Having to pay for overpriced auto insurance can take a big chunk out of your checking account and force you to prioritize other expenses. Comparing price quotes is free and is an excellent way to lower your monthly bill.
Many insurance companies compete for your hard-earned dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates to find the lowest rate possible.
If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to cut costs considerably using these tips. Choosing the best insurance company for you in Amherst is easy if you know what you’re doing. Nevertheless, Massachusetts consumers should learn the way insurance companies market on the web and use this information to your advantage.
How to Compare Auto Insurance Quotes in Amherst, MA
Most major insurance companies quote price estimates on the web. Getting online quotes is fairly simple as you simply enter your coverage information as requested by the quote form. After you submit the form the system collects your credit score and driving record and returns a price determined by many factors. This makes comparing rates easy, but the process of having to visit multiple sites and fill out multiple forms is repetitive and time-consuming. But it’s very important to have as many quotes as possible if you want to find the best price possible.
A less time-consuming method to lower your auto insurance bill requires only one form that gets prices from a bunch of companies at once. It saves time, eliminates repetitive work, and makes online price comparison much more enjoyable. After sending the form, it gets priced and you can choose any one of the price quotes you receive. If you find a better price you can simply submit the application and buy the policy. It takes less than 15 minutes and can result in significant savings.
To save time and find out if lower rates are available, click here to open in a new tab and submit your coverage information. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you complete the form with the limits and deductibles exactly as they are listed on your policy. This helps ensure you will receive a rate comparison using the same coverage and limits.
Discounts are available to cut your rates
Companies offering auto insurance do not advertise all their discounts very clearly, so the following is a list of some of the more common and the harder-to-find auto insurance savings.
- Safe Driver Discount – Insureds without accidents can pay as much as 50% less than less cautious drivers.
- Auto/Home Discount – If you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you could get a discount of up to 20% off your total premium.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of paying each month you may reduce your total bill.
- Defensive Driving Course – Taking part in a driver safety course could cut 5% off your bill and easily recoup the cost of the course.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could cut 10% or more off your medical payments premium.
- Lower Rates for Military – Being deployed with a military unit could mean lower rates.
A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Most only cut specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So even though they make it sound like you can get free auto insurance, you’re out of luck.
To choose providers with discount auto insurance rates in Amherst, click this link.
Compare online but buy from a local Amherst agent
Certain consumers would prefer to get advice from a local agent and that is a personal choice. One of the best bonuses of comparing insurance prices online is you may find lower rates and still have an agent to talk to.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this quick form, the coverage information is emailed to local insurance agents in Amherst who will compete for your business. You never need to drive around because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. It doesn’t get any easier! It’s the lowest rates and work with a local agent.
Selecting a company needs to be determined by more than just a low price. Agents should be asked these questions:
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Massachusetts?
Pick the best car insurance agent in Amherst for you
If you’re trying to find an insurance agent, there are a couple of types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agents are categorized either captive or independent.
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive agencies work for only one company such as Allstate, AAA, Liberty Mutual and State Farm. These agents are not able to compare other company’s rates so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captive agencies receive extensive training in insurance sales and that can be a competitive advantage.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
These agents do not work for one specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with many different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If your agent finds better pricing, an independent agent can move your coverage and that require little work on your part.
When searching for an agent, it’s recommended you include price quotes from several independent insurance agents for the best price selection.
Listed below is a short list of independent agencies in Amherst who can help you get price quote information.
Bresnahan Insurance – 231 Triangle St – Amherst, MA 01002 – (413) 549-1100
Amherst Insurance – 20 Gatehouse Rd – Amherst, MA 01002 – (413) 253-5555
To view a full list of insurance agents in Amherst, click here to link.
Once you have received reasonable responses in addition to an acceptable price estimate, chances are good that you have found an auto insurance agent that will properly insure your vehicles.
Additional detailed information can be found at the Massachusetts Division of Insurance website. Visitors are able to learn about insurance regulations, read industry bulletins, and find out industry alerts.
The following information may also be useful.
- Buy Amherst, NY Car Insurance Like a Bargain Hunter
- 5 Proven Ways to Pay Lower Auto Insurance Cost in Amherst, NY
Parts of your auto insurance policy
Understanding the coverages of your policy can be of help when determining appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be difficult to understand and coverage can change by endorsement. Listed below are the normal coverages found on most auto insurance policies.
Uninsured or underinsured coverage
This gives you protection from other motorists when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your vehicle.
Since many Massachusetts drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (20/40/5 in Massachusetts), their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important.
Collision protection
This will pay to fix damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage protects against claims such as hitting a parking meter, colliding with another moving vehicle and rolling your car. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Comprehensive protection
Comprehensive insurance covers damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as hitting a bird, vandalism, hail damage and falling objects. The maximum payout a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Medical expense coverage
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for bills for things like prosthetic devices, hospital visits, X-ray expenses, chiropractic care and dental work. They can be utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states and may carry a deductible
Liability coverages
This provides protection from damage or injury you incur to other people or property by causing an accident. This coverage protects you from claims by other people, and doesn’t 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. Your policy might show liability limits of 25/50/25 that means you have $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability coverage pays for claims like funeral expenses, medical expenses and medical services. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford. Massachusetts requires minimum liability limits of 20,000/40,000/5,000 but you should consider buying higher limits.
Shop smart and save
We just covered a lot of information how to compare auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Consumers may even find the most savings is with an unexpected company. Some small companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost compared to the large companies like Progressive and Geico.
While you’re price shopping online, never skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are too many instances where an insured dropped collision coverage and found out when filing a claim that they should have had better coverage. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.
Cheap auto insurance is definitely available on the web as well as from independent agents in Amherst, so you should compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance providers don’t offer you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.