Cutting costs on Marion auto insurance might be difficult for beginners to online price comparisons. Drivers have so many companies to choose from that it can quickly become a lot of work to find the best prices.
If you have insurance now or are looking for a new policy, you can use these tips to find the best rates and possibly find even better coverage. Buying the lowest cost auto insurance in Marion is easy if you know what you’re doing. South Dakota drivers only need to know the most efficient way to compare company rates online.
What determines the cost of auto insurance?
Part of the auto insurance buying process is learning the factors that go into determining auto insurance rates. When you understand what determines base rates, this enables you to make decisions that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs. Lots of things are used in the calculation when quoting car insurance. Some are obvious such as your driving record, but other criteria are not quite as obvious such as your credit history or how financially stable you are.
Listed below are some of the things used by companies to determine premiums.
- Raise physical damage deductibles and save – Physical damage coverage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, helps pay for damage to your vehicle. Some coverage claims are colliding with a building, flood damage, and damage from a fallen tree branch. Physical damage deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend if you file a covered claim. The larger the amount the insured is willing to pay, the less money you will pay for auto insurance.
- Your car’s features help determine prices – Purchasing a vehicle that has a built-in theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Theft deterrent systems such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all help stop your car from being stolen.
- How much liability – Your policy’s liability coverage will afford coverage when you are found liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide for a legal defense starting from day one. Liability insurance is pretty cheap compared to other policy coverages, so buy as much as you can afford.
- Premiums also based on gender – Over the last 50 years, statistics have shown that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. The data does not necessarily mean that women are better drivers. They both tend to get into at-fault accidents at a similar rate, but the males have accidents that have higher claims. They also get ticketed for serious violations like DUI and reckless driving.
- Where you live plays a part – Being located in a small town has it’s advantages when insuring your vehicles. Urban drivers have to deal with more traffic problems and more time behind the wheel. Fewer people means reduced accidents and lower theft and vandalism rates.
Get lower-cost South Dakota auto insurance rates with discounts
Some providers don’t always advertise their entire list of discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we researched some of the best known as well as some of the hidden credits available to bring down your rates.
- Active Service Discounts – Being on active duty in the military could trigger a small discount.
- Pay Upfront and Save – By making one initial payment instead of paying each month you could save 5% or more.
- Discount for Home Ownership – Being a homeowner can save you money because owning a home is proof of financial responsibility.
- Seat Belts Save – Forcing all vehicle occupants to use a seat belt can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) on medical payment and PIP coverage.
- No Charge for an Accident – Not a discount per se, but companies like Progressive, Allstate, and Liberty Mutual will forgive one accident before they charge you more for coverage if you have no claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
- Data Collection Discounts – Drivers that enable their insurance company to scrutinize where and when they drive by installing a telematics device such as State Farm’s In-Drive may see discounts as long as the data is positive.
- Air Bags and Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts could see savings of 20 to 30 percent.
- Discounts for Multiple Vehicles – Buying a policy with multiple vehicles with the same auto insurance company can get a discount for every vehicle.
- Senior Citizen Rates – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you can get a slight reduction on a .
As a footnote on discounts, some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.
Car insurance companies that may offer policyholders these benefits are:
Double check with all the companies the best way to save money. Some discounts listed above may not apply to policyholders in Marion. If you would like to choose from a list of insurers that offer some of these discounts in Marion, click here.
Captive versus independent car insurance agents
Some consumers would rather get professional advice from a licensed agent and that can be a smart move Insurance agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help in the event of a claim. An additional benefit of comparing auto insurance online is that you can obtain better rates and still have a local agent. And supporting local agencies is important especially in Marion.<img class="alignright" style="padding-top:15px" src="https://www.carinsurancediy.com/wp-content/uploads/ci175-33.jpg" alt="Marion SD car insurance prices” />
After filling out this quick form, your insurance data is instantly submitted to companies in Marion that give free quotes for your coverage. It makes it easy because there is no need to leave your computer because prices are sent to you. If you need to get a rate quote from a specific insurance company, don’t hesitate to search and find their rate quote page and complete a quote there.
To make it easy to view and select a local agent near you, link to this complete selection of insurance agents in Marion, SD.
Finding a good insurer needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price quote. Agents should be asked these questions:
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
- Are they full-time agents?
- Will the quote change when the policy is issued?
- Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- How will an accident affect your rates?
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
Tricks in auto insurance advertising
Consumers can’t escape the ads for cheaper auto insurance by companies like State Farm and Allstate. All the companies say the same thing about how much you will save if you get a free and switch your auto insurance coverage to their company.
How can each company make almost identical claims? You have to listen carefully.
Insurance providers quote the lowest rates for the type of customer that earns them the most money. A good example of this type of risk profile might have to be a married male, owns a home, and drives newer vehicles. Any new insured who meets those qualifications will get very good Marion rates as well as cut their rates if they switch.
Consumers who do not fit these stringent criteria will probably be forced to pay a higher premium and the prospect going elsewhere. The ad wording is “people that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save money. That is how insurance companies can confidently make claims that they all have the best rates.
Because every company is different, you really should do a rate comparison at every renewal. You cannot predict which auto insurance company will have the best prices.
Additional South Dakota car insurance resources
More information is available on the website for the South Dakota Division of Insurance located here. South Dakota consumers can find out which companies have the most complaints, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, discover disciplinary actions, and find disaster information.
The articles below may also help you learn more about auto insurance in Marion
- Quick Guide to Researching a Marion Insurance Agency
- Basics to Finding the Best Insurance Agent in Marion
Quote often and quote early
More affordable auto insurance can be bought from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Marion agents, so you need to with both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who may not have online price quotes and usually these smaller providers sell through independent insurance agencies.
Drivers who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including extreme rates for teen drivers, policy non-renewal, delays in paying claims or being labeled a high risk driver. Whatever your reason, choosing a new company is actually quite simple.
We just presented a lot of ways to lower your auto insurance car insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.