How to Know You're Throwing Money Away for Auto Insurance in Belgrade

Are you sick and tired of robbing Peter to pay Paul each month for car insurance? You're in the same situation as the majority of other car owners in Minnesota.

Because you have many auto insurance companies to choose from, it can be hard to find the right car insurance company.

It's important to price shop coverage before your policy renews because prices are constantly changing. Just because you had the best deal a few years ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. So forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because you're going to get a crash course in the proper way to lower your annual insurance bill.

Finding affordable coverage in Belgrade is not that difficult. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will most likely be able to save some money using this information. Although Minnesota drivers do need to know the way companies sell insurance online and take advantage of how the system works.

Learn How to Buy Auto Insurance Cheaper

Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.

Listed below are some of the factors that factor into your rates.

Discounts for multiple policies - Most insurers give discounts to customers who have multiple policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you're getting this discount it's in your best interest to comparison shop to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still be able to find better rates by insuring with multiple companies.
Keep rates low by being claim-free - Insurance companies in Minnesota award discounts to insureds who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you file claims often, you can look forward to either higher rates or even cancellation. Your insurance policy is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Careful drivers pay lower rates - Your driving record has a big impact on rates. Even a single speeding ticket may increase your cost by twenty percent. Drivers with clean records tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. Drivers who get serious violations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to continue driving.
Don't skimp on liability - Liability insurance will protect you in the event that a court rules you are at fault for damages caused by your negligence. It provides legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. Liability is cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
Pay less if you're married - Being married can actually save you money on your policy. Marriage usually means you are more responsible it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married are more cautious.
Car features impact rates - Driving a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help lower your rates. Anti-theft features like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder car theft.
Your occupation can affect rates - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Occupations like doctors, business owners and stock brokers are shown to have the highest rates in part from high stress levels and long work days. On the other hand, occupations like farmers, students and homemakers pay the least.
Bump up deductibles to save - Physical damage coverage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, protects your car from damage. Some examples of claims that would be covered could be running into the backend of another car, damage from fire, or theft. Deductibles for physical damage are the amount of money you are willing to pay in the event of a claim. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the less your company will charge you for insurance.

Cheap Belgrade Auto Insurance Comparisons

There are several ways you can shop for auto insurance and some are more efficient than others. You can spend your afternoon driving to insurance companies in Belgrade, or you can stay home and use online quoting to get the quickest rates.

Most of the larger companies are enrolled in a marketplace that allows shoppers to complete one form, and at least one company can give them a price for coverage. This saves time by eliminating repetitive form submissions to each individual auto insurance company. To submit your quote information now, click here to open in new window.

The only downside to using this type of system is you can't choose which providers you want to price. So if you prefer to pick from a list of companies to compare prices, we put together a list of the cheapest auto insurance companies in Minnesota. Click here for list of insurance companies in Minnesota.

It's up to you which method you use, but ensure you're using apples-to-apples coverages and limits on every quote. If you use different deductibles you will not be able to make a fair comparison in Belgrade. Quoting even small variations in coverages may result in large price differences. And when price shopping your coverage, comparing more company's prices provides better odds of finding a lower rate.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don't always advertise every available discount very well, so here is a list both well-publicized and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using.

Multi-policy Discount - If you insure your home and vehicles with one company you will save at least 10% off all policies.
Employee of Federal Government - Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off with certain companies.
Early Signing - Select companies give a discount for switching policies prior to your current policy expiration. This can save 10% or more.
Theft Prevention Discount - Cars that have factory anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Organization Discounts - Participating in a professional or civic organization is a good way to get lower rates on your policy.
Payment Discounts - If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of making monthly payments you could save 5% or more.
Homeowners Pay Less - Being a homeowner can help you save on auto insurance because owning a home requires personal responsibility.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won't be that lucky.

To choose providers offering auto insurance discounts in Minnesota, click here to view.

Is there truth in advertising?

Companies like Allstate and Progressive constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. All the ads make an identical promise about savings if you switch your policy. But how can every company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.

Insurance companies can use profiling for the right customer that makes them money. An example of a preferred risk could possibly be between the ages of 30 and 50, is a homeowner, and has a short commute. A customer getting a price quote who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.

Consumers who don't measure up to this ideal profile will be charged higher rates and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state "drivers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. That's why companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings. That is why you need to get quotes from several different companies. It's impossible to know the company that will fit your personal profile best.

Even more information is available at the Minnesota Department of Commerce website. Minnesota consumers can read consumer alerts, download brochures, file complaints about a company, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

Other informative sites include Wikipedia and this Belgrade agent directory.

Final considerations

As you shop your coverage around, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The aim is to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.

You just read some good ideas how you can compare auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more quotes you get, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the lowest rates come from a lesser-known regional company. These smaller insurers may cover specific market segments cheaper compared to the large companies like .