How to Know You're Paying Too Much for Auto Insurance in Kenyon

No one likes having to buy auto insurance, particularly when their premiums are too high.

Because you have many companies and agents to choose from, it is hard for the average consumer to find the right car insurance company.

It's important to price shop coverage occasionally because prices are constantly changing. Just because you had the lowest price on your last policy you can probably find a better price now. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you're about to learn the proper way to get good coverage at a lower rate.

Choosing the best insurance company for you in Kenyon is not that difficult. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will be able to cut costs considerably using these techniques. Although Minnesota consumers do need to know the way companies sell insurance online because it can help you find the best coverage.

Learn How to Buy Auto Insurance Cheaper

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that go into determining the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with big savings.

Listed below are a partial list of the pieces that factor into rates.

Are you male or female? - Statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. That doesn't necessarily mean that men are WORSE drivers than women. They both cause accidents in similar numbers, but the males cause more damage. They also get more serious tickets like DUI and reckless driving. Youthful male drivers are most likely to cause an accident and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.
Better credit scores mean better rates - Credit score is a important factor in determining your rates. Therefore, if your credit score is lower than you'd like, you could save money insuring your by improving your rating. Consumers who have high credit scores tend to be less risk to insure than drivers who have poor credit.
Cautious drivers pay less - Drivers with clean records have lower premiums than bad drivers. Even a single moving violation may increase your cost twenty percent or more. Drivers who have serious citations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may need to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
More than one policy can earn a discount - Most insurance companies will give a discount to insureds who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you're getting this discount you still need to comparison shop to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.

More discounts equal less premium

Companies offering auto insurance don't always list all their discounts very well, so we researched both the well known as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving.

Accident Forgiveness - Some insurance companies will forgive one accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don't have any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
Anti-lock Brakes - Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control are safer to drive and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
Early Signing - Some insurance companies reward drivers for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiration. This can save 10% or more.
Theft Prevention System - Vehicles with anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
Homeowners Savings - Owning a house in Kenyon can save you money because owning a home shows financial diligence.
Driver's Ed - Cut your cost by having your teen driver complete a driver education course in school.
Drive Less and Save - Driving fewer miles could be rewarded with a substantially lower rate.

A little note about advertised discounts, some credits don't apply to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when the math indicates all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won't be that lucky.

To choose companies offering auto insurance discounts in Minnesota, click here.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Auto insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads in print and on television. They all seem to have a common claim about savings if you switch your policy. But how can every company claim to save you money?

All the different companies have a certain "appetite" for the right customer that makes them money. For instance, a desirable insured might be between the ages of 30 and 50, owns a home, and has great credit. A customer getting a price quote that hits that "sweet spot" is entitled to the best price and therefore will save a lot of money.

Potential insureds who do not match this ideal profile will have to pay more money and this can result in the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that kind of money. That is how companies can truthfully advertise the savings. Because of the profiling, you should get a wide range of price quotes. It's impossible to know which company will fit your personal profile best.

It's not one size fits all

When buying the best auto insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone's needs are different and your policy should reflect that. Here are some questions about coverages that might point out if you might need an agent's assistance.

Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?
Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?

If you can't answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

For more Minnesota car insurance information

Even more information is located at the Minnesota Department of Commerce website. Visitors are able to learn about insurance regulations, find out industry alerts, file complaints about a company, and read consumer alerts.

Other informative sites include this site for Minnesota auto insurance information and see this list of insurance agents in Kenyon.

Do the work, save more money

The cheapest auto insurance is available both online in addition to many Kenyon insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who do not provide online price quotes and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.

When you buy insurance online, do not buy poor coverage just to save money. In many cases, an insured cut liability coverage limits only to discover later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford.

We covered a lot of ways to save on auto insurance. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even discover the lowest rates come from a small local company. Some small companies may cover specific market segments cheaper as compared to the big name companies such as .