Have you fallen victim to an underperforming, overpriced car insurance policy? Believe me, there are many Dillon consumers feeling the pinch from expensive car insurance. With consumers having so many options when it comes to car insurance, it’s nearly impossible to locate the right car insurance company.
Choosing the best insurance company for you in Dillon is not rocket science. If you have car insurance now, you will most likely be able to save some money using these methods. Montana drivers just need to know the most efficient way to get comparison rates on the web.
Take advantage of discounts
Auto insurance companies don’t always publicize every available discount very clearly, so we researched both the well known and also the lesser-known ways to save on car insurance. If you’re not getting every credit you deserve, you are throwing money away.
- Multi-policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with one company you could get a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.
- Accident Free – Claim-free drivers can earn big discounts compared to drivers who are more careless.
- Driver’s Ed – Have your child take driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Driving fewer miles could qualify for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
- Early Signing – Some insurance companies reward drivers for signing up before your current policy expires. This can save 10% or more.
- Lower Rates for Military – Being deployed with a military unit can result in better rates.
- Air Bag Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags can get savings of up to 25% or more.
- Use Seat Belts – Requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could cut 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
- Paperwork-free – A few companies will give a small break for buying a policy and signing up on their website.
It’s important to note that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. So even though they make it sound like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
But don’t I need an insurance agent?
Some consumers prefer to sit down with an agent and that is just fine! Professional agents can point out coverage gaps and help you file claims. One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is that you can obtain lower rates but still work with a licensed agent.
By using this quick form, your insurance coverage information is submitted to companies in Dillon who will compete for your business. There is no need to even leave your home as quotes are delivered to your email. How’s that for easy!
Picking an insurance company needs to be determined by more than just a low price. These questions are important to ask:
- Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- Are they full-time agents?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- Can they give you a list of client referrals?
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
- Can glass repairs be made at your home?
Not all insurance agencies are the same
When finding a good Dillon insurance agent, there are two different types of agents that you can select. Agencies in Dillon are either captive or independent. Both types can write coverage properly, but it’s worth learning the differences since it may influence the type of agent you choose
Captive Agents
Captive agencies can only place business with one company such as AAA, State Farm, Farmers Insurance and Allstate. These agents are unable to place coverage with different providers so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agencies receive extensive training on their products and sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agencies are not employed by any specific company but instead can place your coverage with multiple insurance companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If you are not satisfied with one company, an independent agent can move your coverage and you don’t have to find a new agent. When shopping rates, it’s recommended you include multiple independent agents to have the most options to choose from.
The following is a list of independent insurance agencies in Dillon that can give you rate quotes.
Kon Peters Insurance Co – 110 Fern Ln – Dillon, MT 59725 – (406) 683-5315
To view a complete directory of insurance agents in Dillon, visit this site.
Upon receiving positive feedback to these questions and an acceptable price quote, most likely you have located an auto insurance agent that will service your policy.
Additional detailed information is available at the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance website. Montana consumers can find out industry alerts, discover disciplinary actions, and download brochures.
Car insurance coverages explained
Learning about specific coverages of your car insurance policy helps when choosing which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Below you’ll find the usual coverages found on most car insurance policies.
Medical expense insurance – Med pay and PIP coverage reimburse you for short-term medical expenses for nursing services, dental work, funeral costs and rehabilitation expenses. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Collision coverage – Collision insurance covers damage to your vehicle resulting from colliding with an object or car. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision can pay for claims such as colliding with a tree, crashing into a building and hitting a parking meter. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. It’s also possible to raise the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – Your UM/UIM coverage provides protection from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your vehicle.
Since many Montana drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (25/50/10), their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things like rock chips in glass, hitting a deer, damage from a tornado or hurricane, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and hitting a bird. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Liability insurance – This coverage will cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property that is your fault. This insurance protects YOU against claims from other people, and does not provide coverage for your own vehicle damage or injuries.
Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have values of 50/100/50 which means a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery.
Liability can pay for claims such as attorney fees, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, bail bonds, repair costs for stationary objects and funeral expenses. How much coverage you buy is a personal decision, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible. Montana requires drivers to carry at least 25,000/50,000/10,000 but you should think about purchasing more liability than the minimum.
In Summary
Affordable car insurance is attainable both online and also from your neighborhood Dillon agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. A few companies may not provide online price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.
In this article, we covered a lot of ways to get a better price on car insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more rate quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the best price on car insurance is with the least-expected company. Regional companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost compared to the large companies like State Farm and Allstate.
As you restructure your insurance plan, do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many situations where an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to regret they didn’t have enough coverage. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.