Are you regretting buying an expensive car insurance policy? You’re preaching to the choir because many Berthold consumers are in the same pinch. Since consumers have many companies and agents to choose from, it’s nearly impossible to pick the right car insurance provider.
Consumers need to quote other rates occasionally because rates are variable and change quite frequently. If you had the lowest premium rates six months ago you can probably find a better price now. Forget all the misinformation about car insurance because you’re going to learn the right way to remove unneeded coverages and save money.
Finding cheap car insurance prices is pretty simple and can save money. The only thing you need to do is spend a little time to compare rate quotes to find. Shoppers can get rates using one of these methods.
- If you’re in a hurry, the quickest way to find low rates is an all-inclusive rate comparison (click to open form in new window). This type of form prevents you from having to do multiple quote forms for every company. One form submission compares rates from several companies.
- A different way to get quotes online is spending the time to visit the website for each individual company to request a price quote. For instance, let’s say you want to view quotes from Progressive, Liberty Mutual and GMAC. In order to compare rates, you need to navigate to each company’s site and enter your policy data, which is not fast way to get rate quotes.
For a list of links to insurance companies in Berthold, click here.
- The final way to do your price quoting to local Berthold insurance agencies. The ability to get quotes online has made agencies unnecessary unless you have a complicated situation and need the trained advice only provided by licensed Berthold agents. Drivers can obtain prices from the web but buy from a local insurance agent.
It’s up to you which method you use, but make darn sure you compare identical coverage limits for every quote you compare. If you use different values for each quote you will not be able to find the best deal in Berthold.
Car insurance in the media
Consumers in North Dakota can’t escape the ads that claim the best auto insurance rates by 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the companies say the same thing about how much you will save after switching your car insurance policy to them.
How does every company give you a better price? It’s all in how they say it.
Companies have an ideal profile for the type of driver that earns them a profit. An example of a preferred risk might be a female over age 40, insures multiple vehicles, and drives less than 5,000 miles a year. Anyone that matches those criteria will get a cheap rate quote and will also save if they switch.
Drivers who don’t qualify for the requirements will be charged higher premium rates and this can result in the prospect going elsewhere. The ad wording is “customers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” will save that much if they switch. That is how insurance companies can confidently make claims that they all have the best premium rates. This illustrates why it is so important to quotes as often as possible. Because without a comparison, you cannot know which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest auto insurance rates.
Four ways to buy car insurance for less in Berthold
Many different elements are part of the equation when you get your auto insurance bill. Some factors are common sense such as your driving record, but some are not as apparent such as whether you are married or how safe your car is.
Listed below are a few of the “ingredients” that factor into your rate level.
- Maintain car insurance coverage – Driving without insurance is not a good idea and your next policy will cost more because you let your insurance lapse for non-payment. Not only will rates go up, getting caught without coverage may result in a steep fine or even jail time. You may then have to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the North Dakota DMV.
- Age of drivers impacts costs – Older drivers are more responsible, tend to file fewer claims , and are generally more financially stable.Teenage drivers tend to be inattentive when at the wheel of a vehicle so they pay higher car insurance rates.
- Employer reflects on prices – Occupations such as real estate brokers, social workers and emergency personnel tend to have the highest rates attributed to job stress and lots of time spent away from family. On the other hand, careers such as scientists, athletes and homemakers pay the least.
- Frequent policy claims will cost more – If you file a lot of claims you should expect higher rates. Car insurance companies in North Dakota award cheaper rates to drivers who do not file claims often. Your car insurance is meant to be used in the event of more catestrophic claims.
Use discounts to get cheaper North Dakota car insurance quotes
Companies that sell car insurance don’t always list every policy discount in a way that’s easy to find, so here is a list some of the best known as well as the least known credits available to lower your premiums when you . If you don’t get every credit you qualify for, it’s possible you qualify for a lower rate.
- Discounts for Multiple Vehicles – Buying coverage for multiple cars or trucks on a single policy can reduce rates for all insured vehicles.
