Free Guide to Spending Less for Clear Lake Auto Insurance Online

Sick and tired of not being able to afford each month for car insurance? Your situation is no different than the majority of other car owners in South Dakota.

There is such a variety of to pick from, and even though it's nice to be able to choose, so many choices can make it hard to compare rates.

Choosing the best insurance company for you in Clear Lake is not that difficult. If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using these techniques. Although South Dakota drivers do need to know the way insurance companies compete online and apply this information to your search.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.

The following are a few of the "ingredients" that factor into prices.

Always keep insurance in force - Allowing your auto insurance policy to lapse will be a guaranteed way to bump up your auto insurance costs. And not only will insurance be more expensive, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance will get you a steep fine or even jail time.You may need to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the South Dakota DMV.
Your auto insurance rates can be influenced by your job - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Careers like lawyers, architects and financial analysts are shown to have higher average rates because of high stress levels and lengthy work days. Conversely, jobs such as farmers, engineers and performers pay the least.
With age comes lower rates - Teen drivers in South Dakota are known to be careless and easily distracted in a vehicle so they pay higher auto insurance rates. Mature drivers are more cautious drivers, tend to file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel.
Proper usage rating affects rates - Driving more miles every year the higher your rate. The majority of insurers apply a rate based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles left parked in the garage qualify for better rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Make sure your auto insurance coverage shows the proper vehicle usage.
Safer cars cost less to insure - Cars with high safety ratings are cheaper to insure. The safest vehicles have better occupant injury protection and lower injury rates translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and thus lower rates.
Bump up deductibles to save - Your deductibles define the amount you are required to spend if you file a covered claim. Coverage for physical damage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered could be running into the backend of another car, damage caused by hail, and burglary. The higher the amount the insured has to pay upfront, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
Policy add-ons can waste money - There are a ton of extra bells and whistles that can waste your money on your auto insurance policy. Coverages for personal injury protection, accident forgiveness and membership fees are examples of these. These may sound like a good investment when you first buy your policy, but your needs may have changed so eliminate them to save money.
Marriage pays dividends - Having a spouse can get you a discount when buying auto insurance. Having a significant other usually means you are more responsible and it's proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.

Don't pay full price with these discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don't always list every discount very clearly, so we took the time to find both well-publicized as well as the least known auto insurance savings.

Use Seat Belts - Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts could cut 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
Employee of Federal Government - Employees or retirees of the government can save as much as 8% with a few auto insurance companies.
Distant Student - Children who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle may be able to be covered for less.
Discount for Life Insurance - Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
Military Discounts - Having a deployed family member may qualify for rate reductions.
No Claims - Claim-free drivers can save substantially when compared to accident-prone drivers.
Homeowners Pay Less - Simply owning a home may trigger a auto insurance policy discount due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.

A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Most only apply to individual premiums such as comp or med pay. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won't be that lucky.

To choose insurance companies who offer auto insurance discounts in South Dakota, follow this link.

The auto insurance bait and switch

Auto insurance providers like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO continually stream ads in print and on television. They all say the same thing about savings after switching your policy. How does each company make almost identical claims?

All companies can use profiling for the right customer that makes them money. For example, a driver they prefer could possibly be a mature driver, is a homeowner, and has great credit. A driver who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and therefore will save when switching.

Potential customers who don't measure up to these standards will be quoted a higher premium which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that kind of money. That's why companies can truthfully advertise the savings. This emphasizes why you should get quotes from several different companies. It is impossible to predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.

Learn more today

Even more information can be found at the South Dakota Division of Insurance website. South Dakota consumers can find a variety of consumer forms, read industry bulletins, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.

Other informative sites include this site for auto insurance information in South Dakota and this list of agents in Clear Lake, SD.

Final considerations

As you prepare to switch companies, make sure you don't buy poor coverage just to save money. There are too many instances where an accident victim reduced physical damage coverage only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your strategy should be to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.

The cheapest auto insurance can be bought online in addition to many Clear Lake insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who do not provide online price quotes and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.