How to Know You're Spending Too Much for Auto Insurance in Appleton

Overpriced auto insurance can dwindle your personal savings and put a big crunch on your finances. Shopping your coverage around is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to make sure you're not throwing money away.

With so many online and local companies to choose from, it is hard for the average consumer to locate the cheapest car insurance company.

It's important to compare prices quite often because insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the lowest price a few years ago a different company probably has better rates today. There is a lot of wrong information about auto insurance on the internet, so I'm going to show you some great ways to find cheap auto insurance.

Don't pay full price with these discounts

Companies don't always publicize all their discounts very well, so we researched both well-publicized and the more hidden savings tricks you should be using.

College Student - Kids in college who are attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle may be able to be covered for less.
Accident Waiver - Some insurance companies permit an accident before your rates go up as long as you don't have any claims for a certain period of time.
Drive Less and Save - Fewer annual miles could be rewarded with discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
Sign Online - Some insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks just for signing your application online.
Clubs and Organizations - Participating in a professional or civic organization is a good way to get lower rates on auto insurance.

Keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like you could get a free auto insurance policy, it just doesn't work that way.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates enables informed choices that may reward you with better auto insurance rates.

The following are a partial list of the pieces auto insurance companies consider when setting rates.

Older drivers pay less - Teen drivers in Minnesota are known to be more careless when driving so auto insurance rates are higher. Adding a teen driver to your auto insurance policy can really hurt. More mature drivers are viewed as being more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and tend to be better behind the wheel.
Women pay lower rates - Statistics have proven women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, this does not mean men are worse drivers. Men and women cause accidents in similar numbers, but the males have costlier accidents. They also receive more costly citations such as DWI and reckless driving. Young males are several times more likely to be in an accident and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
Don't buy coverages you don't need - There are a ton of add-on coverages that you can buy on your auto insurance policy. Things like personal injury protection, towing coverage and term life insurance may be costing you every month. These coverages may sound good at first, but if they're wasting money remove them from your policy.
Pay less if you're married - Having a wife or husband can get you a discount on your policy. It means you're more mature and it's statistically proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
Do you have enough liability coverage? - Liability coverage is the protection if ever a court rules you are at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability insurance provides legal defense up to the limits shown on your policy. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not cut corners here.

Your personal situation dictates your coverage

When it comes to buying the best auto insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no one size fits all plan. Everyone's needs are different so your insurance should reflect that Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine whether or not you would benefit from professional advice.

Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Appleton?
Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?
Is my vehicle covered for flood damage?
Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
Am I getting all the discounts available?
Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
When do I need to add a new car to my policy?

If you're not sure about those questions then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you don't have a local agent, complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

The auto insurance bait and switch

Auto insurance companies such as Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm continually stream ads in print and on television. They all seem to make an identical promise that you can save after switching to their company. But how can every company make almost identical claims?

Different companies have a preferred profile for the driver that earns them a profit. For instance, a desirable insured could possibly be a mature driver, insures multiple vehicles, and has a short commute. A driver who meets those qualifications will get very good rates and therefore will save a lot of money.

Potential insureds who don't measure up to this ideal profile will have to pay more money and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say "people who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that much. This is how insurance companies can make the claims of big savings. Because of the profiling, drivers should compare many company's rates. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

Additional detailed information is located at the Minnesota Department of Commerce website. Minnesota consumers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, learn about insurance regulations, discover disciplinary actions, and get help finding coverage.

Also read more on this Car Insurance FAQ and this page of insurance agents in Appleton.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

As you shop your coverage around, don't be tempted to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are many occasions where drivers have reduced collision coverage and learned later that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your aim should be to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate.

Affordable auto insurance can be sourced online and also from your neighborhood Appleton agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance providers may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.