7 Tricks Guaranteed to Lower Car Insurance Costs in St Paul

Expensive car insurance can drain your personal savings and force you to prioritize other expenses. Comparison shopping is free and is an excellent way to tighten up your finances.

Online insurance companies like State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive continually hit you with fancy advertisements and consumers find it hard to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

How much can you save with these seven discounts?

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but companies offer discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time of purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be inquired about prior to receiving the credit.

Defensive Driving Course - Completing a defensive driving course could cut 5% off your bill if you qualify.
Save with a New Car - Buying coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
No Claims - Drivers who don't have accidents can save substantially when compared with drivers who are more careless.
Pay Upfront and Save - If paying your policy premium upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.
Seat Belts Save more than Lives - Buckling up and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts can save 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
Own a Home - Owning a home in St Paul may earn you a small savings because of the fact that having a home is proof that your finances are in order.
Government Employees - Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% depending on your company.

As a disclaimer on discounts, many deductions do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only cut individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like you can get free auto insurance, car insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will reduce the amount you have to pay.

How much car insurance do I need?

When it comes to buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a "best" method to buy coverage. Everyone's situation is a little different so this has to be addressed. For example, these questions can help discover if your insurance needs would benefit from professional advice.

Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
Do I have coverage for damage caused while driving under the influence?

If it's difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Save 15 percent in 15 minutes? Is it for real?

21st Century, Allstate and State Farm regularly use television and radio advertisements. All the companies make the same claim about savings if you move your policy. How can each company claim to save you money?

All companies have a preferred profile for the right customer that earns them a profit. For example, a profitable customer might be a mature driver, has no prior claims, and has great credit. Any new insured who matches those parameters will qualify for the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who don't meet the requirements must pay higher prices which leads to the customer not buying. The ad wording is "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. This is how companies can truthfully advertise the savings.

This illustrates why drivers should compare many company's rates. It's just too difficult to predict which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

Additional information can be found on the website for the Arkansas Insurance Department located here. Visitors are able to discover disciplinary actions, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, read industry bulletins, and view a list of available companies.

Shop smart and save

Cheap car insurance is definitely available both online in addition to many St Paul insurance agents, and you need to price shop both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When you buy insurance online, it's not a good idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are a lot of situations where consumers will sacrifice uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The proper strategy is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.