Learn How to Cut Costs on Marshalltown Auto Insurance

Paying for high-priced auto insurance can dwindle your bank account and make it hard to pay other bills. Comparison shopping is free and is an excellent way to make sure you’re not throwing money away.

Since consumers have many different company options, it’s difficult to pick the cheapest insurance company.

You should take the time to compare rates at least once a year because insurance rates tend to go up over time. Even if you think you had the lowest rates a couple years back there may be better deals available now. Starting now, block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you’re about to learn how to use the internet to find lower rates on auto insurance.

Smart Buyers can Save Money

It’s important that you understand the rating factors that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that could result in better auto insurance rates.

The list below includes a partial list of the pieces that factor into premiums.

Claim-free discounts can add up – Auto insurance companies in Iowa award discounts to insureds who file claims infrequently. If you frequently file small claims, you can look forward to either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Your insurance policy is intended to be relied upon for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
Adjust deductibles and save – Insurance for physical damage to your car, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. A few examples of covered claims are a windshield shattered by a rock, collision with an animal, and rolling your vehicle. Deductibles for physical damage are how much you are required to spend out-of-pocket before your auto insurance pays a claim. The more money you have to pay, the less your auto insurance will be.
Men are more aggressive – Statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. Now that doesn’t mean women are better drivers. Both sexes have accidents at a similar rate, but men tend to have more serious accidents. Men also have more aggressive citations like reckless driving and DUI.
Discounts for multiple policies – The majority of companies give discounts to customers who have multiple policies with them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even if you’re getting this discount you may still want to compare rates to make sure you are getting the best deal. Consumers may find better rates by insuring with multiple companies.

Compare Auto Insurance Today

To find the best auto insurance prices, there are several ways to get quotes from local in Marshalltownauto insurance companies. The best way to find the cheapest insurance rates is to use the internet to compare rates. It is quite easy and can be accomplished using a couple different methods.

The easiest and least time consuming way consumers can analyze rates is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This method prevents you from having to do multiple quote forms for each company. A single form gets you coverage quotes from many national carriers.
Another way to get comparison quotes requires a visit to each company website to complete a price quote. For examples sake, we’ll pretend you want comparison quotes from Allstate, Farmers and Progressive. To get each rate you have to take the time to go to each site to input your insurance information, which is why most consumers use the first method.
For a handy list of car insurance company links in Marshalltown, click here.
The most time-consuming method of comparing rate quotes is to spend your day driving to insurance agents’ offices. Shopping for auto insurance online makes this process obsolete unless you prefer the professional advice of a local agent. You can, however, obtain prices from the web and still use a local agent and we’ll talk about that later.

Which method you use is up to you, but ensure you are comparing identical coverage information for every company. If your comparisons have different limits and deductibles on each one then you won’t be able to determine the best price in Marshalltown. Having just a slight variation in limits can result in a big premium difference. Just remember that having more price comparisons gives you a better chance of getting a better price.

Pay less by taking advantage of discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don’t necessarily list every available discount very clearly, so here is a list some of the more common as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.

Good Students Pay Less – This discount can save 20 to 25%. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts can get savings of 20% or more.
Life Insurance Discount – Larger companies have a discount if you purchase life insurance.
Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
Military Discounts – Having a family member in the military could mean lower rates.

Keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it just doesn’t work that way.

To choose insurers with discount auto insurance rates in Marshalltown, click here. insurance quote Marshalltown

Your insurance agent down the street

A small number of people prefer to sit down with an agent and that is a personal choice. One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is the fact that you can find the best rates and still choose a local agent.

After filling out this simple form, the quote information gets sent to local insurance agents who will battle to get your business. You never need to leave your computer as quotes are delivered to your email. Now that’s easy! You can find the lowest rates and work with a local agent.

Choosing a company requires more thought than just a cheap price. Agents should be asked these questions:

What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
How long has their agency been open in Marshalltown?
Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?

The type of insurance agent you choose is important

When researching a good Marshalltown insurance agent, you need to know there are two different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies in Marshalltown can either be captive or independent (non-captive).

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agencies can only place business with one company like State Farm, AAA, Farmers Insurance or Allstate. These agents are unable to compare other company’s rates so always compare other rates. Captive agents receive extensive training on their company’s products which can be an advantage.

Shown below are Marshalltown captive insurance agents who can help you get comparison quotes.

State Farm Insurance – 8 E Southridge Rd – Marshalltown, IA 50158 – (641) 753-3957
American Family Insurance – 2501 S Center St – Marshalltown, IA 50158 – (641) 752-6367
Shelter Insurance – 204 E Linn St – Marshalltown, IA 50158 – (641) 752-2500
Allstate Insurance – 2007 S Center St # B – Marshalltown, IA 50158 – (641) 752-4904

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent agencies are not locked into one company so they have the ability to put coverage with multiple insurance companies and potentially find a lower price. If your agent finds better pricing, the business is moved internally and that require little work on your part.

When comparison shopping, it’s recommended you contact several independent insurance agents for maximum quote selection.

Shown below are Marshalltown independent agencies who can help you get price quotes.

Wade Johnson Agency – 307 W Main St – Marshalltown, IA 50158 – (641) 752-8538
Chase Insurance – 105 Westwood Dr # A – Marshalltown, IA 50158 – (641) 752-5733
F and M Insurance Svc – 11 N 1st Ave – Marshalltown, IA 50158 – (641) 754-5590

For a complete listing of Marshalltown insurance agents, please click here.

Once you have received answers to your satisfaction as well as a affordable price, you may have just found an insurance agent that meets your needs to properly insure your vehicles.

Insurance agents can help

When choosing proper insurance coverage, there really is not a best way to insure your cars. Every insured’s situation is different so your insurance needs to address that. Here are some questions about coverages that might help in determining whether or not you will benefit from professional help.

How high should my medical payments coverage be?
Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
When should I not file a claim?
Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
Should I buy only the required Iowa minimum liability coverage?
Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
Can I afford low physical damage deductibles?
Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
Who is covered when they drive my vehicle?
At what point should I drop full coverage?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.

Even more information is located at the Iowa Insurance Division website. Iowa consumers can read industry bulletins, discover disciplinary actions, read consumer alerts, and report car insurance fraud.

And the best car insurance company is…

We just presented a lot of tips how to get a better price on auto insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more rate quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers may even find the most savings is with a small local company. They often have lower prices on specific markets as compared to the big name companies such as Progressive or GEICO.

When you buy insurance online, it’s not a good idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many cases, an insured dropped collision coverage only to discover later they didn’t have enough coverage. Your goal should be to buy enough coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.