Consumer Tested Strategies to Save on Montgomery Auto Insurance

Have you had enough of trying to scrape together enough money each month for car insurance? You're in the same situation as millions of other consumers. Because you have many options when it comes to auto insurance, it's nearly impossible to pick the most affordable insurance company.

Finding the best rates in Montgomery is quite easy. If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to cut costs considerably using this strategy. Minnesota drivers only need an understanding of the proper way to buy auto insurance over the internet.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Auto insurance companies don't always list all available discounts very well, so we researched both the well known as well as the least known auto insurance savings. If you don't get every credit available, you're paying more than you need to.

Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Fewer annual miles could be rewarded with lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Payment Method - If you pay your bill all at once instead of paying each month you can actually save on your bill.
Auto/Home Discount - When you combine your home and auto insurance with one insurance company you will save up to 20% off your total premium.
Anti-theft Discount - Anti-theft and alarm systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
One Accident Forgiven - Some insurance companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums so long as you haven't had any claims prior to the accident.
Good Students Pay Less - A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you well after school through age 25.
Student in College - Children who are attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle can be insured at a reduced rate.
Paperless Signup - Certain companies may give you up to $50 simply for signing online.

Consumers should know that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Most only cut individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates it's possible to get free car insurance, companies don't profit that way.

To see a list of insurers who offer auto insurance discounts in Minnesota, follow this link.

Comprehensive Auto Insurance Comparison in Montgomery

Most companies quote prices for coverage online. This process is fairly straightforward as you just enter the amount of coverage you want as detailed in the form. Once you submit the form, the system will obtain credit information and your driving record and generates pricing information based on many factors. This makes comparing rates easy, but the time it takes to visit a lot of sites and complete many quote forms is not the best way to spend an afternoon. But it's very important to get many rate quotes if you are searching for the best price on auto insurance.

The preferred way to find cheaper rates uses one form that gets prices from a lot of companies. The form is fast, eliminates form submissions, and makes online shopping much more enjoyable and efficient. After sending your information, it is quoted and you can select any or none of the price quotes you receive. If a lower price is quoted, you simply finish the application and purchase the new policy. It can be completed in a matter of minutes and may result in a nice savings.

To find out if lower rates are available, click here to open in new window and begin entering your coverage information. If you have coverage now, it's recommended you enter the limits and deductibles identical to your current policy. This makes sure you will be getting a fair comparison based on the exact same insurance coverage.

What determines how much you pay?

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

The following are a partial list of the pieces companies use to determine premiums.

Safe vehicles cost less to insure - Cars with high safety ratings are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims passed on to you as lower rates.
Lower rates with optional equipment - Driving a car with an alarm system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention features like GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all hinder your car from being stolen.
Where you live is a factor - Being located in a rural area is a positive aspect when talking about auto insurance. City drivers have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Less people living in that area means fewer accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
Bundling policies can get discounts - Many companies will award you with lower prices to insureds who consolidate policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, you still need to compare rates to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still find better rates by buying auto insurance from a different company.
Do men or women drive better? - The statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, this does not mean women are better drivers. Women and men are in accidents in similar numbers, but the male of the species have costlier accidents. Men also tend to get cited for more serious violations like DUI and reckless driving. Male drivers age 16 to 19 are most likely to cause an accident and therefore have the most expensive auto insurance rates.
Cautious drivers pay less - Whether or not you get tickets has a big impact on rates. Good drivers have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Just one citation can increase rates by twenty percent. Drivers with flagrant tickets like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions are required to submit a SR-22 form to the state department of motor vehicles in order to keep their license.
Mature drivers pay less - Youthful drivers in Minnesota are known to get distracted easily in a vehicle so auto insurance rates are higher. Mature drivers are more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and get fewer tickets.

How can 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm save drivers who switch?

Consumers in Minnesota can't get away from ads for the lowest price auto insurance by companies like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the companies say the same thing of big savings after switching to them.

But how can every company claim to save you money?

All companies can use profiling for the type of driver that is profitable for them. For instance, a profitable customer might be between 25 and 40, has no tickets, and has great credit. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably save a lot of money.

Drivers who are not a match for this ideal profile must pay a higher premium which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ad wording is "customers that switch" not "everybody who quotes" save money. That's why insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings. This illustrates why drivers must quote coverage with many companies. It's impossible to know the company that will give you the biggest savings.

A tidy conclusion

Cost effective auto insurance can be purchased both online and with local Montgomery insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best selection. There are still a few companies who do not offer the ability to get a quote online and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you prepare to switch companies, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are a lot of situations where an insured dropped collision coverage and learned later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The proper strategy is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.

More tips and info about auto insurance is located at the Minnesota Department of Commerce website. Visitors are able to find disaster information, view a list of available companies, view agent and company licensing information, and read consumer alerts.

Additional helpful sites include this page for auto insurance prices in Minnesota and this page of Montgomery insurance agents.