Feel like you’re a prisoner to overpriced auto insurance? Believe me, you’re not the only one.
Since consumers have many auto insurance companies to choose from, it is very difficult to pick the most cost effective car insurance company.
You should take the time to check auto insurance prices once or twice a year because insurance rates are usually higher with each renewal. If you had the lowest price a year ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding auto insurance on the internet, so we’re going to give you the best ways to reduce your auto insurance bill.
Finding the best rates in Englewood is not that difficult. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using this strategy. Although New Jersey consumers must understand how big insurance companies price online insurance because it can help you find the best coverage.
Where Can I Get Cheap Englewood Auto Insurance?
There are a lot of ways to compare auto insurance quotes, but one way is more efficient than others. You could spend your day talking to local insurance agents in Englewood, or you can stay home and use online quoting to get rate comparisons in just a few minutes.
Most of the best insurance companies belong to a marketplace where insurance shoppers enter their policy data once, and each participating company can provide price quotes based on the submitted data. This prevents consumers from doing quote forms for each company.
To participate in this free quote system, click here to start a free quote.
The single downside to comparing rates this way is you are unable to specify which companies to get pricing from. So if you prefer to choose individual companies to request quotes from, we have assembled a list of auto insurance companies in New Jersey. Click here to view list.
It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just ensure you are comparing apples-to-apples deductibles and coverage limits for every company. If you have mixed coverages it’s impossible to find the best deal in Englewood. Slightly different limits can make a big difference in price. Just keep in mind that obtaining a wide range of quotes helps locate better pricing.
Take these nine discounts and save
Companies offering auto insurance don’t necessarily list all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the following is a list of both the well known and also the lesser-known ways to save on auto insurance.
- Good Students Pay Less – This discount can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you up to age 25.
- Drive Safe and Save – Safe drivers can pay as much as 50% less than drivers with accident claims.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen less frequently and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control are safer to drive and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Pay Upfront and Save – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
- Safety Course Discount – Taking a driver safety course could possibly earn you a 5% discount depending on where you live.
- Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags can get savings of up to 25% or more.
- Seat Belts Save – Drivers who require all occupants to use their safety belts can save up to 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.
- Resident Student – Any of your kids who live away from home and do not have a car may qualify for this discount.
A little note about advertised discounts, many deductions do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.
Quote online but work with a neighborhood agent
Some consumers just want to buy from a licensed agent and there is nothing wrong with that. The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is the fact that you can find better rates and still have an agent to talk to.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, your coverage information is immediately sent to local insurance agents who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. You never need to leave your computer due to the fact that quote results will go directly to your email. How cool is that?! You can find the lowest rates AND an agent nearby.
Choosing an provider requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. These questions are important to ask:
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in New Jersey?
- Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
- Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
- Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
Two types of auto insurance agents
When looking for local Englewood agents, there are two types of agencies to choose from. Englewood agents are categorized either captive or independent (non-captive).
Agency Captives
These agents write business for a single company like State Farm or Allstate. They generally cannot place coverage with different providers so they have to upsell other benefits. These agents are very knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques which helps them compete with independent agents.
Independent Agents
Independent agents are not locked into one company so they have the ability to put coverage with multiple insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If you are not satisfied with one company, the business is moved internally without you having to go to a different agency.
When comparing rates, it’s recommended you include multiple independent agents to get the best comparison.
Shown below is a list of independent insurance agencies in Englewood willing to provide comparison quotes.
Adp Statewide Insurance – 71 E Palisade Ave – Englewood, NJ 07631 – (201) 248-4370
Durkin Agency Inc – 106 Grand Ave – Englewood, NJ 07631 – (201) 567-3700
For a complete listing of licensed insurance agents in Englewood, go to this page.
Once you have good answers to any questions you have and an affordable coverage quote, you may have just found an insurance agency that can properly insure your vehicles.
Different people need different coverages
When it comes to choosing adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is unique so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions might point out if you might need an agent’s assistance.
- Do I need rental car coverage?
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
- Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
- Do all my vehicles need collision coverage?
- Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
- Does liability extend to a camper or trailer?
- Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
- Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
If you’re not sure about those questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
What auto insurance coverages do you need?
Having a good grasp of your auto insurance policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be difficult to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Listed below are typical coverage types available from auto insurance companies.
Coverage for medical expenses
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP pay for bills for dental work, X-ray expenses, hospital visits and EMT expenses. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Coverage for liability
Liability coverage can cover damage that occurs to people or other property by causing an accident. This coverage protects you from claims by other people. It does not cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You might see policy limits of 50/100/50 that translate to $50,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability insurance covers things like repair costs for stationary objects, loss of income and emergency aid. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but buy as much as you can afford. New Jersey state minimum liability requirements are 15,000/30,000/5,000 but drivers should carry more coverage.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers
This provides protection from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits (15/30/5 in New Jersey), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.
Comprehensive auto insurance
This coverage will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things like a tree branch falling on your vehicle, vandalism and falling objects. The maximum payout a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.
Collision coverage
Collision insurance pays for damage to your vehicle caused by collision with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision insurance covers things like crashing into a ditch, hitting a mailbox, hitting a parking meter, scraping a guard rail and sideswiping another vehicle. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. You can also choose a higher deductible to bring the cost down.
More tips and info about auto insurance can be read at the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance website. Consumers can read consumer alerts, learn about specific coverages, and read industry bulletins.
Other related articles:
Do the work, save more money
Discount auto insurance can be sourced online and also from your neighborhood Englewood agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best selection. Some insurance providers may not provide online price quotes and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.
Throughout this article, we presented some good ideas how you can compare auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from an unexpected company. They often have lower prices on specific markets as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm or Progressive.