9 Discounts Post Falls Shoppers Neglect when Buying Car Insurance on the Internet

If shopping for car insurance online is new to you, it’s easy to be confused due to the large number of online car insurance companies and websites offering insurance in Post Falls.

Compare Post Falls Car Insurance Costs

To find the best car insurance prices, there are several ways to compare rate quotes from car insurance companies in your area. The easiest way to find competitive insurance rates consists of shopping online. This can be accomplished in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

1. Probably the best way to compare a lot of rates at once would be an industry-wide quote request form click to view form in new window. This easy form saves time by eliminating separate quote forms to each individual car insurance company. One quote request gets rate comparisons from many national carriers. Just one form and you’re done.
2. A less efficient way to obtain and compare quotes online requires a visit to each company’s website and request a quote. For sake of this example, we’ll pretend you want to compare Allstate, Liberty Mutual and American Family. To find out each rate you need to spend time on each company’s site to enter your coverage information, and that’s why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in Post Falls, click here.

It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just make absolute certain that you use identical deductibles and coverage limits with every price quote. If the quotes have higher or lower deductibles you will not be able to determine the lowest rate in Post Falls. Quoting even small variations in coverage limits may result in a large different in cost. And when comparing car insurance rates, know that quoting more helps you find the best price.

Drivers who switch save $476 a year? Really?

Companies like GEICO, State Farm and Progressive regularly use ads on television and other media. All the ads have a common claim about savings if you move to their company. How can each company make the same claim?

Different companies have a certain “appetite” for the right customer they prefer to insure. A good example of a desirable insured might be over the age of 50, has no prior claims, and chooses high deductibles. A propective insured who meets those qualifications will qualify for the lowest rates and therefore will save a lot of money.

Consumers who fall outside the requirements will be quoted higher rates and ends up with business not being written. The ad wording is “customers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much money. That is how insurance companies can confidently claim big savings.

This emphasizes why you need to quote coverage with many companies. It’s impossible to know which car insurance company will have the lowest rates.

Don’t overlook these nine discounts

Car insurance can cost a lot, but there could be available discounts that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you quote, but a few must be requested specifically before they will apply.

• Federal Employees – Employees or retirees of the government can earn a discount up to 10% with certain companies.
• Bundle and Save – If you have multiple policies with one insurance company you could get a discount of up to 20% off your total premium.
• Payment Discounts – If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying monthly you could save 5% or more.
• Use Seat Belts – Requiring all passengers to use their safety belts could save 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
• No Claims – Good drivers with no accidents pay less as compared to drivers who are more careless.
• Early Switch Discount – A few companies offer discounts for buying a policy before your current policy expires. It’s a savings of about 10%.
• Lower Rates for Military – Having a family member in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
• Good Student Discount – A discount for being a good student can earn a discount of 20% or more. The discount lasts up until you turn 25.
• Braking Control Discount – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can avoid accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.

It’s important to understand that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. Even though it may seem like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it just doesn’t work that way. But any discount will help reduce the amount you have to pay.

To see a list of companies who offer car insurance discounts in Idaho, click here to view.

Car insurance coverages 101

Learning about specific coverages of a car insurance policy can help you determine which coverages you need for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement.

Auto liability

Liability insurance can cover injuries or damage you cause to other people or property that is your fault. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see limits of 25/50/25 which means a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and property damage coverage for $25,000. Alternatively, you may have a combined limit which combines the three limits into one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability coverage pays for claims such as medical expenses, court costs, emergency aid and bail bonds. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but buy as large an amount as possible. Idaho requires drivers to carry at least 20,000/50,000/15,000 but you should think about purchasing higher limits.

Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Due to the fact that many Idaho drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (which is 20/50/15), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family. Usually the UM/UIM limits are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Collision coverage

Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision coverage pays for claims like sustaining damage from a pot hole, colliding with another moving vehicle, scraping a guard rail and crashing into a building. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to raise the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Coverage for medical expenses

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for expenses for things like chiropractic care, surgery, hospital visits and rehabilitation expenses. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not an option in every state but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Comprehensive car insurance

Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for claims such as hitting a deer, hail damage, theft and fire damage. The highest amount you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

More effort can pay off

When trying to cut insurance costs, make sure you don’t reduce needed coverages to save money. In many cases, an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage only to discover later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your goal should be to buy enough coverage at the best price.

Discount car insurance is attainable both online and with local Post Falls insurance agents, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies do not offer online price quotes and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

Insureds leave their current company for any number of reasons including lack of trust in their agent, high prices, high rates after DUI convictions or even policy non-renewal. No matter why you want to switch, switching car insurance companies is easier than you think.

More resources for learning

Additional car insurance information can be read on the Idaho Department of Insurance website. Click here for link. Idaho consumers can report car insurance fraud, download brochures, and find a variety of consumer forms.

Other informative sites include this site for car insurance rates in Idaho and this list of agents in Post Falls, ID.