Quote Butte Auto Insurance Prices With These Tricks

Finding lower premiums on Butte auto insurance is nearly impossible for consumers new to shopping for insurance online. Drivers have so many choices that it can easily become a challenge to find the best price in Butte.

It's important to compare prices before your policy renews because prices are constantly changing. Just because you found the best deal last year a different company probably has better rates today. Starting right now, forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because you're going to get a crash course in the only way to find lower rates on auto insurance.

Take advantage of discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don't list all their discounts very clearly, so here is a list both well-publicized as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving.

Discount for New Cars - Buying coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
Claim Free - Claim-free drivers can earn big discounts as compared to drivers who are more careless.
Multiple Cars - Insuring all your vehicles on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
Life Insurance Discount - Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
Clubs and Organizations - Participating in a qualifying organization may earn a discount on auto insurance.
Sign Online - Certain companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying your policy over the internet.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some credits don't apply to the entire cost. Most cut individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So despite the fact that it appears you can get free auto insurance, auto insurance companies aren't that generous.

How to Lower your Auto Insurance Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that play a part in calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with lower auto insurance prices.

Shown below are some of the factors used by your company to calculate rates.

Proper usage rating affects rates - The higher the mileage driven every year the more you will pay for auto insurance. Almost all companies apply a rate based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars left parked in the garage can get a lower rate than those used for commuting. Make sure your auto insurance declarations sheet shows the correct usage for each vehicle, because it can save money.
Do you work long hours in a high stress job? - Jobs such as doctors, social workers and financial analysts have higher average rates because of high stress levels and lengthy work days. Conversely, professions such as farmers, engineers and retirees get better rates.
Bump up deductibles to save - Coverage for physical damage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, is used to repair damage to your car. A few examples of covered claims could be a windshield shattered by a rock, damage caused by hail, and windstorm damage. The deductibles are how much you are willing to pay out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. The more money you have to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
Liability coverage protects you - Your policy's liability coverage will protect you if ever a court rules you are at fault for personal injury or accident damage. It will provide legal defense coverage starting from day one. This coverage is very inexpensive as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not skimp.
Having a spouse can save you money - Being married helps lower the price on auto insurance. It translates into being more responsible and it's proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
Males pay more for insurance - The statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. Now that doesn't mean women are BETTER drivers than men. Women and men tend to get into accidents at about the same rate, but the males tend to have more serious accidents. They also get more serious tickets such as DWI and reckless driving.
Too many auto insurance claims drive up costs - Car insurance companies in Montana generally give lower rates to insureds who do not file claims often. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can look forward to either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Auto insurance is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Big city or small town - Being located in a rural area can be a good thing when insuring your vehicles. Urban drivers tend to have much more traffic and longer commute times. Less people living in that area means a lower chance of having an accident and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.

Are auto insurance companies telling the truth?

Auto insurance companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive consistently run ads on TV and radio. They all seem to have a common claim about savings if you change your coverage to them. How does each company make almost identical claims?

All companies can use profiling for the type of customer that earns them a profit. An example of a desirable insured could possibly be a mature driver, is a homeowner, and drives newer vehicles. A customer getting a price quote that hits that "sweet spot" gets the lowest rates and most likely will save when switching.

Potential customers who don't qualify for these standards will have to pay a higher premium and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save that much money. That's why companies can truthfully claim big savings. Because of the profiling, drivers should get quotes from several different companies. It's impossible to know the company that will give you the biggest savings.

Even more information is available at the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance website. Montana consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, read industry bulletins, and report car insurance fraud.

Also read more on Auto Insurance 101 and this page where you can research Butte insurance agents.

Final considerations

When trying to cut insurance costs, make sure you don't skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many instances, an accident victim reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that it was a big mistake. The ultimate goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford.

Drivers leave their current company for a number of reasons such as delays in paying claims, high rates after DUI convictions, lack of trust in their agent and even questionable increases in premium. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new insurance company is less work than it seems.

Cheap auto insurance can be sourced online as well as from independent agents in Butte, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. A few companies don't offer you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.