How to Know You're Paying Too Much for Auto Insurance in Middleton

No one in their right mind looks forward to paying for auto insurance, in particular when the price is too high. Big companies like State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive increase brand awareness with advertising and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

It's important to get comparison quotes occasionally because prices are constantly changing. Even if you got the best deal six months ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. So forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because you're going to get a crash course in the proper way to save on auto insurance.

If you have a current auto insurance policy or are shopping for new coverage, you can follow these tips to shop for the lowest rates and possibly find even better coverage. Buying car insurance in Middleton is not that difficult. Idaho consumers only need to know the most effective way to get comparison rates over the internet.

Save big with these discounts

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but companies offer discounts to reduce the price significantly. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time of quoting, but some must be requested specifically before you will receive the discount. If you aren't receiving every discount you qualify for, you're paying more than you need to.

Bundle and Save - When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same company you may earn up to 20% off your total premium.
Anti-lock Brake Discount - Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can reduce accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
Discount for New Cars - Buying coverage on a new vehicle can be considerably cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
Payment Method - If you pay your bill all at once instead of paying each month you could save 5% or more.
Memberships - Participating in a civic or occupational organization could qualify you for a break on auto insurance.
Federal Employees - Being employed by or retired from a federal job can save as much as 8% with select insurance companies.
Accident Forgiveness - A handful of insurance companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don't have any claims prior to the accident.

A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. Just because you may think all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will reduce your overall premium however.

To see a list of companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Middleton, follow this link.

Automobile Insurance Quotes in Middleton, ID

Finding cheaper auto insurance prices is not a difficult process. You just have to take the time to compare quotes provided by online insurance companies. It is quite easy and can be accomplished using a couple different methods.

The best way consumers can analyze rates is to use a rate comparison form like this one (opens in new window). This method saves time by eliminating boring form submissions for every auto insurance company. A single form gets rate comparisons from all major companies.
A more difficult way to get quotes online is spending the time to visit the website for each individual company to complete a price quote. For instance, we'll pretend you want to compare , and . To get rate quotes you would need to go to every website and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is quicker. To view a list of companies in Middleton, click here.
The least efficient method to get comparison rates is driving to local Middleton insurance agencies. The ability to buy insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you want the trained guidance of a local Middleton agent. You can, however, obtain prices from the web and still use a local agent. We'll cover that shortly.

Whichever way you use, make absolute certain that you use exactly the same information with each company. If you are comparing higher or lower deductibles you can't possibly make an equal comparison in Middleton.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with lower auto insurance prices.

The following are some of the factors that factor into rates.

Where you reside plays a part - Living in a rural area can be a good thing when insuring your vehicles. Fewer people means reduced accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. Urban drivers regularly have much more traffic to deal with and longer commute times. Higher commute times means more change of being in an accident.
Clean credit earns discounts - Credit history is a big factor in determining your rates. So if your credit history is not that good, you could pay less to insure your by improving your credit score. Consumers who have good credit tend to be less risk to insure than drivers who have lower credit scores.
Please use or commuting - Driving more miles each year the more you will pay for auto insurance. The majority of insurers apply a rate based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles left parked in the garage can get a lower rate than those used for commuting. Make sure your auto insurance coverage is rated on the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.
Save money with special equipment - Owning a car with a theft deterrent system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can help prevent your car from being stolen.

But I don't know anything about car insurance

When choosing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Your needs are not the same as everyone else's so your insurance needs to address that. These are some specific questions might point out if your situation would benefit from professional advice.

What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
Who is covered when they drive my vehicle?
Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
Do I qualify for additional discounts?
Do I have coverage for damage caused while driving under the influence?
What can I do if my company won't pay a claim?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.

Auto insurance ads bend the truth

Idaho consumers can't get away from ads for cheaper car insurance from companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive. They all seem to say the same thing about savings after switching your policy.

How can each company make almost identical claims? It's all in the numbers.

All companies have a certain "appetite" for the right customer that is profitable for them. An example of a desirable insured could possibly be a mature driver, owns a home, and has a high credit rating. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile gets the lowest rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who fall outside the requirements will have to pay more money which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" not "people who quote" save that kind of money. That is how companies can truthfully state the savings.

Because of the profiling, drivers must get as many quotes as possible. It's impossible to know which company will have the lowest rates.

And the best car insurance company is...

As you restructure your insurance plan, it's not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that they should have had better coverage. The ultimate goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price.

The cheapest auto insurance can be purchased online in addition to many Middleton insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

For more Idaho car insurance information

Additional information is available on the website for the Idaho Department of Insurance found here. Idaho consumers can view agent and company licensing information, find out industry alerts, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and view a list of available companies.