It’s easy to assume that insurance companies want to keep your business as long as possible. Insureds who shop around annually will, in all likelihood, buy a different policy because there is a significant possibility of finding more affordable rates. A study showed that people who compared prices regularly saved about $72 a month compared to people who never shopped around.
If saving the most money on auto insurance is the reason you’re here, then understanding the best ways to shop for cheaper coverage can make it easier to shop your coverage around.
The most effective way to find affordable quotes for Ford Freestar insurance is to compare prices annually from providers who can sell car insurance in Minneapolis. This can be done by following these guidelines.
- Spend some time learning about how insurance works and the measures you can control to prevent high rates. Many rating criteria that result in higher rates such as at-fault accidents and poor credit history can be controlled by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes.
- Get rate quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only provide price estimates from one company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agents can quote prices from multiple companies.
- Compare the new rate quotes to your current policy and determine if there is any savings. If you find a lower rate, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
The key thing to know about shopping around is to try to compare the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on each quote request and and to get rate quotes from as many auto insurance providers as possible. Doing this enables the most accurate price comparison and a better comparison of the market.
Minneapolis Insurance Rates are Influenced by These Factors
Many things are used when you get a price on insurance. Some are pretty understandable such as your driving record, but others are less apparent such as whether you are married or your vehicle rating.
The items below are some of the factors used by companies to determine rates.
- Vehicle theft costs us all – Buying a car that has an advanced theft prevention system can earn a premium discount. Systems that thwart thieves such as vehicle immobilizer systems, OnStar, and tracking devices like LoJack can thwart car theft and help bring rates down.
- Premiums are affected by your credit score – Your credit score can be a huge factor in determining premium rates. If your credit rating can be improved, you could save money insuring your Ford Freestar if you improve your credit rating. Drivers with high credit ratings tend to be more responsible than drivers with worse credit.
- Older drivers are lower risk – Mature drivers are more cautious drivers, are lower risk to insure, and tend to be get fewer driving tickets. Drivers with little experience have a tendency to be careless and easily distracted when at the wheel of a vehicle so car insurance rates are higher.
- No car insurance policy gaps is important – Having a gap between insurance policy dates can be a sure-fire way to increase your renewal premiums. In addition to paying higher rates, being ticketed for driving with no insurance could earn you fines or a revoked license. You may need to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the Minnesota department of motor vehicles.
- Your employer may affect premiums – Did you know your job can affect your rates? Occupations such as military generals, airline pilots, and dentists generally pay higher rates than average because of job stress and extremely grueling work hours. Other professions such as actors, engineers and the unemployed pay lower than average rates.
- Prices for males may be higher – Over the last 50 years, statistics have shown that females take fewer risks when driving. Now that doesn’t mean females are better at driving than males. Males and females tend to get into accidents in similar numbers, but the males have accidents that have higher claims. Men also get higher numbers of serious violations such as reckless driving. Male teenagers generally have the highest accident percentage and thus pay the highest rates.
- Cars with good safety ratings save money – Cars with five star safety ratings can get you lower premiums. The safest vehicles reduce the chance of injuries and lower injury rates translates directly to fewer claims passed on to you as lower rates.
The providers in the list below are our best choices to provide price comparisons in Minnesota. To buy the best car insurance in Minneapolis, we recommend you visit several of them to find the most affordable car insurance rates.
Why car insurance is not optional
Despite the high cost, paying for car insurance is not optional due to several reasons.
First, the majority of states have mandatory insurance requirements which means you are required to buy specific limits of liability protection in order to drive the car legally. In Minnesota these limits are 30/60/10 which means you must have $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $10,000 of property damage coverage.
Second, if your Ford Freestar has a lienholder, it’s most likely the lender will require you to buy full coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If the policy lapses, the bank will be required to insure your Ford at a much higher rate and force you to reimburse them for the expensive policy.
Third, car insurance preserves not only your Ford Freestar but also your assets. It will also provide coverage for hospital and medical expenses incurred in an accident. Liability coverage also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you cause an accident and are sued. If you have damage to your Ford as the result of the weather or an accident, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance definitely exceed the price paid, especially with large liability claims. The average driver in America is wasting up to $855 a year so it’s important to compare rates every year to be sure current rates are still competitive.
Score discounts to get cheaper Minneapolis insurance rates
Some insurance providers don’t always publicize every discount they offer in an easy-to-find place, so we researched some of the best known and also the more inconspicuous discounts that you may qualify for.
- Telematics Data – Minneapolis drivers who agree to allow their insurance company to track their driving habits by using a small device installed in their vehicle such as Progressive’s Snapshot may see discounts as long as they are good drivers.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Buying insurance for multiple cars on the same insurance policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
- Resident Student – Older children who are enrolled in higher education away from home without a vehicle on campus may qualify for this discount.
