Hamden, CT Auto Insurance Buying Tips You Aren’t Supposed to Know

Are you a victim of high-priced auto insurance? Believe me, there are a lot of people in Hamden just like you who feel imprisoned by their auto insurance policy. Having so many different company options, it’s nearly impossible to pick the most affordable car insurance company.

Compare the Market for Auto Insurance in Hamden, Connecticut

Most major insurance companies such as State Farm, Allstate and Geico allow you to get pricing on their websites. Getting online quotes doesn’t take a lot of time as you simply enter the coverages you want into a form. Upon sending the form, the system automatically orders your driving and credit reports and gives you a price quote. Online quotes makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the process of having to visit different websites and enter the same data into a form can be a bit repetitive. But it’s very important to do this in order to get the lowest price.

The quickest way to find lower prices utilizes a single form that obtains quotes from several companies at one time. It saves time, requires less work, and makes online quotes much more enjoyable and efficient. After sending your information, it is quoted and you can select any or none of the pricing results. If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you simply finish the application and buy the policy. The entire process just takes a couple of minutes and you’ll know if lower rates are available.

To quickly fill out one form to compare multiple rates now, click here to open in a new tab and enter your information. To compare your current rates, we recommend that you enter the limits and deductibles just like they are on your policy. This guarantees you are getting a price comparison for similar coverage.

Don’t miss out on these money-saving discounts

Auto insurance companies do not advertise every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list some of the best known and the harder-to-find auto insurance savings. If they aren’t giving you every credit you deserve, you’re paying more than you need to.

  • Federal Government Employee – Simply working for the federal government can save as much as 8% depending on your company.
  • No Claims – Drivers who don’t have accidents pay less when compared to drivers who are more careless.
  • Organization Discounts – Affiliation with a professional or civic organization could qualify you for a break when shopping for auto insurance.
  • Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts can save 10% or more off your medical payments premium.
  • Senior Discount – Older drivers may qualify for better auto insurance rates.
  • Distant Student – Any of your kids who attend school more than 100 miles from home without a vehicle on campus can be insured at a reduced rate.
  • More Vehicles More Savings – Insuring multiple cars or trucks on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some credits don’t apply the the whole policy. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when the math indicates it’s possible to get free car insurance, you won’t be that lucky.

To choose providers offering auto insurance discounts in Hamden, follow this link.

Do I need special coverages?

When choosing the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and your policy should reflect that. These are some specific questions may help highlight if you will benefit from professional help.

  • Where can I get insurance after a DUI in Connecticut?
  • How high should my medical payments coverage be?
  • Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
  • Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
  • Do I need rental car coverage?
  • How much liability coverage do I need in Connecticut?
  • Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
  • Do I need higher deductibles?
  • What if I total my vehicle and owe more than it’s worth?
  • Is business property covered if stolen from my car?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It’s fast, free and can help protect your family.

Lower your Hamden Auto Insurance Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that can help you get big savings.

The list below includes some of the items that factor into your rates.

  • Pleasure use saves money – The more miles you rack up on your car every year the higher your rate. Almost all companies price each vehicle’s coverage based on how the vehicle is used. Vehicles left parked in the garage get more affordable rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Make sure your auto insurance policy properly reflects how each vehicle is driven.
  • Pay less if you’re married – Being married actually saves money on your auto insurance policy. Having a spouse is viewed as being more mature and responsible and statistics show married couples file fewer claims.
  • Do you need those extra coverages? – There are a ton of additional coverages that you can buy on your policy. Coverages for vanishing deductibles, towing coverage and motor club memberships are some examples. They may seem good when talking to your agent, but if you don’t need them eliminate them to save money.
  • Liability insurance protects assets – Your policy’s liability coverage is the protection in the event that a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. Liability is cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so buy as much as you can afford.
  • Drive a safer car and pay less – Vehicles with good safety scores get lower rates. Safer cars protect occupants better and any reduction in injury severity means less money paid by your insurance company and lower rates for you.

Auto insurance myths debunked

Consumers can’t ignore all the ads for car insurance savings from companies such as State Farm, Allstate and Geico. They all make an identical promise that you’ll save big if you switch your policy.

How does each company make the same claim?

All companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that earns them a profit. For example, a desirable insured could possibly be over the age of 40, has no tickets, and has excellent credit. A customer who fits that profile receives the best rates and most likely will save a lot of money.

Potential customers who don’t measure up to the requirements will be charged a higher premium which leads to business not being written. The ad wording is “customers that switch” not “people who quote” save that kind of money. This is how insurance companies can advertise the way they do. That is why it is so important to quote coverage with many companies. It’s not possible to predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.

In conclusion

While you’re price shopping online, do not buy less coverage just to save a little money. In too many instances, an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret at claim time that it was a big mistake. The proper strategy is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.

We’ve covered some good ideas how you can shop for auto insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more rate quotes you have, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may be surprised to find that the best prices are with some of the lesser-known companies. These companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas than the large multi-state companies such as Progressive or Geico.

Even more information can be found at the Connecticut Insurance Department website. Visitors are able to file complaints about a company, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, read state legal mandates and laws, and get help finding coverage.