Tightwads Guide for Saving on Andover Auto Insurance

Having to pay for overpriced auto insurance can take a big chunk out of your checking account, especially in this economy. Comparing price quotes is a great way to slash your bill and have more diposable income.

Big companies like GEICO and Progressive promote their brand names with ad campaigns and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and find the best price available.

If you currently have car insurance, you will be able to save some money using this strategy. Finding the best rates in Andover is quite easy. Nevertheless, Minnesota drivers do need to know how companies sell insurance online and take advantage of how the system works.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates enables informed choices that will entitle you to better auto insurance rates.

Listed below are some of the factors auto insurance companies consider when setting prices.

Optional equipment can affect rates - Purchasing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft features like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all aid in stopping auto theft.
Are you male or female? - Statistics have proven women are more cautious behind the wheel. That doesn't necessarily mean that men are worse drivers. Men and women are in accidents at about the same rate, but the men cause more damage. Men also statistically get more serious tickets such as DWI and reckless driving. Male drivers age 16 to 19 tend to get in the most accidents and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.
Poor credit can mean higher rates - Having a bad credit score is a huge factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. If your credit history is lower than you'd like, you could save money insuring your by improving your credit score. Drivers who have high credit ratings tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers with poor credit.
Your occupation can affect rates - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Careers like doctors, social workers and dentists tend to have the highest average rates in part from job stress and long work hours. Other occupations such as pilots, historians and homemakers receive lower rates.
Don't get talked into coverage you don't need - There are many add-on coverages that can waste your money on your auto insurance policy. Insurance for rental car reimbursement, accident forgiveness and term life insurance are some examples. They may seem good when talking to your agent, but if they're wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
High deductibles save money - The deductibles define the amount you are willing to pay before your auto insurance pays a claim. Physical damage coverage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, covers damage that occurs to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply could be running into the backend of another car, collision with an animal, and burglary. The more money you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the bigger discount you will receive.

Auto Insurance Prices in Andover, Minnesota

All major auto insurance companies quote coverage prices directly from their websites. Getting online rates is quite simple as you simply type in the coverages you want as detailed in the form. After the form is submitted, the company's rating system will obtain your credit score and driving record and returns a price quote. Online quotes helps simplify price comparisons, but the process of having to visit several different sites and fill out multiple forms is not the best way to spend an afternoon. But it's very important to perform this step if you are searching for the best price on auto insurance.

The preferred way to find lower prices uses one simple form that gets prices from more than one company. The form is fast, reduces the work, and makes online shopping much more enjoyable. Once the form is submitted, it is quoted and you can choose your choice of the resulting price quotes. If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you can click and sign and buy the policy. It takes just a few minutes to complete and can result in significant savings.

To save time and find out if lower rates are available, click here to open in new window and submit the form. If you have a policy now, it's recommended that you enter your coverages exactly as they are listed on your policy. This makes sure you will be getting rate comparison quotes for the exact same coverage.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Companies offering auto insurance don't always publicize every discount in a way that's easy to find, so here is a list both well-publicized and the harder-to-find discounts you could be receiving.

Payment Discounts - By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.
Accident Waiver - A handful of insurance companies will allow you to have one accident before hitting you with a surcharge if your claims history is clear for a certain period of time.
Passive Restraints and Air Bags - Cars that have air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
No Accidents - Drivers who don't have accidents can earn big discounts when compared to accident-prone drivers.
Low Mileage Discounts - Driving fewer miles can qualify you for a substantially lower rate.
Own a Home - Simply owning a home can save you money because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
Organization Discounts - Participating in a civic or occupational organization may earn a discount when shopping for auto insurance.

It's important to understand that some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. Just because you may think you could get a free auto insurance policy, it doesn't quite work that way.

To choose insurance companies offering auto insurance discounts in Andover, click here.

How can State Farm, Allstate and GEICO save drivers who switch?

Auto insurance providers like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO constantly bombard you with ads on television and other media. They all have a common claim of big savings if you switch to their company. How can each company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.

Different companies have a preferred profile for the driver that makes them money. An example of a driver they prefer could possibly be between 25 and 40, insures multiple vehicles, and has a high credit rating. A driver that hits that "sweet spot" is entitled to the best price and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Consumers who are not a match for the requirements will be quoted higher prices and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state "drivers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much. This is how insurance companies can confidently state the savings. This emphasizes why you need to get as many quotes as possible. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

More tips and info about auto insurance is available at the Minnesota Department of Commerce website. Minnesota consumers can view a list of available companies, learn about insurance regulations, find out industry alerts, and read industry bulletins.

Shop smart and save

Low-cost auto insurance is available online and also from your neighborhood Andover agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance companies may not provide online price quotes and these smaller companies work with independent agents.

In this article, we presented a lot of techniques to compare auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the higher the chance of saving money. You may be surprised to find that the most savings is with a lesser-known regional company. These smaller insurers can often provide lower rates in certain areas than the large multi-state companies such as .