Auto insurance in Montana is affordable. The typical premium for auto insurance in Montana is much lower than the national average, thus making Montana an affordable state when it comes to insuring your vehicle. There are other states also that are considered affordable in this category. However, the rise in auto thefts, auto repair charges, and deer-vehicle collision are making premium rates go up. Hence finding insurance for your vehicle that provides you with coverage that meets all your requirements and fits in your budget is necessary.
The density of traffic in Montana is low. This is the main reason why auto insurance rates are low here. As per NAIC which stands for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, this state sees very few miles annually. Lesser the number of vehicles driven means very few chances of accidents happening which lets insurance companies lower the premium rates. This is great as it makes it easy for you to find the best car insurance in Montana.
But recent research says that this thing could change in Montana. Another study showed that Montana’s premium for auto insurance on an average increased by 64% between 2011 and 2017. This is a huge increase compared to any other state in the nation.
The increase has happened because of the increase in the repair costs in Montana. The auto repair costs on an average per claim in this state are 4th highest in the U.S. Insurance companies are making drivers pay additional costs by making them pay higher premiums to cover high repair costs.
Minimum Liability Coverage for Auto Insurance in Montana
Every state in the U.S. requires drivers to always carry some liability coverage in order to pay for repair costs and medical bills when an accident occurs. Montana residents must have the below mentioned minimum liability coverage:
- $25,000 bodily injury coverage per person
- $50,000 bodily injury coverage per accident
- $25,000 property damage coverage per accident
However, it is common for accident costs to be higher than the minimum. If you do not have sufficient coverage, you will not have enough money to pay for any extra costs. This will have to be paid from your pocket.
Say, property damage caused by you during an accident is $40,000. Here, in this case, your insurance company will pay only the first $25,000. The deficit of $15,000 will have to be paid by you. Hence, to avoid such situations it is best to buy sufficient liability coverage that you can afford comfortably. By doing this you will not have to bother about these types of unexpected expenses after an accident occurs. The best way to be safe in such situations is by purchasing enough cover. Since the minimum requirements for car insurance in Montana is pretty standard, we can help you to find the best car insurance companies online.
Types of Coverage Options when you Choose the Best Car Insurance in Montana
There are a number of coverage options that you can choose from. Purchase a good amount of liability coverage along with comprehensive and collision coverage options for your car. If you have taken your car on loan, your lender will need this. But this will be good for you even if you fully own your car. Because by doing so the repair costs will be paid by the insurance company in the event of an accident. Apart from this, you could also check for coverage options specifically dealing with auto repairs. These may raise the premium amounts a bit, but they will save you if any accident happens by making sure your insurance takes care of such expenses.
Though the state of Montana has less population density because of which the occurrence of accidents is low, it still has few drawbacks. The state is second highest in the nation for deer-vehicle collisions. Every time you go out driving on Montana’s roads, you risk hitting a deer, moose, or elk.
You have to drive very carefully and look out for wildlife while driving. But you also need to have sufficient insurance protection to cover your expenses if an accident happens. Many people are not aware that collision coverage pays only for accidents when another vehicle is involved. It doesn’t cover collisions involving wildlife. Hence you will need to take comprehensive coverage to ensure that you get the best car insurance in Montana and to take care of any expenses that come up during such collisions. You also have to keep in mind that the insurance premium depends on many factors other than the location which includes your personal details, your car details, etc. Finally, once you decide on an insurer, make sure that you check their rating on NAIC (national association of insurance commissioners). This will ensure that you get unbiased and accurate reviews of your insurer.
