I can’t think of anyone who likes paying for car insurance, especially knowing their premiums are too high. Multiple car insurance companies compete for your business, so it can be very hard to choose a insurance company to get the lowest rate possible.
It’s important to compare rates yearly because rates fluctuate regularly. Despite the fact that you may have had the best deal last year you can probably find a lower rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you’re about to find out the quickest way to buy cheaper car insurance.
Lower rates by qualifying for discounts
Auto insurance companies do not list every available discount very well, so we took the time to find some of the best known and also the lesser-known car insurance savings. If you don’t get every credit you deserve, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Auto/Life Discount – Some companies give a discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
- Multiple Policy Discount – When you combine your home and auto insurance with one company you may earn approximately 10% to 15%.
- Braking Control Discount – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can avoid accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Good Student Discount – A discount for being a good student can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The good student discount can last up until you turn 25.
- Multiple Vehicles – Buying coverage for multiple vehicles on the same car insurance policy qualifies for this discount.
- Government Employees – Active or retired federal employment can earn a discount up to 10% with certain companies.
- Defensive Driver – Completing a driver safety course could cut 5% off your bill if you qualify.
As a disclaimer on discounts, many deductions do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when it seems like you can get free auto insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way.
To see a list of companies offering car insurance discounts in Champlin, follow this link.
Champlin Car Insurance Prices Online
Getting a lower price on insurance is not rocket science. Consumers just need to take the time to compare rate quotes from different insurance companies. This can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.
- The single most time-saving way to find the lowest comparison rates is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This method saves time by eliminating multiple quote forms to each individual car insurance company. One simple form gets rate comparisons instantly.
- A slightly less efficient method to find lower rates requires you to visit the website for each individual company and fill out their own quote form. For instance, let’s say you want comparison quotes from State Farm, Liberty Mutual and Progressive. To find out each rate you need to spend time on each company’s site and enter your information, which is why the first method is more popular.
For a handy list of car insurance company links in Champlin, click here.
- The least recommended way of comparing rate quotes is driving around to insurance agents’ offices. Buying insurance online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you want the trained guidance only provided by licensed Champlin agents. Drivers can get the lowest quotes online but still have the advice of a local agent and you’ll learn how to do that later.
However you get your quotes, make absolute certain that you use apples-to-apples coverage limits and deductibles on every quote. If your comparisons have mixed coverages you will not be able to make a fair comparison in Champlin.
Buy Cheaper Car Insurance with These Tips
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that come into play when calculating the price you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to better car insurance rates.
- Safe vehicles cost less to insure – Vehicles with high crash test scores can get you lower premiums. Safe vehicles reduce injuries and fewer injuries means lower claim amounts and thus lower rates.
- Performance influences rates – The performance of the car you are insuring makes a significant difference in determining your rates. The lowest rates tend to be for lower performance four cylinder passenger vehicles, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
- Do you need those extra coverages? – There are a ton of extra coverages that you can buy on your car insurance policy. Things like personal injury protection, towing coverage and membership fees are examples of these. These may sound like a good investment when talking to your agent, but your needs may have changed so remove them from your policy.
- Males pay more for insurance – Statistics demonstrate women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, this does not mean women are better drivers. Both sexes tend to get into accidents in similar numbers, but men have costlier accidents. Men also have more aggressive citations such as reckless driving. Young males are the most expensive to insure and therefore have the most expensive car insurance rates.
Aren’t my neighborhood agents an option?
Some consumers prefer to get advice from a local agent. Educated insurance agents can point out coverage gaps and give you someone to call. The best thing about comparing rates online is the fact that you can find the lowest rates but also keep your business local.
To find an agent, once you fill out this quick form, the coverage information is submitted to local insurance agents who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no need to leave your house since price quotes are sent to the email address you provide. It doesn’t get any easier!
Picking an insurance company needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. These are valid questions to ask:
- Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
- Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
- If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
- How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
Two different types of car insurance agents
When finding local Champlin agents, you must know there are a couple different agency structures that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Champlin agents can either be independent (non-captive) or captive. Either one can properly insure your vehicles, but it’s worth mentioning the differences because it can impact your selection of an agent.
Captive Agents
These agents can only place business with one company and examples are Allstate, Farmers Insurance, State Farm and AAA. They usually cannot shop your coverage around so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captives are trained well on their company’s products which can be an advantage.
The following is a list of captive agents in Champlin who may provide you with rate quotes.
American Family Insurance – 12209 Champlin Dr # 103 – Champlin, MN 55316 – (763) 712-3750
State Farm Insurance – 11350 Aquila Dr N # 200 – Champlin, MN 55316 – (763) 712-8840
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
These agents are not locked into one company so they can insure your vehicles with lots of companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To transfer your coverage to a different company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and that require little work on your part. When shopping rates, it’s recommended you include at a minimum one independent agency to get the best comparison.
Below is a list of independent agents in Champlin that can give you price quotes.
Insurance Services – 8900 109th Ave N # 700 – Champlin, MN 55316 – (763) 424-9498
To view a complete directory of licensed insurance agents in Champlin, visit this site.
Upon receiving answers to your satisfaction to these questions and a low price estimate, chances are good that you have found a car insurance agent that can service your policy.
Don’t believe everything you hear
Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for the lowest price auto insurance by State Farm, Geico and Progressive. All the companies make an identical promise that you’ll save big if you switch to their company.
How do they all make the same claim?
Different companies can use profiling for the type of driver they prefer to insure. For example, a profitable customer might be a mature driver, is a homeowner, and has a short commute. Any driver who matches those parameters gets the lowest rates and most likely will pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Drivers who don’t qualify for the requirements will be quoted more money which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ad wording is “customers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. That’s the way companies can truthfully advertise the savings. This emphasizes why you absolutely need to get a wide range of price quotes. Because you never know the company that will have the lowest rates.
A tidy conclusion
We’ve covered a lot of techniques to compare car insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more price quotes you have, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Consumers may even find the most savings is with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. They may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates compared to the large companies like State Farm, Geico and Nationwide.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s not a good idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. Too many times, an insured dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to find out that the savings was not a smart move. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.
Even more information can be found at the Minnesota Department of Commerce website. Visitors are able to learn about insurance regulations, file complaints about a company, learn about specific coverages, and read consumer alerts.
Other informative sites include this page for car insurance in Minnesota and this link where you can make Champlin car insurance comparisons.