Learn How to Quote Plymouth Minnesota Car Insurance Like a Professional

Finding lower premiums on Plymouth car insurance is challenging for people who are new to comparing rates online. People have so many options that it can quickly become more work than you anticipated to find the best price in Plymouth.

It is always a good idea to do rate comparisons before your policy renews because insurance rates fluctuate regularly. Even if you think you had the best price on your last policy other companies may now be cheaper. Starting right now, forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you’re going to get a crash course in the only way to find lower rates on car insurance.

If you have a current car insurance policy or need new coverage, you can use these techniques to reduce the price you pay while maintaining coverages. Shopping for the lowest cost coverage in Plymouth is easy if you know what you’re doing. Minnesota drivers only need an understanding of the tricks to compare price quotes online.

Policy discounts you shouldn’t miss

Auto insurance companies don’t list all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so here is a list some of the best known and the harder-to-find car insurance savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount available, you’re paying more than you need to.

Seat Belts Save – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could cut 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.
Auto/Home Discount – If you have multiple policies with one insurance company you could get a discount of at least 10% off all policies.
No Claims – Drivers who don’t have accidents pay less compared to drivers who are more careless.
Defensive Driving Course – Taking a course teaching defensive driving skills could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.
Homeowners Discount – Simply owning a home may trigger a car insurance policy discount due to the fact that maintaining a home demonstrates responsibility.
Paperwork-free – A handful of insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks simply for signing online.
Save over 55 – Mature drivers can possibly qualify for a small decrease in premiums.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it doesn’t quite work that way.

To see a list of companies with discount car insurance rates in Plymouth, click here to view.

Factors that affect insurance rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that come into play when calculating your car insurance rates. Understanding what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in big savings.

You might want pay the small claims yourself – Companies in Minnesota award cheaper rates to policyholders who are claim-free. If you frequently file small claims, you can look forward to either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Car insurance is intended to be relied upon for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
Liability insurance protects assets – Liability coverage provides coverage if ever a court rules you are at fault for damages from an accident. It provides you with a defense in court up to the limits shown on your policy. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so drivers should carry high limits.
Careful drivers pay lower rates – Good drivers have lower premiums than people who have multiple driving citations. Just one moving violation can increase rates twenty percent or more. Drivers with severe tickets like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions are required to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to drive a vehicle legally.
Where do you drive? – The higher the mileage driven each year the more you will pay for car insurance. Most companies price each vehicle’s coverage based on their usage. Cars and trucks left parked in the garage qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. Make sure your car insurance declarations sheet properly reflects the correct usage for each vehicle.

You are unique and your car insurance should be too

When it comes to choosing adequate coverage, there is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s situation is unique.

For instance, these questions might point out if your situation may require specific advice.

Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
Should I buy only the required Minnesota minimum liability coverage?
What if I don’t agree with a claim settlement offer?
When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
Who is covered by my policy?
Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?

If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form. It only takes a few minutes and may give you better protection.

Aren’t my neighborhood agents an option?

A small number of people would rather buy from a licensed agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Good agents can help determine the best coverages and help in the event of a claim. One of the great benefits of comparing rates online is you may find lower rates but also keep your business local.

Upon completion of this short form, the quote information is transmitted to companies in Plymouth who will battle for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent immediately to your email address. How cool is that?! Plymouth MN car insurance quote

Selecting a company requires more thought than just a cheap price. Some important questions to ask are:

Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
Does the agency support the community they serve?
Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in Minnesota?
Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?

Types of insurance agents

When researching a good Plymouth insurance agent, you need to know there are two types of insurance agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Plymouth agents are classified as either captive or independent. Both types can do a good job, but it’s important to know the differences because it can influence the selection process.

Captive Agents

Captive agents work for only one company and examples are American Family, State Farm and Allstate. These agents are not able to provide prices from multiple companies so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captives are usually quite knowledgeable in insurance sales which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Some consumers prefer to buy from captive agents mostly because of the prominence of the brand and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.

Shown below is a list of captive insurance agencies in Plymouth that can give you price quotes.

American Family Insurance – 16795 County Road 24 # 110 – Plymouth, MN 55447 – (763) 553-0801
Farmers Insurance Group – 13895 Industrial Park # 135 – Plymouth, MN 55441 – (763) 557-7076
State Farm Insurance – 13605 27th Ave N – Plymouth, MN 55441 – (763) 559-3030

Independent Agents

These agents are not required to write business for one company so they have the ability to put coverage amongst many companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To transfer your coverage to a different company, an independent agent can move your coverage and you don’t have to find a new agent.

When comparing rates, we recommend you include several independent insurance agents to get the best comparison. Many write coverage with lesser-known insurance companies who may have lower rates.

The following is a short list of independent agencies in Plymouth who can help you get rate quotes.

Ray Smith Insurance – 9955 59th Ave N # 130 – Plymouth, MN 55442 – (763) 259-0101
Aaron Johnson Insurance – 3145 Fernbrook Ln N – Plymouth, MN 55447 – (763) 545-1733
Jim Klukken Agency – 9800 Rockford Rd – Plymouth, MN 55442 – (763) 577-0977
Vic Birthler Agency – 9800 Rockford Rd – Plymouth, MN 55442 – (763) 577-0799

For a full directory of car insurance agents in Plymouth, please view this page.

After getting positive responses to any questions you have and locked in a price quote, you’ve probably found an insurance agency that will insure your vehicles.

Car insurance ads bend the truth

Minnesota drivers constantly see and hear ads for cheaper car insurance from companies such as State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. They all seem to have a common claim that you’ll save big if you switch your policy.

How can each company say the same thing? It’s all in the numbers.

Different companies can use profiling for the type of driver they prefer to insure. An example of a profitable customer could be between the ages of 30 and 50, owns a home, and chooses high deductibles. A customer getting a price quote that hits that “sweet spot” will get the preferred rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Potential customers who are not a match for the “perfect” profile must pay a higher premium and this can result in business going elsewhere. The ad wording is “people who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. This is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings. This illustrates why it’s extremely important to quote coverage with many companies. Because you never know which company will fit your personal profile best.

Learn more about Minnesota car insurance

Additional detailed information can be read at the Minnesota Department of Commerce website. Minnesota drivers can discover disciplinary actions, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and learn about insurance regulations.

Other informative sites include BankRate.com’s Car Insurance: When not to Skimp and see this list of insurance agents in Plymouth.

Smart consumers save more

While you’re price shopping online, it’s very important that you do not buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many instances, someone sacrificed collision coverage and found out when filing a claim that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The ultimate goal is to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.

You just learned a lot of ways to lower your car insurance rates. The key concept to understand is the more price quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. Drivers may discover the best prices are with a small local company.

Lower-priced car insurance can be purchased from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Plymouth agents, and you should be comparing both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who may not provide online quoting and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.