Free Guide to Saving Money on Ames Car Insurance Online

Overpriced car insurance can dwindle your bank account and put a big crunch on your finances. Shopping your coverage around is a great way to lower your monthly bill.

You have so many to pick from, and although it's a good thing to be able to choose, lots of choices makes it harder to compare rates.

It's important to shop coverage around on a regular basis because rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the best deal a year ago you can probably find a better price now. So just ignore everything you know about car insurance because you're going to learn the proper way to find better rates and still maintain coverage.

Tips to Get Lower Ames Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that help determine your car insurance rates. Knowing what influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with better car insurance rates.

  • Where do you drive? - Driving more miles in a year's time the more you will pay for car insurance. Almost all companies rate vehicles based on their usage. Cars that are left in the garage can get a lower rate than those used for commuting. Verify your car insurance coverage shows the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.
  • Being married is a good thing - Being married can get you a discount on car insurance. It translates into being more mature and statistics show married drivers get in fewer accidents.
  • Where you live - Residing in a small town can be a good thing when it comes to car insurance. Urban drivers regularly have much more traffic and longer commute times. Fewer people means a lower chance of having an accident and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
  • Choose a safe vehicle and save - Safer cars get lower rates. These vehicles protect occupants better and fewer injuries translates into savings for insurance companies and thus lower rates.
  • Small claims can cost you - If you file claims often, you can expect either higher rates or even cancellation. Car insurance companies in Iowa generally give lower rates to drivers who do not file claims often. Car insurance is meant to be used in the event of the bigger claims that can't be paid out-of-pocket.
  • Occupation reflects on rates - Did you know your job can affect your rates? Jobs such as doctors, social workers and financial analysts have higher average rates due to high stress and long work hours. Conversely, professions such as pilots, engineers and performers get better rates.

Iowa car insurance quotes

Save big with these discounts

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, buy you may qualify for discounts that you may not know about. Some discounts apply automatically at quote time, but some must be specifically requested in order for you to get them.

  • Life Insurance Discount - Some companies give a discount if you purchase life insurance from them.
  • Sign Online - Some insurance companies will give a small break just for signing your application over the internet.
  • Accident Waiver - Certain companies allow you one accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don't have any claims for a certain period of time.
  • Bundle and Save - If you insure your home and vehicles with the same company you could get a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.
  • Passive Restraints - Factory air bags or automatic seat belts may earn rate discounts up to 30%.

Keep in mind that some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So when the math indicates you could get a free car insurance policy, it just doesn't work that way. But any discount will bring down your overall premium however.

To choose companies who offer car insurance discounts in Iowa, click here.

Car insurance ads bend the truth

Car insurance companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive continually stream ads on TV and radio. They all seem to have a common claim that you can save after switching your coverage to them. How does each company make the same claim? It's all in the numbers.

Different companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that makes them money. An example of a desirable insured could be over the age of 50, insures multiple vehicles, and has excellent credit. A customer that hits that "sweet spot" will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will save when switching.

Potential insureds who fall outside these standards will have to pay more money and this can result in business going elsewhere. The ad wording is "customers who switch" not "people who quote" save that much money. This is how insurance companies can make those claims.

Because of the profiling, you should get as many comparisons as possible. Because you never know which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

More information is available on the website for the Iowa Insurance Division found here. Consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, get help finding coverage, view agent and company licensing information, and find disaster information.

Other informative sites include Wikipedia and this page where you can research Ames insurance agents.

Affordable insurance is out there

While you're price shopping online, make sure you don't buy poor coverage just to save money. In many instances, drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to find out they didn't purchase enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to get the best coverage possible at the best price.

Affordable car insurance can be sourced from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Ames, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some companies don't offer online price quotes and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

We just showed you a lot of techniques to save on car insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the biggest savings come from some of the smallest insurance companies. Some small companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than their larger competitors like .