5 Shopping Tips Guaranteed to Slash the Cost of Car Insurance Costs in Woodbury

Paying for high-priced car insurance can take a big chunk out of your bank account and put the squeeze on your family’s finances. Doing a price comparison is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket.

Having so many options when it comes to car insurance, it’s difficult to find the right insurer.

How to Get Car Insurance in Woodbury

Comparing car insurance rates can be challenging if you don’t know the most efficient way to do it. You could waste time talking to local insurance agents in Woodbury, or you could save time and use the internet to get rate comparisons in just a few minutes.

Many insurance companies participate in a marketplace that allows shoppers to send in one quote, and each participating company can provide price quotes based on the submitted data. This eliminates the need for quote forms to every company.

To compare rates using this form now click to open in new window.

The one downside to comparing rates this way is you don’t know exactly which companies to get quotes from. So if you want to choose individual companies to compare rates, we have assembled a list of low cost car insurance companies in Minnesota. Click here to view list.

Whichever way you use, compare the exact same deductibles and coverage limits for every quote you compare. If your comparisons have mixed coverages you can’t possibly make an equal comparison in Woodbury. Slightly different coverages may result in large price differences. Just keep in mind that more quotes will improve the odds of getting better pricing.

Ads can be misleading

Car insurance providers like State Farm and Allstate consistently run ads on TV and radio. They all have a common claim that you’ll save big if you change to their company. How can each company make the same claim?

Insurance companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of customer that is profitable for them. For instance, a driver they prefer could possibly be between the ages of 40 and 55, owns a home, and has great credit. Any new insured who matches those parameters receives the best rates and therefore will save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who are not a match for this ideal profile will be quoted a more expensive rate and ends up with the customer not buying. The ads say “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save money. That’s why companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings.

This emphasizes why you need to get as many quotes as possible. It is impossible to predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

Discounts can save BIG

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but there could be available discounts to reduce the price significantly. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time you complete a quote, but a few need to be requested specifically prior to receiving the credit.

• Theft Prevention Discount – Vehicles with anti-theft systems can help prevent theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
• Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags or automatic seat belts can receive discounts up to 30%.
• No Charge for an Accident – Certain companies permit an accident before your rates go up if you are claim-free for a particular time prior to the accident.
• Discounts for Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than their less cautious counterparts.
• Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Low mileage vehicles can qualify you for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.

Keep in mind that many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only cut specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. Even though it may seem like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you’re out of luck. But any discount will reduce the amount you have to pay.

To see a list of companies offering car insurance discounts in Woodbury, follow this link.

But I prefer to buy car insurance from an agent

A small number of people would prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is a personal choice. The best thing about getting online price quotes is that you can obtain the lowest rates and still choose a local agent. And supporting small agencies is important especially in Woodbury.

Once you complete this form (opens in new window), your insurance coverage information is immediately sent to local insurance agents who will battle for your coverage. You don’t have to even leave your home as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. You can find the lowest rates without the usual hassles of price shopping.

Insurance agencies in Woodbury come in two varieties

When researching a good insurance agency, there are two types of agencies that you can select. Agents are categorized either independent (non-captive) or captive.

Independent Insurance Agents

These agents are not employed by any specific company so they have the ability to put coverage amongst many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, an independent agent can move your coverage and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparing rates, we recommend you include at a minimum one independent agency to have the most options to choose from.

Shown below is a short list of independent agencies in Woodbury that are able to give price quotes.

Aasen Insurance – 1937 Woodlane Dr – Woodbury, MN 55125 – (651) 306-3860
American Midwest Agency Inc – 1811 Weir Dr # 245 – Woodbury, MN 55125 – (651) 735-5021
MSI Insurance – 6043 Hudson Rd – Woodbury, MN 55125 – (651) 738-6397
Lindon Reber Agency Inc – 2042 Wooddale Dr # 120 – Woodbury, MN 55125 – (651) 738-4811

Agency Captives

These agents work for only one company and examples are AAA, Allstate and State Farm. These agents are unable to compare other company’s rates so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captives are usually quite knowledgeable on the products they sell and that can be a competitive advantage.

Shown below is a short list of captive agencies in Woodbury who can help you get rate quotes.

Allstate Insurance – 7876 Hudson Rd # 5 – Woodbury, MN 55125 – (651) 731-2580
State Farm Insurance – 6445 Lake Road Ter # 101a – Woodbury, MN 55125 – (651) 739-1177
Farmers Insurance Group – 7582 Currell Blvd – Woodbury, MN 55125 – (651) 738-3820

For a full directory of Woodbury captive insurance agencies, please click here.

Deciding on an insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just the premium amount. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

• Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
• Which company do they place the most coverage with?
• If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
• Can glass repairs be made at your home?
• Who are their largest clients?
• How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
• Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?

Upon getting reasonable responses to all your questions and an acceptable price quote, you’ve probably found an auto insurance agent that meets your needs to properly insure your vehicles. Keep in mind policyholders can cancel your policy whenever you wish so never feel that you are obligated to any particular company for the full term.

Car insurance 101

Having a good grasp of your policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Shown next are typical coverage types found on most car insurance policies.

Collision coverage – Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You will need to pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision coverage protects against claims such as driving through your garage door, colliding with a tree and hitting a mailbox. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from older vehicles. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage – Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants as well as damage to your vehicle.

Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (30/60/10), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Most of the time your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.

Coverage for liability – This provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property by causing an accident. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show liability limits of 50/100/50 that means you have $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Alternatively, you may have a combined single limit or CSL which combines the three limits into one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability insurance covers claims such as loss of income, structural damage, court costs, legal defense fees and repair costs for stationary objects. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford. Minnesota requires minimum liability limits of 30,000/60,000/10,000 but you should consider buying more liability than the minimum.

Medical payments coverage and PIP – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for expenses for funeral costs, dental work, chiropractic care and X-ray expenses. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Comprehensive coverage – This pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as damage from flooding, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, hitting a bird and falling objects. The maximum payout a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Quote often and quote early

Lower-priced car insurance is available from both online companies and with local Woodbury insurance agents, so compare prices from both to have the best selection. Some companies do not offer online quoting and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

You just read many ways to save on car insurance. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may be surprised to find that the best prices are with some of the smallest insurance companies. Regional companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas than their larger competitors like Progressive or GEICO.

Additional car insurance information is available on the website for the Minnesota Department of Commerce found here. Minnesota drivers can find disaster information, find out which companies have the most complaints, download brochures, and find out industry alerts.