If online car insurance comparisons are new to you, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the vast number of online companies vying for business in Brookline.
It is always a good idea to price shop coverage periodically since insurance rates change frequently. Just because you found the best price last year you can probably find a lower rate today. There is too much inaccurate information about car insurance on the internet, so with this article, you’re going to get some great ways to find cheap car insurance.
Free Brookline Car Insurance Quotes
All major car insurance companies provide insurance quotes online. Getting online rates is pretty easy as you simply enter as detailed in the form. Behind the scenes, their rating system automatically orders your driving record and credit report and gives you a price quote based on these factors.
Being able to quote online makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the work required to visit different websites and type in the same information gets old quite quickly. Unfortunately, it is important to perform this step in order to find lower prices.
There is a better way!
A more efficient way to get multiple rate quotes requires only one form that gets price quotes from multiple companies. It’s a real time-saver, eliminates form submissions, and makes comparison shopping much more enjoyable. Immediately after you send the form, it is rated and you are able to buy any one of the pricing results. If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you simply finish the application and purchase the new policy. It can be completed in a matter of minutes and you’ll know if lower rates are available.
To find out if lower rates are available, click here to open in new window and complete the simple form. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you copy the coverages just like they are on your policy. This guarantees you will have a price comparison based on the exact same insurance coverage.
Don’t be fooled by advertising claims
Companies like State Farm and Allstate regularly use ads in print and on television. All the ads say the same thing about savings if you move your coverage to them. How can each company make almost identical claims?
All the different companies have a certain “appetite” for the right customer that is profitable for them. For instance, a driver they prefer could be between 25 and 40, has no prior claims, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A driver who fits that profile receives the best rates and as a result will probably pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Drivers who don’t meet the “perfect” profile will have to pay higher prices and this can result in business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. That’s the way companies can truthfully advertise the way they do. Because of the profiling, drivers should get as many comparisons as possible. It’s not possible to predict the company that will have the lowest rates.
Do you qualify for a discount?
Auto insurance companies don’t always advertise every discount very well, so here is a list both well-publicized as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.
- Good Student – Performing well in school can earn a discount of 20% or more. The good student discount can last up until you turn 25.
- Sign Online – A few companies may give you up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.
- Military Discounts – Being deployed with a military unit can result in better rates.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Driving fewer miles could be rewarded with discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
- Driver’s Ed – Cut your cost by having your teen driver take driver’s ed class in school.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most cut individual premiums such as comp or med pay. So despite the fact that it appears you can get free auto insurance, you won’t be that lucky.
Auto insurance coverages
Knowing the specifics of a car insurance policy aids in choosing the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring.
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage – This coverage protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.
Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (Massachusetts limits are 20/40/5), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is very important.
Coverage for liability – Liability insurance protects you from damage or injury you incur to people or other property that is your fault. Coverage consists of three different limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You commonly see limits of 25/50/25 which means a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, $50,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000.
Liability coverage pays for claims like loss of income, legal defense fees, attorney fees and funeral expenses. How much liability coverage do you need? That is up to you, but consider buying higher limits if possible. Massachusetts requires drivers to carry at least 20,000/40,000/5,000 but you should think about purchasing more coverage.
Comprehensive auto coverage – This will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims such as vandalism, damage from a tornado or hurricane, rock chips in glass and theft. The highest amount a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Collision coverage – Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against things like sideswiping another vehicle, driving through your garage door, hitting a mailbox and scraping a guard rail. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible to bring the cost down.
Medical payments and PIP coverage – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for immediate expenses for things like ambulance fees, nursing services, EMT expenses and prosthetic devices. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not universally available and may carry a deductible
Smart consumers save more
Insureds leave their current company for a number of reasons such as delays in paying claims, being labeled a high risk driver, policy cancellation and even an unsatisfactory settlement offer. Whatever your reason, switching car insurance companies can be easier than you think.
In this article, we covered some good ideas how you can save on car insurance. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. You may be surprised to find that the best prices are with the least-expected company.
When shopping online for car insurance, it’s very important that you do not skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In many instances, someone sacrificed liability coverage limits and learned later they didn’t have enough coverage. Your strategy should be to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.
More detailed Massachusetts car insurance information is available at the Massachusetts Division of Insurance website. Massachusetts drivers can learn about insurance regulations, get help finding coverage, download brochures, and view agent and company licensing information.