Lower Fort Dodge Car Insurance Rates in Five Minutes

Purchasing the lowest cost Fort Dodge car insurance on the web may be impossible for consumers not familiar with comparing rates online. With such a large number of online companies available, how can anyone effectively compare every company to locate the lowest rates?

How to Buy Fort Dodge Car Insurance Online

All major car insurance companies give insurance quotes directly from their websites. Getting online rates is fairly straightforward as you just type in your coverage preferences as requested by the quote form. After you complete the form, their rating system orders reports for credit and driving violations and quotes a price determined by many factors.

Online price quotes makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the work required to visit multiple sites and enter the same data into a form can be a bit tiresome and repetitive. But it is imperative to have as many quotes as possible in order to find a better rate.

There is a better way!

The preferred way to find better car insurance pricing uses one simple form that analyzes rates from several different companies. The form is fast, requires less work, and makes rate comparisons much more efficient. Immediately after submitting the form, your coverage is rated and you can choose any one of the price quotes you receive. If the quotes result in lower rates, you can simply submit the application and buy the policy. The entire process can be completed in a matter of minutes and could lower your rates considerably.

To save time and find out if lower rates are available, click here to open in new window and enter your information. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you complete the form with the coverage information as close as possible to your current policy. Doing this guarantees you will have comparison quotes using the exact same coverages.

How much can you save with discounts?

Companies that sell car insurance do not advertise every discount very clearly, so we break down both well-publicized as well as the least known ways to save on car insurance. If you’re not getting every credit available, you are paying more than you should be.

• No Claims – Claim-free drivers pay less when compared with bad drivers.
• Life Insurance – Some companies give a discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
• Drive Safe and Save – Drivers who avoid accidents may receive a discount up to 45% less than drivers with accident claims.
• Multi-policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with the same company you may save up to 20% off your total premium.
• Pay Now and Pay Less – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of paying each month you may reduce your total bill.
• Paperless Signup – Some insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks simply for signing over the internet.
• Student Driver Training – Cut your cost by having your teen driver complete a driver education course if offered at their school.

It’s important to understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears you could get a free car insurance policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.

Quote online but work with a neighborhood agent

Certain consumers would rather sit down with an agent and that is a personal choice. Agents can answer important questions and help submit paperwork. One of the great benefits of price shopping on the web is you may find the lowest rates but still work with a licensed agent.

For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, your coverage information is submitted to companies in Fort Dodge who will compete to get your business. You won’t need to visit any agencies since price quotes are sent to your email. How cool is that?!

Picking a company requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:

• Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
• Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
• Can they give you a list of client referrals?
• How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
• Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
• Who is covered by the car insurance policy?

Is a captive or independent car insurance agent right for you?

When researching a local agent, there are two different types of agents to choose from. Fort Dodge agents are either independent or captive. Both insure your vehicles, but it’s worth mentioning the difference between them because it can influence the selection process.

Captive Agents

Captive agents work for only one company and some examples include Allstate, Farmers Insurance, State Farm and AAA. These agents are not able to place coverage with different providers so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agents are very knowledgeable in insurance sales which can be an advantage. Consumers often choose to use a captive agent primarily because of the prominence of the brand and solid financial strength.

Below are Fort Dodge captive insurance agencies who may provide you with rate quotes.

• State Farm Insurance – 116 N 15th St – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 955-3626
• Farmers Insurance Group – 1235 1st Ave S – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 573-2234
• Allstate Insurance – 1031 Central Ave – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 576-4341
• American Family Insurance – 919 Central Ave – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 573-3761
• Farm Bureau Insurance – 1812 Central Ave – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 955-1050

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Independent insurance agents are not locked into one company but instead can place your coverage with multiple insurance companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, the business is moved internally without you having to go to a different agency.

When comparison shopping, it’s recommended you include price quotes from several independent insurance agents to get the best comparison. Many write coverage with lesser-known insurance companies which can save you money.

Shown below are independent insurance agents in Fort Dodge willing to provide price quotes.

• Transamerica Insurance – 822 Central Ave # 202 – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 573-2139
• Heartland Mutual Insurance – 409 Kenyon Rd – Fort Dodge, IA 50501 – (515) 576-6421

To view a complete directory of insurance agents in Fort Dodge, visit this site.

Once you have received reasonable responses to these questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, you may have just found an insurance agency that meets your needs to provide car insurance coverage.

Why your price might be higher

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that go into determining your car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that may reward you with lower car insurance prices.

• Extra add-on coverages are wasting money – There are a lot of extra coverages that you can buy on your car insurance policy. Things like roadside assistance, towing coverage and additional equipment coverage may be wasting your money. These coverages may sound good initially, but now you might not need them so remove them from your policy.
• Safer occupants lowers premiums – Vehicles with high crash test scores are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles protect occupants better and fewer injuries means less money paid by your insurance company and more competitive rates for policyholders.
• Save money with special equipment – Purchasing a vehicle with an alarm system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft features like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all aid in stopping your vehicle from being stolen.
• Cautious drivers pay less – Drivers with clean records tend to pay less for car insurance compared to drivers with tickets. Just one speeding ticket may increase your cost twenty percent or more. Drivers who get flagrant violations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may be required to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to keep their license.
• More people means more accidents – Residing in a rural area has it’s advantages when buying car insurance. Fewer drivers means reduced accidents. City drivers tend to have congested traffic and longer commute times. Longer commute distances translates into higher accident risk.
• Lower deductibles cost more – Coverage for physical damage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be a windshield shattered by a rock, collision with an animal, or theft. Physical damage deductibles are how much you are willing to pay if you file a covered claim. The more the insured has to pay upfront, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
• Do you have a high stress job? – Occupations like judges, social workers and financial analysts are shown to have higher average rates because of high stress levels and long work days. Conversely, occupations such as actors, engineers and retirees pay the least.

In the end, you save

We covered quite a bit of information on how to reduce car insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more you quote, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the lowest premiums are with an unexpected company.

Consumers who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including high prices, policy cancellation, being labeled a high risk driver or high rates after DUI convictions. Regardless of your reason, choosing a new insurance company can be easier than you think.

The cheapest car insurance can be bought from both online companies in addition to many Fort Dodge insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. A few companies do not provide online quoting and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.

Additional resources for Iowa consumers

Even more information is available at the Iowa Insurance Division website. Iowa drivers can find disaster information, download brochures, and find out which companies have the most complaints.