- Accident Forgiveness – This isn’t a discount exactly, but some insurance companies will allow you to have one accident without raising rates if your claims history is clear before the accident.
- Discount for Good Grades – Performing well in school can earn a discount of 20% or more. This discount can apply up to age 25.
- Accident-Free Discounts – Insureds with no claims or accidents have much lower rates in comparison to bad drivers.
- Discount for Multiple Policies – If you combine your homeowners and auto policies and insure them with the same company you could save over 10 percent off each policy depending on the company.
- Discounts for Responsible Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents could pay up to 40% less than their less cautious counterparts.
- Low Miles Discount – Low mileage vehicles can earn better car insurancerates on cars that stay parked.
- Savings for New Vehicles – Buying a new car instead of a used car may earn a small discount compared to insuring an older model.
- ABS Brakes – Cars with anti-lock braking systems are much safer to drive so companies give up to a 10% discount.
It’s important to note that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. So even though they make it sound like you can get free auto insurance, you’re out of luck.
Some of the insurance companies who may offer some of the discounts shown above are:
Before buying, ask every prospective company the best way to save money. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts may not apply to policies in your state. For a list of car insurance companies with the best car insurance discounts in North Dakota, click here.
Can’t I compare prices from local Berthold insurance agencies?
A small number of people would prefer to talk to an insurance agent and that is recommended in a lot of cases Licensed agents can answer important questions and give you someone to call. One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is you can get the best rates and still have a local agent.
Once you complete this short form, your coverage information is instantly submitted to agents in your area who will return price quotes for your coverage. There is no reason to do any legwork because prices are sent to you. If you have a need to quote rates from a specific car insurance provider, just visit that company’s website to submit a rate quote request.
Finding the right insurance company should include more criteria than just the quoted price. Before buying a policy, get answers to these questions.
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
- Are all drivers listed on the coverage quote?
- Do you work with a CSR or direct with the agent?
- Are aftermarket or OEM parts used to repair vehicles?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in North Dakota?
- Are they able to provide referrals?
- Do they offer rental car reimbursement?
- Does the agency have a positive business rating?
If you prefer to buy car insurance from a local Berthold insurance agent, it’s important to understand the different types of agencies from which to choose. Berthold agents are considered either captive or independent. Either can insure your vehicles properly, but it’s important to point out the difference between them because it can influence the kind of agent you use.
Captive Agents
Captive insurance agents are contracted to one company and some examples include Farmers Insurance and State Farm. Captives cannot give you multiple price quotes so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Captive agencies receive a lot of sales training on their products and sales techniques and that enables them to sell even at higher rates.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
These type of agents can quote rates with many companies so they can insure your vehicles with a variety of different insurance companies and potentially find a lower price. If they find a cheaper price, they can switch companies in-house and that require little work on your part. When comparing car insurance rates, it’s recommended you get quotes from at least one independent agent in order to have the best price comparison.
Below is a list of independent agents in Berthold that are able to give rate quotes.
Homestead Insurance – 208 Main St N – Berthold, ND 58718 – (701) 453-3200
To view more licensed insurance agents in Berthold, view this complete selection of Berthold, ND car insurance providers.
Car insurance savings summarized
Discount car insurance can be purchased from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Berthold agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. A few companies don’t offer internet price quotes and usually these smaller providers prefer to sell through independent insurance agencies.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, you should never buy poor coverage just to save money. Too many times, an accident victim reduced collision coverage to discover at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The proper strategy is to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
We just showed you a lot of ways to shop for car insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get prices for, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the lowest priced car insurance comes from a smaller regional carrier. They often have lower prices on specific markets compared to the large companies like Progressive or Geico.
Additional North Dakota car insurance resources
More tips and info about car insurance can be read at the North Dakota Insurance Department website. North Dakota consumers can download brochures, get help finding coverage, find a variety of consumer forms, and find disaster information.