Finding Low-Cost Fertile Auto Insurance

Nobody I know enjoys paying for auto insurance, in particular when their premiums are through the roof.

Because you have many different company options, it is hard for the average consumer to find the cheapest provider.

It's important to compare prices periodically because insurance rates are constantly changing. Despite the fact that you may have had the lowest rates a year ago you can probably find a better price now. So forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because you're about to learn the tricks you need to know to find lower rates on auto insurance.

How to Lower your Auto Insurance Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with big savings.

The following are a few of the "ingredients" used by your company to calculate rates.

Big city or small town - Living in less populated areas can be a good thing when insuring your vehicles. City drivers regularly have much more traffic and longer commute times. Less people living in that area means a lower chance of having an accident.
Traffic violations increase rates - Just one moving violation can bump up the cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who don't get tickets have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who have flagrant citations like DUI or reckless driving may need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to keep their license.
With age comes lower rates - Teen drivers in Minnesota are known to be more careless behind the wheel so auto insurance rates are higher. If you've ever had to add a youthful driver onto a policy can be quite pricey. Older drivers are viewed as being more responsible, file fewer claims and are safer drivers.
Safer cars are cheaper to insure - Vehicles with good safety scores are cheaper to insure. These vehicles protect occupants better and lower injury rates means less money paid by your insurance company passed on to you as lower rates.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Companies offering auto insurance don't always advertise all their discounts very well, so we break down both well-publicized as well as the least known auto insurance savings.

Bundle and Save - If you insure your home and vehicles with one company you may earn approximately 10% to 15%.
Good Student - This discount can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
Discount for New Cars - Buying coverage on a new vehicle can cost up to 25% less due to better safety requirements for new cars.
Passive Restraint Discount - Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts of 20% or more.
Drive Less and Save - Fewer annual miles can earn lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Organization Discounts - Participating in a professional or civic organization could qualify you for a break on auto insurance.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So despite the fact that it appears having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, auto insurance companies aren't that generous.

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

Save $429 a year? Really?

Auto insurance companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive continually stream television and radio advertisements. They all seem to say the same thing about savings after switching your coverage to them. But how can every company make almost identical claims?

All the different companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of customer that makes them money. For example, a desirable insured could possibly be over the age of 40, a clean driving record, and has excellent credit. A driver who fits that profile will get very good rates and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.

Potential insureds who don't qualify for this ideal profile will have to pay more money which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much money. That is how companies can truthfully make those claims. Because of the profiling, you should get a wide range of price quotes. It is impossible to predict which company will have the lowest rates.

Insurance agents can help

When buying adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is no one size fits all plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and a cookie cutter policy won't apply. For example, these questions may help highlight whether your personal situation could use an agent's help.

What are the best liability limits?
Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Minnesota?
Should I file a claim if it's only slightly more than my deductible?
Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
Are rental cars covered under my policy?

If you don't know the answers to these questions then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. If you don't have a local agent, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Additional Minnesota consumer information

Even more information can be found at the Minnesota Department of Commerce website. Minnesota consumers can view agent and company licensing information, file complaints about a company, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and find disaster information.

Other informative sites include Wikipedia and this Fertile agent directory.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

While you're price shopping online, don't be tempted to buy poor coverage just to save money. In many instances, someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret they didn't purchase enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford.

In this article, we presented a lot of tips how to save on auto insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may even discover the lowest premiums are with the least-expected company. Some small companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like .

Cheap auto insurance can be bought online as well as from independent agents in Fertile, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some companies don't offer online price quotes and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.