Sioux Falls Auto Insurance For Less Than You're Paying Now

Shopping for cheap Sioux Falls auto insurance on the web can be intimidating for consumers not familiar with online price comaprisons. Since there are so many companies in the marketplace, how can you effectively compare every company to locate the best pricing?

It's important to get comparison quotes on a regular basis since insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you think you had the best rates on your last policy a different company probably has better rates today. You can find a lot of wrong information about auto insurance on the internet, so I'm going to show you some great ways to find cheap auto insurance.

More discounts equal less premium

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but companies offer discounts to help bring down the price. A few discounts will automatically apply when you get a quote, but some may not be applied and must be inquired about before you will receive the discount.

  • Auto/Life Discount - Some companies give lower rates if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
  • Sign Online - Certain companies give back up to $50 just for signing your application on their website.
  • Drive Less and Save - Low mileage vehicles could qualify for better rates on cars that stay parked.
  • Military Discounts - Having a family member in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
  • Seat Belts Save more than Lives - Requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could save 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.

Keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So when the math indicates you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn't work that way. But any discount will cut your premiums.

South Dakota auto insurance quotes

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that play a part in calculating auto insurance rates. Understanding what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with lower auto insurance prices.

  • More miles equals more premium - The higher the mileage driven in a year's time the more you will pay for auto insurance. The majority of insurers price each vehicle's coverage based on their usage. Autos left parked in the garage get more affordable rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Make sure your auto insurance declarations sheet is showing the correct usage for each vehicle.
  • Discounts for married couples - Getting married helps lower the price on your auto insurance policy. It usually means you are more mature and it's statistically proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
  • Drive a safer car and pay less - Cars with high safety ratings tend to have better insurance rates. These vehicles have better occupant injury protection and better occupant protection translates into savings for insurance companies and lower rates for you.
  • Don't cancel a policy without a new one in place - Driving with no insurance can get your license suspended and auto insurance companies will penalize you for letting your coverage lapse. And not only will insurance be more expensive, failure to provide proof of insurance will get you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
  • Extra add-on coverages are wasting money - There are quite a few add-on coverages that you can buy if you aren't careful. Coverages like personal injury protection, towing coverage and membership fees may be wasting your money. These coverages may sound good at first, but your needs may have changed so get rid of them and save.
  • Your stress level may be raising your rates - Jobs such as real estate brokers, executives and accountants are shown to have higher rates than average attributed to high stress and lengthy work days. On the flip side, jobs such as pilots, athletes and retirees pay the least.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Auto insurance companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive consistently run ads in print and on television. They all seem to make the same claim that you can save if you change your policy. How do they all say the same thing?

All companies have a preferred profile for the right customer that earns them a profit. A good example of a desirable insured might be profiled as between 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and has great credit. A propective insured who matches those parameters will get the preferred rates and therefore will cut their rates substantially.

Drivers who do not match the "perfect" profile will have to pay higher premiums which leads to business not being written. The ads state "people who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that kind of money. This is how insurance companies can advertise the savings.

Because of the profiling, drivers should get as many quotes as possible. It's not possible to predict which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

More information can be read on the South Dakota Division of Insurance website through this link. South Dakota drivers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, get help finding coverage, and find disaster information.

Do the work, save more money

When you buy insurance online, you should never skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many instances, drivers have reduced full coverage and found out when filing a claim that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The ultimate goal is to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate.

Affordable auto insurance is attainable on the web in addition to many Sioux Falls insurance agents, so compare prices from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.

Insureds leave their current company for many reasons like delays in paying claims, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, delays in responding to claim requests and even being labeled a high risk driver. It doesn't matter why you want to switch finding the right auto insurance provider is less work than it seems.