- Auto/Home Discount – When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same insurance company you may save 10% to 20% off each policy.
- Early Signing – A few insurance companies give discounts for buying a policy early. It can save you around 10%.
- Minneapolis Homeowners Discount – Simply owning a home can get you a discount because maintaining a house is proof that your finances are in order.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Low mileage vehicles could qualify for cheaper prices.
- Discounts for Federal Employees – Simply working for the federal government can save as much as 8% but check with your company.
- Safety Course Discount – Successfully completing a safe driver course could cut 5% off your bill and easily recoup the cost of the course.
A little disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. So despite the fact that it appears all the discounts add up to a free policy, nobody gets a free ride.
Some of the insurance companies that may offer quotes with many of the previously listed discounts include:
When getting free Minneapolis car insurance quotes, it’s a good idea to each insurance company which discounts can lower your rates. A few discounts might not apply in Minneapolis. To see a list of insurers with discount rates in Minneapolis, click here to view.
You may need advice from a local insurance agent
A lot of people still prefer to have an agent’s advice and doing that can be a smart decision Experienced insurance agents are trained risk managers and give you someone to call. A good thing about getting free rate quotes online is that drivers can save money and get the best rates and still buy from a local agent.
Upon completion of this quick form, the coverage information is instantly submitted to companies in Minneapolis that provide free Minneapolis car insurance quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to do any legwork since rate quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. If for some reason you want to get a price quote from one company in particular, you can always search and find their rate quote page and submit a quote form there.
Picking the best insurer requires you to look at more than just the quoted price. Here are some questions to ask:
- Are they giving you every discount you deserve?
- Can you use your own choice of collision repair facility?
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
- When do they do policy reviews?
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
- What are their preferred companies if they are an independent agency?
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
The following is a short list of insurers in Minneapolis that may be willing to give price quote information for Ford Freestar insurance in Minneapolis.
Erickson Insurance Agency
8525 Edinbrook Crossing #401 – Minneapolis, MN 55443 – (763) 657-7608 – View Map
Moreno Agency – Innovative Insurance
4748 Chicago Ave #2 – Minneapolis, MN 55407 – (612) 584-0077 – View Map
RC4 Insurance Agency, LLC
7220 Metro Blvd #150 – Minneapolis, MN 55439 – (952) 896-9542 – View Map
American Family Insurance – Dawn Bartell
4649 Bloomington Ave – Minneapolis, MN 55407 – (612) 333-5554 – View Map
Minnesota auto insurance company ratings
Picking the best insurance provider can be challenging considering how many choices drivers have in Minnesota. The company information in the lists below could help you select which insurers you want to consider putting your business with.
Top 10 Minneapolis Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Satisfaction
- USAA – 92%
- American Family – 88%
- State Farm – 88%
- Nationwide – 88%
- 21st Century – 88%
- AAA Insurance – 87%
- Liberty Mutual – 87%
- Farmers Insurance – 87%
- The Hartford – 87%
- Progressive – 87%
Top 10 Minneapolis Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Claims Service
- Progressive
- Travelers
- Liberty Mutual
- Nationwide
- USAA
- AAA Insurance
- GEICO
- Safeco Insurance
- Mercury Insurance
- Esurance
Will just any policy work for me?
When buying insurance from an agent or online, there really isn’t a best way to insure your cars. Every insured’s situation is different so this has to be addressed.
Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover whether or not you could use an agent’s help.
- Will my Ford Freestar be repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
- Who is covered when they drive my Ford Freestar?
- Is my ex-spouse still covered by my policy?
- Does coverage extend to a rental car in a foreign country?
- Can my babysitter drive my car?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.
Persistence pays off
You just read a lot of information how to compare Ford Freestar insurance car insurance rates in Minneapolis. It’s most important to understand that the more rate comparisons you have, the better likelihood of getting cheaper Minneapolis car insurance quotes. You may even be surprised to find that the best car insurance rates are with a smaller regional carrier. They often have lower premium rates on specific markets than the large multi-state companies such as GEICO and State Farm.
Budget-conscious Ford Freestar insurance is possible from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Minneapolis agents, so you need to shop Minneapolis car insurance with both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance providers don’t offer online price quotes and usually these small insurance companies sell through independent insurance agents.
Additional detailed information is available at these sites:
- Young Drivers: The High Risk Years Video (iihs.org)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance for Drivers with Accidents in Minneapolis? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes for Retired Military in Minneapolis? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Quotes for Handicapped Drivers in Minneapolis? (FAQ)
- Anti-Lock Brake FAQ (iihs.org)
- Warning systems don’t curb driver distraction (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Choosing a Car for Your Teen (State Farm)
- If I File a Claim will My Insurance Go Up? (Insurance Information Institute)