Never Buy Dickinson, ND Auto Insurance Without Knowing These Money Saving Tricks

I can’t think of a single person who likes having to buy auto insurance, particularly when the price is too high.

Drivers have so many car insurance companies to pick from, and although it’s nice to be able to choose, so many choices can make it hard to compare rates and find the lowest cost auto insurance.

Finding affordable coverage in Dickinson is easy if you know what you’re doing. If you have car insurance now, you will most likely be able to lower your premiums substantially using these techniques. But North Dakota consumers do need to know the way companies compete online because it can help you find the best coverage.

Discounts are available to cut your rates

Car insurance companies don’t always list every discount very well, so here is a list both well-publicized as well as the least known ways to save on auto insurance.

• 55 and Retired – If you’re over the age of 55, you may be able to get better auto insurance rates.
• Organization Discounts – Being a member of a professional or civic organization may earn a discount when buying auto insurance.
• E-sign – Some insurance companies may give you up to $50 simply for signing digitally online.
• Multi-policy Discount – When you have multiple policies with the same company you could get a discount of up to 20% off your total premium.
• Own a Home – Owning a house in Dickinson may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because maintaining a house requires personal responsibility.
• New Car Discount – Putting insurance coverage on a new car can cost up to 25% less compared to insuring an older model.
• Military Rewards – Having a deployed family member could be rewarded with lower premiums.
• Auto/Life Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase life insurance.
• Driver Safety – Successfully completing a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
• Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than less cautious drivers.

Keep in mind that most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies wouldn’t make money that way.

Automobile Insurance Quotes in Dickinson

When shopping for auto insurance there are multiple ways to compare rate quotes from local in Dickinsonauto insurance companies. One of the best ways to find the lowest rates involves getting comparison quotes online. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

1. The fastest way to find the lowest comparison rates is an all-inclusive rate comparison click to view form in new window. This form eliminates the need for a different quote for each company you want a rate for. Taking the time to complete one form gets you coverage quotes from auto insurance companies with the best prices.
2. A harder way to analyze rates is going to the website for each individual company and request a quote. For sake of this example, let’s assume you want to compare rates from USAA, Safeco and Travelers. To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site to enter your coverage information, and that’s why the first method is more popular.

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

3. The hardest method of getting rate comparisons is driving to and from local Dickinson insurance agencies. Buying insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you require the personal advice of a licensed agent. It is possible to compare the best prices online and get advice from an agent in your area and you’ll learn how to do that later.

Which method you use is up to you, but be sure to compare identical coverages for each price quote. If your comparisons have higher or lower deductibles you can’t possibly determine the best price in Dickinson. Slightly different insurance coverages may cause a big price difference. And when quoting auto insurance, remember that more quotes gives you a better chance of getting better pricing.

Make smart decisions and save

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.

The list below includes a partial list of the pieces companies use to determine prices.

• Your auto insurance rates can be influenced by your job – Did you know your job can affect your rates? Jobs such as real estate brokers, business owners and stock brokers tend to have the highest rates due to high stress levels and lots of time spent at work. On the other hand, occupations like actors, students and homemakers receive lower rates.
• Bundling policies can get discounts – The majority of insurers provide better rates to people who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, it’s still a good idea to comparison shop to verify if the discount is saving money. Consumers may find better rates by buying insurance from more than one company.
• Extra coverages can waste money – There are quite a few extra bells and whistles that can waste your money when buying auto insurance. Things like personal injury protection, accident forgiveness and additional equipment coverage may be costing you every month. They may seem good initially, but now you might not need them so remove them from your policy.
• Poor driving leads to higher costs – Whether or not you get tickets impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Drivers who don’t get tickets tend to pay less for car insurance compared to drivers with tickets. Even a single citation can bump up the cost forty percent or more. Drivers with flagrant tickets such as DUI or reckless driving are required to submit a SR-22 form with their state motor vehicle department in order to keep their license.
• What are your deductibles? – The deductibles represent how much money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. Physical damage insurance, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, covers damage that occurs to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply could be colliding with a building, damage from fire, and burglary. The more you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your auto insurance will be.
• Battle of the sexes – Statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, this does not mean women are better drivers. Men and women tend to get into accidents at a similar rate, but the male of the species have costlier accidents. Men also tend to have more aggressive citations such as reckless driving. Youthful male drivers tend to get in the most accidents and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
• Equipment add-ons that lower auto insurance rates – Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Theft prevention devices like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder your vehicle from being stolen.

