Saving money on Goffstown auto insurance is a challenge for people who are new to comparing rates online. Consumers have so many companies to choose from that it can quickly become a big hassle to find the best price in Goffstown.
Consumers should take time to price shop coverage on a regular basis because rates are usually higher with each renewal. Despite the fact that you may have had the lowest rates last year a different company probably has better rates today. So just block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because we’re going to show you the best way to properly buy coverages and cut your premium.
Automobile Insurance Quotes in Goffstown, New Hampshire
Most major insurance companies like State Farm, Allstate and Geico provide prices for coverage directly from their websites. Getting quotes doesn’t take much effort as you simply enter your personal and coverage information into a form. After you complete the form, the system collects reports for credit and driving violations and returns a price quote determined by many factors.
Being able to quote online makes comparing rates easy, but the time required to go to different websites and fill out multiple forms can get tiresome after awhile. But it’s very important to compare as many rates as possible if you are searching for the best price on auto insurance.
Isn’t there an easier way to compare rates?
A quicker way to compare auto insurance pricing makes use of a single form that obtains quotes from a lot of companies. The form is fast, eliminates repetitive work, and makes online shopping much more enjoyable and efficient. After sending the form, it is quoted with multiple companies and you can pick any or none of the returned quotes. If the quotes result in lower rates, you can simply submit the application and purchase the new policy. This process takes 15 minutes at the most and you will know how your current rates stack up.
In order to compare pricing, simply click here to open in new window and submit your coverage information. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended you enter coverages and limits as shown on your current policy. This ensures you will be getting a rate comparison for exact coverage.
Can you really save $455 a year?
New Hampshire consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for car insurance savings by State Farm, Allstate and Geico. All the companies make the same claim of big savings if you move to their company.
How does each company make almost identical claims?
All companies have a preferred profile for the driver that makes them money. For example, a desirable insured could be a mature driver, is a homeowner, and chooses high deductibles. A driver that hits that “sweet spot” will get the preferred rates and therefore will cut their rates substantially.
Potential customers who fall outside the “perfect” profile will be quoted higher premiums which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state “customers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much. This is how companies can truthfully make those claims. This emphasizes why it’s extremely important to get as many quotes as possible. Because you never know which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.
Policy discounts you shouldn’t miss
Companies offering auto insurance don’t always advertise every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we break down some of the best known and also the lesser-known savings tricks you should be using. If you aren’t receiving every discount available, you’re paying more than you need to.
- Resident Student – Children living away from home attending college and do not have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Early Switch Discount – Some insurance companies reward drivers for signing up prior to your current policy expiring. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- Paperwork-free – A few companies give back up to $50 just for signing your application digitally online.
- Theft Prevention System – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems help deter theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
- No Accidents – Claim-free drivers can save substantially as compared to frequent claim filers.
- Accident Forgiveness – A few companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums so long as you haven’t had any claims prior to the accident.
- Use Seat Belts – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts can save 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- Homeowners Discount – Owning a home in Goffstown can help you save on auto insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Driving fewer miles can qualify you for better rates on cars that stay parked.
Drivers should understand that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like you could get a free auto insurance policy, you’re out of luck.
Insurance agents can help
When buying proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a cookie cutter policy. Every insured’s situation is different.
For example, these questions may help you determine whether your personal situation may require specific advice.
- What if I don’t agree with a claim settlement offer?
- When would I need rental car insurance?
- Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
- Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
- When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
- Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form. It’s fast, free and you can get the answers you need.
Auto insurance 101
Knowing the specifics of your policy can help you determine which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring.
Comprehensive auto insurance – This will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims such as theft, hitting a bird, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, hitting a deer and fire damage. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Collision – This covers damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision insurance covers things such as hitting a parking meter, crashing into a ditch and damaging your car on a curb. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Coverage for medical expenses – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP pay for immediate expenses like EMT expenses, ambulance fees and rehabilitation expenses. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover all vehicle occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not universally available but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers – This gives you protection when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family and damage to your vehicle.
Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (25/50/25 in New Hampshire), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea.
Liability coverages – Liability insurance will cover damage that occurs to other’s property or people. Liability coverage has three limits: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You commonly see limits of 100/300/100 which means a limit of $100,000 per injured person, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000.
Liability coverage pays for things like bail bonds, structural damage, funeral expenses and repair costs for stationary objects. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but consider buying as large an amount as possible. New Hampshire requires drivers to carry at least 25,000/50,000/25,000 but you should think about purchasing better liability coverage.
More effort can pay off
Low-cost auto insurance is available on the web and with local Goffstown insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to get a complete price analysis. Some auto insurance companies do not offer online quoting and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
People change insurance companies for many reasons like denial of a claim, policy cancellation, poor customer service and policy non-renewal. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch choosing a new insurance company is easier than you think.
We’ve covered a lot of information how to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the higher the chance of saving money. You may be surprised to find that the best prices are with the smaller companies.
More detailed New Hampshire auto insurance information can be read at the New Hampshire Insurance Department website. Consumers can find out industry alerts, find out which companies have the most complaints, report car insurance fraud, and view agent and company licensing information.