Tightwads Guide for Saving on Doland Auto Insurance

Having to pay for overpriced auto insurance can overdraw your savings account and make it hard to pay other bills. Comparison shopping is free and is an excellent way to lower your monthly bill.

Big companies like GEICO and Progressive promote their brand names with advertising and it is difficult to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

If you have car insurance now, you should be able to save some money using this information. Finding affordable coverage in Doland is not that difficult. Although South Dakota drivers do need to know the way companies price online insurance and take advantage of how the system works.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but you may find discounts that many people don't even know exist. Certain discounts will be applied when you get a quote, but some must be manually applied before you will receive the discount.

Government Employees - Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% with a few auto insurance companies.
Distant Student - Any of your kids who live away from home and do not have a car can receive lower rates.
Multiple Policy Discount - If you have multiple policies with one company you could get a discount of up to 20% off your total premium.
Accident Free - Drivers who don't have accidents can earn big discounts when compared to drivers who are more careless.
Defensive Driver - Completing a course in driver safety could cut 5% off your bill if you qualify.
Anti-theft Discount - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems help deter theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
Low Mileage Discounts - Driving fewer miles can qualify you for better rates on cars that stay parked.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. So even though it sounds like it's possible to get free car insurance, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will reduce the amount you have to pay.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Doland

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.

Listed below are some of the factors companies use to determine prices.

Your job and insurance rates - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Careers like doctors, executives and dentists tend to pay the highest average rates due to high stress levels and lengthy work days. Other occupations like pilots, historians and homemakers have the lowest average rates.
Older drivers pay less - More mature drivers are more cautious drivers, tend to file fewer claims and are safer drivers. Teen drivers are statistically proven to be more careless when driving and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher.
Consolidate policies to earn discounts - Most auto insurance companies provide better rates to customers who have multiple policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can be ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. Even if you're getting this discount it's still a good idea to compare other company rates to make sure you are getting the best deal.
Do you need those extra coverages? - There are many add-on coverages that can waste your money on your auto insurance policy. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, accident forgiveness and motor club memberships may be wasting your money. These may sound like a good investment initially, but if you don't need them eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
Better crash test results mean better rates - Cars with high safety ratings tend to have better insurance rates. The safest vehicles result in less severe injuries and lower injury rates translates into savings for insurance companies and more competitive rates for policyholders.

Insurance agents can help

When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Every situation is different so this has to be addressed. For example, these questions may help you determine whether your personal situation might need an agent's assistance.

Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
What are South Dakota no-fault laws?
Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?
Does my personal auto insurance policy cover using my vehicle for business use?
Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?

If it's difficult to answer those questions, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

Save $429 a year? Really?

Auto insurance providers like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. They all make the same claim about savings if you switch to them. How can each company make almost identical claims? It's all in the numbers.

All companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that earns them a profit. An example of a driver they prefer could possibly be between the ages of 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A driver who matches those parameters gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Drivers who don't qualify for the requirements will be quoted higher premiums which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save money. This is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do.

This emphasizes why drivers should quote coverage with many companies. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Additional information is available on the website for the South Dakota Division of Insurance found here. South Dakota consumers can read industry bulletins, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, read consumer alerts, and discover disciplinary actions.

Do the work, save more money

When shopping online for auto insurance, it's a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your strategy should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price while still protecting your assets.

The cheapest auto insurance can be found online and with local Doland insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some auto insurance companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and these smaller companies work with independent agents.