Plains Car Insurance For Less Than You're Paying Now

Finding lower rates for Plains car insurance is hard for consumers new to comparison shopping online. Drivers have so many options that it can easily become a challenge to locate the lowest price in Plains.

If you are insured now or need new coverage, you can learn to shop for the lowest rates while maintaining coverages. The purpose of this post is to let you in on how to effectively get price quotes and some tips to save money. Montana drivers only need an understanding of the most efficient way to compare company rates online.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don't necessarily list all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we took the time to find both the well known and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving. If they aren't giving you every credit available, you are throwing money away.

Clubs and Organizations - Being a member of certain professional organizations may earn a discount when buying car insurance.
No Claims - Claim-free drivers can save substantially when compared with drivers who are more careless.
Student Driver Training - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver's education in high school.
Defensive Driving Course - Taking part in a defensive driving course could save 5% or more if you qualify.
Senior Citizens - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you can possibly qualify for a discount up to 10%.
Employee of Federal Government - Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount depending on your company.
Anti-lock Brakes - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes prevent accidents and will save you 10% or more.

It's important to understand that some credits don't apply to the entire cost. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because you may think all those discounts means the company will pay you, it doesn't quite work that way.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. Understanding what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that could result in big savings.

The list below includes a few of the "ingredients" that factor into premiums.

Protect yourself with liability coverage - The liability section of your policy will protect you if you are found liable for damages caused by your negligence. It provides for a legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not skimp.
Rates may be lower depending on your job - Occupations such as lawyers, social workers and accountants are shown to have higher rates than average due to job stress and lots of time spent at work. On the flip side, occupations like farmers, athletes and the unemployed pay the least.
Car features impact rates - Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft devices like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder auto theft.
Don't get talked into coverage you don't need - There are a lot of extra bells and whistles that you can get tricked into buying when buying car insurance. Coverages like vanishing deductibles, accidental death and membership fees are some examples. They may seem good initially, but your needs may have changed so get rid of them and save.
Sex matters - The statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, don't assume that men are WORSE drivers than women. They both have accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also tend to get more serious tickets like DUI and reckless driving.
High numbers of claims are not good - If you are a frequent claim filer, you can definitely plan on higher rates. Auto insurance companies in Montana generally give better rates to policyholders who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Insurance coverage is intended for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Clean credit earns discounts - A driver's credit rating is a big factor in your rate calculation. Consumers who have good credit tend to be less risk to insure as compared to drivers with lower credit scores. If your credit score can use some improvement, you could potentially save money when insuring your by repairing your credit.
Where do you drive? - The more you drive every year the more you'll pay to insure your vehicle. The majority of insurers charge to insure your cars determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars not used for work or commuting qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. Ask your agent if your car insurance policy is showing the correct driver usage.

Is there truth in advertising?

Consumers in Montana get pounded daily by advertisements for the lowest price auto insurance from companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive. All the companies have a common claim of big savings if you move your policy.

How do they all claim to save you money? It's all in the numbers.

All the different companies can use profiling for the right customer that earns them a profit. For example, a profitable customer might be between the ages of 30 and 50, is a homeowner, and drives newer vehicles. Any driver that hits that "sweet spot" will get very good rates and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Consumers who don't measure up to the "perfect" profile must pay higher rates and this can result in the customer not buying. The ads say "customers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. That's why insurance companies can confidently claim big savings. This illustrates why drivers should get quotes from several different companies. You cannot predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.

Learn more today

More tips and info about car insurance can be found at the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance website. Visitors are able to find out which companies have the most complaints, read industry bulletins, and view a list of available companies.

Best coverage at the best price

Low-cost car insurance is possible both online in addition to many Plains insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to get a complete price analysis. A few companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

Drivers who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including questionable increases in premium, high rates after DUI convictions, extreme rates for teen drivers and even delays in responding to claim requests. Regardless of your reason, finding a new car insurance company is less work than it seems.

When trying to cut insurance costs, you should never skimp on coverage in order to save money. In too many instances, an accident victim reduced physical damage coverage only to discover later that it was a big mistake. Your focus should be to find the BEST coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.