Car Insurance in Bozeman, MT – 8 Discounts Drivers are Unaware of

If shopping for car insurance online is new to you, you can be overwhelmed by the sheer number of companies offering insurance in Bozeman.

It’s a good habit to get comparison quotes occasionally since rates change regularly. Even if you got the best price six months ago other companies may now be cheaper. There is a lot of bad information regarding car insurance online but I’m going to show you some great ways to quit paying high car insurance rates.

Choosing the best insurance company for you in Bozeman is quite easy. If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using these techniques. Nevertheless, Montana drivers do need to learn the methods companies use to market on the web because it can help you find the best coverage.

Take these eight discounts and save

Companies don’t always list all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we researched both well-publicized and also the lesser-known car insurance savings.

• Good Student – Getting good grades can save 20 to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you up until you turn 25.
• Multi-policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with one company you will save 10% to 20% off each policy.
• Air Bag Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can get savings of up to 25% or more.
• Early Switch Discount – Select companies give a discount for switching to them before your current expiration date. It’s a savings of about 10%.
• Anti-theft System – Anti-theft and alarm systems help deter theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
• Claim Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay much less compared to drivers who are more careless.
• Accident Forgiveness – A few companies will allow you to have one accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you haven’t had any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
• Club Memberships – Participating in certain professional organizations could qualify you for a break when shopping for car insurance.

A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. Just because you may think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.

Aren’t my neighborhood agents an option?

Some consumers would rather talk to a local agent and that is OK! The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is the fact that you can find better rates but still work with a licensed agent.

Upon completion of this form (opens in new window), the quote information is sent to companies in Bozeman who will compete for your business. You don’t have to visit any agencies due to the fact that quote results will go to your email. Now that’s easy! You can find the lowest rates AND an agent nearby.

Picking an insurance company should depend on more than just the price. These are valid questions to ask:

• Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
• Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
• How are they compensated?
• Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
• How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
• Can they give you a list of client referrals?

Two different types of insurance agents

When researching a reputable insurance agent or broker, there are a couple of different agency structures that you can select. Bozeman agents are either independent (non-captive) or captive.

Agency Captives

These agents are contracted to one company and some examples include Liberty Mutual, State Farm, Allstate and AAA. These agents are not able to compare other company’s rates so they have to upsell other benefits. Captive agencies receive extensive training on the products they sell and that can be a competitive advantage. Consumers often choose to use a captive agent partially due to high brand loyalty and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

These agents are not employed by any specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with any number of different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To move your coverage to a new company, your agent can switch companies and that require little work on your part. When shopping rates, it’s recommended you get quotes from several independent insurance agents to ensure the widest selection of prices. They often place coverage with different regional companies which may provide better rates.

The following is a short list of independent agencies in Bozeman that can give you price quotes.

• Liberty Northwest Insurance – 614 Ferguson Ave # 5 – Bozeman, MT 59718 – (406) 582-0919
• Independent Insurance Svc – 104 E Main St # 1 – Bozeman, MT 59715 – (406) 587-0422
• Marie Gary Agency – 1920 W Babcock St – Bozeman, MT 59718 – (406) 586-3330

For a complete listing of Bozeman insurance agents, visit this site.

After receiving satisfactory answers to your questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, most likely you have located an insurance agency that is a good match to service your policy.

Car insurance myths debunked

Car insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. They all seem to make the same claim that you’ll save big if you switch your policy. How does each company claim to save you money?

Different companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of customer that earns them a profit. An example of a desirable insured could possibly be between 25 and 40, has no prior claims, and has great credit. Any new insured that hits that “sweet spot” gets the lowest rates and therefore will cut their rates substantially.

Potential insureds who do not match this ideal profile must pay higher premiums which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ads state “people who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that kind of money. That’s why companies can make those claims. This illustrates why you should get quotes from several different companies. It’s impossible to know the company that will fit your personal profile best.

Auto insurance coverage information

Learning about specific coverages of a car insurance policy helps when choosing the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy.

Auto collision coverage

This coverage covers damage to your vehicle from colliding with an object or car. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision insurance covers claims such as sideswiping another vehicle, colliding with a tree, hitting a mailbox, scraping a guard rail and colliding with another moving vehicle. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from lower value vehicles. You can also increase the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Insurance for medical payments

Med pay and PIP coverage kick in for bills like EMT expenses, X-ray expenses, ambulance fees, rehabilitation expenses and hospital visits. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. They cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP coverage is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since many Montana drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (which is 25/50/10), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage should not be overlooked.

Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)

Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like theft, fire damage, vandalism, a broken windshield and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Liability coverages

Liability coverage protects you from damage that occurs to other’s property or people. It protects YOU from claims by other people. It does not cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Liability coverage has three limits: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show policy limits of 50/100/50 that translate to $50,000 bodily injury coverage, $100,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property.

Liability can pay for things like funeral expenses, loss of income and emergency aid. How much liability coverage do you need? That is up to you, but you should buy as much as you can afford. Montana state minimum liability requirements are 25,000/50,000/10,000 but drivers should carry better liability coverage.

To learn even more about car insurance

Even more information is located at the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance website. Montana consumers can read industry bulletins, read consumer alerts, and find out industry alerts.

Best coverage at the best price

When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s not a good idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are a lot of situations where an insured cut physical damage coverage and learned later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The aim is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.

You just read a lot of information how to compare car insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even find the lowest premiums are with an unexpected company.

Discount car insurance is definitely available on the web and with local Bozeman insurance agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. A few companies do not offer online price quotes and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.