Bowman, ND Auto Insurance Savings the Big Companies Don’t Want You to Know About

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy high-priced auto insurance? Trust us, there are many Bowman consumers feeling the pinch from expensive auto insurance.

There are many insurance companies to purchase coverage from, and although it’s nice to be able to choose, too many choices makes it more difficult to find the lowest cost provider.

Smart consumers take time to compare rates quite often because insurance rates change quite often. Even if you got the lowest price a year ago other companies may now be cheaper. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because you’re about to find out the best methods to reduce your cost while improving coverage.

Locating the lowest cost auto insurance in Bowman is not that difficult. In a nutshell, everyone who is required by state law to have auto insurance stands a good chance to be able to find better rates. Although North Dakota drivers should learn how big insurance companies market insurance on the web and take advantage of how the system works.

Compare Auto Insurance Today

When shopping for auto insurance there are multiple ways to get quotes from local in Bowman, NDauto insurance companies. The simplest method to find competitive insurance rates consists of shopping online. This can be accomplished using a couple different methods.

  • One of the best ways consumers can analyze rates is to use a rate comparison form click to view form in new window. This form prevents you from having to do repetitive form submissions for each company. A single, simple form will get you rate comparisons from many national carriers.
  • A slightly less efficient method to compare rate quotes is spending the time to visit each company’s website and complete a new quote form. For example, let’s assume you want to compare rates from Auto-Owners, Farmers and Liberty Mutual. To find out each rate you need to go to every website to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is quicker. To view a list of companies in Bowman, click here.
  • The most time-consuming method to get comparison rates is driving around to local insurance agencies. Buying insurance online makes this process obsolete unless you prefer the professional advice of a local agent. It is possible to comparison shop your insurance online and still use a local agent and we’ll touch on that later.

It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just make sure you use exactly the same deductibles and coverage limits for every quote you compare. If you use different limits and deductibles on each one it will be next to impossible to make a fair comparison in Bowman. Slightly different coverages can mean a large discrepancy in price. It’s important to know that more quotes helps you find a lower rate.

Save $462 a year. For real?

Allstate and Progressive constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. All the companies say the same thing about savings if you switch your policy. But how can every company make almost identical claims? It’s all in the numbers.

All companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that is profitable for them. A good example of a driver they prefer could possibly be between 30 and 50, has no tickets, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A customer who fits that profile receives the best rates and therefore will save when switching.

Potential insureds who do not match the “perfect” profile will be charged more money which leads to business going elsewhere. The ad wording is “drivers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much money. That’s why companies can claim big savings.

That is why you need to quote coverage with many companies. It’s just too difficult to predict which auto insurance company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Informed Drivers can Cut Their Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that come into play when calculating your auto insurance rates. Understanding what controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get big savings.

  • Never let your coverage lapse – Driving with no insurance is against the law and as a result your rates will increase for letting your insurance expire. And not only will your rates increase, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance may earn you a revoked license or a big fine.
  • Small claims can cost you – Car insurance companies in North Dakota award discounts to insureds who do not file claims often. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can expect either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Your insurance policy is intended to be relied upon for larger claims.
  • Rates may be lower depending on your job – Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Jobs such as doctors, executives and dentists tend to have the highest average rates in part from high stress levels and long work days. Other jobs such as actors, historians and homemakers receive lower rates.
  • Traffic citations inflate rates – Your driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Even a single speeding ticket may increase your cost by twenty percent. Drivers with clean records get better rates than their less careful counterparts. Drivers who get dangerous violations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may be required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with the DMV in their state in order to prevent a license revocation.
  • Bump up deductibles to save – Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money you are willing to pay in the event of a claim. Insurance for physical damage to your car, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, is used to repair damage to your car. Examples of covered claims would be colliding with a building, collision with an animal, or theft. The more expense you’re willing to pay, the bigger discount you will receive.
  • Where you live is a factor – Residing in a rural area can be a good thing when talking about auto insurance. Fewer people means a lower chance of having an accident and a lower car theft rate. City drivers have much more traffic to deal with and longer commute times. More time commuting means more change of being in an accident.
  • Safer cars cost less to insure – Vehicles with high crash test scores are cheaper to insure. The safest vehicles protect occupants better and better occupant protection means lower claim amounts and thus lower rates.
  • Optional equipment can affect rates – Choosing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft features such as GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can thwart car theft.

