Tightwads Tips for Saving on Mazeppa Car Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an overpriced car insurance policy? Believe me, you're not alone.

You have multiple to buy insurance from, and even though it's nice to have multiple companies, having more makes it harder to compare rates.

It's important to do rate comparisons every six months due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. If you had the best deal a year ago a different company probably has better rates today. So just block out anything you think you know about car insurance because I'm going to teach you the only way to remove unneeded coverages and save money.

Don't pay full price with these discounts

Car insurance is not cheap, but you may find discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Certain discounts will be applied when you quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be specifically requested before you get the savings.

Theft Prevention Discount - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
Clubs and Organizations - Being a member of a qualifying organization could trigger savings on your policy.
Accident Free - Drivers with accident-free driving histories can earn big discounts compared to drivers who are more careless.
E-sign - A few companies may give you up to $50 just for signing your application over the internet.
Resident Student - Any of your kids who live away from home without a vehicle on campus may be able to be covered for less.

It's important to note that many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you're out of luck. But any discount will bring down your premiums.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Mazeppa

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. Knowing what influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.

The list below includes some of the factors companies use to determine your rates.

How many coverages with the same company - The majority of car insurance companies give discounts to insureds who buy several policies from them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount, it's still a good idea to compare other company rates to make sure you are getting the best deal. Consumers may find a better deal by splitting coverages up.
Liability insurance protects assets - The liability section of your policy provides coverage in the event that you are found liable for damages from an accident. Liability insurance provides legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. Liability is cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so drivers should carry high limits.
Rates may be higher depending on your occupation - Occupations like doctors, executives and financial analysts tend to pay higher average rates due to high stress and long work days. Conversely, jobs such as actors, engineers and the unemployed have the lowest average rates.
Being married can save on car insurance - Being married actually saves money on your car insurance policy. Marriage is viewed as being more mature and statistics show being married results in fewer claims.
Older drivers pay less - Youthful drivers in Minnesota tend to be less responsible when behind the wheel so they pay higher car insurance rates. Older insureds tend to be more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and tend to be better behind the wheel.
Safer cars are cheaper to insure - Vehicles with high crash test scores tend to have better insurance rates. Safer cars result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts and thus lower rates.

The car insurance bait and switch

Companies like Allstate and Progressive regularly use ads in print and on television. All the ads make the same claim that you can save if you move to them. How does each company claim to save you money? It's all in the numbers.

Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that earns them a profit. An example of a preferred risk might be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and has excellent credit. Any driver who matches those parameters will get very good rates and therefore will save when switching.

Drivers who don't measure up to these standards will be charged a higher premium which leads to the customer not buying. The ads say "customers who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save money. That's the way insurance companies can make those claims.

That is why drivers should compare as many rates as you can. You cannot predict which car insurance company will have the lowest rates.

Learn more about Minnesota car insurance

More information is available on the website for the Minnesota Department of Commerce found here. Visitors are able to read consumer alerts, find out which companies have the most complaints, read industry bulletins, and get help finding coverage.

Final considerations

While you're price shopping online, never skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time they didn't purchase enough coverage. The aim is to find the BEST coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

Lower-priced car insurance is definitely available both online and with local Mazeppa insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best selection. Some companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.