How to Find the Cheapest Sidney Auto Insurance

Are you overwhelmed by the crazy number of auto insurance choices in Sidney? Many other consumers are too. People have so many options available that it can turn into a challenge to compare prices.

It's important to check auto insurance prices at least once a year because insurance rates are constantly changing. If you had the best price a couple years back the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because you're about to find out the fastest and easiest way to properly buy coverages while reducing your premium.

Take advantage of discounts

Car insurance is not cheap, but there are discounts available that can drop the cost substantially. Most are applied when you get a quote, but less common discounts must be asked about before you will receive the discount.

Anti-theft System - Anti-theft and alarm systems help deter theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
Military Rewards - Having a deployed family member can result in better rates.
Use Seat Belts - Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts can save up to 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
Accident Free - Drivers with accident-free driving histories can save substantially compared to bad drivers.
Defensive Driving Course - Taking a course in driver safety could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
Passive Restraints - Vehicles with factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.

A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Most cut specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will reduce your overall premium however.

To see a list of providers with the best auto insurance discounts in Sidney, follow this link.

Compare the Market for Auto Insurance in Sidney

There are several ways of comparing rate quotes from auto insurance companies in your area. The best method to compare insurance prices is to perform an online rate comparison. This can be done in several different ways.

The best way to get quotes is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This method prevents you from having to do a different quote for each company. Completing one form gets you coverage quotes .It's the quickest way to get rates.
A less efficient way to compare rate quotes consists of going to the website for each individual company to request a price quote. For example, we'll pretend you want to compare rates from , and . You would have to visit each site to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is quicker. To view a list of companies in Sidney, click here.

Which method you use is up to you, but compare exactly the same coverages for each price quote. If you compare different limits and deductibles on each one you can't possibly truly determine the lowest rate in Sidney. Just a small difference in coverages can make a big difference in price. Just keep in mind that quoting more will improve the odds of getting lower pricing.

What determines how much you pay?

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get better auto insurance rates.

The list below includes a few of the "ingredients" companies use to determine your rates.

One company can mean more discounts - The majority of companies give discounts to customers who carry more than one policy such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. This can amount to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even if you're getting this discount it's still a good idea to compare rates to make sure you are getting the best deal. Consumers may find a better deal by insuring with multiple companies.
High crash test scores lower rates - Safer cars are cheaper to insure. Safer cars result in less severe injuries and lower injury rates means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
No coverage gaps is important - Driving your car without having proper coverage is a misdemeanor and your next policy will cost more because you let your insurance lapse. Not only will you pay more, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance can result in a steep fine or even jail time.
Rates may be higher depending on your occupation - Occupations like lawyers, architects and dentists tend to pay the highest average rates due to high stress levels and long work hours. Other professions such as actors, historians and the unemployed have the lowest average rates.
Do you need the policy add-ons? - There are a lot of extra coverages you can purchase on your auto insurance policy. Insurance for roadside assistance, better glass coverage and motor club memberships are examples of these. These may sound like a good investment initially, but if you don't need them eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
Better credit means lower rates - Your credit rating is a big factor in calculating your auto insurance rates. Drivers with high credit scores tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than those with lower credit scores. So if your credit history can use some improvement, you could pay less to insure your by improving your credit score.
You might want pay the small claims yourself - Insurance companies in Montana provide cheaper rates to insureds who file claims infrequently. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can expect higher rates. Car insurance is designed for the large, substantial claims.

Are auto insurance companies telling the truth?

Companies like Allstate and Progressive regularly use ads on TV and radio. All the ads say the same thing about savings if you move to them. How can each company make almost identical claims? It's all in the numbers.

Different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that is profitable for them. For example, a preferred risk could possibly be over the age of 40, has no tickets, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A driver who fits that profile gets the lowest rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Drivers who don't qualify for the requirements will be charged higher premiums which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say "customers who switch" not "people who quote" save money. That's the way companies can truthfully advertise the way they do.

That is why drivers must get a wide range of price quotes. It is impossible to predict which auto insurance company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Shop smart and save

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it's a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, an insured dropped physical damage coverage only to discover later that the savings was not a smart move. The aim is to purchase plenty of coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

Cheaper auto insurance is definitely available online and with local Sidney insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some auto insurance companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.

Consumers who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including policy non-renewal, delays in responding to claim requests, being labeled a high risk driver or high rates after DUI convictions. No matter why you want to switch, finding a new auto insurance company is actually quite simple.

Additional information can be found on the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance website found here. Montana consumers can read consumer alerts, find disaster information, and find a variety of consumer forms.