People new to buying insurance online could find shopping for low-cost Quincy auto insurance very challenging.
Finding Auto Insurance in Quincy
Getting better auto insurance pricing doesn’t have to be difficult. You just have to invest a few minutes to get quotes online from several insurance companies. This can be done in a couple of different ways.
One of the best ways to find the lowest comparison rates is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This form keeps you from doing a different quote to each individual auto insurance company. Just one form will return quotes instantly. Just one form and you’re done.
A harder way to shop for auto insurance online consists of visiting the website for each individual company to complete their respective quote request forms. For sake of this example, let’s assume you want to compare Auto-Owners, Geico and Liberty Mutual. To get rate quotes you would need to spend time on each company’s site and enter your information, and that’s why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in Quincy, click here.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just be sure to compare the exact same coverage limits on every quote you get. If each company quotes different values for each quote it’s impossible to decipher which rate is best in Quincy.
More discounts equal less premium
Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but there are discounts available to help offset the cost. Most are applied when you get a quote, but a few need to be inquired about prior to receiving the credit. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you’re paying more than you need to.
- Military Discounts – Being deployed with a military unit can result in better rates.
- Club Memberships – Participating in a professional or civic organization is a good way to get lower rates on your policy.
- Auto/Home Discount – If you have multiple policies with the same company you will save approximately 10% to 15%.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles prevent accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Safety Course Discount – Taking part in a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount if your company offers it.
- Payment Discounts – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.
- Federal Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can save as much as 8% with certain companies.
- Seat Belts Save – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts can save 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts up to 30%.
- Discount for Swiching Early – Select companies give a discount for switching to them prior to your current policy expiration. The savings is around 10%.
Drivers should understand that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Some only apply to individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous. But any discount will reduce your overall premium however.
It’s not one size fits all
When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s situation is unique.
Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover if your situation will benefit from professional help.
- If my vehicle is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
- Do I have coverage if my license is suspended?
- Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
- Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
- What if I total my vehicle and owe more than it’s worth?
- Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
- Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form. It is quick, free and may give you better protection.
Smart Buyers can Save Money
Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that go into determining the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates enables informed choices that will entitle you to better auto insurance rates.
- Is your vehicle built for speed? – The make and model of the car you are insuring makes a huge difference in your rates. The lowest base rates are for small economy passenger cars, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
- A clean driving record saves money – Whether or not you get tickets impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Only having one speeding ticket can bump up the cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who don’t get tickets receive lower rates than their less careful counterparts. Drivers with dangerous tickets such as DUI or reckless driving are required to file a SR-22 with their state DMV in order to prevent a license revocation.
- Pleasure use saves money – The more miles you rack up on your car in a year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Most companies rate vehicles based on how the vehicle is used. Autos used primarily for pleasure use receive lower rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Double check that your auto insurance policy properly reflects how each vehicle is driven, because improper ratings can cost you money.
- Liability coverage is cheap – Liability coverage is the protection if ever you are found liable for personal injury or accident damage. Liability provides you with a defense in court which can cost thousands of dollars. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so buy as much as you can afford.
Are auto insurance companies telling the truth?
Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for the lowest price auto insurance by companies like Allstate, Geico and Progressive. All the ads make the same claim about savings if you change to them.
How does each company make the same claim? This is how they do it.
All companies can use profiling for the type of customer that is profitable for them. For example, a preferred risk might be between 25 and 40, insures multiple vehicles, and chooses high deductibles. Any driver that hits that “sweet spot” will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will save a lot of money.
Drivers who don’t meet this ideal profile will be quoted a higher premium which leads to the customer not buying. The ads say “customers that switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently state the savings.
This emphasizes why it’s extremely important to get as many quotes as possible. Because you never know which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.
Do the work, save more money
People change insurance companies for a number of reasons such as being labeled a high risk driver, questionable increases in premium, not issuing a premium refund and even policy cancellation. Regardless of your reason, switching auto insurance companies can be less work than you think.
As you prepare to switch companies, do not buy poor coverage just to save money. There are a lot of situations where consumers will sacrifice liability coverage limits only to regret at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your strategy should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.
We just showed you a lot of information how to get a better price on auto insurance. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Drivers may discover the lowest rates come from some of the lesser-known companies.
Additional auto insurance information is located on the Massachusetts Division of Insurance website. Click here for link. Massachusetts consumers can read industry bulletins, download brochures, find disaster information, and view a list of available companies.
Also read more on this page for auto insurance in Massachusetts and this list of insurance agents in Quincy, MA.