Easy Methods to Spend Less on Holdingford Auto Insurance

Are you intimidated by the number of auto insurance choices in Holdingford? Many other drivers are as well. There are so many choices that it can turn into more work than you anticipated to find lower rates.

It's important to check auto insurance prices every six months since insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the best deal last year there is a good chance you can find better rates now. So just block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because it's time to teach you the only way to save money, get proper coverage and the best rates.

What determines how much you pay?

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that play a part in calculating auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

Shown below are some of the factors companies use to determine rates.

Pleasure use saves money - The higher the mileage driven in a year the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most companies price each vehicle's coverage based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles used primarily for pleasure use can get a lower rate than those used for commuting. Double check that your auto insurance declarations sheet properly reflects the correct usage for each vehicle, because it can save money.
Liability coverage protects you - Your policy's liability coverage provides coverage if ever a jury decides you are liable for damages from an accident. It will provide legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. This coverage is very inexpensive as compared to coverage for physical damage, so buy as much as you can afford.
Do you know your deductibles? - Physical damage coverage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Examples of covered claims are a windshield shattered by a rock, damage from fire, and windstorm damage. Your deductibles are how much you are willing to pay out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. The more money you're willing to pay, the less your auto insurance will be.
Better credit means lower rates - Credit score is a important factor in calculating your auto insurance rates. Drivers with high credit scores tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers with poor credit. So if your credit is low, you could save money insuring your by improving your rating.
Drive a safer car and pay less - Vehicles with high crash test scores are cheaper to insure. These vehicles result in less severe injuries and better occupant protection means lower claim amounts passed on to you as lower rates.
Traffic citations inflate rates - Your driving citation history has a big impact on rates. Just one speeding ticket can increase rates by as much as thirty percent. Good drivers have lower premiums than their less careful counterparts. Drivers who have dangerous citations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may need to file a SR-22 with the DMV in their state in order to prevent a license revocation.

How to Compare Auto Insurance Quotes in Holdingford, Minnesota

There are several ways of comparing rate quotes from auto insurance companies in your area. One of the best ways to find competitive insurance rates consists of shopping online. This is very easy and can be done in a couple of different ways.

The fastest way to get quotes is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This method keeps you from doing separate forms for each company you want a rate for. Filling out one form gets you price quotes from several companies. Just one form and you're done.
A less efficient way to compare rate quotes requires a trip to the website for each individual company and complete a new quote form. For examples sake, we'll assume you want to compare rates from , and . To get each rate you have to take the time to go to each site to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in Holdingford, click here.
The least efficient method of getting rate comparisons is to waste gas driving to and from local Holdingford insurance agencies. The internet eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you require the trained guidance that only a license agent can provide. You can, however, find lower rates online and still use a local agent and we'll touch on that later.

Which method you use is up to you, but ensure you are comparing apples-to-apples quote information on every quote. If the quotes have mixed coverages it will be impossible to make a fair comparison in Holdingford. Just a small difference in coverages can make a big difference in price. Just remember that quoting more gives you a better chance of getting a better price.

Take advantage of discounts

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but there are discounts available that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be applied when you complete an application, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked for before they will apply.

Discount for Life Insurance - Companies who offer life insurance give a break if you buy life insurance.
Organization Discounts - Affiliation with a professional or civic organization could qualify you for a break on auto insurance.
Homeowners Discount - Owning a house in Holdingford may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because maintaining a house requires personal responsibility.
Passive Restraint Discount - Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can receive discounts of 20% or more.
Military Rewards - Having a deployed family member could be rewarded with lower premiums.
Safety Course Discount - Successfully completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could possibly earn you a 5% discount if your company offers it.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So even though it sounds like adding up those discounts means a free policy, auto insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will help reduce your overall premium however.

To choose companies with discount auto insurance rates in Minnesota, follow this link.

Are auto insurance companies telling the truth?

Auto insurance companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive consistently run ads on TV and radio. They all seem to say the same thing about savings if you change to them. But how can every company say the same thing?

Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that makes them money. An example of a desirable insured might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and has great credit. A propective insured who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and most likely will save a lot of money.

Consumers who don't qualify for this ideal profile will have to pay higher rates which usually ends up with business not being written. The ads state "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save money. That's the way companies can truthfully advertise the savings.

Because of the profiling, you need to get a wide range of price quotes. It's not possible to predict which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Additional information is available on the Minnesota Department of Commerce website located here. Minnesota drivers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find out which companies have the most complaints, and report car insurance fraud.

Other informative sites include Auto Insurance 101 and this page where you can research Holdingford insurance agents.

Do the work, save more money

As you prepare to switch companies, don't be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The ultimate goal is to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford.

Cheap auto insurance can be sourced on the web and with local Holdingford insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to get a complete price analysis. There are still a few companies who do not offer online price quotes and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

In this article, we covered a lot of information how to compare auto insurance prices online. It's most important to understand that the more rate quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from a small local company.