Free Guide to Cutting Costs on Bellingham Auto Insurance Online

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an overpriced auto insurance policy? Believe me when I say you're not the only one.

You have so many to buy insurance from, and even though it's nice to have multiple companies, lots of choices makes it harder to compare rates.

It's important to shop coverage around every six months because prices are constantly changing. Just because you found the best deal a couple years back a different company probably has better rates today. So block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you're going to get a crash course in the only way to find better rates and still maintain coverage.

The purpose of this article is to help educate you on how car insurance quotes work. If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to save some money using this strategy. But Minnesota consumers do need to know the methods companies use to sell online and take advantage of how the system works.

These discounts can lower your rates

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, buy you may qualify for discounts that you may not know about. Most are applied when you quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked about before you get the savings.

Discount for Life Insurance - Select insurance companies reward you with a discount if you purchase life insurance from them.
Multiple Vehicles - Buying coverage for multiple vehicles on one policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
Sign Online - Some insurance companies may give you up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up over the internet.
College Student - Children who live away from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle can be insured at a reduced rate.
Drive Less and Save - Fewer annual miles can qualify you for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Use Seat Belts - Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could save 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.
Federal Government Employee - Active or retired federal employment can earn a discount up to 10% with select insurance companies.
Passive Restraints - Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may earn rate discounts of more than 20%.
Payment Method - If you pay your bill all at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save up to 5%.

Consumers should know that most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. Even though it may seem like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don't profit that way. But all discounts will bring down the cost of coverage.

Tips to Get Lower Bellingham Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with better auto insurance rates.

The following are some of the factors used by your company to calculate rates.

Where do you drive? - Driving more miles in a year the more you will pay for auto insurance. Almost all companies charge to insure your cars based on how the vehicle is used. Vehicles that are left in the garage can get a lower rate than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Verify your auto insurance coverage shows the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.
Liability coverage is peace of mind - Liability coverage provides coverage if ever you are found liable for personal injury or accident damage. Liability provides legal defense coverage up to the limits shown on your policy. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so buy as much as you can afford.
Marriage brings a discount - Being married can get you a discount when buying auto insurance. It translates into being more mature than a single person and statistics show being married results in fewer claims.
Older drivers pay less - Youthful drivers in Minnesota are known to be more careless when behind the wheel so they pay higher auto insurance rates. Older insureds are viewed as being more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and get fewer tickets.
Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance - Safer cars are cheaper to insure. These vehicles protect occupants better and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts and thus lower rates.
Don't cancel a policy without a new one in place - Having an insurance coverage lapse will be a fast way to increase your auto insurance rates. And not only will your rates increase, getting caught without coverage can result in a steep fine or even jail time.Then you may be required to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the Minnesota department of motor vehicles.

Are you falling for claims of savings?

Auto insurance companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive continually stream ads on television and other media. They all seem to say the same thing that you'll save big after switching your coverage to them. How does each company claim to save you money? It's all in the numbers.

Different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of customer that earns them a profit. An example of a desirable insured might be over the age of 40, has no driving citations, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and as a result will probably save when switching.

Drivers who are not a match for these standards will have to pay a higher premium which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ads state "customers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much money. That's the way companies can advertise the way they do.

Because of the profiling, drivers should compare many company's rates. It's impossible to know which auto insurance company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Much more information about auto insurance in Minnesota is available on the website for the Minnesota Department of Commerce found here. Visitors are able to file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find out which companies have the most complaints, get help finding coverage, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it's very important that you do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many instances, someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. The ultimate goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best price.

Discount auto insurance can be sourced both online as well as from independent agents in Bellingham, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best selection. Some auto insurance companies don't offer you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.