Free Guide to Paying Less for Lewistown Car Insurance Online

Shopping for the most affordable Lewistown car insurance online can be intimidating for consumers new to price shopping online. With such a large number of companies competing online, how can you effectively compare every company to locate the lowest rates?

Consumers need to shop coverage around at least once a year since insurance rates are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Even if you think you had the best price six months ago you can probably find a better price now. Starting now, forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you’re going to learn how to use the internet to lower your annual insurance bill.

If you currently have car insurance, you should be able to cut costs considerably using these tips. The purpose of this post is to teach you the most effective way to quote insurance. Nevertheless, Montana car owners should learn how big insurance companies compete online.

You probably qualify for some discounts

Auto insurance companies don’t always publicize every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of both well-publicized and also the lesser-known ways to save on car insurance.

Homeowners Savings – Simply owning a home can save you money because owning a home is proof that your finances are in order.
Auto/Life Discount – Larger companies have a break if you buy life insurance.
Club Memberships – Being a member of a qualifying organization is a good way to get lower rates when shopping for car insurance.
Pay Upfront and Save – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time rather than paying monthly you could save 5% or more.
Bundle and Save – When you have multiple policies with one insurance company you may save at least 10% off all policies.
More Vehicles More Savings – Buying coverage for multiple cars or trucks with the same company can get a discount on all vehicles.
Theft Prevention Discount – Vehicles with anti-theft systems help deter theft and earn discounts up to 10%.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some credits don’t apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it may seem like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won’t be that lucky.

To see a list of insurance companies with the best car insurance discounts in Lewistown, click here to view.

How to Lower your Car Insurance Rates

It’s important that you understand some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for car insurance. Understanding what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to lower car insurance prices.

The following are some of the items used by your company to calculate prices.

Older drivers pay less – Teenage drivers in Montana are known to be careless and easily distracted when driving so car insurance rates are higher. If you’ve ever had to add a teenage driver to your policy can really hurt. More mature drivers are more cautious drivers, tend to cause fewer accidents and tend to be better behind the wheel.
Do you work long hours in a high stress job? – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for car insurance? Careers like judges, social workers and dentists are shown to have the highest average rates because of job stress and lengthy work days. Other professions such as scientists, historians and homemakers pay the least.
Are you male or female? – Statistics demonstrate that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, this does not mean men are worse drivers. Both sexes are in accidents at about the same rate, but the males have costlier accidents. They also receive more costly citations like DUI and reckless driving. Teenage male drivers are several times more likely to be in an accident and are penalized with high car insurance rates.
Allowing your policy to lapse raises rates – Having an insurance coverage lapse is a fast way to pay more for car insurance. And not only will your rates increase, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance can result in a steep fine or even jail time.You may have to file a SR-22 with the Montana DMV.
An active claims history can cost you – Car insurance companies in Montana give better rates to policyholders who file claims infrequently. If you file claims often, you can definitely plan on either higher rates or even cancellation. Insurance coverage is designed for larger claims.
More miles equals more premium – The higher the mileage driven in a year’s time the higher your rates will be. The majority of insurers rate vehicles based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars not used for work or commuting qualify for better rates than those used for commuting. Ask your agent if your car insurance declarations sheet shows the correct usage for each vehicle.
Liability insurance protects assets – Your policy’s liability coverage provides coverage if you are found to be at fault for damages from an accident. Liability insurance provides legal defense starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so drivers should carry high limits.

How do I know if I need professional advice?

When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Each situation is unique.

For example, these questions might help in determining if your insurance needs might need professional guidance.

What if I total my vehicle and owe more than it’s worth?
What vehicles should carry emergency assistance coverage?
Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
At what point should I drop full coverage?

If you can’t answer these questions but one or more may apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.

What if I want to buy from a local Lewistown agent?

A small number of people prefer to talk to a local agent and that is just fine! One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is you can get better rates but still work with a licensed agent.

After completing this short form, your insurance coverage information is instantly submitted to insurance agents in Lewistown who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. You don’t have to visit any agencies since price quotes are sent straight to your inbox. How cool is that?! You can find the lowest rates without the usual hassles of price shopping.

Deciding on an provider should depend on more than just a low price. Agents should be asked these questions:

What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Montana?
Does the agency support the community they serve?
Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
What insurance company do they write the most business with?
What insurance companies do they work with?
Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?

How to choose the best insurance agency in Lewistown

If you’re trying to find a good Lewistown insurance agent, there are two different types of agents that you can select. Agents are either independent or captive.

Captive Agents

These agents work for only one company and some examples include Allstate, AAA, Liberty Mutual and State Farm. They usually cannot shop your coverage around so they have to upsell other benefits. Captive agents receive extensive training on the products they sell which helps them compete with independent agents. Some people will only purchase coverage from captives mainly due to loyalty to the company and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.

Independent Agencies or Brokers

These agents do not work for one specific company but instead can place your coverage with multiple insurance companies and potentially find a lower price. To transfer your coverage to a different company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you won’t have to switch agencies.

When shopping rates, it’s a good idea to contact at a minimum one independent agency to get the best comparison. Most have the option of insuring with different regional companies which can save you money.

The following is a short list of independent agencies in Lewistown who can help you get price quotes.

Mc Kenna Agency – 110 S Dawes St – Lewistown, MT 59457 – (406) 538-8736
Lewistown Insurance – 520 W Main St – Lewistown, MT 59457 – (406) 538-5458
Johnson Agency – 218 W Broadway St – Lewistown, MT 59457 – (406) 538-3010

For a full directory of car insurance agents in Lewistown, simply jump to this page.

Upon receiving answers to your satisfaction to any questions you have and an affordable coverage quote, you’ve probably found an insurance agent that can provide car insurance coverage.

More resources for learning

Even more information is available at the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance website. Montana drivers can get help finding coverage, view agent and company licensing information, and view a list of available companies.

One last thing about your coverage

When shopping online for car insurance, it’s not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where an insured dropped collision coverage only to regret they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.

People who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including unfair underwriting practices, denial of a claim, not issuing a premium refund or even extreme rates for teen drivers. Whatever your reason, finding a great new company is not as hard as you think.

Budget-conscious car insurance is attainable from both online companies in addition to many Lewistown insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both so you have a total pricing picture. A few companies do not provide online quoting and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.