Fort Dodge Car Insurance For Less Than You’re Paying Now

Nobody I know looks forward to paying for car insurance, especially when the price is too high. Insurance companies such as Allstate, Progressive and GEICO persitently shower you with TV and radio ads and consumers find it hard to see past the corporate glitz and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

It’s a good habit to take a look at other company’s rates yearly since rates are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Just because you had the lowest rates a year ago you can probably find a lower rate today. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because we’re going to demonstrate the quickest way to reduce your cost while improving coverage.

These discounts can lower your rates

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but you may find discounts to reduce the price significantly. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be requested specifically in order for you to get them. If they aren’t giving you every credit you deserve, you are paying more than you should be.

• Defensive Driving Course – Successfully completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could cut 5% off your bill if you qualify.
• Senior Citizens – Mature drivers may qualify for reduced rates.
• Club Memberships – Being a member of a civic or occupational organization could trigger savings when shopping for car insurance.
• One Accident Forgiven – Some insurance companies will forgive one accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you haven’t had any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
• Seat Belt Usage – Requiring all passengers to use a seat belt could save 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
• Homeowners Discount – Owning a house in Fort Dodge can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
• Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems are safer to drive and earn discounts up to 10%.
• Military Rewards – Having a family member in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.

Keep in mind that some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when the math indicates you could get a free car insurance policy, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any amount of discount will cut the amount you have to pay.

To see a list of companies with the best car insurance discounts in Fort Dodge, click here to view.

What determines how much you pay?

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for car insurance. Knowing what influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get better car insurance rates.

The following are a partial list of the pieces used by your company to calculate your rates.

• Poor credit can mean higher rates – A driver’s credit score is a important factor in calculating your car insurance rates. Therefore, if your credit score is lower than you’d like, you could be paying less to insure your by improving your credit score. People with high credit scores tend to be more responsible than drivers with poor credit.
• Don’t sacrifice liability coverage – Liability insurance is the protection if ever a court rules you are at fault for damages from an accident. Liability insurance provides legal defense coverage which can cost thousands of dollars. This coverage is very inexpensive compared to physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
• Your location is important – Being located in less populated areas is a positive aspect when it comes to car insurance. Urban drivers regularly have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Less people living in that area means fewer accidents.
• How your age affects price – More mature drivers are viewed as being more responsible, file fewer claims and receive fewer citations. Teen drivers are known to be careless and easily distracted when driving therefore car insurance rates are much higher.

Do I just need basic coverages?

When buying the best car insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no perfect coverage plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions can aid in determining if your insurance needs might need professional guidance.

• Is my custom paint covered by insurance?
• When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
• Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
• Are my friends covered when driving my vehicle?
• What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
• Can I afford to pay high deductible claims out of pocket?
• Do I need higher deductibles?
• I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?

If you’re not sure about those questions then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It is quick, free and you can get the answers you need.

Buying car insurance locally

Certain consumers would prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is a personal choice. Licensed agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help file insurance claims. One of the best bonuses of comparing insurance prices online is you may find the best rates and still choose a local agent. And supporting local businesses is important particularly in Fort Dodge.

For easy comparison, once you complete this quick form, your coverage information is sent to agents in your area who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. You don’t have to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent to your email. It doesn’t get any easier!

Different types of insurance agencies in Fort Dodge

When researching a reliable agent, you must know there are a couple types of insurance agents that you can select. Fort Dodge agents are classified as either captive or independent. Both do a good job, but it’s important to know the differences since it may influence your selection of an agent.

Independent Agents

Independent agencies are not required to write business for one company but rather can write business with multiple insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To move your coverage to a new company, the business is moved internally and you don’t have to find a new agent.

When shopping rates, we recommend you contact multiple independent agents to have the most options to choose from.

Shown below are independent insurance agents in Fort Dodge who can help you get price quote information.

Condon Insurance Inc – 409 Kenyon Rd – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 955-5222
Knights Of Columbus Insurance – 1728 Central Ave # 14 – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 576-1492

Agency Captives

These agents are contracted to one company and examples are American Family, Liberty Mutual and AAA. These agents are not able to provide prices from multiple companies so keep that in mind. Captive agents receive extensive training in insurance sales which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.

Below is a short list of captive agencies in Fort Dodge willing to provide rate quotes.

American Family Insurance – 812 N 15th St – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 955-4700
Farm Bureau Insurance – 1812 Central Ave – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 955-1050
State Farm Insurance – 116 N 15th St – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 955-3626
Farmers Insurance Group – 1235 1st Ave S – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 573-2234
Allstate Insurance – 1031 Central Ave – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 576-4341

To view a full list of captive insurance agencies in Fort Dodge, visit this link.

Deciding on an auto insurance agent requires more thought than just the premium amount. Here are some questions to ask:

• Is working in the agency their full-time job?
• If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
• How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
• Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
• Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
• Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?

After receiving positive feedback to any questions you have and an acceptable price quote, you’ve probably found an auto insurance agent that will insure your vehicles.

More Iowa car insurance information

Additional information is located on the website for the Iowa Insurance Division located here. Iowa drivers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and learn about specific coverages.

More quotes mean more savings

Low-cost car insurance can be bought online in addition to many Fort Dodge insurance agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you restructure your insurance plan, don’t be tempted to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There have been many situations where an insured dropped full coverage only to regret that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The aim is to buy the best coverage you can find at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.