Best 6 Ways You Can Buy Auto Insurance for Less in Winona

No one looks forward to buying auto insurance, especially when the cost is too high.

You have so many car insurance companies to pick from, and although it’s a good thing to have multiple companies, having more insurers makes it harder to compare rates and cut insurance costs.

Consumers need to do rate comparisons before your policy renews since rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best price last year you can probably find a better price now. So just forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because you’re going to learn the proper way to find lower rates on auto insurance.

Buying car insurance in Winona is quite easy. If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using these tips. But Minnesota drivers benefit from understanding the way insurance companies market insurance on the web and apply this information to your search.

Companies offer discounts so take them!

Companies that sell car insurance don’t list every discount very well, so we took the time to find some of the more common and also the lesser-known auto insurance savings.

  • Anti-theft System – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
  • Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can reduce accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
  • Memberships – Participating in a professional or civic organization is a good way to get lower rates on auto insurance.
  • New Car Discount – Buying coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
  • Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can get savings of more than 20%.
  • Multi-policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with the same company you could get a discount of at least 10% off all policies.

Drivers should understand that most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So despite the fact that it appears it’s possible to get free car insurance, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.

To see a list of insurers with discount auto insurance rates in Minnesota, click here to view.

What about my local Winona agents?

Some consumers prefer to get advice from a local agent and that is a personal choice. One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is the fact that you can find the lowest rates and still choose a local agent.

After filling out this simple form, your coverage information is immediately sent to participating agents in Winona who will give you bids to get your business. You don’t have to drive around as quotes are delivered to the email address you provide. Now that’s easy! It’s the lowest rates AND an agent nearby.

Selecting a company shouldn’t rely on just the bottom line cost. Some important questions to ask are:

  • Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
  • Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
  • Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
  • How often do they review policy coverages?
  • Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
  • If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
  • Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
  • How long has their agency been in business in Winona?

What types of insurance agents are in Winona?

When researching a reputable insurance agent or broker, there are a couple of types of insurance agents that you can select. Insurance agencies in Winona are classified as either independent (non-captive) or captive.

Captive Agents

Captive insurance agents work for only one company like AAA, Allstate and State Farm. These agents are unable to place coverage with different providers so keep that in mind. These agents are very knowledgeable on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents.

The following is a list of captive agencies in Winona that can give you comparison quotes.save money concept

American Family Insurance – 151 W 4th St – Winona, MN 55987 – (507) 452-7333
State Farm Insurance – 1201 Gilmore Ave – Winona, MN 55987 – (507) 452-9270
Farmers Insurance Group – 50 W 2nd St # 113 – Winona, MN 55987 – (507) 452-5916
Allstate Insurance – 103 W Broadway St # 2 – Winona, MN 55987 – (507) 452-7720

Independent Insurance Agents

These agents are not employed by any specific company but rather can write business with lots of companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move the coverage in-house without you having to go to a different agency.

When searching for an agent, it’s recommended you get quotes from multiple independent agents to ensure the widest selection of prices.

Shown below is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Winona that can give you price quotes.

Chad Hering Insurance – 63 E Front St – Winona, MN 55987 – (507) 474-4290
Steve Young Agency Inc – 1502 W Service Dr – Winona, MN 55987 – (507) 454-1185
Ringler Agency Inc – 909 W 5th St – Winona, MN 55987 – (507) 452-2100
Country Insurance – 1658 W King St – Winona, MN 55987 – (507) 452-4112
Winona Agency – 174 Center St – Winona, MN 55987 – (507) 452-3366

For a complete listing of auto insurance agents in Winona, visit this link.

After receiving answers to your satisfaction for all questions you ask and an acceptable price quote, chances are good that you have found an auto insurance agent that can provide auto insurance coverage.

The coverage is in the details

Having a good grasp of auto insurance can be of help when determining which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. These are typical coverage types offered by auto insurance companies.

Collision coverages – Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You have to pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage protects against things like hitting a parking meter, colliding with a tree and colliding with another moving vehicle. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Medical expense insurance – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for short-term medical expenses for things like rehabilitation expenses, prosthetic devices and doctor visits. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your vehicle.

Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (30/60/10 in Minnesota), their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.

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Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – This coverage covers damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first must pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like rock chips in glass, hitting a deer, fire damage and damage from getting keyed. The maximum payout your auto insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.

Liability insurance – This provides protection from damage or injury you incur to other’s property or people by causing an accident. It protects YOU against other people’s claims, and does not provide coverage for your own vehicle damage or injuries.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show liability limits of 100/300/100 which means a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property.

Liability insurance covers claims like repair bills for other people’s vehicles, medical expenses, structural damage and bail bonds. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a personal decision, but you should buy higher limits if possible. Minnesota requires drivers to carry at least 30,000/60,000/10,000 but you should think about purchasing better liability coverage.

More detailed Minnesota auto insurance information is located at the Minnesota Department of Commerce website. Consumers can read state legal mandates and laws, find out which companies have the most complaints, find a variety of consumer forms, and download brochures.

Also read more on this site for rates in Minnesota and this link where you can make Winona auto insurance comparisons.

Summing up your auto insurance search

Throughout this article, we presented some good ideas how you can reduce auto insurance prices online. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from the smaller companies. These smaller insurers may only write in your state and offer lower rates compared to the large companies like State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.

The cheapest auto insurance can be sourced from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Winona agents, so you should compare both to have the best selection. A few companies may not provide online price quotes and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.