Having to pay for overpriced car insurance can drain your checking account, especially in this economy. Shopping your coverage around is a smart way to help make ends meet. Multiple insurance companies compete for your hard-earned dollar, so it’s not easy to compare every provider and uncover the absolute lowest price
Consumers should take time to compare prices before your policy renews since insurance rates fluctuate regularly. Just because you had the best price six months ago there may be better deals available now. Don’t believe everything you read about car insurance online, so I’m going to show you some of the best ways to stop overpaying for insurance.
If you have insurance now or are just looking to switch companies, you will benefit by learning to reduce the price you pay and still get good coverage. Finding the best rates in Garrison is not that difficult. North Dakota consumers just need to understand the tricks to buy car insurance online.
How to Compare Garrison Car Insurance Rates
Getting a cheaper price on insurance is surprisingly easy. Consumers just need to spend a few minutes on the computer comparing price quotes online with multiple companies. This is very easy and can be done in a couple of different ways.
- The first (and easiest) way consumers can analyze rates is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This form eliminates the need for separate quotation requests for each company you want a rate for. A single form compares rates from several companies.
- A more difficult way to analyze rates is to manually visit the website of each company to complete a price quote. For instance, we’ll pretend you want rates from Allstate, State Farm and Geico. To get rate quotes you would need to visit each site to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is more popular. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Garrison, click here.
It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but double check that you are using apples-to-apples deductibles and coverage limits on every quote you get. If you enter mixed coverages you will not be able to make a fair comparison in Garrison.
Slick advertising tricks that work
North Dakota drivers constantly see and hear ads that promise big savings from the likes of State Farm, Allstate and Geico. They all seem to make an identical promise that you’ll save big if you switch your coverage to them.
How do they all say the same thing?
All companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that makes them money. A good example of a desirable insured might be profiled as a mature driver, has no tickets, and drives newer vehicles. A customer who meets those qualifications receives the best rates and most likely will cut their rates substantially.
Consumers who don’t meet these standards must pay higher rates and this can result in the customer not buying. The ads state “customers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much money. That is how companies can make the claims of big savings.
This illustrates why it’s extremely important to get as many comparisons as possible. It’s not possible to predict which car insurance company will have the lowest rates.
Lower the Price of Insurance with These Tips
It’s important that you understand the factors that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. Knowing what controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in lower car insurance prices.
- Proper usage rating affects rates – The more you drive each year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Almost all companies apply a rate determined by how the vehicle is used. Autos not used for work or commuting can get a lower rate as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Ask your agent if your car insurance policy is showing the correct driver usage, because it can save money.
- Car features impact rates – Driving a car with an alarm system can help lower your rates. Anti-theft devices like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder auto theft.
- Do you know you’re credit rating? – Credit rating is a big factor in calculating your car insurance rates. Drivers who have high credit scores tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers who have lower credit scores. If your credit rating can use some improvement, you could be paying less to insure your by improving your credit score.
- Being married can save on car insurance – Getting married helps lower the price on car insurance. Having a significant other usually means you are more mature than a single person and it’s statistically proven that married couples file fewer claims.
- Type of vehicle determines base rates – The performance level of the car you drive makes a huge difference in how high your rates are. The most favorable rates are for low performance passenger cars, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
- Don’t cancel a policy without a new one in place – Allowing your car insurance policy to lapse will be a quick way to trigger a rate increase. And not only will your rates increase, getting caught without coverage may earn you a revoked license or a big fine.You may then be required to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the North Dakota department of motor vehicles.
- Traffic citations inflate rates – Drivers with clean records get better rates compared to drivers with tickets. Even a single ticket may increase your cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who have flagrant citations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may need to submit a SR-22 form with their state motor vehicle department in order to keep their license.
Cut your premium with discounts
Car insurance can cost a lot, but discounts can save money and there are some available to cut the cost considerably. A few discounts will automatically apply when you get a quote, but some may not be applied and must be specially asked for before being credited. If you aren’t receiving every discount available, you are throwing money away.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Larger companies have a discount if you purchase life insurance.
- Use Seat Belts – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could save 15% off your medical payments premium.
- Homeowners Pay Less – Simply owning a home may trigger a car insurance policy discount due to the fact that maintaining a home shows financial diligence.
- Accident Waiver – A handful of insurance companies allow you one accident before your rates go up so long as you haven’t had any claims for a set time period.
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Keeping the miles down could be rewarded with lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Keep in mind that most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears you could get a free car insurance policy, you’re out of luck. But any discount will cut the cost of coverage.
Cheaper insurance is a realistic goal
Low-cost car insurance is definitely available on the web as well as from independent agents in Garrison, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who don’t offer online quoting and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.
Throughout this article, we presented a lot of ways to shop for car insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may be surprised to find that the best price on car insurance is with some of the lesser-known companies. Smaller companies may cover specific market segments cheaper as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm, Geico and Nationwide.
Additional resources for North Dakota consumers
Additional information can be read on the website for the North Dakota Insurance Department. Click here for link. Visitors are able to learn about insurance regulations, read industry bulletins, and view a list of available companies.
Also read more on this online resource for free quotes in North Dakota and this resource to find Garrison, ND insurance agents.