Shakopee Minnesota Car Insurance Buying Tips You Aren’t Supposed to Know

Are you sick and tired of trying to scrape together enough money to buy car insurance? Your situation is no different than most other car owners in Minnesota.

Because there are so many choices, it is very difficult to choose the lowest cost insurer.

Consumers need to take a look at other company’s rates every six months due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best deal a few years ago you will most likely find a better rate today. Forget all the misinformation about car insurance because we’re going to demonstrate the best way to save money, get proper deductibles and limits, all at the lowest rate.

Finding affordable coverage in Shakopee is not rocket science. If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using these tips. But Minnesota consumers can benefit from knowing how companies sell online.

How your Shakopee rates are determined

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that come into play when calculating your car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that could result in better car insurance rates.

The list below includes a few of the “ingredients” companies use to determine premiums.

• Traffic violations increase rates – Your driving record has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Careful drivers get better rates than bad drivers. Only having one moving violation can boost insurance rates forty percent or more. Drivers who get serious violations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may be required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state motor vehicle department in order to continue driving.
• Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance – Vehicles with good safety scores get lower rates. Safe vehicles reduce injuries and lower injury rates means less money paid by your insurance company passed on to you as lower rates.
• Save money with special equipment – Owning a car with a theft deterrent system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft features such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can help prevent auto theft.
• Multi-policy discounts can save money – Many insurers will award you with lower prices to policyholders who have multiple policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount, you may still want to compare rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.

Pay less by taking advantage of discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don’t always publicize all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we break down some of the more common and also the lesser-known savings tricks you should be using.

• Air Bag Discount – Cars that have air bags may earn rate discounts of up to 25% or more.
• Pay Now and Pay Less – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
• Lower Rates for Military – Being deployed with a military unit can result in better rates.
• Auto/Life Discount – Some companies give better rates if you take out life insurance.
• Anti-theft Discount – Anti-theft and alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• One Accident Forgiven – A handful of insurance companies will allow you to have one accident before raising your premiums so long as you haven’t had any claims prior to the accident.
• Student Driver Training – Require your teen driver to complete a driver education course in high school.

Keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So despite the fact that it appears you could get a free car insurance policy, companies don’t profit that way.

To choose companies with the best car insurance discounts in Minnesota, follow this link.

Do drivers who switch really save $477 a year?

21st Century, Allstate and State Farm regularly use television and radio advertisements. All the companies have a common claim that you’ll save big if you move your coverage to them. How do they all make the same claim?

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For example, a preferred risk could be over the age of 50, owns a home, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A propective insured that hits that “sweet spot” will qualify for the lowest rates and therefore will save when switching.

Drivers who are not a match for the requirements must pay a higher premium and this can result in business going elsewhere. The ad wording is “people who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save money. That’s the way companies can state the savings. This illustrates why drivers should get a wide range of price quotes. It is impossible to predict which company will fit your personal profile best.

Consumer car insurance information in Minnesota

Additional detailed information is located at the Minnesota Department of Commerce website. Consumers can find out industry alerts, read state legal mandates and laws, read industry bulletins, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

Additional helpful sites include QuoteClickInsure.com and this link where you can get more info about Shakopee coverage.

A tidy conclusion

We covered a lot of techniques to reduce car insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from an unexpected company. Some small companies may cover specific market segments cheaper compared to the large companies like Allstate or State Farm.

As you prepare to switch companies, do not reduce needed coverages to save money. There have been many situations where an accident victim reduced physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that they should have had better coverage. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest price.