Car Insurance in Polson - 6 Discounts to Save Money

If you've never shopped for car insurance online, it's easy to get confused by the large number of car insurance companies competing for business in Polson.

It's important to compare rates occasionally since rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best deal last year the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. So forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because we're going to show you the only way to properly buy coverages and cut your premium.

Take advantage of discounts

Companies that sell car insurance do not list all their discounts very well, so here is a list both the well known and the harder-to-find ways to save on car insurance.

College Student - Any of your kids who live away from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle may qualify for this discount.
Braking Control Discount - Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can reduce accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
Bundle and Save - When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same company you may earn 10% to 20% off each policy.
Auto/Life Discount - Companies who offer life insurance give a break if you buy life insurance from them.
Federal Employees - Being employed by or retired from a federal job can earn a discount up to 10% with select insurance companies.
Homeowners Savings - Owning a house in Polson may earn you a small savings due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So when it seems like you could get a free car insurance policy, car insurance companies aren't that generous.

To see a list of companies who offer car insurance discounts in Montana, click this link.

Automobile Insurance Quotes in Polson, MT

There are several ways to get quotes from different Polson insurance companies. The best method to find competitive insurance rates consists of shopping online. This can be done in several different ways.

The best way to find the lowest comparison rates is to use a rate comparison form like this one (opens in new window). This form eliminates the need for separate quotation requests for each company. A single form gets rate comparisons from car insurance companies with the best prices. This is by far the quickest method.
A more time consuming way to compare rate quotes is spending the time to visit each company's website and fill out their own quote form. For instance, let's assume you want to compare , and . You would have to go to every website and enter your policy data, and that's why the first method is more popular.

To view a list of companies in Polson, click here.
The hardest method to get comparison rates is driving to insurance agents' offices. Buying insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you have a need for the trained guidance of a licensed agent. Drivers can obtain prices from the web and still use a local agent and we'll cover that in a bit.

It's up to you how you get prices quotes, just make absolute certain that you use apples-to-apples information for every quote you compare. If you are comparing higher or lower deductibles you will not be able to determine the best price in Polson. Having just a slight variation in coverages may result in a large different in cost. And when quoting car insurance, remember that getting more free quotes provides better odds of finding the best price.

How to know if you need help

When choosing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no "best" method to buy coverage. Every insured's situation is different.

These are some specific questions might point out whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.

What are Montana no-fault laws?
Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
Do I have coverage for damage caused while driving under the influence?
What are the financial responsibility laws in Montana?
Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?

If it's difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.

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 the same claim about savings after switching to their company. But how can every company claim to save you money? This is how they do it.

Different companies have a certain "appetite" for the driver that is profitable for them. An example of a desirable insured might be a mature driver, owns a home, and drives newer vehicles. Any new insured who matches those parameters gets the lowest rates and most likely will save a lot of money.

Potential customers who don't qualify for this ideal profile will have to pay higher prices which leads to the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "drivers who switch" not "people who quote" save that much. That is how companies can truthfully claim big savings. Because of the profiling, drivers must get quotes from several different companies. It's just too difficult to predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

Shop smart and save

When trying to cut insurance costs, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are many occasions where an insured cut comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that it was a big mistake. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price.

Insureds change insurance companies for any number of reasons including not issuing a premium refund, policy cancellation, policy non-renewal or delays in paying claims. No matter why you want to switch, switching car insurance companies is actually quite simple.

Cheap car insurance can be purchased both online and also from your neighborhood Polson agents, and you need to price shop both so you have a total pricing picture. A few companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

Even more information is available at the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance website. Visitors are able to read enforcement actions against agents and companies, find out industry alerts, and view agent and company licensing information.

Additional helpful sites include Auto Insurance 101 and this page of insurance agents in Polson.