Save Money on Polson Montana Auto Insurance Rates in Five Minutes

Sick and tired of being strong-armed to insure your vehicles every month? Your situation is no different than most other car owners in Montana. Insurance companies such as Allstate, Progressive and GEICO persitently shower you with advertising and it is challenging if not impossible to see past the geckos and flying pigs and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

Consumers need to do rate comparisons yearly because rates trend upward over time. Even if you think you had the best rates last year there may be better deals available now. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to one of the best ways to find better coverage at a better price.

Policy discounts you shouldn’t miss

Companies offering auto insurance don’t necessarily list every discount very well, so we break down some of the more common and the more hidden savings tricks you should be using. If you don’t get every credit possible, you are paying more than you should be.

Driver’s Ed – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully complete driver’s ed class in school.
Defensive Driver – Completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could possibly earn you a 5% discount if your company offers it.
Senior Citizens – If you’re over the age of 55, you can possibly qualify for a small decrease in premiums.
Theft Prevention Discount – Vehicles with anti-theft systems can help prevent theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
Paperless Signup – A few companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying a policy and signing up over the internet.

It’s important to understand that many deductions do not apply the the whole policy. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. So when the math indicates you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it doesn’t quite work that way.

To see a list of companies offering auto insurance discounts in Polson, click here to view.

How to Lower your Auto Insurance Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that play a part in calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that could result in better auto insurance rates.

Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance – Vehicles with good safety scores tend to have better insurance rates. Safer cars have better occupant injury protection and better occupant protection means less money paid by your insurance company passed on to you as lower rates.
Pleasure use saves money – The more miles you rack up on your car every year the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most insurance companies apply a rate based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles used primarily for pleasure use receive lower rates compared to those used for work or business. Double check that your auto insurance policy properly reflects how each vehicle is driven, because improper ratings can cost you money.
Where you live is a factor – Choosing to live in small towns and rural areas can be a good thing when it comes to auto insurance. Drivers who live in large cities regularly have much more traffic and longer commute times. Lower population means a lower chance of having an accident and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
Never allow your policy to lapse – Allowing your auto insurance policy to lapse will be a fast way to increase your auto insurance rates. Not only will rates go up, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance may earn you a license revocation or jail time.Then you may be required to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the Montana DMV.
Your job and insurance rates – Occupations like doctors, architects and accountants are shown to have higher rates than average because of high stress and lots of time spent at work. On the flip side, occupations like scientists, athletes and retirees pay the least.

Insurance agents can help

When choosing proper insurance coverage, there really is not a “perfect” insurance plan. Each situation is unique so this has to be addressed. Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining if your insurance needs may require specific advice.

What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
Are all vehicle passengers covered by medical payments coverage?
Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
Is a new car covered when I drive it off the dealer lot?
Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and can provide invaluable advice.

Don’t believe everything you hear

Consumers in Montana get pounded daily by advertisements for the lowest price auto insurance from companies such as Allstate and Progressive. All the ads say the same thing that you’ll save big if you move your policy.

How does each company claim to save you money? It’s all in the numbers.

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the right customer they prefer to insure. For example, a desirable insured could be between the ages of 40 and 55, insures multiple vehicles, and has excellent credit. A driver who matches those parameters receives the best rates and as a result will probably save quite a bit of money when switching.

Potential customers who do not match these standards must pay a higher premium which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state “people who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. This is how companies can claim big savings. This illustrates why it is so important to quote coverage with many companies. Because you never know which company will fit your personal profile best.

More tips and info about auto insurance is available at the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance website. Montana consumers can report car insurance fraud, file complaints about a company, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and find a variety of consumer forms.

Other useful links include NAIC.org’s Understanding your Policy and this link where you can get more info about Polson coverage.

In the end, you save

While you’re price shopping online, do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, an insured cut full coverage and learned later that it was a big mistake. Your goal should be to find the BEST coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

Throughout this article, we presented quite a bit of information on how to get a better price on auto insurance. The key concept to understand is the more price quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers may even find the best price on auto insurance is with a lesser-known regional company. They often have lower prices on specific markets than the large multi-state companies such as GEICO and State Farm.