Strategies for Lowering Your Clinton Car Insurance Rates

Perplexed by the crazy number of car insurance options in Clinton? Many other drivers are as well. People have so many companies to choose from that it can easily become a ton of work to find lower rates.

If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using this strategy. Locating the cheapest car insurance coverage in Clinton can be fairly easy. But Iowa vehicle owners must comprehend how insurance companies sell insurance online and apply this information to your search.

Comprehensive Clinton Car Insurance Comparison Quotes

To find the best car insurance prices, there are several ways to compare rate quotes and find the best price. The easiest way by far to find the cheapest insurance rates consists of shopping online. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.

  1. Probably the best way to get quotes is an all-inclusive rate comparison click to view form in new window. This method saves time by eliminating repetitive form submissions for each company. One form gets rate comparisons instantly. It’s the fastest way to compare.
  2. A more time consuming way to get quotes online consists of going to each company’s website to complete their respective quote request forms. For instance, we’ll pretend you want to compare USAA, Farmers and Liberty Mutual. You would have to take the time to go to each site and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is more popular.

    For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Clinton, click here.

  3. The least recommended way of getting rate comparisons is driving to different agent offices. Shopping for car insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you want the professional advice of a local agent. It is possible to obtain prices from the web but still have the advice of a local agent and we’ll talk about that later.

It’s up to you which method you use, but make darn sure you compare the exact same information for each price quote. If the quotes have unequal deductibles or liability limits you can’t possibly find the best deal in Clinton. Quoting even small variations in coverages may result in large price differences. And when comparing car insurance rates, know that having more price comparisons will improve the odds of getting the best offered rates.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Companies don’t necessarily list all available discounts very well, so we researched some of the best known and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using.

  • Good Students Pay Less – A discount for being a good student can save 20 to 25%. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
  • College Student – Children who live away from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle can be insured at a reduced rate.
  • Federal Employees – Simply working for the federal government could cut as much as 10% off depending on your company.
  • Discount for New Cars – Putting insurance coverage on a new car can be considerably cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
  • Safe Driver Discount – Safe drivers can pay as much as 50% less than drivers with accidents.
  • Military Rewards – Having a deployed family member can result in better rates.
  • Low Mileage Discounts – Fewer annual miles could qualify for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
  • Save over 55 – Mature drivers may be able to get better car insurance rates.

It’s important to note that some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only cut individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you won’t be that lucky.

Informed Drivers can Cut Their Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. Understanding what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with better car insurance rates.

  • Cautious drivers pay less – Good drivers receive lower rates than people who have multiple driving citations. Even one moving violation can increase rates twenty percent or more. Drivers with severe tickets like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions are required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to drive a vehicle legally.
  • Policy add-ons can waste money – There are a ton of additional coverages that you can buy on your car insurance policy. Coverages like rental car reimbursement, towing coverage and additional equipment coverage are some examples. They may seem good initially, but now you might not need them so get rid of them and save.
  • Where you live – Living in small towns and rural areas has it’s advantages when it comes to car insurance. Fewer drivers means fewer accidents and a lower car theft rate. Urban drivers have to deal with congested traffic and a longer drive to work. More time on the road translates into higher accident risk.
  • What type of vehicle do you drive? – The performance of the car you are insuring makes a significant difference in how high your rates are. Low performance passenger vehicles usually have the lowest rates, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.

What about using a local agent?

Certain consumers prefer to sit down with an agent and that is a personal choice. One of the great benefits of comparing rates online is you may find the lowest rates but still work with a licensed agent.

For easy comparison, once you complete this simple form, the coverage information is emailed to agents in your area who will give you bids for your coverage. There is no need to drive around because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. How’s that for easy! You can find the lowest rates AND an agent nearby.

Deciding on a company should depend on more than just a low price. These questions are important to ask:Clinton IA insurance cheap

  • How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
  • Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
  • Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
  • Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
  • Who are their largest clients?
  • Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
  • Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.

Insurance agent types

When researching a reliable agent, you need to know there are two different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Insurance agencies in Clinton are either independent or captive.

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agencies are contracted to one company like Allstate, AAA, Liberty Mutual and State Farm. These agents are not able to give you multiple price quotes so it’s a take it or leave it situation. These agents are usually quite knowledgeable on their company’s products and that can be a competitive advantage. Some consumers prefer to buy from captive agents partially due to the prominence of the brand and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.

Shown below are Clinton captive agencies who may provide you with price quotes.

  • Farmers Insurance Group – 215 6th Ave S – Clinton, IA 52732 – (563) 243-7777
  • American Family Insurance – 413 S 2nd St – Clinton, IA 52732 – (563) 243-8788
  • Allstate Insurance – 1104 S 14th St – Clinton, IA 52732 – (563) 242-1020
  • Farm Bureau Insurance – 414 S 2nd St – Clinton, IA 52732 – (563) 242-4675
  • State Farm Insurance – 1300 S 14th St – Clinton, IA 52732 – (563) 242-3400
Independent Agents

These agents are not employed by any specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with multiple insurance companies depending on which coverage is best. If you are not satisfied with one company, your agent can switch companies without you having to go to a different agency.

When searching for an agent, it’s a good idea to include at a minimum one independent agency to have the most options to choose from. They often place coverage with lesser-known insurance companies which may provide better rates.

The following is a short list of independent insurance agents in Clinton willing to provide price quotes.

  • A C Root Agency Inc – 1127 N 2nd St # A – Clinton, IA 52732 – (563) 242-2454
  • James F Voss Agency Inc – 819 N 2nd St – Clinton, IA 52732 – (563) 242-5233
  • Insurance Group – 724 N 2nd St – Clinton, IA 52732 – (563) 242-4000
  • Irwin Insurance – 408 S 2nd St # B – Clinton, IA 52732 – (563) 243-2422

For a full directory of car insurance agents in Clinton, go to this page.

Once you have positive responses for all questions you ask and a good coverage price, you have narrowed it down to an auto insurance agent that can service your policy.

More detailed Iowa car insurance information is available at the Iowa Insurance Division website. Iowa drivers can find out industry alerts, read state legal mandates and laws, find out which companies have the most complaints, and read consumer alerts.

The articles below may also help you learn more about car insurance in Clinton

Save $471 a year? Really?

Companies like Allstate and Progressive regularly use ads in print and on television. All the ads make the same claim that you can save if you move your coverage to them. But how can every company say the same thing?

free Clinton IA insurance quote

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that earns them a profit. An example of a driver they prefer could be a mature driver, has no prior claims, and has a short commute. A customer getting a price quote that hits that “sweet spot” is entitled to the best price and therefore will save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who do not match the “perfect” profile will have to pay a more expensive rate which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ads say “people who switch” not “people who quote” save that kind of money. This is how insurance companies can state the savings. Because of the profiling, you should get quotes from several different companies. Because you never know the company that will fit your personal profile best.

A tidy conclusion

We just showed you a lot of tips how to reduce car insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the lowest priced car insurance comes from an unexpected company.

Affordable car insurance is available on the web in addition to many Clinton insurance agents, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some car insurance companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

Consumers change insurance companies for a number of reasons such as high prices, extreme rates for teen drivers, unfair underwriting practices and even denial of a claim. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a new company can be less work than you think.