Easy Tips to Pay Less on Waseca Car Insurance

Are you intimidated by the crazy number of car insurance options in Waseca? Lot's of other consumers are too. People have so many choices that it can turn into a big hassle to find lower rates.

How to Compare Car Insurance Quotes in Waseca, Minnesota

There are several ways to compare car insurance prices but one way is less labor-intensive and much quicker. You could spend your day talking to insurance agencies in Waseca, or you can utilize the web to achieve your goal.

All the larger companies participate in a marketplace that allows shoppers to send in one quote, and each participating company returns a competitive quote based on that data. This eliminates the need for quote forms to each individual car insurance company. To submit your quote information now, click here (opens in new window).

The one downside to comparing rates this way is you are unable to specify which companies to get quotes from. If you prefer to choose specific providers to compare rates, we put together a list of low cost car insurance companies in Minnesota. Click here for list of insurance companies in Minnesota.

Whichever way you use, ensure you are comparing identical coverages and limits on every quote you get. If you have different deductibles it will be impossible to determine which rate is truly the best in Waseca. Just a small difference in coverages could mean much higher rates. Just remember that having more price comparisons helps locate a lower rate.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

It's important that you understand some of the elements that go into determining your car insurance rates. Knowing what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to lower car insurance prices.

Listed below are a few of the "ingredients" that factor into prices.

  • Your occupation can affect rates - Did you know your job can affect your rates? Careers like lawyers, architects and financial analysts are shown to have higher average rates attributed to high stress levels and lengthy work days. Conversely, occupations like actors, engineers and homemakers pay the least.
  • Do you know your deductibles? - Your deductibles define the amount you are willing to pay if you file a covered claim. Coverage for physical damage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered are running into the backend of another car, collision with an animal, and windstorm damage. The higher the amount the insured has to pay upfront, the less your car insurance will be.
  • Tickets mean higher rates - A bad driving record has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Drivers with clean records receive lower rates than bad drivers. Just one moving violation may increase your cost forty percent or more. If you have serious violations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may find they need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state motor vehicle department in order to continue driving.
  • Are you male or female? - Statistics demonstrate that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn't necessarily mean that men are WORSE drivers than women. Women and men have accidents in similar percentages, but the men cause more damage. Men also statistically get cited for more serious violations such as reckless driving. Youthful male drivers are several times more likely to be in an accident and thus pay the highest rates.
  • Multi-policy discounts can save money - Most companies provide better rates to policyholders who have multiple policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even if you're getting this discount you may still want to shop around to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still be able to find a better deal by insuring with multiple companies.
  • More performance means more cost - The performance level of the car you are buying insurance for makes a big difference in determining your rates. The most favorable rates are generally reserved for low performance passenger vehicles, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but companies offer discounts that you may not even be aware of. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you quote, but a few need to be specially asked for before you get the savings.

  • No Claims - Drivers with accident-free driving histories can save substantially when compared to frequent claim filers.
  • Homeowners Discount - Simply owning a home may trigger a car insurance policy discount because owning a home is proof that your finances are in order.
  • Discount for Good Grades - Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply until age 25.
  • No Charge for an Accident - Certain companies permit an accident without raising rates if your claims history is clear prior to the accident.
  • Multiple Policy Discount - When you have multiple policies with one company you may save up to 20% off your total premium.
  • Early Signing - A few companies offer discounts for switching to them before your current policy expires. This can save 10% or more.

A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. So even though it sounds like you can get free auto insurance, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will bring down the amount you have to pay.

For a list of insurance companies offering car insurance discounts in Minnesota, follow this link.

Additional information can be found on the Minnesota Department of Commerce website through this link. Consumers can read industry bulletins, report car insurance fraud, and file complaints about a company.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

Consumers switch companies for many reasons like high rates after DUI convictions, lack of trust in their agent, poor customer service and denial of a claim. Regardless of your reason, finding the right car insurance provider is not as hard as you think.

Cheaper car insurance is available from both online companies in addition to many Waseca insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best selection. Some insurance companies do not provide online quoting and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.

You just learned many ways to lower your car insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the best price on car insurance is with an unexpected company.