You probably qualify for some discounts

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but companies offer discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at quote time, but lesser-known reductions have to be manually applied prior to receiving the credit.

  • Homeowners Pay Less – Owning a house in Bowman can help you save on auto insurance because owning a home demonstrates responsibility.
  • Good Student – This discount can save 20 to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
  • Organization Discounts – Being a member of a civic or occupational organization could trigger savings on your policy.
  • Anti-theft Discount – Anti-theft and alarm systems are stolen less frequently and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
  • Paperless Signup – A handful of insurance companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy online.
  • Military Rewards – Being deployed with a military unit could mean lower rates.
  • Federal Government Employee – Simply working for the federal government can earn a discount up to 10% with select insurance companies.
  • Student in College – Youth drivers who live away from home and do not have a car may qualify for this discount.
  • Anti-lock Brake Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can avoid accidents and will save you 10% or more.

Drivers should understand that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when the math indicates all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies don’t profit that way. But all discounts will bring down the amount you have to pay.

To see a list of companies with discount auto insurance rates in North Dakota, click here to view.

Which policy gives me the best coverage?

When buying adequate coverage, there isn’t really a cookie cutter policy. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance needs to address that. For instance, these questions may help you determine whether your personal situation might need an agent’s assistance.

  • How much liability coverage do I need in North Dakota?
  • Should I file a claim if it’s only slightly more than my deductible?
  • Does my insurance cover damage caused when ticketed for reckless driving?
  • Does having multiple vehicles earn me a discount?
  • Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
  • Am I covered when driving someone else’s vehicle?

If you’re not sure about those questions, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

But buying car insurance online seems impersonal

Some consumers prefer to buy from a licensed agent. One of the best bonuses of getting online price quotes is that you can obtain lower rates and still have an agent to talk to. And providing support for local insurance agencies is important especially in Bowman.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this quick form, your insurance coverage information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents in Bowman who will battle to get your business. You don’t have to leave your computer because quoted prices will be sent to your email. How cool is that?! Get lower rates and an insurance agent to talk to.

Insurance agent types

When searching for a local agent, you need to know there are two different agency structures from which to choose. Insurance agencies in Bowman can either be independent (non-captive) or captive.

Independent Agencies or Brokers

These agents are not employed by any specific company but rather can write business with multiple insurance companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, the business is moved internally and you won’t have to switch agencies.

When shopping rates, you should always contact several independent insurance agents to have the most options to choose from.

Listed below is a list of independent agents in Bowman that may be able to provide rate quotes.

Nodak Mutual Insurance – 218 1st Ave SW – Bowman, ND 58623 – (701) 523-3603
Nodak Mutual Insurance – 18 1st Ave SW – Bowman, ND 58623 – (701) 523-3603

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive insurance agents write business for a single company and examples are Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They are unable to shop your coverage around so keep that in mind. Captive agencies are usually quite knowledgeable on their company’s products and that can be a competitive advantage.

Listed below is a list of captive agencies in Bowman who can help you get comparison quotes.

State Farm Insurance – 409 S Main St – Bowman, ND 58623 – (701) 523-3888

To view a full list of auto insurance agents in Bowman, simply jump to this page.

Picking a car insurance agent should depend on more than just the bottom line cost. Agents should be asked these questions:

  • Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in North Dakota?
  • Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
  • Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
  • Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
  • How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?

After getting acceptable answers and an affordable coverage quote, you’ve probably found an auto insurance agent that is a good match to provide auto insurance coverage.

Compare but don’t skimp

Cheap auto insurance is attainable both online as well as from independent agents in Bowman, so you should compare both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance providers don’t offer you the ability to get quotes online and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.

We just covered a lot of techniques to get a better price on auto insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the lowest premiums are with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. Smaller companies often have lower prices on specific markets than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.

To find out more about North Dakota auto insurance

More information is located on the website for the North Dakota Insurance Department through this link. North Dakota consumers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, find out industry alerts, and find disaster information.