Easy Ways to Cut Costs on Aberdeen South Dakota Car Insurance

Tired of not being able to afford to insure your vehicles every month? You are in the same boat as many other South Dakota drivers.

Lots of insurers contend for your business, and it can be difficult to compare rates to find the absolute lowest rate

It’s a great practice to price shop coverage every six months because prices change frequently. Even if you think you had the lowest price a few years ago other companies may now be cheaper. You can find a lot of wrong information about car insurance online but with this article, you’re going to get some tested techniques to put money back in your pocket.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that go into determining your car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in lower car insurance prices.

More than one policy can earn a discount – The majority of insurers will award you with lower prices to insureds who consolidate policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount, it’s in your best interest to shop around to ensure the best deal. Consumers may find a better deal by splitting coverages up.
Performance influences rates – The performance level of the vehicle you drive makes a big difference in the rate you pay. Lower performance four cylinder passenger models receive the most favorable rates, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
Drive a safer car and pay less – Vehicles with high crash test scores tend to have better insurance rates. Safer cars reduce injuries and lower injury rates translates into savings for insurance companies and lower rates for you.
More claims means more premium – Companies in South Dakota award discounts to people who file claims infrequently. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can pretty much guarantee either higher rates or even cancellation. Car insurance is designed for the large, substantial claims.
Optional equipment can affect rates – Choosing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Theft prevention devices such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system can thwart auto theft.
Extra coverages can waste money – There are a lot of extra coverages you can purchase if you aren’t careful. Coverages like rental car reimbursement, better glass coverage and additional equipment coverage may be costing you every month. They may seem like a good idea when talking to your agent, but now you might not need them so get rid of them and save.
Rural vs Urban Areas – Being located in less populated areas is a positive aspect when talking about car insurance. Lower population means a lower chance of having an accident. Drivers who live in large South Dakota cities have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. More time commuting translates into higher accident risk.
Proper usage rating affects rates – Driving more miles in a year’s time the higher your rate. Almost all companies apply a rate based on how the vehicle is used. Cars used primarily for pleasure use receive lower rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Double check that your car insurance coverage shows the proper vehicle usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.

Don’t pay full price with these discounts

Companies that sell car insurance do not list all their discounts very clearly, so we researched both well-publicized and the more hidden savings tricks you should be using.

Multiple Policy Discount – When you combine your home and auto insurance with one company you could get a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.
Lower Rates for Military – Having a family member in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
Multiple Vehicles – Buying coverage for multiple vehicles on the same car insurance policy could earn a price break for each car.
No Claims – Claim-free drivers pay less as compared to frequent claim filers.
Low Mileage – Driving fewer miles can earn discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
Paperwork-free – Certain companies will give a small break simply for signing digitally online.
Pay Now and Pay Less – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.

It’s important to understand that some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it just doesn’t work that way.

To see a list of insurance companies who offer car insurance discounts in Aberdeen, click here to view.

But buying car insurance online seems impersonal

A small number of people prefer to talk to a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is you may find the best rates and still choose a local agent.

Upon completion of this form (opens in new window), your information gets sent to companies in Aberdeen who will compete for your coverage. There is no need to leave your house since price quotes are sent directly to your email. How’s that for easy! It’s the lowest rates AND an agent nearby.

Picking an insurer requires more thought than just the premium amount. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions: South Dakota insurance cheap

Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
How long has their agency been open in Aberdeen?
How are claims handled?
Will your rates increase after a single accident?

Pick the best insurance agent in Aberdeen for you

If you’re trying to find a good insurance agency, you need to know there are two types of insurance agents from which to choose. Insurance agencies in Aberdeen are classified as either captive or independent.

Agency Captives

Captive insurance agents have only one company to place business with and some examples include American Family, Liberty Mutual and AAA. They usually cannot compare other company’s rates so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captives are well schooled on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents.

Below are captive insurance agencies in Aberdeen willing to provide price quote information.

Allstate Insurance Co – 405 8th Ave NW # 204 – Aberdeen, SD 57401 – (605) 229-4232
Farm Bureau Financial Svc – 121 3rd Ave SW – Aberdeen, SD 57401 – (605) 725-5060
American Family Insurance – 105 3rd Ave SW – Aberdeen, SD 57401 – (605) 622-7777
State Farm Insurance – 1707 4th Ave SE # B – Aberdeen, SD 57401 – (605) 225-4916

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Independent insurance agents are not locked into one company but instead can place your coverage with many different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If you are not satisfied with one company, an independent agent can move your coverage without you having to go to a different agency. When comparing rates, we recommend you include price quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to get the best comparison.

The following are independent agents in Aberdeen willing to provide rate quotes.

Transamerica Insurance – 9 2nd Ave SE – Aberdeen, SD 57401 – (605) 225-3408
Squire-Lussem Agency – 902 S Main St – Aberdeen, SD 57401 – (605) 225-6350
Iwerks Agency – 405 8th Ave NW # 407 – Aberdeen, SD 57401 – (605) 225-5440
Anderson Agency Inc – 202 S Main St # 423 – Aberdeen, SD 57401 – (605) 225-5523
Leo Schatz Insurance – 116 N Main St – Aberdeen, SD 57401 – (605) 226-8180

To view a full list of car insurance agents in Aberdeen, visit this link.

After receiving acceptable answers to these questions and an affordable coverage quote, you have narrowed it down to an insurance agency that can provide car insurance coverage.

Don’t believe everything you hear

Car insurance providers like GEICO, State Farm and Progressive consistently run ads in print and on television. They all say the same thing about savings if you change to them. But how can every company make almost identical claims? It’s all in the numbers.

Different companies can use profiling for the driver they prefer to insure. For instance, a profitable customer could possibly be a mature driver, is a homeowner, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A driver who meets those qualifications will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Consumers who fall outside this ideal profile must pay higher premiums and this can result in business going elsewhere. The ads say “drivers who switch” not “people who quote” save that much money. That is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do. This illustrates why it is so important to get as many quotes as possible. It’s not possible to predict which car insurance company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Additional detailed information can be found at the South Dakota Division of Insurance website. South Dakota drivers can find out industry alerts, learn about specific coverages, and find a variety of consumer forms.

Do the work, save more money

In this article, we presented many tips how you can compare car insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the best prices are with an unexpected company. These smaller insurers can often provide lower rates in certain areas than their larger competitors like Allstate and Progressive.

Cost effective car insurance can be purchased both online as well as from independent agents in Aberdeen, so compare prices from both to have the best selection. There are still a few companies who don’t offer online price quotes and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.

When you buy insurance online, it’s very important that you do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage only to find out that they should have had better coverage. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.