5 Discounts Ackley Drivers Forget when Comparing Car Insurance

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

It's important to shop coverage around periodically since rates are constantly changing. If you had the best deal a few years ago 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 find better rates and still maintain coverage.

Save big with these 5 discounts

Car insurance can cost a lot, buy you may qualify for discounts to help offset the cost. Some discounts apply automatically when you purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be manually applied before being credited.

  • Sign Early and Save - Some companies give discounts for buying a policy before your current expiration date. It can save you around 10%.
  • Passive Restraints - Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.
  • Drivers Ed for Students - Have your child take driver's ed class in high school.
  • Federal Employees - Being employed by or retired from a federal job can earn a discount up to 10% with certain companies.
  • Auto/Life Discount - Companies who offer life insurance give better rates if you take out life insurance from them.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will reduce your overall premium however.

To see a list of providers with the best car insurance discounts in Ackley, click this link.

Iowa car insurance

How to Get Ackley Car Insurance Comparison Quotes

There are several ways to get quotes from different Ackley insurance companies. The best method to compare insurance prices is to perform an online rate comparison. This can be done in several different ways.

  • The best way to find low rates is to use a rate comparison form like this one (opens in new window). This form keeps you from doing repetitive form entry for each company. Just one form will return price quotes direct from many companies.It's the quickest way to get rates.
  • A more time consuming way to get quotes online consists of visiting each company website and fill out their own quote form. For instance, we'll pretend you want to compare , and . You would have to go to every website to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is quicker. To view a list of companies in Ackley, click here.
  • The hardest method of comparing rate quotes is to drive around to insurance agents' offices. Shopping for car insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you want 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 be sure to compare exactly the same deductibles and coverage limits for each comparison quote. If you use different values for each quote you can't possibly determine the lowest rate in Ackley. Having just a slight variation in coverages may result in large price differences. Keep in mind that comparing more company's prices will improve the odds of getting better pricing.

But I don't know anything about car insurance

When choosing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a "best" method to buy coverage. Your needs are not the same as everyone else's.

These are some specific questions may help highlight if your situation may require specific advice.

  • Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
  • Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
  • Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
  • Do I have coverage for damage caused while driving under the influence?
  • What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?
  • Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?

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

Car insurance ads bend the truth

Companies like State Farm and Allstate regularly use ads on TV and radio. All the ads make the same claim about savings if you move your coverage to them. How can each company claim to save you money? It's all in the numbers.

Different companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of customer that is profitable for them. An example of a preferred risk might be over the age of 50, a clean driving record, and has a short commute. Any new insured who matches those parameters is entitled to the best price and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Consumers who fall outside the requirements will be charged higher prices which leads to the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" not "people who quote" save that much money. That is how companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings.

That is why drivers must get as many quotes as possible. It's just too difficult to predict which company will fit your personal profile best.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

We just covered some good ideas how to compare car insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more you quote, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from a small mutual company.

Insureds who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including high prices, poor customer service, extreme rates for teen drivers or high rates after DUI convictions. Whatever your reason, finding a new car insurance company is actually quite simple.

As you shop your coverage around, it's a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many cases where someone dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your goal should be to buy enough coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

Iowa car insurance

Additional information is available on the Iowa Insurance Division website found here. Visitors are able to learn about specific coverages, find out industry alerts, and download brochures.