Top Ways to Save on Solon Car Insurance

Scraping up a payment for overpriced car insurance can empty your bank account and make it impossible to make ends meet. Doing a price comparison is a smart way to help make ends meet.

Consumers have many to buy insurance from, and although it's a good thing to have a selection, it can be more difficult to compare rates.

It's important to compare rates yearly because rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best deal a year ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. So just ignore everything you know about car insurance because you're going to learn the proper way to properly buy coverages and cut your premium.

Buying car insurance in Solon is easy if you know what you're doing. Basically, anyone 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 price insurance differently and take advantage of how the system works.

Save big with these discounts

Car insurance companies don't list all their discounts very clearly, so here is a list some of the more common as well as the least known car insurance savings.

College Student - Children who live away from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle may qualify for this discount.
Discount for Life Insurance - Select insurance companies reward you with a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
Accident Waiver - Certain companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don't have any claims prior to the accident.
Sign Online - Certain companies will give a small break for buying a policy and signing up over the internet.
55 and Retired - Mature drivers may be able to get better car insurance rates.
Early Switch Discount - Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching to them before your current expiration date. It's a savings of about 10%.
Good Student Discount - A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
Multiple Vehicles - Insuring multiple vehicles on the same car insurance policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
Passive Restraint Discount - Factory air bags or automatic seat belts may earn rate discounts of more than 20%.
Driver Safety - Completing a driver safety course could cut 5% off your bill and easily recoup the cost of the course.

Drivers should understand that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies wouldn't make money that way.

To see a list of companies who offer car insurance discounts in Iowa, follow this link.

How to Get Cheap Car Insurance in Solon, IA

There are several ways to compare quotes from local Solon car insurance companies. The best method to find competitive insurance rates is simply to get online rate quotes. This can be done using a couple different methods.

The best way to find the lowest comparison rates is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This method eliminates the need for repetitive form submissions for every car insurance company. A single, simple form gets rate comparisons from multiple companies.
Another way to get quotes online is spending the time to visit each company's website to complete their respective quote request forms. For instance, let's say you want comparison quotes from , and . To get rate quotes you would need to go to every website and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is more popular.

To view a list of companies in Solon, click here.
The least efficient way to get comparison rates is to drive around to different Solon agent offices. Buying insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you require the personal advice of a local Solon agent. 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 make sure you use identical information on every quote you get. If you use higher or lower deductibles it's not possible to determine which rate is truly the best in Solon. Just a small difference in insurance coverages may result in a large different in cost. And when comparing car insurance rates, know that getting more free quotes helps locate the best price.

You have some control over your rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that help determine your car insurance rates. Knowing what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that may reward you with lower car insurance prices.

Mature drivers pay less - Young drivers in Iowa are known to be more careless when driving so they pay higher car insurance rates. Having to add a young driver to your car insurance policy can break the bank. More mature drivers are viewed as being more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and receive fewer citations.
Your location affects your rates - Residing in a rural area can be a good thing when it comes to car insurance. City drivers have much more traffic and longer commute times. Less people living in that area translates into fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
Rate your vehicle for proper use - Driving more miles in a year's time the more you will pay for car insurance. Most insurance companies rate vehicles based on how the vehicle is used. Vehicles left parked in the garage can get a lower rate than those used for commuting. Make sure your car insurance coverage shows the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.
Do men or women drive better? - Statistics have proven that women are safer drivers than men. However, this does not mean men are worse drivers. Women and men tend to get into accidents at about the same rate, but the males have costlier accidents. They also get cited for more serious violations such as reckless driving. Teenage male drivers are most likely to cause an accident and therefore have the most expensive car insurance rates.
How's your driving record? - Careful drivers have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Just one ticket can boost insurance rates by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who have flagrant citations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may need to file a SR-22 with their state motor vehicle department in order to keep their license.

But I don't know anything about car insurance

When choosing proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn't really a best way to insure your cars. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and a cookie cutter policy won't apply. These are some specific questions can help discover if your situation may require specific advice.

Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
What are the financial responsibility laws in Iowa?
Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?
Should I buy only the required Iowa minimum liability coverage?
Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Car insurance ads bend the truth

Car insurance companies such as Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm continually stream ads on TV and radio. They all seem to say the same thing that you'll save big after switching to their company. How does each company make the same claim?

All companies have a preferred profile for the driver that is profitable for them. An example of a desirable insured could be over the age of 50, has no prior claims, and has excellent credit. A customer who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and most likely will save when switching.

Potential customers who fall outside these standards will have to pay a higher premium which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save that much. This is how companies can make those claims. Because of the profiling, drivers must get as many comparisons as possible. Because you never know which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

Final considerations

While you're price shopping online, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are many occasions where consumers will sacrifice liability limits or collision coverage only to find out they didn't purchase enough coverage. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford.

Budget-conscious car insurance can be purchased from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Solon agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best rate selection. Some companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

Learn more about car insurance in Iowa

More detailed Iowa car insurance information is available at the Iowa Insurance Division website. Consumers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, view agent and company licensing information, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and learn about insurance regulations.