Top 10 Ways You Can Buy Auto Insurance for Less in Spearfish

Consumers who are new to price shopping insurance online will discover finding the lowest-priced Spearfish auto insurance quite difficult.

Finding affordable coverage in Spearfish is not rocket science. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will most likely be able to cut costs considerably using these techniques. South Dakota vehicle owners just need to know the most efficient way to shop for auto insurance over the internet.

Policy discounts you shouldn’t miss

Companies that sell car insurance don’t always list every available discount very clearly, so we break down both well-publicized and the more hidden discounts you could be receiving. If you’re not getting every credit possible, you are paying more than you should be.

  • Multi-policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with one insurance company you could get a discount of up to 20% off your total premium.
  • Seat Belts Save – Requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts can save 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
  • Multi-car Discount – Buying insurance for more than one vehicle on one policy qualifies for this discount.
  • Life Insurance Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give better rates if you take out auto and life insurance together.
  • Good Student Discount – A discount for being a good student can earn a discount of 20% or more. The discount lasts until age 25.
  • Drivers Education – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to complete a driver education course if offered at their school.
  • Drive Safe and Save – Safe drivers can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accident claims.
  • New Car Discount – Adding a new car to your policy can save up to 30% due to better safety requirements for new cars.
  • Pay Upfront and Save – By paying your policy upfront instead of paying each month you can actually save on your bill.
  • Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles with anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.

Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. Even though it may seem like it’s possible to get free car insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.

But I prefer to buy car insurance from an agent

A small number of people would rather visit with an insurance agent and that is OK! Professional agents can point out coverage gaps and help submit paperwork. One of the great benefits of price shopping on the web is you may find the best rates but still work with a licensed agent.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this simple form, the coverage information is transmitted to insurance agents in Spearfish who will battle to get your business. There is no reason to drive around because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. How’s that for easy!

Choosing an insurance company requires more thought than just the price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:

  • What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
  • How long has their agency been in business in Spearfish?
  • Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
  • Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
  • Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
  • Are claims handled at the agent’s location?

Types of car insurance agents in Spearfish

When looking for a good Spearfish insurance agent, you need to know there are two types of agencies from which to choose. Agents can either be captive or independent. Both insure your vehicles, but it’s worth learning how they differ because it can impact buying decisions.

Agency Captives

Captive agencies have only one company to place business with such as AAA, Allstate and State Farm. They are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so they have to upsell other benefits. They are well schooled on their products and sales techniques and that can be a competitive advantage. Consumers frequently choose to use a captive agent mainly due to high brand loyalty and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.

The following is a short list of captive insurance agencies in Spearfish that are able to give price quote information.

  • Farmers Insurance Group – 517 N Main St – Spearfish, SD 57783 – (605) 644-0951
  • Farm Bureau Insurance – 348 E Colorado Blvd – Spearfish, SD 57783 – (605) 642-4399
Independent Agencies or Brokers

These agents are not required to write business for one company so they can insure your vehicles amongst many companies depending on which coverage is best. If your agent finds better pricing, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparing rates, we recommend you include price quotes from multiple independent agents for the best price selection. They also have the ability to place coverage with different regional companies which may provide better rates.

Below is a list of independent agents in Spearfish that are able to give price quote information.

  • Coreen Lerwick Insurance – 125 E Colorado Blvd # 1g – Spearfish, SD 57783 – (605) 642-8141
  • Horace Mann Insurance Co – 1104 Crow Peak Ln – Spearfish, SD 57783 – (605) 642-9644
  • Robert P Burnett Agency Inc – 204 N Main St – Spearfish, SD 57783 – (605) 642-2300

To view a full list of Spearfish insurance agents, please view this page.

After getting satisfactory answers to all your questions and a good coverage price, most likely you have located an insurance agency that is a good match to properly service your auto insurance policy.Spearfish SD car insurance quote

Buyer beware of auto insurance advertising tricks

Consumers in South Dakota can’t ignore all the ads for car insurance savings by Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm. They all say the same thing that you’ll save big after switching to their company.

But how can every company claim to save you money?

Different companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that makes them money. For example, a driver they prefer could be between 25 and 40, is a homeowner, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. Any driver who fits that profile gets the lowest rates and therefore will cut their rates substantially.

Potential insureds who do not match the “perfect” profile will be quoted a higher premium and this can result in business not being written. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. That’s why insurance companies can confidently make the claims of big savings. This emphasizes why it’s extremely important to get as many comparisons as possible. It is impossible to predict the company that will have the lowest rates.

More tips and info about auto insurance can be read at the South Dakota Division of Insurance website. Consumers can read industry bulletins, find a variety of consumer forms, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

Also read more on FindNewCarInsurance.com and QuoteClickSave.com.

Parts of your auto insurance policy

Having a good grasp of auto insurance can be of help when determining the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be difficult to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Collision coverages – This coverage pays for damage to your vehicle resulting from colliding with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision can pay for claims such as sideswiping another vehicle, driving through your garage door, damaging your car on a curb and crashing into a building. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as hail damage, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, fire damage, damage from getting keyed and theft. The maximum payout a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Liability insurance – Liability coverage will cover damage that occurs to people or other property. It protects you from claims by other people, and doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have policy limits of 100/300/100 which stand for $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a limit of $100,000 paid for damaged property.

Liability can pay for things like legal defense fees, emergency aid, medical services, funeral expenses and pain and suffering. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford. South Dakota state law requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/25,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy more coverage.

Medical expense insurance – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for short-term medical expenses such as chiropractic care, surgery, doctor visits and funeral costs. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers both the driver and occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (25/50/25), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.

Affordable insurance is out there

Drivers switch companies for a variety of reasons including policy cancellation, delays in paying claims, extreme rates for teen drivers and even poor customer service. Whatever your reason, finding a great new company is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.

Budget-conscious auto insurance is attainable both online in addition to many Spearfish insurance agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. A few companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

You just read a lot of tips how to reduce auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the best price on auto insurance is with an unexpected company.