Tightwads Guide for Saving on Edinburg Car Insurance

Nobody I know looks forward to paying for car insurance, particularly when the price is too high.

Insurance companies such as State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive continually bombard you with advertising and consumers find it hard to sift through the bull and take the time to shop coverage around.

It's important to shop coverage around occasionally due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. Despite the fact that you may have had the best deal last year a different company probably has better rates today. So just forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because I'm going to teach you the proper way to find better rates and still maintain coverage.

Take advantage of discounts

Companies don't list all their discounts in a way that's easy to find, so here is a list both the well known as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.

College Student - Kids in college who live away from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle may qualify for this discount.
Anti-lock Brake System - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
Senior Citizens - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get a small decrease in premiums.
Payment Method - If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save up to 5%.
Drive Less and Save - Fewer annual miles can qualify you for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.

It's important to note that most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most cut individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you're out of luck.

Tips to Get Lower Edinburg Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that help determine the rates you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with big savings.

The following are some of the factors used by your company to calculate rates.

Older drivers pay less - Older drivers are viewed as being more responsible, file fewer claims and receive fewer citations. Youthful drivers are known to be less responsible behind the wheel and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher.
Bundling policies can get discounts - Many insurers will give a discount to insureds who carry more than one policy such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can be five, ten or even twenty percent. Even with this discount, you still need to compare other company rates to verify if the discount is saving money.
Men pay higher rates - Statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, this does not mean women are BETTER drivers than men. They both tend to get into accidents at about the same rate, but the males have costlier accidents. They also receive more costly citations like DUI and reckless driving. Young males are most likely to cause an accident and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
Theft deterrents lower rates - Owning a car with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM's OnStar system can help prevent car theft.

How to know if you need help

When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance should reflect that These are some specific questions might point out whether your personal situation might need an agent's assistance.

What are North Dakota no-fault laws?
Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in North Dakota?
Should I buy additional glass protection?
What can I do if my company won't pay a claim?
Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?

If you're not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you don't have a local agent, complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Are car insurance companies telling the truth?

Car insurance companies such as Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm continually stream ads on TV and radio. They all seem to make an identical promise that you can save after switching your coverage to them. How can each company claim to save you money?

All the different companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of customer that earns them a profit. An example of a desirable insured might be between the ages of 30 and 50, owns a home, and has great credit. Any driver who meets those qualifications gets the lowest rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Drivers who don't qualify for the requirements will have to pay higher premiums and ends up with the customer not buying. The ads say "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save that much money. That is how insurance companies can advertise the savings. Because of the profiling, drivers should compare many company's rates. You cannot predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

For more North Dakota car insurance information

Additional detailed information is available at the North Dakota Insurance Department website. Visitors are able to read enforcement actions against agents and companies, read consumer alerts, learn about insurance regulations, and view a list of available companies.

Affordable insurance is out there

As you prepare to switch companies, it's not a good idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are many occasions where an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your aim should be to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford.

Lower-priced car insurance can be bought both online as well as from independent agents in Edinburg, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who don't offer you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.