Top Ways to Save on Shelby Car Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy high-priced car insurance? Believe me when I say you're not alone.

Since consumers have many companies to choose from, it's nearly impossible to pick the lowest price insurer.

It's important to do rate comparisons every six months because rates are constantly changing. Even if you think you had the best deal two years ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. So just block out anything you think you know about car insurance because you're going to learn the proper way to remove unneeded coverages and save money.

Buying affordable car insurance in Shelby is simple if you know the tricks. Basically, every driver who is required by state law to have car insurance stands a good chance to be able to lower their premiums. But Iowa car owners do need to know how insurance companies market insurance on the web and take advantage of how the system works.

Take advantage of discounts

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you may find discounts to help bring down the price. Some discounts apply automatically when you quote, but some must be specially asked for prior to getting the savings.

55 and Retired - Mature drivers may receive reduced rates.
Memberships - Belonging to a professional or civic organization could qualify you for a break on car insurance.
Safety Course Discount - Taking part in a driver safety course could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
Discount for Swiching Early - Some companies give discounts for switching to them before your current expiration date. The savings is around 10%.
Theft Prevention System - Anti-theft and alarm systems are stolen less frequently and earn discounts up to 10%.
Sign Online - A handful of insurance companies will give a small break for buying a policy and signing up online.
No Charge for an Accident - Some insurance companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don't have any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
Bundle and Save - When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same company you may save approximately 10% to 15%.
Federal Government Employee - Being employed by or retired from a federal job may qualify you for a discount with select insurance companies.
Military Rewards - Having a deployed family member could be rewarded with lower premiums.

Drivers should understand that most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies wouldn't make money that way. But all discounts will help reduce your overall premium however.

To see a list of companies with discount car insurance rates in Iowa, follow this link.

How to Compare Car Insurance Quotes in Shelby, Iowa

There are several ways to compare quotes from car insurance companies in your area. The best method to find competitive insurance rates is simply to get online rate quotes. This can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

The best way to get the best comparison quotes is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This method eliminates the need for multiple quote forms to each individual car insurance company. Filling out one form will get you price quotes from multiple low-cost companies.
Another way to compare rate quotes requires a visit to each company's website to complete their respective quote request forms. For examples sake, let's assume you want to compare rates from , and . To find out each rate you need to take the time to go to each site to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is quicker. To view a list of companies in Shelby, click here.
The least efficient method of getting rate comparisons is to drive around to different Shelby agent offices. The internet has reduced the need for local agents unless you want the personal advice only provided by licensed Shelby agents. You can, however, obtain prices from the web and still use a local agent and we'll talk about that later.

Which method you use is up to you, but ensure you are comparing apples-to-apples coverage limits on every quote you get. If you use differing limits you can't possibly determine which rate is truly the best in Shelby. Just a small difference in insurance coverages can mean a large discrepancy in price. Just remember that more quotes gives you a better chance of getting better pricing.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Shelby

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that play a part in calculating your car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with big savings.

Mature drivers pay less - Young drivers in Iowa have a tendency to be more careless when behind the wheel so car insurance rates are higher. Older insureds are viewed as being more responsible, file fewer claims and receive fewer citations.
Don't sacrifice liability coverage - Your policy's liability coverage provides coverage if ever you are found to be at fault for damages from an accident. It will provide legal defense coverage which can cost thousands of dollars. This coverage is very inexpensive as compared to coverage for physical damage, so buy as much as you can afford.
Don't buy coverages you don't need - There are quite a few extra coverages that you can buy on your policy. Things like roadside assistance, towing coverage and motor club memberships are examples of these. They may seem like a good idea initially, but if you don't need them remove them from your policy.
What type of vehicle do you drive? - The performance level of the car you own makes a big difference in the rate you pay. The lowest base rates tend to be for low performance passenger vehicles, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
How's your driving record? - Your driving citation history has a big impact on rates. Good drivers get better rates than their less careful counterparts. Just one ticket can increase rates forty percent or more. Drivers who have dangerous citations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may need to file a SR-22 with their state motor vehicle department in order to prevent a license revocation.
Multi-policy discounts can save money - Some companies will give a discount to policyholders who carry more than one policy, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, it's still a good idea to compare rates to make sure you are getting the best deal. Drivers may still find a better deal by buying insurance from more than one company.

Are car insurance companies telling the truth?

Car insurance companies such as Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm consistently run ads on TV and radio. They all seem to say the same thing that you'll save big if you change to them. But how can every company make the same claim? It's all in the numbers.

All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that is profitable for them. An example of a desirable insured could be over the age of 50, has no driving citations, and chooses high deductibles. A customer who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and most likely will save a lot of money.

Potential customers who don't qualify for this ideal profile will have to pay a higher premium which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads state "customers who switch" not "people who quote" save money. That's the way companies can state the savings.

Because of the profiling, drivers must get quotes from several different companies. Because you never know which car insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Final considerations

When buying insurance coverage, don't be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are many occasions where someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best price.

Budget-conscious car insurance is attainable from both online companies and with local Shelby insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

We just showed you a lot of information how to compare car insurance prices online. It's most important to understand that the more times you quote, the better chance you'll have of finding lower rates. You may be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from a small mutual company. These smaller insurers may only write in your state and offer lower rates than their larger competitors like .

Learn more about Iowa car insurance

Much more information about car insurance in Iowa is available on the website for the Iowa Insurance Division found here. Consumers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, find out which companies have the most complaints, discover disciplinary actions, and learn about specific coverages.

Additional helpful sites include this Car Insurance FAQ and this page of insurance agents in Shelby.