- Bundle Policies for Easy Savings
Combining your auto insurance with your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance can lead to big discounts. Auto insurance is the riskiest insurance for companies to offer, so bundling it with a policy you’re less likely to use makes it more enticing for insurance companies to offer a deep discount. Many of the companies offered at Dakotaland Community Insurance offer this type of discount.
- Don’t Leave Discounts on the Table
Different insurance companies offer different discounts. Some discounts to ask about when reviewing your homeowners insurance may include alarm systems, extra smoke detectors, bolt locks on your doors, and being a non-smoker. Your auto or motorcycle policy may offer discounts such as completed safety course classes and discounts for youthful drivers who have completed Drivers Education and have maintained at least a B average in school. Many companies will offer discounts on your home and auto policy by simply paying the premium in full or setting up EFT payments for your monthly premium.
- Higher Deductible, Lower Premium
Pay close attention to your options with it comes to deductibles and monthly premiums. A low deductible (the amount you will pay out of pocket for a claim) usually means a higher premium. Consider raising your deductible in order to reduce your premium amount. This could save you a considerable amount of money if you don’t need to file a claim for a while. Do keep in mind, that if you are going to raise your deductible, make sure you set aside enough money to cover that higher deductible incase a disaster should strike.
- Avoid Making a Claim whenever Possible
You may also be eligible for a discount if you don’t file a claim over a certain period of time. If you can comfortably pay for the claim out of pocket you may want to consider that instead of filing a claim. The moment you make a claim you also run the risk of your premium increasing. As soon as an insurance company pays out a claim on your behalf, you’re considered more likely to cost them additional claims in the future, therefor there may be an increase in your premium. This may seem silly to pay for something you rarely use, but it may be better in the long run to not file as many claims.
- Keep an eye on your Credit Score, Motor Vehicle Record, and CLUE report
Many insurance companies use your credit score as a factor in helping to determine your coverage terms and premiums. By obtaining free credit reports you can keep an eye on your score and work towards increasing or maintaining it. Insurance companies will also pull reports such as your Motor Vehicle Record and CLUE reports which also factor into your premiums. It is important to make sure any accident and violations are reporting correctly on your MVR and that any past claims are showing up correctly on your CLUE report. If anything seems out of sorts please contact your local agent to direct you on how to straighten these out.
Dakotaland Community Insurance values each of their customers and we are here to make sure all of your insurance needs are met. Please do not hesitate to contact your local agent in Huron, De Smet, Brookings, or Redfield for a free, no obligation quote today!
