Tightwads Guide to Saving on Pinehurst Auto Insurance

Having to pay for overpriced auto insurance can empty your personal savings and force you to prioritize other expenses. Comparing price quotes is a great way to help make ends meet.

With consumers having so many choices of insurance companies, it's nearly impossible to find the lowest cost company.

Finding the best rates in Pinehurst is quite easy. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will be able to lower your premiums substantially using this strategy. Nevertheless, Idaho vehicle owners do need to know how companies market on the web and use this information to your advantage.

Pinehurst Rates are Influenced by These Factors

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates enables informed choices that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

The list below includes a few of the "ingredients" auto insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

  • Protect your assets with liability insurance - The liability section of your policy is the protection if a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability provides for a legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not skimp.
  • High deductibles save money - The deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. Coverage for physical damage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, covers damage that occurs to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply are colliding with a building, vandalism, and rolling your vehicle. The higher the amount you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the bigger discount you will receive.
  • Claim-free discounts can add up - Auto insurance companies in Idaho generally give discounts to policyholders who are claim-free. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can expect higher rates. Your insurance policy is intended to be relied upon for the bigger claims that can't be paid out-of-pocket.
  • One company can mean more discounts - The majority of insurance companies will award you with lower prices to people who consolidate policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, you still need to comparison shop to ensure the best deal.
  • Rates may be higher depending on your occupation - Occupations such as lawyers, social workers and stock brokers tend to have the highest rates because of job stress and long work days. On the other hand, occupations such as pilots, students and the unemployed receive lower rates.
  • Teen drivers pay high rates - Teenage drivers in Idaho tend to get distracted easily when driving so auto insurance rates are higher. Parents adding a youthful driver to your auto insurance policy can be very expensive. More mature drivers are more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and get fewer tickets.

Auto Insurance Prices in Pinehurst, Idaho

All major auto insurance companies quote coverage prices on their websites. Getting online quotes is pretty painless as you just enter the coverages you want as detailed in the form. After the form is submitted, their system will obtain credit information and your driving record and returns pricing information based on these and other factors. This helps simplify price comparisons, but the time it takes to visit many different websites and type in the same information is not the best way to spend an afternoon. But it's very important to have as many quotes as possible if you are searching for better auto insurance pricing.

The preferred way to find lower prices requires only one form to get prices from several different companies. The form is fast, eliminates form submissions, and makes online shopping much more efficient. Immediately after you send the form, it is quoted and you are able to buy any or none of the resulting price quotes. If a lower price is quoted, you simply finish the application and buy the policy. It takes less than 15 minutes and may result in a nice savings.

To quickly find out what other companies charge, click here to open in new window and begin entering your coverage information. To compare your current rates, we recommend you type in the coverages identical to your current policy. This makes sure you will be getting a fair comparison for the exact same coverage.

These discounts can lower your rates

Companies don't necessarily list all available discounts very well, so we break down some of the best known as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving.

  • More Vehicles More Savings - Buying coverage for multiple cars or trucks with the same company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
  • Own a Home - Owning a home in Pinehurst can save you money because of the fact that having a home is proof that your finances are in order.
  • Government Employees - Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off depending on your company.
  • Auto/Home Discount - If you insure your home and vehicles with one insurance company you could get a discount of at least 10% off all policies.
  • Student in College - Youth drivers who attend school more than 100 miles from home without a vehicle on campus can be insured at a reduced rate.
  • Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Keeping the miles down can earn a substantially lower rate.
  • Paperless Signup - A few companies give back up to $50 simply for signing online.
  • Passive Restraint Discount - Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts can receive discounts of up to 25% or more.

Consumers should know that some credits don't apply to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies don't profit that way.

To choose insurers with the best auto insurance discounts in Idaho, click here.

Are you falling for claims of savings?

Allstate, GEICO and Progressive regularly use ads on television and other media. All the companies have a common claim of big savings if you move to their company. But how can every company say the same thing?

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the driver that makes them money. For example, a profitable customer might be profiled as between 25 and 40, insures multiple vehicles, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A propective insured that hits that "sweet spot" will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably save a lot of money.

Potential customers who are not a match for this ideal profile must pay a higher premium and this can result in business not being written. The ad wording is "customers that switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much. This is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the way they do. This illustrates why you need to get a wide range of price quotes. It's not possible to predict which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest rates.

More tips and info about auto insurance can be found at the Idaho Department of Insurance website. Idaho drivers can find out which companies have the most complaints, report car insurance fraud, download brochures, and read consumer alerts.

Other informative sites include this link for Idaho auto insurance quotes and this page for help finding agents in Pinehurst, ID.

Final considerations

Cost effective auto insurance is definitely available on the web and also from your neighborhood Pinehurst agents, so you should compare both to have the best rate selection. Some auto insurance companies may not provide online price quotes and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. In too many instances, drivers have reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that the savings was not a smart move. Your focus should be to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.