Auto insurance, compared across carriers

What it covers

A personal auto policy is really several coverages on one declarations page. Liability pays for injuries and property damage you cause to others, and it is the part the state requires. Collision repairs your own vehicle after an accident, and comprehensive handles everything that is not a collision: hail, a deer on Highway 30, theft, a cracked windshield. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage steps in when the other driver has too little insurance or none at all, which happens more often than most people expect.

• Liability, collision, and comprehensive
• Uninsured and underinsured motorist
• Roadside assistance and rental reimbursement
• Gap coverage for financed or leased vehicles
• Teen driver and good-student discounts
• Multi-policy bundling with home or farm

Who it's for

Anyone with a vehicle registered in Iowa, Illinois, or Wisconsin, from a single commuter car to a household with three drivers and a teenager about to test for a license. If you finance or lease, your lender will require collision and comprehensive, and gap coverage closes the difference between what you owe and what the car is worth after a total loss. If you own an older vehicle outright, we will talk honestly about whether full coverage still earns its premium.

Why quote it with an independent agent

Because we represent multiple companies, a rate increase at renewal is a phone call to us, not an afternoon of quote forms. We re-shop your policy across our carriers, and if a better fit comes along we move you without you starting over. Bundling the cars with your home or farm policy is usually the single biggest discount available, and we quote it both ways so you can see the difference.

Good to know

The state minimums are lower than most people assume. Iowa requires 20/40/15 and Illinois 25/50/20: the most a policy pays per injured person, per accident, and for property damage. One serious accident can pass those numbers quickly, and anything above them comes out of your own pocket. Raising limits to 100/300 usually costs less than people expect, and an umbrella policy adds another layer above that for a modest premium.

Every carrier prices risk with its own formula. One favors a clean record, another rewards a long-tenured homeowner, a third likes low annual mileage. The same household can see quotes hundreds of dollars apart for identical coverage, which is exactly why we compare rather than guess. When you add a teen driver, we shop that too, because the difference between companies is often largest right there.

What to bring for a quote

• Driver's license numbers and dates of birth for every driver in the household
• Year, make, model, and VIN for each vehicle, plus the lienholder if it is financed
• Your current declarations page, so we can match or improve the coverage you already have
• Your renewal date and current premium
• Any tickets or claims in the last five years, so the quotes are accurate the first time

Start online and we will follow up for anything we still need. Start your auto quote, or call (563) 242-4000.