How to Know You're Throwing Money Away for Car Insurance in Finlayson

Tired of trying to scrape together enough money each month for car insurance? Your situation is no different than many other drivers in Minnesota.

Consumers have many to pick from, and even though it's nice to be able to choose, it can be more difficult to compare rates.

This article will instruct you on how to effectively get price quotes. If you have car insurance now, you will be able to lower your premiums substantially using these methods. But Minnesota consumers do need to know the methods companies use to price insurance differently and apply this information to your search.

You have some control over your rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that help determine the rates you pay for car insurance. Knowing what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that could result in lower car insurance prices.

The following are a few of the "ingredients" car insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

High crash test scores lower rates - Cars with high safety ratings get lower rates. Safe vehicles reduce injuries and any reduction in injury severity translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and thus lower rates.
Lower rates with optional equipment - Driving a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Theft prevention features such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all hinder auto theft.
Your location is important - Being located in a rural area is a positive aspect when talking about car insurance. Urban drivers regularly have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Lower population translates into fewer accidents.
Teen drivers pay high rates - Youthful drivers in Minnesota are known to get distracted easily in a vehicle so they pay higher car insurance rates. Mature drivers are more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and receive fewer citations.
Having a spouse can save you money - Having a spouse can get you a discount on car insurance. Having a spouse means you're more mature than a single person it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married are more cautious.
Liability coverage is peace of mind - Liability coverage will protect you if you are found liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide for a legal defense starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not skimp.
Bad driving skills means higher rates - Whether or not you get tickets has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Careful drivers tend to pay less for car insurance compared to drivers with tickets. Even a single ticket can boost insurance rates by twenty percent. Drivers with flagrant tickets like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence are required to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to keep their license.

How to Compare Car Insurance Costs in Finlayson

There are several ways of comparing rates and find the best price. One of the best ways to find the lowest rates is to use the internet to compare rates. This is very easy and can be done using a couple different methods.

The fastest way to find the lowest comparison rates is to use a rate comparison form click to view form in new window. This type of form saves time by eliminating separate quotes for every car insurance company. Taking the time to complete one form gets rate comparisons instantly.
A slightly less efficient method to compare rate quotes is spending the time to visit the website for every company you want to comare to complete a price quote. For example, let's assume you want rates from , and . To get rate quotes you would need to visit each site and enter your policy data, and that's why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in Finlayson, click here.
The most time-consuming way to get comparison rates to insurance agents' offices. Buying insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you have a need for the personal advice of a local Finlayson agent. It is possible to find lower rates online and still use a local agent and you'll learn how to do that later.

Whichever method you choose, double check that you are using identical information for every company. If you compare higher or lower deductibles you will not be able to decipher which rate is best in Finlayson. Slightly different insurance coverages may result in a large different in cost. It's important to know that getting more free quotes helps you find the best price.

Take advantage of discounts

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but there could be available discounts to reduce the price significantly. Most are applied at quote time, but a few need to be manually applied in order for you to get them.

Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Fewer annual miles can earn a substantially lower rate.
Payment Method - By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.
Life Insurance Discount - Select insurance companies reward you with a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
Student in College - Youth drivers who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle may qualify for this discount.
Homeowners Pay Less - Owning a home in Finlayson can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.
Organization Discounts - Being a member of a qualifying organization may earn a discount when buying car insurance.
Service Members Pay Less - Being deployed with a military unit may qualify for rate reductions.
Good Students Pay Less - This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
Auto/Home Discount - If you insure your home and vehicles with the same company you will save up to 20% off your total premium.

Consumers should know that some credits don't apply to the entire cost. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. Even though it may seem like you can get free auto insurance, companies don't profit that way. But all discounts will bring down your overall premium however.

To choose insurers who offer car insurance discounts in Minnesota, click here.

Are car insurance companies telling the truth?

21st Century, Allstate and State Farm continually stream ads on TV and radio. All the companies have a common claim that you'll save big after switching to their company. How does each company claim to save you money? This is how they do it.

All companies can use profiling for the driver that makes them money. For example, a profitable customer might be over the age of 40, has no tickets, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. Any driver that hits that "sweet spot" gets the lowest rates and most likely will save when switching.

Potential insureds who don't qualify for these standards must pay more money and this can result in the customer not buying. The ads say "drivers who switch" not "people who quote" save that much. That's why companies can advertise the way they do.

This illustrates why you need to get quotes from several different companies. You cannot predict the company that will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Much more information about car insurance in Minnesota can be found on the website for the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Click here for link. Visitors are able to find disaster information, view a list of available companies, view agent and company licensing information, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.

Other informative sites include this page for car insurance prices in Minnesota and this page of Finlayson insurance agents.

Final considerations

Discount car insurance can be purchased both online and also from your neighborhood Finlayson agents, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some car insurance companies may not provide online price quotes and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When shopping online for car insurance, make sure you don't reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are a lot of situations where an insured dropped physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The proper strategy is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.