5 Discounts Ottumwa Shoppers Forget when Shopping for Car Insurance

If online car insurance comparisons are new to you, it's easy to get confused by the sheer number of car insurance companies competing for business in Ottumwa.

car insurance in Ottumwa

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

Shopping for lower car insurance rates can be a lot of work if you don't understand the most efficient way. You can spend your afternoon talking about coverages with local insurance agents in Ottumwa, or you could use the web to quickly compare rates.

Most of the larger companies enroll in a system that allows shoppers to submit their information once, and each company provides a quote. This prevents consumers from doing quote requests for each company you want a rate for.

To submit your quote information now, click here to open in new window.

The one disadvantage to getting quotes like this is you don't know exactly which providers to get pricing from. So if you prefer to choose specific providers to receive pricing from, we put together a list of companies who write car insurance in Iowa. View list of Iowa insurance companies.

Whichever method you choose, be sure to compare identical deductibles and coverage limits for every quote you compare. If you are comparing different values for each quote then you won't be able to determine the best price in Ottumwa. Slightly different coverages may cause a big price difference. Keep in mind that obtaining a wide range of quotes helps locate better pricing.

How much can you save with these 5 discounts?

Companies that sell car insurance do not advertise all available discounts very clearly, so the following is a list of both the well known and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving.

  • Defensive Driving Course - Completing a defensive driving course can save you 5% or more if your company offers it.
  • Passive Restraints - Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts may earn rate discounts of 20% or more.
  • Pay Upfront and Save - By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.
  • Student in College - Youth drivers living away from home attending college without a vehicle on campus can receive lower rates.
  • Life Insurance Discount - Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some credits don't apply to the entire policy premium. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So despite the fact that it appears you can get free auto insurance, car insurance companies aren't that generous.

To choose insurers with the best car insurance discounts in Iowa, click here.

Save 15 percent in 15 minutes? Is it for real?

21st Century, Allstate and State Farm regularly use television and radio advertisements. All the companies have a common claim about savings if you move to their company. How does each company claim to save you money? It's all in the numbers.

All companies have a certain "appetite" for the driver that makes them money. A good example of a profitable customer might be over the age of 50, a clean driving record, and drives newer vehicles. Any new insured that hits that "sweet spot" gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Potential customers who don't meet these standards must pay higher prices and this can result in the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much. That is how companies can truthfully claim big savings. This illustrates why you need to get quotes from several different companies. It's just too difficult to predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

How much car insurance do I need?

When buying coverage for your vehicles, there isn't really a "best" method to buy coverage. Every situation is different.

For example, these questions may help highlight if your insurance needs may require specific advice.

  • Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
  • Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
  • What can I do if my company won't pay a claim?
  • Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
  • What are the financial responsibility laws in Iowa?
  • Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?

If you can't answer these questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.

Even more information can be read at the Iowa Insurance Division website. Visitors are able to discover disciplinary actions, find out industry alerts, and view a list of available companies.

Iowa car insurance

Shop smart and save

Cheap car insurance is possible both online and also from your neighborhood Ottumwa agents, and you should be comparing both so you have a total pricing picture. A few companies may not provide online price quotes and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

We just covered a lot of ways to compare car insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Consumers could even find that the biggest savings come from some of the smallest insurance companies.

Drivers who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including questionable increases in premium, poor customer service, unfair underwriting practices or even not issuing a premium refund. It doesn't matter what your reason, finding a new car insurance company is easier than you think.