How to Get Cheap Dakota Auto Insurance

Finding affordable Dakota auto insurance is challenging for beginners to shopping for insurance online. People have so many options that it can turn into a big hassle to find lower rates in Dakota.

It's important to do rate comparisons before your policy renews since insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best deal six months ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Starting right now, forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because it's time to teach you the proper way to remove unneeded coverages and save money.

Buying the cheapest coverage in Dakota is simple if you know the tricks. Just about every vehicle owner who has to buy auto insurance will be able to save money. Nevertheless, Minnesota vehicle owners do need to know how big insurance companies price online insurance and take advantage of how the system works.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but you may find discounts that many people don't even know exist. A few discounts will automatically apply when you complete an application, but some must be requested specifically before they will apply.

  • Homeowners Pay Less - Owning a house in Dakota can save you money because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
  • Employee of Federal Government - Being employed by or retired from a federal job could cut as much as 10% off with select insurance companies.
  • Anti-lock Brakes - Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles are safer to drive and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
  • Senior Discount - Mature drivers may qualify for reduced rates.
  • Theft Prevention Discount - Vehicles with anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
  • One Accident Forgiven - Certain companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don't have any claims for a set time period.
  • Passive Restraints - Factory air bags may earn rate discounts of up to 25% or more.

It's important to understand that some credits don't apply to the entire cost. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it doesn't quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will bring down the cost of coverage.

To see a list of companies offering auto insurance discounts in Minnesota, click here.

Comparison of Auto Insurance in Dakota

Most companies like State Farm, GEICO and Progressive quote pricing on their websites. Getting online quotes is pretty easy as you just type in as detailed in the form. Once you submit the form, their system will obtain your driving record and credit report and gives you a price quote.

Being able to quote online makes comparing rates easy, but the process of having to visit different websites and fill out multiple forms gets old quite quickly. But it's very important to perform this step if you are searching for the best price on auto insurance.

There is an easier way!

The preferred way to lower your auto insurance bill requires only one form that gets price quotes from many companies. The form is fast, requires less work, and makes online price comparison much easier to do. Once the form is submitted, it is quoted and you can choose any one of the price quotes you receive.

If you find a better price you can click and sign and purchase the new policy. It only takes a few minutes and can result in significant savings.

To quickly find out if lower rates are available, click here to open in new window and enter your vehicle and coverage information. If you have a policy now, it's recommended you type in the coverages exactly as they are listed on your policy. This makes sure you're receiving a price comparison based on the exact same insurance coverage.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Dakota

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that go into determining auto insurance rates. Knowing what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

  • 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. Examples of covered claims are collision with another vehicle, damage from fire, and rolling your vehicle. The deductibles are how much you are willing to pay if you file a covered claim. The more money you're willing to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
  • Claim-free discounts can add up - Car insurance companies in Minnesota generally give lower rates to policyholders who file claims infrequently. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can look forward to either higher rates or even cancellation. Your insurance policy is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? - Most insurance companies will give a discount to people who consolidate policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, it's still a good idea to compare rates to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still be able to find better rates by buying auto insurance from a different company.
  • Battle of the sexes - The statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn't necessarily mean that women are better drivers. Both sexes are in accidents at about the same rate, but the males cause more damage. They also get more serious tickets like reckless driving and DUI. Male drivers age 16 to 19 are the most expensive to insure and therefore have the most expensive auto insurance rates.
  • Do you need those extra coverages? - There are many extra bells and whistles that you can buy if you aren't careful. Coverages for rental car reimbursement, towing coverage and motor club memberships are some examples. They may seem good initially, but if you don't need them eliminate them to save money.
  • A clean driving record saves money - Your driving citation history has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Just one speeding ticket can increase rates twenty percent or more. Good drivers get better rates than bad drivers. Drivers who have serious citations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may need to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
  • Your credit rating is important - Credit score is a big factor in your rate calculation. If your credit is lower than you'd like, you could pay less to insure your by spending a little time repairing your credit. Drivers with good credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers with poor credit.
  • More people means more accidents - Being located in small towns and rural areas can be a good thing when buying auto insurance. Urban drivers have much more traffic and longer commute times. Fewer people means fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.

How can State Farm, GEICO and Progressive save drivers who switch?

Auto insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads on television and other media. They all seem to have a common claim of big savings if you switch to them. How does each company say the same thing? It's all in the numbers.

Insurance companies can use profiling for the type of driver that is profitable for them. An example of a desirable insured might be profiled as between 30 and 50, is a homeowner, and has a high credit rating. A propective insured that hits that "sweet spot" will get the preferred rates and as a result will probably save when switching.

Consumers who are not a match for these standards will have to pay higher rates and this can result in business not being written. The ads state "customers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save money. That's why insurance companies can confidently state the savings.

Because of the profiling, drivers must get as many quotes as possible. It's not possible to predict the company that will have the lowest rates.

Do the work, save more money

Low-cost auto insurance can be found on the web and with local Dakota insurance agents, so compare prices from both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

Drivers switch companies for a variety of reasons including an unsatisfactory settlement offer, extreme rates for teen drivers, policy cancellation or denial of a claim. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding a new auto insurance company is actually quite simple.

As you restructure your insurance plan, it's very important that you do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that they should have had better coverage. Your aim should be to get the best coverage possible at the best price.

Learn more today

Additional auto insurance information is available on the Minnesota Department of Commerce website found here. Minnesota drivers can report car insurance fraud, download brochures, and read consumer alerts.