.
Informative consumer insurance sites
More tips and info about car insurance can be read at the South Dakota Division of Insurance website. South Dakota consumers can view agent and company licensing information, discover disciplinary actions, find out industry alerts, and file complaints about a company.