Car Insurance in Kalispell – 5 Discounts to Save Money

Sick and tired of paying out the nose to pay your car insurance bill each month? You are in the same boat as most other car owners in Montana.

Big companies like State Farm, Progressive and GEICO continually bombard you with ad campaigns and it is difficult to see past the corporate glitz and take the time to shop coverage around.

Comparison of Car Insurance in Kalispell

There are several ways of comparing rates from local in Kalispellcar insurance companies. The quickest method to find the lowest rates is simply to get online rate quotes. It is quite easy and can be accomplished using a couple different methods.

• Probably the best way to get quotes for comparison is an all-inclusive rate comparison click to view form in new window. This easy form eliminates the need for repetitive form entry for each company you want a rate for. In just a few minutes this one form gets you price quotes from all major companies.
• A different way to analyze rates is to manually visit the website for every company you want to comare to complete their respective quote request forms. For instance, we’ll assume you want to compare rates from Allstate, Farmers and Progressive. To get each rate you have to go to every website to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is more popular.

  For a handy list of car insurance company links in Kalispell, click here.

• The most time-consuming way of comparing rate quotes to and from local insurance agencies. Buying insurance online makes this process obsolete unless you require the professional guidance of a licensed agent. You can, however, comparison shop your insurance online and still use a local agent and we’ll touch on that later.

It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but be sure to compare identical coverage limits on every quote you get. If you have different values for each quote it’s impossible to determine the best price in Kalispell. Quoting even small variations in coverage limits could mean much higher rates. Just remember that getting more free quotes helps you find a better price.

Don’t pay full price with these 5 discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don’t always publicize every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list both the well known as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.

• Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts may earn rate discounts up to 30%.
• Multi-car Discount – Insuring more than one vehicle with the same company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
• Auto/Home Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with the same company you will save approximately 10% to 15%.
• Discounts for Safe Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents can pay as much as 50% less than less cautious drivers.
• Seat Belts Save – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts can save 10% or more off your medical payments premium.

Drivers should understand that most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only cut specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So even though they make it sound like all the discounts add up to a free policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.

For a list of companies with discount car insurance rates in Montana, click here.

Buying car insurance from a local agent

Certain consumers would rather talk to a local agent and that is just fine! The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find the lowest rates but also keep your business local.

After completing this simple form, your information is sent to companies in Kalispell who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to leave your house since price quotes are sent to the email address you provide. You can find better rates and an insurance agent to talk to.

Choosing a company needs to be determined by more than just the price. These questions are important to ask:

• Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
• Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
• Is assistance available after office hours?
• How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
• Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?

If you want to view licensed agents in Kalispell, visit this site.

Once you have received answers to your satisfaction to your questions and a low price estimate, it’s possible that you found a company that can provide car insurance coverage. But keep in mind you can always terminate your policy for any reason so never assume that you’re stuck with any particular company with no way to switch.

But I don’t know anything about car insurance

When it comes to choosing adequate coverage, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s needs are different so your insurance should reflect that For instance, these questions might help in determining whether or not you might need professional guidance.

• Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
• Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
• Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
• Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
• Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
• What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
• Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
• Should I buy only the required Montana minimum liability coverage?
• Is my vehicle covered for smoke damage?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, you may need to chat with an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area.

More detailed Montana car insurance information is available at the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance website. Montana consumers can learn about insurance regulations, discover disciplinary actions, and read consumer alerts.

Coverages available on your policy

Having a good grasp of your car insurance policy can help you determine appropriate coverage for your vehicles. Car insurance terms can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. Below you’ll find typical coverage types available from car insurance companies.

Comprehensive car insurance

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

Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like falling objects, rock chips in glass and hitting a bird. The maximum amount your car insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Coverage for medical expenses

Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for immediate expenses like hospital visits, doctor visits, ambulance fees, chiropractic care and funeral costs. They can be utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and will also cover getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not universally available and may carry a deductible

Liability

Liability insurance will cover damage or injury you incur to other’s property or people by causing an accident. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see limits of 25/50/25 which means a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000.

Liability coverage protects against claims like funeral expenses, bail bonds and medical expenses. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but buy higher limits if possible. Montana requires drivers to carry at least 25,000/50,000/10,000 but you should think about purchasing better liability coverage.

Collision coverage protection

Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your vehicle from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision coverage pays for things like damaging your car on a curb, backing into a parked car, sustaining damage from a pot hole, hitting a parking meter and crashing into a ditch. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from older vehicles. Another option is to raise the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers

Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Due to the fact that many Montana drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (25/50/10), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea.

Shop smart and save

The cheapest car insurance is attainable both online as well as from independent agents in Kalispell, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some companies don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

While you’re price shopping online, make sure you don’t buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are a lot of situations where drivers have reduced liability coverage limits and learned later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your aim should be to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.