Car Insurance through a local agent

Some people would rather visit with an insurance agent and that is a personal choice. The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is you may find better rates and still choose a local agent.

Upon completion of this quick form, the quote information is immediately sent to agents in your area who will return price quotes for your coverage. There is no need to even leave your home since price quotes are sent immediately to your email address. How cool is that?! You’ll get the best rates AND an agent nearby.

Choosing a company shouldn’t rely on just the bottom line cost. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

• If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
• Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
• Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
• Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
• If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
• Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
• Which company do they place the most coverage with?

Independent or Captive: It’s your choice

When searching for local Dickinson agents, there are two different types of agents from which to choose. Agents can either be independent or captive.

Captive Insurance Agents

These agents can only write with one company like Allstate, Farmers Insurance, State Farm and AAA. These agents are unable to give you multiple price quotes so keep that in mind. Captive agents receive extensive training on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents.

The following are Dickinson captive insurance agents willing to provide price quote information.

Farmers Insurance Group Agents – 28 2nd Ave E – Dickinson, ND 58601 – (701) 225-9245
State Farm Insurance – 1091 3rd Ave W – Dickinson, ND 58601 – (701) 483-9465
American Family Insurance – 204 Sims St # 202 – Dickinson, ND 58601 – (701) 483-6228

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

These agents do not work for one specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with many different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, the agent simply finds a different carrier without you having to go to a different agency.

When shopping rates, it’s recommended you get quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to ensure the widest selection of prices.

Below is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Dickinson that are able to give comparison quotes.

Beaudoin Insurance – 24 W Villard St – Dickinson, ND 58601 – (701) 227-4467
B W Insurance Inc – 150 W Villard St – Dickinson, ND 58601 – (701) 483-3444
Del Gab Agency – 141 3rd St W – Dickinson, ND 58601 – (701) 483-0325
Price Agency – 208 1st Ave E – Dickinson, ND 58601 – (701) 225-8131
Price Agency – 673 State Ave # D – Dickinson, ND 58601 – (701) 225-8131

For a complete listing of auto insurance agents in Dickinson, go to this page.

After receiving positive feedback for all questions you ask and a low price estimate, you have narrowed it down to an insurance agent that meets your needs to service your policy.

Save 15 percent in 15 minutes? Is it for real?

Companies like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm constantly bombard you with ads in print and on television. All the ads have a common claim of big savings if you switch your policy. How can each company make almost identical claims?

Insurance companies can use profiling for the right customer that is profitable for them. An example of a preferred risk could be between the ages of 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and has a short commute. A customer getting a price quote that hits that “sweet spot” will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably cut their rates substantially.

Drivers who don’t qualify for the requirements will be quoted more money and ends up with the customer not buying. The ad wording is “customers that switch” not “people who quote” save money. That’s the way insurance companies can advertise the savings. This emphasizes why drivers should compare many company’s rates. It’s just too difficult to predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

In conclusion

As you prepare to switch companies, it’s very important that you do not skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are a lot of situations where someone dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to regret at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The aim is to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.

You just read a lot of techniques to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from a small mutual company. They can often insure niche markets at a lower cost as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm or Progressive.

Additional detailed information is available at the North Dakota Insurance Department website. North Dakota consumers can find out which companies have the most complaints, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and learn about specific coverages.