Learn How to Buy Moorhead Minnesota Car Insurance Like a Pro

No one looks forward to buying car insurance, especially knowing their premiums are too high.

Lots of auto insurance companies contend for your hard-earned dollar, so it can be very hard to choose a company to get the best price available.

If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using these techniques. Finding the best rates in Moorhead is not rocket science. Although Minnesota consumers do need to understand the way insurance companies market insurance on the web because it can help you find the best coverage.

More discounts equal less premium

Companies that sell car insurance do not advertise all their discounts very clearly, so we researched some of the best known as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving.

Driver’s Ed – Have your child complete a driver education course if offered at their school.
Low Mileage – Driving fewer miles can earn better rates on cars that stay parked.
Sign Early and Save – Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching to them prior to your current policy expiring. It can save you around 10%.
Federal Government Employee – Simply working for the federal government could cut as much as 10% off depending on your company.
Defensive Driving Course – Successfully completing a driver safety course could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
Safe Drivers – Safe drivers may receive a discount up to 45% less than drivers with accidents.
Discount for Good Grades – A discount for being a good student can earn a discount of 20% or more. Earning this discount can benefit you until age 25.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won’t be that lucky.

Low Cost Moorhead Car Insurance

There are several ways to compare quotes and find the best price. The best method to find the lowest rates is simply to get online rate quotes. This can be accomplished in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

The easiest and least time consuming way to find the lowest comparison rates would be an industry-wide quote request form like this one (opens in new window). This method prevents you from having to do multiple quote forms for every car insurance company. One quote request will return price quotes direct from many companies.

A harder way to compare prices requires visiting each company’s website to complete a price quote. For instance, we’ll assume you want to compare rates from GEICO, Progressive and State Farm. To get rate quotes you would need to visit each site to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is more popular.

For a handy list of car insurance company links in Moorhead, click here.

It’s up to you which method you use, but ensure you’re using the exact same coverage limits for each comparison quote. If your comparisons have mixed coverages it will be next to impossible to determine the best price in Moorhead. Having just a slight variation in limits may cause a big price difference. Keep in mind that comparing more company’s prices helps locate a lower rate.

Learn How to Buy Car Insurance Cheaper

Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. Knowing what controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.

Protect yourself with liability coverage – Liability coverage is the protection if a court rules you are at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability insurance provides you with a defense in court which can be incredibly expensive. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not cut corners here.
Lower deductibles cost more – Coverage for physical damage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, protects your car from damage. Some instances where coverage would apply are running into the backend of another car, damage from fire, and burglary. The deductibles are the amount of money you are required to spend if you file a covered claim. The more expense you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.
More performance means more cost – The type of car you own makes a significant difference in how high your rates are. The lowest base rates are usually for economy passenger models, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
Bundling policies can get discounts – Most insurance companies provide better rates to policyholders who carry more than one policy such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can add up to 10 percent or more. Even with this discount, you may still want to shop around to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still be able to find a better deal by splitting coverages up.
Policy add-ons can waste money – There are a lot of extra bells and whistles that you can buy when buying car insurance. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, towing coverage and additional equipment coverage are some examples. They may seem good when talking to your agent, but now you might not need them so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
Cautious drivers pay less – Even a single ticket can boost insurance rates forty percent or more. Careful drivers receive lower rates compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who get flagrant violations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may be required to file a SR-22 with the DMV in their state in order to keep their license.

Do drivers who switch really save $405 a year?

Car insurance providers like Allstate and Progressive continually stream ads on television and other media. They all make an identical promise that you’ll save big after switching to them. How do they all claim to save you money?

Different companies have a certain “appetite” for the driver that is profitable for them. An example of a preferred risk could be between the ages of 30 and 50, owns a home, and has a high credit rating. Any new insured who meets those qualifications receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to save quite a bit of money when switching.

Potential customers who do not match these standards will be quoted higher rates and ends up with the customer not buying. The ad wording is “drivers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. This is how companies can advertise the savings. This emphasizes why drivers must get as many quotes as possible. It’s just too difficult to predict the company that will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Smart shoppers get results

When buying insurance coverage, you should never reduce needed coverages to save money. In too many instances, an accident victim reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to discover later that the savings was not a smart move. The aim is to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.

Discount car insurance can be purchased from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Moorhead, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture. Some car insurance companies don’t offer online price quotes and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

More information about car insurance

Even more information is located at the Minnesota Department of Commerce website. Minnesota consumers can read state legal mandates and laws, find a variety of consumer forms, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and discover disciplinary actions.

Additional helpful sites include this online resource for free quotes in Minnesota and this page for help finding agents in Moorhead, MN.