Top 10 Ways to Pay Less on Car Insurance in Dillingham

Nobody likes having to buy car insurance, especially when they are paying too much. Drivers have multiple to pick from, and although it's nice to have a selection, it can be more challenging to compare rates.

Take advantage of discounts

Car insurance companies don't necessarily list all available discounts very clearly, so we researched some of the more common and also the lesser-known car insurance savings. If you're not getting every credit you qualify for, you're paying more than you need to.

Safety Course Discount - Successfully completing a driver safety course can save you 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
Passive Restraints - Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts may earn rate discounts of 20% or more.
Auto/Home Discount - When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same company you may earn at least 10% off all policies.
Student in College - Children who are attending college and don't have a car may qualify for this discount.
New Car Discount - Buying coverage on a new vehicle can be considerably cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
No Accidents - Good drivers with no accidents pay much less when compared with bad drivers.
Accident Forgiveness - Certain companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums so long as you haven't had any claims for a set time period.
Good Student - A discount for being a good student can earn a discount of 20% or more. Earning this discount can benefit you up until you turn 25.
Discount for Life Insurance - Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase life insurance.
Paperless Signup - A few companies will give a small break for buying your policy over the internet.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like all the discounts add up to a free policy, car insurance companies aren't that generous.

To see a list of insurers with discount car insurance rates in Alaska, follow this link.

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

Finding cheaper car insurance prices can be quick and easy. Just take time getting comparison quotes online with multiple companies. This can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

The best way to get quotes for comparison is to use a rate comparison form like this one (opens in new window). This method eliminates the need for a different quote for each company you want a rate for. Just one form will get you price quotes .
A different way to compare rate quotes requires a visit to the website for every company you want to comare and request a quote. For sake of this example, let's say you want to compare , and . To get each rate you have to spend time on each company's site to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is quicker.

To view a list of companies in Dillingham, click here.

It doesn't matter which method you choose, just be sure to compare identical coverage limits with every price quote. If each company quotes differing limits then you won't be able to find the best deal in Dillingham.

How to know if you need help

When choosing the best car insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn't really a "perfect" insurance plan. Every situation is different and a cookie cutter policy won't apply. These are some specific questions may help highlight whether your personal situation may require specific advice.

Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in Alaska?
Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.

Are car insurance companies telling the truth?

Consumers can't get away from ads for cheaper car insurance by 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the companies say the same thing about savings if you change to their company.

How does each company make the same claim? It's all in the numbers.

Insurance companies have a certain "appetite" for the driver that is profitable for them. For instance, a profitable customer could be over the age of 50, a clean driving record, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Any new insured who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will save when switching.

Potential customers who don't qualify for these standards must pay a more expensive rate which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. The ad wording is "customers who switch" not "people who quote" save that much. That is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do. This illustrates why drivers must compare as many rates as you can. It's just too difficult to predict which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

And the best car insurance company is...

Cheap car insurance is attainable from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Dillingham agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best rate selection. Some car insurance companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

You just learned a lot of tips how to compare car insurance prices online. It's most important to understand that the more companies you get rates for, the better your comparison will be. Drivers may discover the biggest savings come from some of the smallest insurance companies. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than their larger competitors like .

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, make sure you don't reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are a lot of situations where someone dropped collision coverage and learned later that the savings was not a smart move. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.

Additional Alaska consumer information

Even more information is located at the Alaska Division of Insurance website. Consumers can discover disciplinary actions, file complaints about a company, view agent and company licensing information, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.

Additional helpful sites include this resource for Alaska car insurance prices and this link which helps you find a Dillingham agent.