Tightwads Guide to Saving on Rapid City Auto Insurance

Scraping up a payment for overpriced auto insurance can overdraw your savings account and put a big crunch on your finances. Doing a price comparison is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to slash your bill and have more diposable income. Since consumers have many companies to choose from, it is very difficult to find the cheapest insurer.

It's important to shop coverage around quite often because insurance rates are constantly changing. Despite the fact that you may have had the lowest price two years ago you can probably find a better price now. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you're about to learn one of the best ways to buy cheaper auto insurance.

Buying car insurance in Rapid City is easy if you know what you're doing. If you have a current auto insurance policy or need new coverage, you will benefit by learning to find the best rates and possibly find even better coverage. South Dakota vehicle owners just need to know the best way to get comparison quotes over the internet.

Tips to Get Lower Rapid City Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with big savings.

With age comes lower rates - Teen drivers in South Dakota are known to be more careless when driving so auto insurance rates are higher. Having to add a teen driver onto a policy can be quite pricey. More mature drivers are viewed as being more responsible, file fewer claims and receive fewer citations.
Traffic violations increase rates - Just one citation can bump up the cost by twenty percent. Drivers who don't get tickets tend to pay less for car insurance compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who have flagrant citations like DUI or reckless driving may need to file a SR-22 with their state DMV in order to keep their license.
Don't buy coverages you don't need - There are a ton of add-on coverages that you can buy on your auto insurance policy. Things like roadside assistance, towing coverage and additional equipment coverage may be costing you every month. They may seem like a good idea when talking to your agent, but now you might not need them so remove them from your policy.
Multi-policy discounts can save money - Many insurers will give a discount to customers who carry more than one policy, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, it's in your best interest to comparison shop to verify if the discount is saving money.
Better crash test results mean better rates - Vehicles with good safety scores can get you lower premiums. These vehicles protect occupants better and lower injury rates translates into savings for insurance companies passed on to you as lower rates.

Take advantage of discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don't list all their discounts very well, so we researched both well-publicized and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using. If you don't get every credit you deserve, you are paying more than you should be.

College Student - Kids in college who are attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle may qualify for this discount.
Discount for New Cars - Adding a new car to your policy can cost up to 25% less due to better safety requirements for new cars.
Drive Less and Save - Fewer annual miles could be rewarded with discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
Driver Safety - Taking part in a course in driver safety could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.
Theft Prevention System - Cars that have factory anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Lower Rates for Military - Being on active duty in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
Driver's Ed - Cut your cost by having your teen driver complete a driver education course if it's offered in school.
Payment Method - If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of making monthly payments you could save up to 5%.
Anti-lock Brake System - Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can reduce accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.

Consumers should know that most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies don't profit that way.

To choose companies who offer auto insurance discounts in South Dakota, click here to view.

Are auto insurance companies telling the truth?

South Dakota consumers can't ignore all the ads for car insurance savings from the likes of Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm. They all seem to make an identical promise that you'll save big after switching your coverage to them.

But how can every company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that makes them money. For instance, a desirable insured could possibly be between the ages of 40 and 55, insures multiple vehicles, and chooses high deductibles. A driver who meets those qualifications gets the lowest rates and most likely will save a lot of money.

Drivers who don't qualify for this ideal profile will have to pay higher premiums and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say "drivers who switch" not "people who quote" save that much money. This is how companies can state the savings. Because of the profiling, you should get quotes from several different companies. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

How to know if you need help

When buying the best auto insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no one size fits all plan. Every insured's situation is different so your insurance should reflect that These are some specific questions may help you determine whether your personal situation will benefit from professional help.

Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Rapid City?
Should I file a claim if it's only slightly more than my deductible?
Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?
Does my personal auto insurance policy cover using my vehicle for business use?
Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?

If you're not sure about those questions then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It is quick, free and may give you better protection.

More sites with auto insurance information

More detailed South Dakota auto insurance information is located at the South Dakota Division of Insurance website. South Dakota consumers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, file complaints about a company, discover disciplinary actions, and read consumer alerts.

Other informative sites include this Car Insurance FAQ and this page of insurance agents in Rapid City.

Best coverage at the best price

When buying insurance coverage, don't be tempted to buy poor coverage just to save money. There are many occasions where drivers have reduced liability coverage limits only to discover later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price.

In this article, we presented some good ideas how you can save on auto insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more times you quote, the better chance you'll have of finding lower rates. You may be surprised to find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a lesser-known regional company. Some small companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than their larger competitors like .

Discount auto insurance can be bought online as well as from independent agents in Rapid City, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies don't offer online price quotes and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.