Tightwads Tips for Saving on St Joseph Auto Insurance

Expensive auto insurance can take a big chunk out of your personal savings and force you to make sacrifices. Comparison shopping is a great way to help make ends meet.

You have multiple to buy insurance from, and even though it's nice to have a choice, having more makes it harder to compare rates.

It's important to do rate comparisons yearly because prices are constantly changing. If you had the lowest price a few years ago you may be paying too much now. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because we're going to demonstrate one of the easiest ways to lower your rates without sacrificing coverage.

Where Can I Get Cheap St Joseph Auto Insurance?

There are several ways to compare auto insurance quotes, but there is one way that is more efficient than others. You could spend your day discussing policy coverages with insurance companies in St Joseph, or you could save time and use online quotes to quickly compare rates.

All the larger companies take part in a program that allows shoppers to enter their policy data once, and at least one company can give them a price. This prevents consumers from doing quotation requests to each individual auto insurance company.

To submit your quote information now, click here (opens in new window).

One minor caviat to getting quotes like this is you can't choose which companies you want to price. If you wish to select individual companies to compare prices, we put together a list of auto insurance companies in Minnesota. View list of Minnesota insurance companies.

However you get your quotes, make sure you use identical deductibles and coverage limits for each comparison quote. If you compare different values for each quote it's not possible to determine the lowest rate in St Joseph. Slightly different coverages can mean a large discrepancy in price. And when comparing auto insurance rates, know that more quotes helps locate better pricing.

Why some people pay less for insurance in St Joseph

It's important that you understand the factors that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get better auto insurance rates.

The list below includes a partial list of the pieces companies use to determine your rates.

Your credit rating is important - Your credit rating is a important factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. Drivers with good credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than those with lower ratings. If your credit history can use some improvement, you could be paying less to insure your by spending a little time repairing your credit.
Rate your vehicle for proper use - The more you drive in a year's time the higher your rates will be. Most companies apply a rate based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars that are left in the garage receive lower rates compared to those used for work or business. Verify your auto insurance policy shows the correct driver usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
Optional equipment can affect rates - Purchasing a vehicle with an alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft devices like GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all aid in stopping auto theft.
Older drivers save more - Teen drivers in Minnesota tend to be less responsible when driving so they pay higher auto insurance rates. If you've ever had to add a teen driver to your policy can really hurt. More mature drivers tend to be more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers.
Higher deductibles cost less - Coverage for physical damage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, protects your car from damage. Examples of covered claims could be a windshield shattered by a rock, collision with an animal, or theft. The deductibles are the amount of money you are required to spend out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. The more you're willing to pay, the bigger discount you will receive.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Companies do not list every available discount very clearly, so we researched both well-publicized as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving.

Anti-lock Brakes - Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems prevent accidents and will save you 10% or more.
Discount for New Cars - Buying coverage on a new vehicle can save up to 30% compared to insuring an older model.
Pay Upfront and Save - By paying your policy upfront rather than paying monthly you can actually save on your bill.
Save over 55 - Older drivers can possibly qualify for reduced rates.
More Vehicles More Savings - Buying insurance for multiple cars or trucks on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
Anti-theft System - Vehicles with anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and will save you 10% or more.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to your bottom line cost. Most cut individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So when it seems like you could get a free auto insurance policy, auto insurance companies aren't that generous.

For a list of providers with the best auto insurance discounts in Minnesota, click here.

How do I know if I need professional advice?

When it comes to choosing the best auto insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn't really a cookie cutter policy. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and your policy should reflect that. For example, these questions can help discover whether or not you might need an agent's assistance.

Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
Who is covered when they drive my vehicle?
What can I do if my company won't pay a claim?
Am I covered by my employer's commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
Are rental cars covered under my policy?

If you can't answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with an agent. If you don't have a local agent, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.

Even more information is located at the Minnesota Department of Commerce website. Minnesota consumers can find out industry alerts, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, view a list of available companies, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

When shopping online for auto insurance, it's very important that you do not reduce needed coverages to save money. Too many times, consumers will sacrifice liability coverage limits only to discover later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The aim is to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

Cheap auto insurance is possible online and with local St Joseph insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some auto insurance companies do not offer online quoting and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.