Find the Cheapest Northwood Auto Insurance

Comparison shopping for Northwood auto insurance is challenging for consumers new to buying insurance online. Drivers have so many companies to choose from that it can be a challenge to find the best price in Northwood.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Companies don't list every discount in a way that's easy to find, so here is a list some of the best known as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving.

Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully complete driver's ed class if it's offered in school.
Employee of Federal Government - Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% with a few auto insurance companies.
New Vehicle Savings - Buying coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
Seat Belt Usage - Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could cut 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
Claim Free - Claim-free drivers can earn big discounts when compared to drivers who are more careless.
Low Mileage Discounts - Fewer annual miles can qualify you for a substantially lower rate.

A little note about advertised discounts, some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. A few only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like it's possible to get free car insurance, you won't be that lucky.

Tips to Get Lower Northwood Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that help determine auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.

An active claims history can cost you - Companies in Iowa generally give cheaper rates to insureds who do not file claims often. If you file claims often, you can look forward to either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Rate your vehicle for proper use - Driving more miles every year the higher your rate. Almost all companies price each vehicle's coverage based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars left parked in the garage can get a lower rate compared to those used for work or business. Make sure your auto insurance coverage is rated on the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.
Do you have a high stress job? - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Careers like doctors, social workers and dentists have the highest average rates because of high stress levels and lengthy work days. Other occupations like farmers, historians and performers get better rates.
Safer occupants lowers premiums - Cars with high safety ratings get lower rates. The safest vehicles protect occupants better and better occupant protection translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Policy add-ons can waste money - There are a ton of extra bells and whistles that can waste your money if you aren't careful. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, accident forgiveness and additional equipment coverage are some examples. These may sound like a good investment when you first buy your policy, but now you might not need them so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
Multiple policies with one company can save - Many insurance companies provide better rates to people who have multiple policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can be 10 percent or more. Even if you're getting this discount you still need to compare other company rates to verify if the discount is saving money. You may still find better rates by insuring with multiple companies.
Older drivers pay less - Mature drivers are more cautious drivers, tend to file fewer claims and are safer drivers. Teenage drivers are known to be more careless in a vehicle and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher.
High credit ratings translate to low rates - Having a bad credit history is a important factor in your rate calculation. If your credit is not that good, you could potentially save money when insuring your by improving your credit score. People with high credit scores tend to be more responsible than drivers who have lower credit scores.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Auto insurance providers like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO continually stream television and radio advertisements. They all have a common claim about savings after switching your coverage to them. How can each company say the same thing?

All companies can use profiling for the type of customer that earns them a profit. An example of a driver they prefer might be profiled as a mature driver, is a homeowner, and drives newer vehicles. A propective insured that hits that "sweet spot" receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Drivers who don't qualify for the requirements will be quoted higher premiums and this can result in business not being written. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much money. That's why companies can truthfully claim big savings. This emphasizes why drivers should compare many company's rates. It's not possible to predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.

Even more information is available at the Iowa Insurance Division website. Iowa drivers can download brochures, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and read industry bulletins.

Do the work, save more money

Drivers change insurance companies for a number of reasons such as extreme rates for teen drivers, high rates after DUI convictions, delays in paying claims and even being labeled a high risk driver. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new insurance company is less work than it seems.

When trying to cut insurance costs, it's a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many situations where an accident victim reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that it was a big mistake. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.

Cheaper auto insurance can be purchased on the web as well as from independent agents in Northwood, and you need to price shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. A few companies don't offer you the ability to get quotes online and these smaller companies work with independent agents.