7 Guaranteed Ways to Reduce Car Insurance Costs in Cottage Grove

Scraping up a payment for overpriced car insurance can overdraw your personal savings and put the squeeze on your family's finances. Doing a price comparison is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to cut your insurance bill.

You have so many to buy insurance from, and although it's a good thing to have multiple companies, lots of choices makes it harder to compare rates.

Finding affordable coverage in Cottage Grove is easy if you know what you're doing. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will most likely be able to cut costs considerably using this information. But Wisconsin car owners do need to know how companies sell online because it can help you find the best coverage.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Companies don't necessarily list all available discounts very clearly, so we researched some of the more common and also the lesser-known savings tricks you should be using.

  • Safety Course Discount - Taking part in a driver safety course could cut 5% off your bill if you qualify.
  • 55 and Retired - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may receive a small decrease in premiums.
  • Multiple Cars - Buying insurance for all your vehicles on one policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
  • Accident Waiver - Certain companies allow you one accident before your rates go up so long as you haven't had any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
  • Theft Prevention System - Cars that have factory anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
  • Lower Rates for Military - Being on active duty in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
  • Claim Free - Drivers who don't have accidents pay much less when compared with drivers who are more careless.

Consumers should know that most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies don't profit that way.

car insurance in Cottage Grove

How do I know if I need professional advice?

When it comes to buying the best car insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn't really a "perfect" insurance plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else's so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions may help you determine whether or not you would benefit from an agent's advice.

  • Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
  • Am I covered by my employer's commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
  • Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
  • Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?
  • Does my personal auto insurance policy cover using my vehicle for business use?
  • Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
  • Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
  • Am I getting all the discounts available?

If you're not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Is there truth in advertising?

21st Century, Allstate and State Farm consistently run television and radio advertisements. All the companies make an identical promise that you'll save big if you change your coverage to them. How does each company make the same claim? It's all in the numbers.

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that earns them a profit. For instance, a profitable customer could be between 25 and 40, insures multiple vehicles, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. Any new insured who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Drivers who don't measure up to these standards must pay a higher premium and ends up with business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much money. This is how companies can advertise the way they do. This illustrates why you should compare many company's rates. It's just too difficult to predict which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest rates.

More sites with car insurance information

More detailed Wisconsin car insurance information is located at the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance website. Consumers can discover disciplinary actions, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, find out which companies have the most complaints, and learn about insurance regulations.

Cottage Grove car insurance comparison

Shop smart and save

Discount car insurance can be sourced from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Cottage Grove, so you should compare both to have the best selection. Some car insurance companies don't offer you the ability to get quotes online and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When shopping online for car insurance, never buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are a lot of situations where drivers have reduced collision coverage and learned later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.