How to Know You’re Throwing Money Away for Auto Insurance in Pierre South Dakota

Cutting costs on Pierre auto insurance is a challenge for consumers not familiar with comparing rates online. You have so many choices that it can be a real hassle to find the best price in Pierre.

It’s important to shop coverage around quite often due to the fact that insurance rates are rarely the same from one policy term to another. If you had the best deal a few years ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. So just ignore everything you know about auto insurance because I’m going to teach you one of the quickest ways to properly buy coverages and cut your premium.

If you are insured now or need a new policy, you can use these techniques to find better prices and still get good coverage. Buying the cheapest coverage in Pierre is quite easy. South Dakota drivers just need to understand the tricks to get comparison quotes on the web.

Finding Auto Insurance in Pierre

Getting a lower price on insurance can be surprisingly simple. Just spend a few minutes on the computer to get quotes from different insurance companies. This can be done using a couple different methods.

• The most efficient way to get quotes is a comparison rater form click here to open form in new window. This type of form saves time by eliminating repetitive form submissions to each individual auto insurance company. One simple form gets you coverage quotes from auto insurance companies with the best prices.It’s the quickest way to get rates.
• A less efficient way to find lower rates requires a trip to the website of each company to request a price quote. For example, let’s say you want to compare rates from Farmers, GEICO and Allstate. To get each rate you have to visit each site and enter your information, which is why the first method is quicker.

  For a list of links to insurance companies in Pierre, click here.

However you get your quotes, be sure to compare identical coverage information for every company. If you enter different deductibles you can’t possibly truly determine the lowest rate in Pierre.

Lots of discounts mean lots of savings

Companies don’t always list every available discount very clearly, so here is a list both the well known as well as the least known ways to save on auto insurance. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you’re paying more than you need to.

• Theft Prevention System – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
• Accident Waiver – Certain companies permit an accident before raising your premiums if you are claim-free for a certain period of time.
• Discount for New Cars – Putting insurance coverage on a new car can be considerably cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
• Air Bag Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
• Discount for Life Insurance – Some companies give lower rates if you buy life insurance.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, you’re out of luck.

To choose providers with discount auto insurance rates in Pierre, click here to view.

Situations that might require an agent

When it comes to choosing coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s situation is unique.

For example, these questions could help you determine whether you might need an agent’s assistance.

• What can I do if my company won’t pay a claim?
• Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
• When should my teen driver be added to my policy?
• How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in South Dakota?
• Do I need motorclub coverage?
• When should I remove comp and collision on my vehicle?

If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form. It only takes a few minutes and may give you better protection.

You have some control over your rates

It’s important that you understand the different types of things that go into determining your auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that can help you get big savings.

• Your credit rating is important – A driver’s credit history is a large factor in your rate calculation. If your credit rating is not that good, you could save money insuring your by repairing your credit. People with excellent credit tend to be more responsible than drivers who have lower credit scores.
• Marriage brings a discount – Being married can actually save you money when buying auto insurance. It translates into being more mature and statistics show being married results in fewer claims.
• Discounts for multiple policies – Most insurers give discounts to people who consolidate policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, you still need to compare other company rates to verify if the discount is saving money. You may still be able to find better rates by buying auto insurance from a different company.
• Your stress level may be raising your rates – Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Occupations such as judges, social workers and financial analysts tend to have higher average rates due to high stress levels and lots of time spent at work. Conversely, occupations such as farmers, engineers and homemakers receive lower rates.
• More miles equals more premium – The more miles you rack up on your car in a year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. The majority of insurers rate vehicles based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles left parked in the garage qualify for better rates than those used for commuting. Make sure your auto insurance policy shows how each vehicle is driven.

Can switching companies really save?

South Dakota consumers can’t get away from ads for cheaper car insurance from the likes of State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. All the ads have a common claim that you’ll save big if you change your coverage to them.

How can each company make almost identical claims? It’s all in the numbers.

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver they prefer to insure. A good example of a driver they prefer might be between the ages of 30 and 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 is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Drivers who don’t measure up to the requirements will be charged a higher premium and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads say “people who switch” not “people who quote” save that kind of money. That’s the way insurance companies can advertise the savings. That is why drivers should compare many company’s rates. It’s impossible to know the company that will fit your personal profile best.

Final considerations

Insureds who switch companies do it for many reasons like extreme rates for teen drivers, policy cancellation, high prices or delays in responding to claim requests. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a new company is not as hard as you think.

Budget-conscious auto insurance can be bought on the web as well as from independent agents in Pierre, so compare prices from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. There are still a few companies who don’t offer online price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.

You just read some good ideas how to lower your auto insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.

Additional reading for auto insurance information

More tips and info about auto insurance can be found at the South Dakota Division of Insurance website. South Dakota consumers can download brochures, read state legal mandates and laws, and report car insurance fraud.

Also read more on this link for South Dakota auto insurance quotes and this page where you can research Pierre insurance agents.