Tightwads Guide for Saving on Cedar Rapids, IA Auto Insurance

Expensive auto insurance can empty your bank account and make it impossible to make ends meet. Comparing price quotes is a great way to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket.

Since consumers have many choices of insurance companies, it’s nearly impossible to pick the right company.

Choosing the best insurance company for you in Cedar Rapids is quite easy. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will most likely be able to lower your premiums substantially using this information. But Iowa car owners must learn the way companies compete online and apply this information to your search.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.

The following are some of the items that factor into your rates.

  • Extra add-on coverages are wasting money – There are many extra bells and whistles you can purchase on your policy. Insurance for roadside assistance, better glass coverage and motor club memberships may be costing you every month. They may seem good at first, but if you don’t need them eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
  • Older drivers save more – Older insureds are viewed as being more responsible, file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel. Teenage drivers are known to be less responsible when behind the wheel therefore auto insurance rates are much higher.
  • Poor driving leads to higher costs – Drivers with clean records receive lower rates than people who have multiple driving citations. Even one ticket may increase your cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who have severe citations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may need to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to drive a vehicle legally.
  • Do you know you’re credit rating? – Having a bad credit rating is a important factor in determining your rates. Drivers with excellent credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers with lower credit ratings. If your credit score can use some improvement, you could save money insuring your by spending a little time repairing your credit.

Take advantage of discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don’t always publicize every discount in an easy-to-find place, so we took the time to find some of the best known and the harder-to-find discounts you could be receiving.

  • Multiple Cars – Insuring all your vehicles on the same auto insurance policy qualifies for this discount.
  • Homeowners Savings – Owning a house in Cedar Rapids can help you save on auto insurance because of the fact that having a home is proof that your finances are in order.
  • Low Mileage Discounts – Low mileage vehicles could qualify for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
  • Club Memberships – Affiliation with a professional or civic organization may earn a discount when buying auto insurance.
  • Theft Prevention System – Anti-theft and alarm systems help deter theft and will save you 10% or more.
  • Sign Online – Certain companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks just for signing your application digitally online.
  • Early Switch Discount – Select companies give a discount for switching policies before your current policy expires. It’s a savings of about 10%.
  • No Claims – Drivers who don’t have accidents pay less when compared with bad drivers.
  • Distant Student – Kids in college who live away from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle can be insured at a reduced rate.

It’s important to understand that some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. Just because you may think having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.

To see a list of providers with discount auto insurance rates in Iowa, click this link.

Your local neighborhood insurance agent

A small number of people would rather buy from a licensed agent and there is nothing wrong with that. One of the great benefits of comparing insurance prices online is the fact that you can find lower rates and still choose a local agent.

To help locate an agent, after submitting this simple form, your information is emailed to participating agents in Cedar Rapids who will battle for your coverage. You don’t have to drive around due to the fact that quote results will go directly to your email. How’s that for easy! It’s the lowest rates AND an agent nearby.

Choosing a company shouldn’t rely on just the bottom line cost. Some important questions to ask are:

  • Who are their largest clients?
  • Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
  • Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
  • If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
  • Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?

Choose an insurance agent wisely

When searching for a reputable insurance agent or broker, you need to know there are two types of insurance agents to choose from. Agents can either be captive or independent.

Captive Agents

Captive agents have only one company to place business with such as State Farm, AAA and Liberty Mutual. They usually cannot shop your coverage around so they have to upsell other benefits. Captive agents are very knowledgeable in insurance sales which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.

Shown below are captive insurance agents in Cedar Rapids willing to provide price quotes.

Allstate Insurance – 408 Edgewood Rd NW # 204 – Cedar Rapids, IA 52405 – (319) 396-0710
American Family Insurance – 4341 1st Ave SE # 123 – Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 – (319) 364-2417
Shelter Insurance – 1921 51st St NE – Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 – (319) 378-6929
Farmers Insurance Group – 5340 N Park Pl NE # 202 – Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 – (319) 373-1216
State Farm Insurance – 2742 Edgewood Rd SW – Cedar Rapids, IA 52404 – (319) 365-2020

Independent Agents

Independent agents are not locked into one company but instead can place your coverage with multiple insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If your agent finds better pricing, they simply move the coverage in-house without you having to go to a different agency.

When searching for an agent, it’s a good idea to include price quotes from multiple independent agents to ensure the widest selection of prices.

The following is a short list of independent insurance agents in Cedar Rapids who can help you get price quotes.

Appleget Insurance Inc – 1570 42nd St NE – Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 – (319) 378-1050
Weidenhamer Andrews Agency Inc – 3343 Southgate Ct SW # 104 – Cedar Rapids, IA 52404 – (319) 364-4513
Ken Meisinger Agency Inc – 4403 1st Ave SE # 111 – Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 – (319) 395-7100
Diane Winch Agency – 4990 Johnson Ave NW – Cedar Rapids, IA 52405 – (319) 396-2060
American National Insurance Co – 1957 Blairs Ferry Rd NE # 700 – Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 – (319) 294-0474

Iowa insurance ad

For a complete listing of insurance agents in Cedar Rapids, please view this page.

After receiving good answers to any questions you have and an acceptable price quote, chances are good that you have found an insurance agent that is a good match to insure your vehicles.

Is my situation unique?

When buying proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no best way to insure your cars. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s so your insurance needs to address that. For example, these questions may help highlight if you might need professional guidance.

  • Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
  • Who is covered by my policy?
  • Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
  • What if I total my vehicle and owe more than it’s worth?
  • Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
  • Does my policy pay for OEM or aftermarket parts?
  • Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
  • Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
  • If my vehicle is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.

Additional detailed information can be found at the Iowa Insurance Division website. Iowa drivers can view agent and company licensing information, view a list of available companies, file complaints about a company, and report car insurance fraud.

Cheaper insurance is a realistic goal

Lower-priced auto insurance is available both online and with local Cedar Rapids insurance agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers do not offer online quoting and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When buying insurance coverage, never reduce needed coverages to save money. In too many instances, an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage only to regret that they should have had better coverage. Your aim should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.