Tightwads Tips for Saving on Cavalier Auto Insurance

Scraping up a payment for overpriced auto insurance can empty your savings account, especially in this economy. Doing a price comparison is a great way to lower your monthly bill.

Drivers have multiple to pick from, and although it's nice to be able to choose, it can be more challenging to compare rates.

It's important to compare prices on a regular basis since insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you had the best deal a few years ago you can probably find a better price now. Starting now, ignore everything you know about auto insurance because it's time to teach you the proper way to find lower rates on auto insurance.

Finding the best rates in Cavalier is easy if you know what you're doing. If you currently have car insurance, you will be able to save some money using this strategy. But North Dakota vehicle owners do need to know the way insurance companies sell insurance online and take advantage of how the system works.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that go into determining auto insurance rates. Knowing what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that may reward you with better auto insurance rates.

Listed below are some of the factors auto insurance companies consider when setting rates.

  • Where do you drive? - The more miles you rack up on your car in a year's time the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most insurance companies price each vehicle's coverage based on how the vehicle is used. Cars that are left in the garage can get a lower rate than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Verify your auto insurance policy shows how each vehicle is driven, because it can save money.
  • Are you male or female? - Statistics have proven that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn't necessarily mean that men are worse drivers. Men and women are in accidents at about the same rate, but the males cause more damage. They also get more serious tickets like reckless driving and DUI. Teenage male drivers are the most expensive to insure and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.
  • Traffic citations inflate rates - Just one speeding ticket can boost insurance rates twenty percent or more. Careful drivers get better rates than bad drivers. Drivers who have serious citations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may need to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
  • Special features that cut premiums - Purchasing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft features such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all aid in stopping auto theft.
  • High crash test scores lower rates - Safer cars get lower rates. These vehicles reduce injuries and better occupant protection translates into savings for insurance companies and thus lower rates.
  • Poor credit can mean higher rates - Credit score is a big factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. If your credit is lower than you'd like, you could save money insuring your by spending a little time repairing your credit. Drivers who have good credit tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with poor credit.

North Dakota auto insurance quotes

Are you getting all your discounts?

Companies that sell car insurance do not advertise all their discounts very clearly, so here is a list some of the best known and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving.

  • Life Insurance Discount - Select insurance companies reward you with a discount if you purchase life insurance from them.
  • Accident Waiver - Certain companies allow you one accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don't have any claims for a certain period of time.
  • Good Student Discount - This discount can save 20 to 25%. The discount lasts until age 25.
  • New Vehicle Savings - Adding a new car to your policy can cost up to 25% less compared to insuring an older model.
  • Payment Discounts - By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.
  • Own a Home - Owning a house in Cavalier can save you money because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
  • Drivers Education - Cut your cost by having your teen driver complete a driver education course in school.
  • Drive Less and Save - Driving fewer miles can qualify you for a substantially lower rate.
  • Defensive Driver - Taking a course teaching defensive driving skills could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.
  • Passive Restraints - Factory air bags or automatic seat belts may earn rate discounts of more than 20%.

Drivers should understand that some credits don't apply to all coverage premiums. Most cut specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So despite the fact that it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies wouldn't make money that way.

To choose companies offering auto insurance discounts in North Dakota, click here.

How can GEICO, State Farm and Progressive save drivers who switch?

Auto insurance companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads on television and other media. They all seem to have a common claim that you'll save big if you switch to their company. How does each company say the same thing? It's all in the numbers.

Different companies have a preferred profile for the driver that makes them money. An example of a desirable insured might be profiled as a mature driver, insures multiple vehicles, and has a short commute. A propective insured that hits that "sweet spot" gets the lowest rates and as a result will probably save when switching.

Potential customers who are not a match for these standards will have to pay a higher premium and this can result in business not being written. The ads say "customers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much. This is how companies can make the claims of big savings. Because of the profiling, you should get quotes from several different companies. It's not possible to predict which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

More detailed North Dakota auto insurance information is available at the North Dakota Insurance Department website. North Dakota drivers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, learn about insurance regulations, file complaints about a company, and view a list of available companies.

Other informative sites include Wikipedia and this page where you can research Cavalier insurance agents.

Affordable insurance is out there

As you shop your coverage around, make sure you don't buy poor coverage just to save money. In many instances, drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The ultimate goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at the best price.

Budget-conscious auto insurance is available on the web and also from your neighborhood Cavalier agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance providers may not provide online price quotes and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

In this article, we covered a lot of ways to save on auto insurance. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may be surprised to find that the best price on auto insurance is with some of the smallest insurance companies. Some small companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates than the large multi-state companies such as .