Buying affordable Fort Dodge auto insurance online may be problematic for people who are new to buying insurance on the web. With dozens of insurance companies available, how can consumers even start to compare the different rates to find the cheapest rates?
You need to compare rates quite often since insurance rates change regularly. Even if you think you had the lowest rates a couple years back there is a good chance you can find better rates now. So just block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because it’s time to teach you the fastest way to reduce your cost while increasing coverage.
Low Cost Fort Dodge Auto Insurance
Most major insurance companies such as State Farm, Allstate and Geico quote prices for coverage directly from their websites. This process is pretty painless as you just type in your required coverages into a form. Once entered, the system collects credit information and your driving record and returns pricing information based on these and other factors.
Quoting online streamlines rate comparisons, but the time required to go to several different sites and enter the same data into a form gets old quite quickly. But it’s absolutely necessary to do this if you are searching for lower prices.
The preferred way to locate the lowest prices uses one form to obtain quotes from a lot of companies. It’s a real time-saver, eliminates repetitive work, and makes rate comparisons a lot less work. As soon as the form is sent, it is rated and you can select any of the resulting price quotes. If the quotes result in lower rates, it’s easy to complete the application and buy the policy. This process just takes a couple of minutes and you will know how your current rates stack up.
To find out how much you can save on auto insurance, click here to open in a new tab and enter your vehicle and coverage information. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended that you enter your coverages identical to your current policy. This ensures you are getting an apples-to-apples comparison for similar coverage.
Discounts are available to cut your rates
Companies don’t always advertise all available discounts very clearly, so we took the time to find both the well known as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving.
- No Charge for an Accident – Certain companies will allow you to have one accident without raising rates if your claims history is clear for a set time period.
- Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who require all occupants to buckle their seat belts can save up to 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.
- Good Students Pay Less – Performing well in school can get you a discount of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you well after school through age 25.
- Save with a New Car – Buying coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
- Multi-car Discount – Insuring more than one vehicle on the same auto insurance policy could earn a price break for each car.
- Paperwork-free – A few companies give back up to $50 for buying your policy on their website.
- No Claims – Good drivers with no accidents pay much less as compared to frequent claim filers.
- Driver Safety – Completing a defensive driving course can save you 5% or more if your company offers it.
It’s important to note that some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
To see a list of companies with discount auto insurance rates in Fort Dodge, click this link.
Won’t my local insurance agent miss me?
A small number of people would prefer to talk to a local agent and that is just fine! The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is you may find better rates and still choose a local agent.
After completing this quick form, your information is transmitted to companies in Fort Dodge who will compete for your coverage. There is no reason to drive around since price quotes are sent to the email address you provide. Now that’s easy! You’ll get the best rates AND an agent nearby.
Deciding on a company needs to be determined by more than just a low price. Agents should be asked these questions:
- How long has their agency been in business in Fort Dodge?
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
- What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
- Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
Fort Dodge auto insurance agents are either independent or captive
When searching for local Fort Dodge agents, there are a couple of different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Fort Dodge agents are classified as either independent (non-captive) or captive.
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive agents write business for a single company and examples are State Farm, AAA, Farmers Insurance or Allstate. Captives cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. These agents are trained well on their company’s products which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Some consumers prefer to choose to use a captive agent partially due to the prominence of the brand and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.
Below is a list of captive insurance agents in Fort Dodge who can help you get comparison quotes.
- Farmers Insurance Group – 1235 1st Ave S – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 573-2234
- American Family Insurance – 812 N 15th St – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 955-4700
- State Farm Insurance – 24 S 18th St – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 955-7181
- Farm Bureau Insurance – 1812 Central Ave – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 955-1050
- Allstate Insurance – 1031 Central Ave – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 576-4341
Independent Agents
Independent agencies do not work for one specific company but instead can place your coverage with multiple insurance companies and potentially find a lower price. To transfer your coverage to a different company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and that require little work on your part.
When searching for an agent, it’s recommended you include price quotes from at a minimum one independent agency for the best price selection. They often place coverage with different regional companies which can save you money.
Below is a short list of independent agencies in Fort Dodge that are able to give price quotes.
- Kingsgate Insurance – 126 N 25th St – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 576-4321
- Burbank Insurance Assoc Inc – 1912 1st Ave S – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 576-7268
To view a complete directory of insurance agents in Fort Dodge, go to this page.
Upon getting positive feedback for all questions you ask and locked in a price quote, most likely you have located an insurance agent that can properly service your auto insurance policy.
Everyone needs different coverages
When it comes to buying the best auto insurance coverage, there is no cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s situation is a little different.
For instance, these questions can help discover if your insurance needs may require specific advice.
- How much liability coverage do I need in Iowa?
- Should I buy more coverage than the required Iowa minimum liability coverage?
- How can I get high-risk coverage after a DUI?
- Does my personal auto insurance policy cover using my vehicle for business use?
- Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
- How high should my medical payments coverage be?
- Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.
Rate influencing factors
An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that go into determining your auto insurance rates. Understanding what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that can help you get lower auto insurance prices.
Listed below are a few of the “ingredients” that factor into your rates.
- Do men or women drive better? – Statistics have proven women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, don’t assume that men are worse drivers. They both have accidents at about the same rate, but the males cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. They also get cited for more serious violations such as DWI and reckless driving.
- Don’t skimp on liability – Liability insurance will protect you in the event that a court rules you are at fault for damages caused by your negligence. Liability insurance provides for a legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Liability is cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.
- Older drivers pay less – More mature drivers are more responsible, file fewer claims and receive fewer citations. Teen drivers have a tendency to be less responsible when driving therefore auto insurance rates are much higher.
- Always keep insurance in force – Driving your car without having proper coverage is against the law and as a result your rates will increase for letting your insurance expire. Not only will rates go up, failure to provide proof of insurance may earn you a revoked license or a big fine.
Save $490 a year? Really?
State Farm, Allstate and Geico regularly use television and radio advertisements. All the companies make the same claim that you’ll save big if you move your coverage to them. How does each company make the same claim? It’s all in the numbers.
Different companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of customer that earns them a profit. A good example of a profitable customer could be between 30 and 50, owns a home, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who meets those qualifications will get very good rates and therefore will save when they switch companies.
Potential customers who do not match the “perfect” profile will be charged higher rates which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads say “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. This is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do. That is why you absolutely need to get quotes from several different companies. Because you never know the company that will give you the biggest savings.
Keep this in mind
Drivers change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including unfair underwriting practices, high prices, being labeled a high risk driver or even delays in paying claims. Whatever your reason, finding a great new company is not as difficult as it may seem.
As you restructure your insurance plan, it’s a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are many occasions where an insured dropped physical damage coverage only to discover later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage at the best price.
Throughout this article, we presented some good ideas how to compare auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more times you quote, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may be surprised to find that the lowest rates come from a lesser-known regional company.
More tips and info about auto insurance is available at the Iowa Insurance Division website. Visitors are able to file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, view a list of available companies, and download brochures.