Tightwads Guide for Saving on West Fargo Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you you're not alone.

Popular companies such as GEICO and Progressive constantly blast consumers with fancy advertisements and consumers find it hard to sift through the bull and take the time to shop coverage around.

If you are paying for car insurance now, you should be able to cut costs considerably using this strategy. Finding the best rates in West Fargo is quite easy. Nevertheless, North Dakota consumers do need to know the way insurance companies market on the web because it can help you find the best coverage.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to big savings.

The list below includes a partial list of the pieces that factor into prices.

Rates may be higher depending on your occupation - Careers like judges, executives and dentists are shown to have the highest average rates due to job stress and lots of time spent at work. Other occupations such as actors, historians and the unemployed pay the least.
Protect your assets with liability insurance - The liability section of your policy provides coverage when you are found liable for damages caused by your negligence. Liability provides legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so drivers should carry high limits.
Always keep insurance in force - Driving your car without having proper coverage is against the law and you will pay a penalty because you let your insurance lapse. And not only will your rates increase, but not being able to provide proof of insurance might get you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
Do you know your deductibles? - Physical damage deductibles define the amount you are required to spend out-of-pocket before your auto insurance pays a claim. Physical damage insurance, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, covers damage that occurs to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be running into the backend of another car, vandalism, or theft. The more the insured has to pay upfront, the less your auto insurance will be.
Choose a safe vehicle and save - Vehicles with good safety scores tend to have better insurance rates. The safest vehicles have better occupant injury protection and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Extra coverages can waste money - There are a lot of extra coverages that can waste your money when buying auto insurance. Insurance for rental car reimbursement, accident forgiveness and membership fees may be wasting your money. They may seem good initially, but your needs may have changed so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Companies do not advertise every discount in a way that's easy to find, so we researched both the well known and also the lesser-known ways to save on auto insurance.

No Claims - Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay much less when compared to accident-prone drivers.
Organization Discounts - Being a member of a civic or occupational organization could trigger savings when shopping for auto insurance.
Seat Belts Save more than Lives - Buckling up and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could cut 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
Homeowners Discount - Simply owning a home may earn you a small savings because of the fact that having a home shows financial diligence.
Low Mileage Discounts - Keeping the miles down could be rewarded with better rates on cars that stay parked.
Defensive Driving Course - Taking part in a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount if your company offers it.
Drivers Ed for Students - Cut your cost by having your teen driver successfully complete driver's ed class in high school.
Military Discounts - Having a family member in the military can result in better rates.

Consumers should know that many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies don't profit that way.

To choose insurance companies with the best auto insurance discounts in West Fargo, click this link.

How can Progressive, Allstate and GEICO save drivers who switch?

Auto insurance providers like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO regularly use ads on television and other media. They all make the same claim of big savings if you move your policy. How can each company claim to save you money? It's all in the numbers.

All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer that makes them money. For instance, a driver they prefer might be a mature driver, has no driving citations, and has a high credit rating. A customer getting a price quote who matches those parameters will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Consumers who are not a match for the requirements will be quoted higher rates which leads to the customer not buying. The ad wording is "customers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that kind of money. That's the way insurance companies can confidently state the savings. This emphasizes why you should compare many company's rates. It's impossible to know which auto insurance company will have the lowest rates.

Learn more about North Dakota auto insurance

More tips and info about auto insurance is located at the North Dakota Insurance Department website. Visitors are able to read industry bulletins, find out which companies have the most complaints, find a variety of consumer forms, and report car insurance fraud.

Do the work, save more money

Cost effective auto insurance is definitely available both online in addition to many West Fargo insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies do not provide online price quotes and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.

As you restructure your insurance plan, it's a bad idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. There are too many instances where someone sacrificed collision coverage and learned later that they should have had better coverage. Your strategy should be to get the best coverage possible at the best price while still protecting your assets.