Things You Must Know Before Shopping for Dickinson Car Insurance Online

Are you tired of robbing Peter to pay Paul to pay your car insurance bill each month? You are in the same boat as millions of other consumers. Lots of auto insurance companies contend for your hard-earned dollar, so it’s not easy to compare every company to discover the definitive lowest rate possible.

If you are insured now or need a new policy, you can use these tips to cut your premiums while maintaining coverages. Finding affordable coverage in Dickinson is not rocket science. North Dakota drivers only need to know the most efficient way to compare company rates online.

Dickinson Car Insurance Comparisons

All the larger car insurance companies such as Allstate and Progressive quote prices for coverage on their websites. This process is fairly straightforward as you simply enter your coverage information as detailed in the form. After the form is submitted, their rating system pulls information on your driving record and credit history and generates pricing information. Quoting online makes it a lot easier to compare rates but having to visit different websites and enter the same data into a form can get tiresome after awhile. But it’s very important to do this if you want to find the best price on car insurance.

The easiest way to find better car insurance pricing requires only one form that analyzes rates from more than one company. It’s a real time-saver, eliminates repetitive work, and makes online price comparison much more enjoyable and efficient. As soon as you send your information, your coverage is rated and you can select any one of the pricing results. If you find a better price you can simply submit the application and buy the new coverage. This process can be completed in a matter of minutes and you will know how your current rates stack up.

To compare rates using this form now, click here to open in new window and complete the simple form. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend you enter the limits and deductibles identical to your current policy. This ensures you will have comparison quotes using the exact same coverages.

Why your price might be higher

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. Understanding what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with lower car insurance prices.

Shown below are some of the items that factor into rates.

  • Pay less after the wedding – Being married can actually save you money when buying car insurance. Having a spouse translates into being more mature and responsible and it’s statistically proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
  • Protect yourself with liability coverage – Liability insurance is the protection when a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability provides legal defense coverage which can cost thousands of dollars. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to physical damage coverage, so drivers should carry high limits.
  • How credit affects car insurance rates – Having a bad credit score is a big factor in your rate calculation. Therefore, if your credit score is lower than you’d like, you could be paying less to insure your by improving your credit score. Drivers with good credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers with poor credit.
  • Performance influences rates – The make and model of the car you own makes a substantial difference in your rates. The lowest rates are for small economy passenger models, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
  • Your car’s features help determine rates – Owning a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft devices like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can help prevent your vehicle from being stolen.
  • Add-on coverages can add up – There are quite a few extra bells and whistles that can waste your money when buying car insurance. Coverages like personal injury protection, accident forgiveness and term life insurance are some examples. These may sound like a good investment when talking to your agent, but if they’re wasting money get rid of them and save.
  • Where do you drive? – Driving more miles in a year’s time the higher your rate. Most insurance companies price each vehicle’s coverage based on their usage. Cars that are left in the garage receive lower rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Verify your car insurance coverage shows the proper vehicle usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.

These discounts can lower your rates

Companies that sell car insurance do not advertise all their discounts very clearly, so we break down some of the best known as well as the least known ways to save on car insurance. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you’re paying more than you need to.

  • Federal Government Employee – Employees or retirees of the government may qualify you for a discount depending on your company.
  • Resident Student – Children living away from home attending college and do not have a car may be able to be covered for less.
  • One Accident Forgiven – Some insurance companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums so long as you haven’t had any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
  • Senior Citizens – Older drivers may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
  • Service Members Pay Less – Having a family member in the military can result in better rates.
  • Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could cut 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
  • Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
  • Multi-policy Discount – When you combine your home and auto insurance with one insurance company you may save at least 10% off all policies.

Drivers should understand that most discounts do not apply to the entire cost. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like you could get a free car insurance policy, it just doesn’t work that way.

It’s not one size fits all

When buying the best car insurance coverage, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Every situation is different so your insurance should reflect that Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight whether or not you may require specific advice.Dickinson ND car insurance

  • At what point should I drop full coverage?
  • Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
  • What are the best liability limits?
  • Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Dickinson?
  • Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
  • Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
  • What is the minimum liability in North Dakota?
  • Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
  • What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
  • I don’t drive much so do I pay less?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It is quick, free and can provide invaluable advice.

Comparing rates from local agents

Certain consumers would rather talk to a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Agents can answer important questions and help file insurance claims. One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is the fact that you can find the lowest rates but also keep your business local.

For easy comparison, once you complete this quick form, your insurance data is sent to local insurance agents in Dickinson who will compete for your insurance coverage. You never need to leave your computer since price quotes are sent directly to your email. It doesn’t get any easier!

Choosing a company should depend on more than just a low price. Some important questions to ask are:

  • Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
  • Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
  • Is assistance available after office hours?
  • What insurance company do they write the most business with?
  • Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?

Is a captive or independent insurance agent right for you?

When researching a good insurance agency, there are a couple of different agency structures to choose from. Agencies in Dickinson are classified as either independent (non-captive) or captive. Both insure your vehicles, but it’s worth mentioning the differences since it may influence the selection process.

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agents write business for a single company like AAA, Allstate, State Farm, Farmers Insurance or Liberty Mutual. They usually cannot place coverage with different providers so keep that in mind. Captive agencies are trained well on their company’s products which can be an advantage.

Shown below are captive insurance agents in Dickinson that can give you price quotes.

American Family Insurance – 204 Sims St # 202 – Dickinson, ND 58601 – (701) 483-6228
Farmers Insurance Group Agents – 28 2nd Ave E – Dickinson, ND 58601 – (701) 225-9245
State Farm Insurance – 1091 3rd Ave W – Dickinson, ND 58601 – (701) 483-9465

Independent Agents

Independent agents are not employed by any specific company so they have the ability to put coverage 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 comparison shopping, we recommend you include several independent insurance agents to get the best comparison.

The following are Dickinson independent insurance agencies that are able to give price quotes.

Dickinson ND insurance comparisons

Price Agency – 208 1st Ave E – Dickinson, ND 58601 – (701) 225-8131
Todd Otto Insurance – 257 1st St E # 2 – Dickinson, ND 58601 – (701) 483-9422
Del Gab Agency – 141 3rd St W – Dickinson, ND 58601 – (701) 483-0325
Price Agency – 673 State Ave # D – Dickinson, ND 58601 – (701) 225-8131
Kovash Insurance – 28 2nd Ave E – Dickinson, ND 58601 – (701) 225-2840

For a full directory of Dickinson insurance agents, simply jump to this page.

Upon receiving good answers to your questions and an affordable coverage quote, most likely you have located an insurance agent that will service your policy.

More effort can pay off

When buying insurance coverage, you should never reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are many occasions where consumers will sacrifice uninsured motorist or liability limits and learned later that it was a big error on their part. The aim is to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.

Cost effective car insurance is available on the web in addition to many Dickinson insurance agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best chance of saving money. There are still a few companies who do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.

Additional detailed information is located at the North Dakota Insurance Department website. North Dakota drivers can find out which companies have the most complaints, read state legal mandates and laws, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and learn about insurance regulations.

Other informative sites include III.org’s auto insurance page and this link where you can get more info about Dickinson car insurance.