Being forced to pay for high-priced car insurance premiums can dry up your bank account and force you to prioritize other expenses. Many auto insurance companies vie to insure your vehicles, so it can be very hard to choose a company to find the absolute best price available.
Consumers should take time to price shop coverage every six months because insurance rates trend upward over time. If you had the best premium rates a few years ago you can probably find a lower rate today. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the proper way to save money, get proper deductibles and limits, all at the lowest rate.
If you have a policy now or need a new policy, you will benefit by learning to reduce the price you pay and possibly find even better coverage. Finding the best rates in Northfield is not that difficult. Minnesota consumers just need to understand how to buy car insurance online.
The most recommended method to compare policy rates takes advantage of the fact all the major auto insurance companies pay for the opportunity to give free rates quotes. The only thing you need to do is provide information such as distance driven, how your vehicles are used, coverage limits, and whether you have decent credit. Your rating data gets transmitted to many highly-rated insurers and you should receive rate quotes immediately.
To start a quote now, click here and complete the quick form.
Find hidden discounts to get affordable Northfield car insurance quotes
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you may qualify for discounts to help bring down the price. A few discounts will automatically apply when you complete an application, but some discounts are required to be requested specifically prior to getting the savings. If you check and find you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you may be paying too high a price.
- Discount for Good Grades – Excelling in school may save as much as 25% on a . The good student discount can last up until you turn 25.
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Maintaining low annual mileage could earn lower premium rates on the low mileage vehicles.
- ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Cars and trucks that have anti-lock braking systems are safer to drive and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – By paying your policy upfront rather than paying in monthly installments you can actually save on your bill.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you have multiple policies and place coverage with the same company you will save as much as 10 to 15 percent.
As a sidenote, many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So even though you would think all the discounts add up to a free policy, it’s just not the way it works. Any qualifying discounts will definitely reduce your policy cost.
For a list of companies with significant discounts in Minnesota, click here to view.
Tailor your car insurance coverage to you
When buying proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so this has to be addressed. These are some specific questions may help highlight if your insurance needs will benefit from professional help.
- Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
- Do I get a pro-rated refund if I cancel my policy early?
- Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
- Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
- Do I need medical payments coverage since I have good health insurance?
- If my vehicle is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
- Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
If you can’t answer these questions, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.
Find lower-cost car insurance with these tips
One of the most helpful ways to save on car insurance is to to have a grasp of a few of the rating criteria that play a part in calculating your policy premiums. If you understand what controls the rates you pay, this helps enable you to make changes that may result in lower rates.
- Safer cars save money – Cars with five star safety ratings tend to have lower insurance rates. Highly rated vehicles have better occupant injury protection and fewer injuries translates into savings for insurance companies which can mean better rates for you.
- Having a spouse can save you money – Having a wife or husband may cut your premiums on your policy. Having a spouse translates into being more financially stable and it’s proven that married couples file fewer claims.
- Add-on coverages that aren’t used – There are a lot of extra add-on coverages that sound like a good idea at the time if you don’t pay attention. Coverage for things like roadside assistance, high-cost glass coverage, and Farm Bureau memberships may be wasting your money. They may seem like a good idea when talking to your agent, but your money might be better spent on other coverage so eliminate them to save money.
- Credit history impacts rates – Having a bad credit score can be a huge factor in determining what you pay. People that have very good credit scores tend to file fewer claims as compared to drivers with lower credit scores. Therefore, if your credit rating is low, you could potentially save money when insuring your vehicle by spending a little time repairing your credit.
- Avoid traffic tickets – Your driving record has a big impact on rates. Having a single ticket can boost insurance rates by as much as twenty percent. Drivers with clean records receive lower rates compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who have received flagrant violations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence might be required by their state to file a SR-22 with their state motor vehicle department in order to continue driving.
- Drive lots and pay more – Driving a lot of miles in a year the more you’ll pay to insure it. A lot of insurance companies calculate rates based upon how the vehicle is primarily used. Cars and trucks used primarily for pleasure use receive better premium rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. It’s a smart idea to ensure your vehicle rating shows annual mileage, because it can save money.
Ads can be misleading
Minnesota consumers can’t ignore all the ads that promise big savings from companies such as Progressive, Geico, Allstate and State Farm. They all seem to make the point about savings if you change your policy.
How does every car insurance company lower your auto insurance rates? It’s all in how they say it.
Many companies have strict underwriting profiles for the type of customer that is profitable for them. An example of a preferred risk might have to be married and over the age of 30, has other policies, and drives less than 5,000 miles a year. Anybody who fits that profile will most likely get cheap prices and will most likely cut their rates if they switch.
Consumers who do not meet those standards will get higher rates which translates to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. If you listen to the ad wording, they say “people who switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save that kind of money. This is how insurance companies can advertise the savings. Because every company is different, drivers should get as many as possible. You cannot predict which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.
Cheaper coverage is out there
As you restructure your insurance plan, it’s very important that you do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to find out that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your focus should be to find the BEST coverage at the lowest possible cost, but do not skimp to save money.
We just covered many tips how you can shop for car insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more companies you get auto insurance rates for, the better your comparison will be. Consumers may even find the lowest rates are with a small local company. Some small companies can often provide lower auto insurance rates in certain areas than their larger competitors like Allstate and Progressive.
More detailed Minnesota car insurance information can be found at the Minnesota Department of Commerce website. Minnesota drivers can view a list of available companies, file complaints about a company, find out which companies have the most complaints, and learn about insurance regulations.
The following information may also be useful.