5 Top Tricks to Cut Car Insurance Costs in Bedford

Shopping for the most affordable Bedford car insurance online is intimidating for consumers not familiar with buying insurance on the web. Since there are so many companies competing online, how can consumers have a chance to compare every company to locate the best price?

It's important to take a look at other company's rates yearly since rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the best rates last year a different company probably has better rates today. You'll find quite a bit of inaccurate information about car insurance online but we're going to give you some great ways to find cheap car insurance.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Car insurance can cost a lot, but you can get discounts that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be applied at the time of quoting, but some may not be applied and must be asked for before you will receive the discount.

Good Student Discount - Performing well in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The good student discount can last up until you turn 25.
Life Insurance Discount - Companies who offer life insurance give better rates if you take out auto and life insurance together.
Clubs and Organizations - Belonging to a civic or occupational organization may earn a discount on your policy.
Government Employees - Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount with certain companies.
Anti-lock Brakes - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can avoid accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. Just because it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, car insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will reduce the cost of coverage.

Tailor your coverage to you

When it comes to buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a "perfect" insurance plan. Every insured's situation is different.

For instance, these questions can help discover whether you might need an agent's assistance.

Should I buy only the required Iowa minimum liability coverage?
What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?
Do I qualify for additional discounts?
Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in Iowa?
Should I buy additional glass protection?
Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?

If you can't answer these questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.

How can State Farm and Allstate save drivers who switch?

Companies like State Farm and Allstate consistently run ads on television and other media. All the ads have a common claim about savings if you change to their company. How can each company make the same claim? This is how they do it.

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the driver that earns them a profit. A good example of a preferred risk could be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no prior claims, and drives newer vehicles. Any new insured that hits that "sweet spot" will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who are not a match for the requirements will be charged more money and this can result in business going elsewhere. The ad wording is "drivers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much. This is how companies can truthfully claim big savings.

That is why drivers should compare many company's rates. It's just too difficult to predict which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

Learn more about car insurance in Iowa

Additional information can be read on the Iowa Insurance Division website. Click here for link. Consumers can file complaints about a company, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

Do the work, save more money

You just learned a lot of techniques to reduce car insurance prices online. It's most important to understand that the more you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from a lesser-known regional company.

When trying to cut insurance costs, it's a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many cases where consumers will sacrifice collision coverage and discovered at claim time that it was a big mistake. Your goal should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.

Cheap car insurance can be sourced from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Bedford agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. A few companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.