Is Your Ames Iowa Car Insurance Too High? Here is How to Save Money

Are you overwhelmed by the dozens of car insurance companies in Ames? You’re not alone. There are so many choices that it can easily become more work than you anticipated to find the lowest price.

These discounts can slash car insurance rates

Car insurance can cost a lot, but you can get discounts to reduce the price significantly. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you get a quote, but some must be requested specifically before you will receive the discount.

Federal Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job could cut as much as 10% off with certain companies.
Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles with anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
Driver Safety – Completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could save 5% or more if your company offers it.
Bundle and Save – If you insure your home and vehicles with one insurance company you will save 10% to 20% off each policy.
Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.
Drivers Ed for Students – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.
No Claims – Good drivers with no accidents can save substantially as compared to drivers who are more careless.

It’s important to understand that some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. Most cut individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. Just because you may think you could get a free car insurance policy, it doesn’t quite work that way. But all discounts will cut your overall premium however.

For a list of providers with the best car insurance discounts in Ames, follow this link.

Fast and Easy Ames Car Insurance Quotes

To find the best car insurance prices, there are several ways of comparing rates from local in Amescar insurance companies. The fastest way to find the cheapest insurance rates is to perform an online rate comparison. This is very easy and can be done in a couple of different ways.

The most efficient way to get quotes is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This type of form eliminates the need for repetitive form entry for every car insurance company. A single, simple form will get you price quotes from many national carriers. It’s definitely the quickest method.
A less efficient way to analyze rates requires a visit to the website for each individual company and fill out their own quote form. For example, let’s assume you want to compare rates from USAA, Liberty Mutual and State Farm. You would have to visit each site to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is quicker. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Ames, click here.
The hardest way of getting rate comparisons is to spend time driving to insurance agents’ offices. Shopping for car insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you have a need for the professional guidance of a local Ames agent. It is possible to find lower rates online and get advice from an agent in your area. We’ll cover that shortly.

Which method you use is up to you, but make absolute certain that you use apples-to-apples coverage limits with every price quote. If you enter different liability limits you can’t possibly truly determine the lowest rate in Ames. Having just a slight variation in coverage limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. Keep in mind that comparing a large number of companies provides better odds of finding a lower rate.

Why you might pay higher rates in Ames

It’s important that you understand some of the elements that play a part in calculating the price you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that could result in lower car insurance prices.

Better crash test results mean better rates – Safer cars get lower rates. Safe vehicles reduce injuries and any reduction in injury severity translates into savings for insurance companies and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Women pay lower rates – Statistics have proven that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. That doesn’t necessarily mean that women are BETTER drivers than men. Both sexes are in accidents in similar numbers, but men cause more damage. Men also get cited for more serious violations like DUI and reckless driving. Teenage male drivers are the most expensive to insure and are penalized with high car insurance rates.
Liability coverage is cheap – The liability section of your policy is the coverage that protects you in the event that you are found liable for damages from an accident. It will provide legal defense starting from day one. Liability is cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
Marriage pays dividends – Having a wife or husband can actually save you money on your policy. Having a spouse means you’re more mature and responsible and it’s statistically proven that married couples file fewer claims.
Please use or commuting – The more miles you rack up on your car each year the more you will pay for car insurance. Most companies rate vehicles based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars and trucks that are left in the garage receive lower rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Verify your car insurance policy is showing how each vehicle is driven, because improper ratings can cost you money.
Adjust deductibles and save – Physical damage insurance, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, protects your car from damage. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be a windshield shattered by a rock, damage caused by hail, and windstorm damage. Deductibles for physical damage are the amount of money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket before a claim is paid by your company. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the less your car insurance will be.

Won’t my local insurance agent miss me?

Some consumers prefer to talk to a local agent and that is OK! The best thing about price shopping on the web is you can get lower rates and still have an agent to talk to. And providing support for local insurance agencies is especially important in Ames.

For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is emailed to insurance agents in Ames who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to leave your computer as quotes are delivered directly to your email. How cool is that?! You can find better rates and work with a local agent.

To view licensed agents in Ames, go to this page.

Picking an provider shouldn’t rely on just a cheap price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
How long has their agency been in business in Ames?
Is working in the agency their full-time job?
Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?

Once you have reasonable responses to all your questions and an affordable coverage quote, most likely you have located an insurer that can properly service your car insurance policy.

Slick advertising tricks that work

Companies like GEICO, State Farm and Progressive continually stream ads in print and on television. All the ads make the same claim that you can save after switching your coverage to them. How do they all say the same thing? This is how they do it.

Different companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that is profitable for them. For example, a driver they prefer could be between 30 and 50, owns a home, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer who matches those parameters receives the best rates and most likely will save when switching.

Consumers who don’t qualify for the requirements must pay a higher premium which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state “people who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that kind of money. That is how companies can claim big savings.

This illustrates why you should get as many comparisons as possible. It’s not possible to predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.

Compare but don’t skimp

We covered some good ideas how you can reduce car insurance prices online. It’s most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. Drivers may discover the biggest savings come from an unexpected company.

When buying insurance coverage, you should never skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many cases, an accident victim reduced liability coverage limits only to regret at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. The ultimate goal is to find the BEST coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.

Cheap car insurance can be sourced online as well as from independent agents in Ames, and you need to comparison shop both so you have a total pricing picture. A few companies don’t offer online quoting and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.

More consumer information in Iowa

Additional car insurance information is available on the Iowa Insurance Division website. Click here for link. Visitors are able to view a list of available companies, read consumer alerts, discover disciplinary actions, and read industry bulletins.

Additional helpful sites include this Car Insurance FAQ and this list of insurance agents in Ames.