6 Discounts Nome Consumers Neglect when Quoting Auto Insurance on the Internet
Feel like you’re a prisoner to an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Believe me, there are many people just like you. With consumers having so many companies and agents to choose from, it can be hard to locate the cheapest insurer.
Nome Auto Insurance Comparisons
Reducing your insurance rates is surprisingly easy. The only requirement is to take a few minutes comparing rates provided by online insurance companies. This can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.
Probably the best way to compare a lot of rates at once is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This method prevents you from having to do repetitive form submissions for every auto insurance company. One quote request gets you coverage quotes .
A less efficient way to get quotes online is to take the time to go to the website of each company to complete a price quote. For examples sake, let’s say you want rates from Liberty Mutual, Safeco and Farmers. You would have to spend time on each company’s site to input your insurance information, which is why most consumers use the first method.
To view a list of companies in Nome, click here.
The most time-consuming way to get comparison rates to different Nome agent offices. Shopping for auto insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you prefer the professional advice of a licensed agent. You can, however, comparison shop online and still use a local agent and you’ll learn how to do that later.
However you get your quotes, ensure you are comparing the exact same information for every quote you compare. If each company quotes different values for each quote it will be very difficult to determine the lowest rate in Nome.
Buyer beware of auto insurance advertising tricks
Consumers in Alaska can’t ignore all the ads that promise big savings from companies such as Allstate and Progressive. All the ads make an identical promise of big savings if you change your policy.
How do they all claim to save you money?
Different companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that is profitable for them. For example, a driver they prefer could possibly be between the ages of 30 and 50, is a homeowner, and chooses high deductibles. Any driver who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Potential insureds who fall outside these standards will have to pay higher prices which leads to the customer not buying. Company advertisements say “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much. That’s why insurance companies can advertise the savings. Because of the profiling, drivers should get as many quotes as possible. It’s just too difficult to predict which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.
Discounts can save BIG
Car insurance companies do not list every discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we researched some of the more common and the harder-to-find auto insurance savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you are paying more than you should be.
- Save with a New Car – Adding a new car to your policy can cost up to 25% less because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
- Discount for Swiching Early – Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching policies prior to your current policy expiration. The savings is around 10%.
- Defensive Driving Course – Taking a course in driver safety can save you 5% or more if your company offers it.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with the same insurance company you may earn approximately 10% to 15%.
- Senior Discount – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may qualify for a discount up to 10%.
- Payment Method – If you pay your bill all at once instead of making monthly payments you could save 5% or more.
Keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like you can get free auto insurance, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.
To choose insurers with the best auto insurance discounts in Alaska, follow this link.
Buying auto insurance from a local agent
Some people would prefer to get advice from a local agent. Educated insurance agents can help determine the best coverages and give you someone to call. The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain better rates but still work with a licensed agent.
By using this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is emailed to agents in your area who will battle to get your business. You don’t have to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent immediately to your email address. Now that’s easy!
Choosing an provider needs to be determined by more than just the premium amount. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
- Does the agency support the community they serve?
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
- How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
- Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
Choose the right insurance agent
When looking for a good Nome insurance agent, you must know there are a couple types of agencies to choose from. Agents are either independent (non-captive) or captive. Both write coverage properly, but it’s worth mentioning how they are different because it can influence the type of agent you choose
Agency Captives
Captive agencies can only place business with one company like Allstate, Farmers Insurance, State Farm and AAA. Captives cannot place coverage with different providers so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captives receive extensive training on the products they sell which helps them compete with independent agents.
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent insurance agents are not employed by any specific company but instead can place your coverage with any number of different companies and potentially find a lower price. To transfer your coverage to a different company, your agent can switch companies and that require little work on your part.
When comparison shopping, you should always include at least one independent agent for the best price selection.
The following are Nome independent insurance agents that are able to give price quote information.
Nome Insurance – 703 E 3rd Ave – Nome, AK 99762 – (907) 443-2002
For a complete listing of licensed insurance agents in Nome, view this link.
Upon receiving positive feedback to all your questions and locked in a price quote, chances are good that you have found an insurance agency that is a good match to service your policy.
Even more information can be found at the Alaska Division of Insurance website. Alaska consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, learn about specific coverages, and report car insurance fraud.
Auto insurance coverage information
Having a good grasp of your auto insurance policy helps when choosing the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be difficult to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Shown next are typical coverage types found on most auto insurance policies.
Collision coverage protection
Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage pays for claims like scraping a guard rail, crashing into a ditch, sideswiping another vehicle, crashing into a building and backing into a parked car. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. Another option is to bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision)
Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive insurance covers things such as theft, damage from flooding, damage from a tornado or hurricane, hitting a deer and a broken windshield. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider dropping full coverage.
Auto liability
This coverage provides protection from damage that occurs to people or other property. It protects YOU against claims from other people, and does not provide coverage for damage to your own property or vehicle.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You might see values of 25/50/25 which stand for a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and $25,000 of coverage for damaged propery.
Liability insurance covers things like funeral expenses, medical services, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, medical expenses and repair costs for stationary objects. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but buy higher limits if possible. Alaska state law requires minimum liability limits of 50,000/100,000/25,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy more coverage.
Medical expense insurance
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for immediate expenses for things like rehabilitation expenses, nursing services, dental work and funeral costs. They can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not universally available and may carry a deductible
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers
This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your vehicle.
Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits (Alaska limits are 50/100/25), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.
More comparisons equals lower rates
Lower-priced auto insurance is attainable both online in addition to many Nome insurance agents, so you should compare both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.
You just learned a lot of ways to shop for auto insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the better your comparison will be. Consumers may even find the lowest priced auto insurance comes from the smaller companies. They may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than their larger competitors like GEICO and State Farm.