How to Find the Cheapest North Sioux City Auto Insurance

Finding affordable North Sioux City auto insurance is nearly impossible for consumers new to shopping for insurance online. You have so many choices that it can quickly become a challenge to locate the lowest price in North Sioux City.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Companies don't always advertise every discount in a way that's easy to find, so we researched both well-publicized as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.

Seat Belts Save - Drivers who require all occupants to use their safety belts could cut 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
Employee of Federal Government - Active or retired federal employment can earn a discount up to 10% with a few auto insurance companies.
Anti-theft System - Cars that have factory anti-theft systems help deter theft and will save you 10% or more.
Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully complete driver's ed class in school.
Military Discounts - Being on active duty in the military could mean lower rates.
Multiple Policy Discount - If you have multiple policies with one insurance company you will save 10% to 20% off each policy.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discounts do not apply to the entire cost. Most only cut individual premiums such as comp or med pay. So despite the fact that it appears you could get a free auto insurance policy, you won't be that lucky.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to better auto insurance rates.

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

Always keep insurance in force - Allowing your auto insurance policy to lapse is a guaranteed way to bump up your auto insurance costs. And not only will your rates increase, but not being able to provide proof of insurance can result in a revoked license or a big fine.
Small claims can cost you - Companies in South Dakota award cheaper rates to insureds who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can pretty much guarantee either higher rates or even cancellation. Car insurance is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
One company can mean more discounts - Most insurers provide better rates to customers who consolidate policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can amount to five, ten or even twenty percent. Even if you're getting this discount you still need to compare other company rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still be able to find better rates by insuring with multiple companies.
Special features that cut premiums - Driving a car with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft features like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder car theft.
Safe vehicles cost less to insure - Safer cars can get you lower premiums. The safest vehicles have better occupant injury protection and lower injury rates translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Your job and insurance rates - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Careers like judges, business owners and dentists are shown to have the highest average rates because of high stress levels and long work hours. Other occupations such as farmers, historians and homemakers pay the least.
Battle of the sexes - The statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. That doesn't necessarily mean that men are WORSE drivers than women. Men and women are in accidents in similar numbers, but the men cause more damage. Men also statistically receive more costly citations such as DWI and reckless driving. Youthful male drivers are most likely to cause an accident and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
Traffic violations increase rates - A bad driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Even one citation may increase your cost by twenty percent. Drivers with clean records have lower premiums than bad drivers. If you have serious violations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may find they need to submit a SR-22 form with their state DMV in order to continue driving.

How can Progressive, Allstate and GEICO save drivers who switch?

Auto insurance providers like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO constantly bombard you with ads on television and other media. They all make an identical promise about savings if you switch your policy. How can each company make almost identical claims?

Different companies can use profiling for the right customer that earns them a profit. For instance, a driver they prefer could possibly be over the age of 40, is a homeowner, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A driver who meets those qualifications will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who are not a match for the requirements will be quoted a higher premium and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ad wording is "customers that switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that kind of money. That's why companies can truthfully advertise the way they do. This emphasizes why drivers should compare many company's rates. It is impossible to predict the company that will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Even more information is located at the South Dakota Division of Insurance website. South Dakota consumers can find a variety of consumer forms, download brochures, and read consumer alerts.

Shop smart and save

People switch companies for a number of reasons such as being labeled a high risk driver, extreme rates for teen drivers, policy non-renewal and even delays in responding to claim requests. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, choosing a new insurance company is less work than it seems.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it's not a good idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are too many instances where an accident victim reduced collision coverage and learned later that the savings was not a smart move. Your strategy should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.

Cheaper auto insurance can be found online in addition to many North Sioux City insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best rate selection. Some auto insurance companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.