Car Insurance in Hardin, MT – 8 Discounts You Might be Forgetting

If you’re new to shopping for car insurance online, you may be confused by the large number of companies vying for business in Hardin.

Consumers should take time to take a look at other company’s rates every six months because insurance rates are usually higher with each renewal. Just because you had the lowest price on your last policy other companies may now be cheaper. Forget all the misinformation about car insurance because you’re about to learn one of the quickest ways to find the best coverage while lowering your premiums.

If you are paying for car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using this information. Finding affordable car insurance in Hardin is not that difficult. Nevertheless, Montana drivers need to learn the way insurance companies compete online and apply this information to your search.

Finding Car Insurance in Hardin, Montana

Effectively comparing car insurance prices can be a lot of work if you don’t understand the most efficient way. You can spend your afternoon talking about coverages with insurance agencies in Hardin, or you can stay home and use online quoting for quick rates.

Most of the larger companies are enrolled in a marketplace where prospective buyers send in one quote, and each participating company returns a rated price based on that data. This saves time by eliminating quote forms for each company you want a rate for.

To find out how much you can save on car insurance click here (opens in new window).

The only downside to comparing rates this way is you can’t choose the companies you want pricing from. So if you prefer to pick specific insurance companies to receive pricing from, we have a page of the cheapest car insurance companies in Montana. Click to view list.

It’s up to you which method you use, but be sure to compare exactly the same coverages with every price quote. If you use different liability limits it will be next to impossible to determine which rate is truly the best in Hardin. Having just a slight variation in insurance coverages can mean a large discrepancy in price. Just remember that comparing a large number of companies helps locate the best rates.

Cut your car insurance rates with these eight discounts

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but companies offer discounts to help offset the cost. Certain discounts will be applied at quote time, but some may not be applied and must be specifically requested in order for you to get them.

• Safety Course Discount – Taking a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount if you qualify.
• Accident Free – Drivers who don’t have accidents can save substantially compared to bad drivers.
• Early Switch Discount – Select companies give a discount for switching policies prior to your current policy expiration. It’s a savings of about 10%.
• Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts of 20% or more.
• Life Insurance Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with better rates if you take out life insurance.
• Payment Discounts – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of paying each month you may reduce your total bill.
• Drive Less and Save – Keeping the miles down can earn lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
• Sign Online – Certain companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.

Drivers should understand that many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don’t profit that way. But any discount will cut your overall premium however.

You are unique and your car insurance should be too

When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a one size fits all plan. Every insured’s situation is different.

For example, these questions can help discover if you would benefit from professional advice.

• How much liability coverage do I need in Montana?
• Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
• Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
• Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
• What should my uninsured motorist coverage limits be in Montana?
• Are my friends covered when driving my vehicle?
• Do I have coverage for damage caused while driving under the influence?
• Do I get a pro-rated refund if I cancel my policy early?
• Where can I get insurance after a DUI in Montana?

If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.

Coverages available on your car insurance policy

Learning about specific coverages of car insurance helps when choosing the right coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring.

Liability coverages

This coverage protects you from damage that occurs to other’s property or people that is your fault. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You might see values of 100/300/100 that translate to $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $300,000 for the entire accident, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Alternatively, you may have one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which provides one coverage limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability can pay for things like loss of income, structural damage, attorney fees, funeral expenses and bail bonds. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but buy as high a limit as you can afford. Montana state minimum liability requirements are 25,000/50,000/10,000 but drivers should carry better liability coverage.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)

This protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your vehicle.

Since many Montana drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (25/50/10 in Montana), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Frequently your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.

Comprehensive insurance

Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive insurance covers things such as vandalism, fire damage, falling objects, damage from flooding and a broken windshield. The maximum payout a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Collision protection

Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage protects against things such as crashing into a building, hitting a mailbox and hitting a parking meter. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for short-term medical expenses for things like pain medications, funeral costs, doctor visits and chiropractic care. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance program or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

To find out more about Montana car insurance

Additional information can be read on the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance website. Click here for link. Montana consumers can read industry bulletins, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, discover disciplinary actions, and find disaster information.