Proven Ways to Save on Sidney Auto Insurance

Paying for high-priced auto insurance can dwindle your bank account and force you to prioritize other expenses. Comparison shopping is a smart way to make sure you're not throwing money away. Insurance companies such as State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive all promote huge savings with fancy advertisements and it can be hard to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

It's important to compare prices on a regular basis since insurance rates are constantly changing. If you had the best price last year a different company probably has better rates today. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because you're about to find out the fastest and easiest way to find better coverage at a better price.

Don't pay full price with these discounts

Car insurance companies don't necessarily list every available discount in a way that's easy to find, so we took the time to find some of the best known and the more hidden auto insurance savings. If you aren't receiving every discount you deserve, you are throwing money away.

Anti-theft Discount - Anti-theft and alarm systems help deter theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
Own a Home - Being a homeowner may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because of the fact that having a home is proof that your finances are in order.
No Accidents - Drivers who don't have accidents can save substantially compared to drivers who are more careless.
Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver's ed class in high school.
Accident Waiver - A handful of insurance companies permit an accident before your rates go up if you are claim-free prior to the accident.
More Vehicles More Savings - Having multiple cars or trucks on one policy could earn a price break for each car.

A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. So even though they make it sound like it's possible to get free car insurance, you won't be that lucky.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that can help you get lower auto insurance prices.

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

Bundling policies can get discounts - The majority of companies give discounts to people who buy several policies from them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. This can amount to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even if you're getting this discount you may still want to compare other company rates to ensure the best deal.
High deductibles save money - Insurance for physical damage to your car, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, protects your car from damage. Some instances where coverage would apply are colliding with a building, damage caused by hail, and burglary. Your deductibles are the amount of money you are required to spend out-of-pocket before your auto insurance pays a claim. The higher the amount you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the bigger discount you will receive.
Rates may be higher depending on your occupation - Occupations like lawyers, architects and dentists tend to have the highest average rates attributed to high stress levels and lengthy work days. Other jobs such as pilots, historians and the unemployed receive lower rates.
An active claims history can cost you - Insurance companies in Iowa provide cheaper rates to insureds who are claim-free. If you frequently file small claims, you can expect higher rates. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for the bigger claims that can't be paid out-of-pocket.
Men fork out a little more - Statistics have proven women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, don't assume that men are worse drivers. Women and men cause accidents in similar percentages, but men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also get cited for more serious violations like reckless driving and DUI.
Older drivers pay less - More mature drivers tend to be more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel. Teenage drivers tend to be more careless when driving and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher.

The auto insurance bait and switch

Iowa drivers get pounded daily by advertisements for car insurance savings by Allstate and Progressive. All the ads say the same thing about savings if you move to their company.

How can each company say the same thing?

All companies have a preferred profile for the driver that earns them a profit. For example, a preferred risk might be profiled as over the age of 40, insures multiple vehicles, and has great credit. A propective insured who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and therefore will save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who don't measure up to the requirements will be charged more money which usually ends up with business not being written. The ad wording is "people who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that much. This is how companies can truthfully advertise the savings. That is why drivers should compare as many rates as you can. It's not possible to predict which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

Even more information can be found at the Iowa Insurance Division website. Iowa drivers can read consumer alerts, report car insurance fraud, read industry bulletins, and download brochures.

Best coverage at the best price

As you prepare to switch companies, it's not a good idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, drivers have reduced physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The aim is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.

Cheaper auto insurance is definitely available on the web and also from your neighborhood Sidney agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.