Techniques for Effectively Comparing Maplewood, MN Car Insurance Rates

Finding lower premiums on Maplewood car insurance is difficult for consumers new to comparison shopping online. There are so many companies to choose from that it can easily become more work than you anticipated to locate the lowest price in Maplewood.

It’s smart to price shop coverage occasionally because rates change quite often. If you had the best rates last year you can probably find a better price now. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding car insurance online, so I’m going to show you some great ideas on how to find affordable car insurance.

Discounts are basically free money

Companies don’t list every discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we took the time to find some of the best known and the more hidden ways to save on car insurance. If you aren’t receiving every discount you deserve, you are paying more than you should be.

No Charge for an Accident – A handful of insurance companies will allow you to have one accident without raising rates if your claims history is clear for a certain period of time.
Discount for New Cars – Adding a new car to your policy is cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
Drive Less and Save – Keeping the miles down could be rewarded with discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
Military Discounts – Being on active duty in the military could mean lower rates.
Multi-policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with the same company you could get a discount of up to 20% off your total premium.
Discount for Life Insurance – Some companies give a discount if you purchase life insurance.
Good Student – Getting good grades can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The discount lasts up until you turn 25.
Pay Upfront and Save – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of making monthly payments you could save 5% or more.
Defensive Driver – Taking part in a defensive driving course could save 5% or more if your company offers it.

A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So when the math indicates you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don’t profit that way.

To choose providers with discount car insurance rates in Minnesota, click here.

Finding Car Insurance in Maplewood

Finding lower car insurance rates can be surprisingly simple. The only requirement is to take a few minutes to compare rate quotes from different insurance companies. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.

The easiest and least time consuming way consumers can analyze rates is an all-inclusive rate comparison (click to open form in new window). This form eliminates the need for repetitive form submissions to each individual car insurance company. One quote request gets rate comparisons instantly. This is perfect if you don’t have a lot of time.
A more difficult way to find lower rates is going to the website of each company and request a quote. For example, we’ll assume you want to compare Allstate, Esurance and Liberty Mutual. To get each rate you have to visit each site to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is quicker.
To view a list of companies in Maplewood, click here.
The hardest method to get comparison rates is to drive around to insurance agents’ offices. The ability to buy insurance online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you want the professional guidance only provided by licensed Maplewood agents. You can, however, compare online quotes and get advice from an agent in your area and we’ll talk about that later.

Whichever method you choose, make sure you use apples-to-apples information on every quote. If you use different values for each quote it will be next to impossible to make an equal comparison in Maplewood.

Learn How to Buy Car Insurance Cheaper

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that help determine the price you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in lower car insurance prices.

Performance level impacts rates – The performance level of the vehicle you are buying insurance for makes a big difference in the rate you pay. Lower performance four cylinder passenger models generally receive the lowest base rates, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
Little extras can really add up – There are a ton of extra bells and whistles that you can get tricked into buying if you aren’t careful. Coverages like personal injury protection, accidental death and term life insurance are some examples. These coverages may sound good when you first buy your policy, but if they’re wasting money get rid of them and save.
Rates may be higher depending on your occupation – Occupations such as doctors, social workers and stock brokers tend to have the highest rates attributed to stressful work requirements and long work hours. On the other hand, occupations such as scientists, students and retirees receive lower rates.
Your location affects your rates – Residing in small towns and rural areas is a positive aspect when it comes to car insurance. City drivers tend to have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Less people living in that area translates into fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
The more you drive the more you pay – The higher the mileage driven each year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Most companies charge to insure your cars based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles that are left in the garage receive lower rates compared to those used for work or business. Verify your car insurance declarations sheet properly reflects the correct usage for each vehicle, because improper ratings can cost you money.
Poor driving leads to higher costs – Only having one citation can increase rates forty percent or more. Good drivers tend to pay less for car insurance than people who have multiple driving citations. Drivers with severe tickets like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions are required to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to drive a vehicle legally.

When might I need the advice of an agent?

When choosing the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Each situation is unique.

These are some specific questions may help you determine if your insurance needs may require specific advice.

Is my business laptop covered if it gets stolen from my vehicle?
How many claims can I have before being cancelled?
Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
What if I don’t agree with a claim settlement offer?
Why is insurance for a teen driver so high in Maplewood?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form. It only takes a few minutes and may give you better protection.

Neighborhood insurance agents

A small number of people prefer to buy from a local agent and that is OK! Educated insurance agents can help determine the best coverages and help file insurance claims. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find the lowest rates and still choose a local agent.

To help locate an agent, after submitting this short form, your insurance data gets sent to companies in Maplewood who will battle for your coverage. You don’t have to leave your house because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. It doesn’t get any easier!

Selecting a company requires more thought than just the premium amount. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:

Who are their largest clients?
How are they compensated?
What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
What insurance company do they write the most business with?

Two types of Maplewood car insurance agents

When searching for a reputable insurance agent or broker, there are a couple of types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Insurance agencies in Maplewood are classified as either captive or independent. Both insure your vehicles, but it’s worth learning the difference between them because it can influence the selection process.

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agencies can only place business with one company such as AAA, Allstate, State Farm, Farmers Insurance or Liberty Mutual. Captives cannot give you multiple price quotes so always compare other rates. They are trained well on their products and sales techniques and that can be a competitive advantage. Some people will only choose to use a captive agent primarily because of the brand legacy and strong financial ratings.

Below are captive agents in Maplewood who may provide you with price quote information.

David S Schiminsky State Farm – 2720 Maplewood Dr – Maplewood, MN 55109 – (651) 774-8671
Allstate Insurance – 2580 White Bear Ave N – Maplewood, MN 55109 – (651) 779-8929
American Family Insurance – 2089 County Road D E # C200 – Maplewood, MN 55109 – (651) 484-2025

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

These agents are not employed by any specific company so they can insure your vehicles with many different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To transfer your coverage to a different company, your agent can switch companies and you don’t have to find a new agent.

When comparison shopping, it’s recommended you include several independent insurance agents to get the best comparison. They also have the ability to place coverage with different regional companies which may provide better rates.

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

Kevin Begin Agency Inc – 2091 County Road D E # C – Maplewood, MN 55109 – (651) 484-2025
Jeffrey Welle Agency – 2251 Larpenteur Ave E – Maplewood, MN 55109 – (651) 777-4141
Bill Buhl Agency – 2251 Larpenteur Ave E – Maplewood, MN 55109 – (651) 777-2255
Frank W Heintz Insurance Inc – 2295 Stillwater Rd E – Maplewood, MN 55119 – (651) 738-2863
A Allstar Risk Auto Insurance – 500 Carlton St N – Maplewood, MN 55119 – (651) 578-1566

For a full directory of Maplewood insurance agents, please view this page.

After receiving positive feedback to any questions you have as well as a affordable price, chances are good that you have found a car insurance agent that will properly insure your vehicles.

Cheaper insurance is a realistic goal

Low-cost car insurance can be found online in addition to many Maplewood insurance agents, so you should compare both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.

Consumers leave their current company for a variety of reasons including unfair underwriting practices, questionable increases in premium, high rates after DUI convictions and even being labeled a high risk driver. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch choosing a new insurance company is actually quite simple.

We just presented many ways to compare car insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more price quotes you have, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Consumers may even find the most savings is with a lesser-known regional company.

More detailed Minnesota car insurance information is available at the Minnesota Department of Commerce website. Minnesota consumers can view agent and company licensing information, learn about insurance regulations, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.