Buy Urbandale Iowa Auto Insurance for Less Money With These Tricks

Having to pay for overpriced auto insurance can dwindle your savings account and force you to make sacrifices. Comparing price quotes is free and is an excellent way to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket. There are many auto insurance companies to insure vehicles with, and although it’s nice to have a choice, so many choices can make it hard to find the lowest rates.

Rate influencing factors

It’s important that you understand some of the elements that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that may reward you with better auto insurance rates.

The following are some of the factors auto insurance companies consider when setting rates.

• What type of vehicle do you drive? – The type of vehicle you own makes a significant difference in the rate you pay. Lower performance four cylinder passenger cars receive the most favorable rates, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
• Your age impacts your rates – More mature drivers are more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and get fewer tickets. Youthful drivers tend to be more careless when driving therefore auto insurance rates are much higher.
• Add-on coverages can add up – There are a lot of add-on coverages that can waste your money on your policy. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, accident forgiveness and term life insurance may be costing you every month. They may seem like a good idea at first, but if they’re wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
• Pleasure use saves money – The higher the mileage driven in a year’s time the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. The majority of insurers charge to insure your cars based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars not used for work or commuting can get a lower rate than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Ask your agent if your auto insurance declarations sheet properly reflects the correct usage for each vehicle, because it can save money.
• Traffic citations inflate rates – Even a single ticket may increase your cost twenty percent or more. Drivers with clean records have lower premiums than their less careful counterparts. Drivers who get dangerous violations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with the DMV in their state in order to prevent a license revocation.
• Don’t let your coverage lapse – Driving with no insurance is a misdemeanor and your next policy will cost more because you let your insurance expire. Not only will rates go up, but not being able to provide proof of insurance will get you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.

Don’t miss out on these money-saving discounts

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but there are discounts available to help offset the cost. Some trigger automatically at the time you complete a quote, but a few must be specially asked for prior to receiving the credit. If you’re not getting every credit you deserve, you are throwing money away.

• Braking Control Discount – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems are safer to drive and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
• Pay Upfront and Save – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of paying each month you could save 5% or more.
• Memberships – Being a member of certain professional organizations is a good way to get lower rates when buying auto insurance.
• Bundle and Save – If you have multiple policies with one insurance company you could get a discount of approximately 10% to 15%.
• Student Driver Training – Cut your cost by having your teen driver take driver’s ed class if offered at their school.
• Discounts for Safe Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents may save up to 50% more than drivers with accidents.
• Multiple Vehicles – Having multiple vehicles on one policy could earn a price break for each car.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discounts do not apply the the whole policy. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn’t work that way. Any qualifying discounts will cut the cost of coverage.

To choose insurance companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Urbandale, click here.

The fine print in auto insurance ads

Consumers in Iowa constantly see and hear ads for the lowest price auto insurance by companies like State Farm, GEICO and Progressive. All the ads make the same claim that you can save if you switch to them.

How can each company claim to save you money? This is how they do it.

Different companies are able to cherry pick for the driver they prefer to insure. A good example of a desirable insured might be between the ages of 40 and 55, owns a home, and has excellent credit. A customer who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and as a result will probably save a lot of money.

Drivers who fall outside the “perfect” profile will have to pay higher rates which usually ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say “drivers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much. That’s the way companies can truthfully advertise the way they do.

Because of the profiling, you should get as many quotes as possible. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Do I need special coverages?

When it comes to buying adequate coverage, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s situation is a little different so this has to be addressed. Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover whether you will benefit from professional help.

• Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
• Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
• Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
• Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
• Should I sign the liability waiver when renting a car?
• Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
• What if I total my vehicle and owe more than it’s worth?
• Is my vehicle covered for flood damage?
• Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
• Who is covered when they drive my vehicle?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.

Additional consumer information websites

Additional information is located on the website for the Iowa Insurance Division found here. Visitors are able to view agent and company licensing information, file complaints about a company, discover disciplinary actions, and learn about specific coverages.

Cheaper insurance is a realistic goal

As you prepare to switch companies, don’t be tempted to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There have been many cases where consumers will sacrifice uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your goal should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate.

We just covered quite a bit of information on how to reduce auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Consumers may even find the biggest savings come from some of the lesser-known companies. Regional companies often have lower prices on specific markets than their larger competitors like GEICO and State Farm.