How to Know You're Throwing Money Away for Auto Insurance in Waterville

Are you sick and tired of not being able to afford each month for car insurance? You're in the same situation as the majority of other car owners in Minnesota. With so many choices, it is hard for the average consumer to choose the most cost effective provider.

Buying the lowest cost auto insurance in Waterville is simple if you know the tricks. If you have a policy now or need new coverage, you can use these techniques to shop for the lowest rates while maintaining coverages. Minnesota vehicle owners just need to know the best way to get comparison rates on the web.

Compare Waterville Auto Insurance Costs

Getting better auto insurance pricing is not a difficult process. You just have to take a few minutes to compare rate quotes online from several insurance companies. This can be accomplished in several different ways.

The first (and easiest) way consumers can analyze rates is to use a rate comparison form click to view form in new window. This method saves time by eliminating boring form submissions for every auto insurance company. In just a few minutes this one form gets you price quotes from all major companies.

A slightly less efficient method to get quotes online requires a trip to the website of each company to complete a price quote. For example, let's assume you want rates from , and . To get rate quotes you would need to visit each site to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is quicker. To view a list of companies in Waterville, click here.

The least efficient way of getting rate comparisons is to spend your day driving to insurance agents' offices. The ability to buy insurance online makes this process obsolete unless you want the personal advice of a local Waterville agent. You can, however, compare the best prices online and still use a local agent. We'll cover that shortly.

Whichever way you use, ensure you're using apples-to-apples quote information with each company. If you have mixed coverages you can't possibly make an equal comparison in Waterville.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

It's important that you understand some of the elements that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.

An active claims history can cost you - If you frequently file small claims, you can definitely plan on either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Companies in Minnesota provide discounts to people who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Auto insurance is intended for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Do you work long hours in a high stress job? - Careers like doctors, architects and stock brokers are shown to have the highest rates due to stressful work requirements and lengthy work days. On the other hand, professions such as farmers, students and retirees pay the least.
Bump up deductibles to save - Your deductibles define the amount you are willing to pay out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. Physical damage coverage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, insures against damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be running into the backend of another car, damage from fire, or theft. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
Cautious drivers pay less - A bad driving record has a big impact on rates. Drivers with clean records get better rates than their less careful counterparts. Just one ticket may increase your cost by twenty percent. If you have dangerous violations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may find they need to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to prevent a license revocation.
Clean credit earns discounts - Having a bad credit score is a big factor in your rate calculation. Consumers who have high credit scores tend to be less risk to insure than drivers who have poor credit. So if your credit score is low, you could be paying less to insure your by improving your rating.
Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? - Some companies provide better rates to insureds who carry more than one policy, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, it's still a good idea to shop around to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. Drivers may still find better rates by buying insurance from more than one company.
Your location affects your rates - Being located in a rural area can save you money when talking about auto insurance. City drivers have to deal with traffic congestion and much longer commute distances. Fewer people means reduced accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
What type of vehicle do you drive? - The make and model of the car you are buying insurance for makes a huge difference in the rate you pay. The lowest base rates tend to be for small economy passenger vehicles, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.

Save big with these discounts

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but companies offer discounts that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time of quoting, but some must be requested specifically before you will receive the discount. If you don't get every credit available, you're just leaving money on the table.

Driver's Ed - Require your teen driver to successfully complete driver's ed class if offered at their school.
No Claims - Claim-free drivers can earn big discounts when compared to frequent claim filers.
Homeowners Pay Less - Simply owning a home may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because maintaining a house requires personal responsibility.
Good Students Pay Less - Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts up until you turn 25.
Employee of Federal Government - Simply working for the federal government can save as much as 8% with a few auto insurance companies.
Military Discounts - Having a deployed family member could be rewarded with lower premiums.
Discount for Swiching Early - Some companies give discounts for buying a policy before your current policy expires. The savings is around 10%.
Multiple Policy Discount - When you have multiple policies with the same company you will save up to 20% off your total premium.
Discount for Life Insurance - Select insurance companies reward you with a break if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
Save with a New Car - Adding a new car to your policy can save up to 30% since new cars are generally safer.

Drivers should understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. Just because you may think it's possible to get free car insurance, companies wouldn't make money that way. But all discounts will help reduce your overall premium however.

For a list of insurance companies with discount auto insurance rates in Minnesota, follow this link.

Much more information about auto insurance in Minnesota is available on the website for the Minnesota Department of Commerce found here. Visitors are able to download brochures, read industry bulletins, report car insurance fraud, and file complaints about a company.

Other useful links include this site for auto insurance rates in Minnesota and this list of insurance agents in Waterville, MN.

In the end, you save

Budget-conscious auto insurance can be sourced both online in addition to many Waterville insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies do not provide online quoting and these smaller companies work with independent agents.

We covered many ways to lower your auto insurance rates. It's most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the higher the chance of saving money. You may be surprised to find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a small mutual company. Smaller companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates than their larger competitors like .