Finding the best price on Paterson auto insurance can be a challenge if you’re new to online rate quotes. But relax because online price shopping is actually quite simple.
Buying car insurance in Paterson is quite easy. Basically, anyone who shops for auto insurance will more than likely be able to reduce their rates. But New Jersey vehicle owners benefit from understanding how insurance companies sell insurance online and apply this information to your search.
How to Compare Auto Insurance Costs in Paterson, NJ
Most major insurance companies quote prices for coverage directly from their websites. Getting online quotes is quite easy as you simply type in as requested by the quote form. When complete, the company’s rating system requests credit information and your driving record and returns a price quote.
Online quotes streamlines rate comparisons, but the time required to go to each company’s website and repetitively enter the same data into a form gets old quite quickly. But it is imperative to get many rate quotes in order to get a better rate.
Compare rates the easy way
The preferred way to get multiple rate quotes makes use of a single form that gets prices from several different companies. This type of form saves time, eliminates form submissions, and makes online price comparison much more enjoyable and efficient. As soon as the form is sent, it is rated and you can choose any or none of the quotes that you receive. If a lower price is quoted, you can simply submit the application and buy the policy. It takes less than 15 minutes and you will find out if you’re overpaying now.
To find out what other companies charge, click here and enter your information. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended you complete the form with just like they are on your policy. This makes sure you’re receiving a rate comparison based on similar coverages.
Pay less by taking advantage of these ten discounts
Companies don’t list every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we took the time to find both well-publicized as well as the least known auto insurance savings.
- Discount for Good Grades – Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. The good student discount can last until age 25.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can reduce accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Federal Employees – Simply working for the federal government could cut as much as 10% off with a few auto insurance companies.
- Multiple Cars – Having all your vehicles on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Claim Free – Good drivers with no accidents pay less when compared with drivers who are more careless.
- Memberships – Being a member of a qualifying organization could trigger savings when buying auto insurance.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory air bags can receive discounts of 20% or more.
- Drive Less and Save – Driving fewer miles can earn discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
- Anti-theft System – Anti-theft and alarm systems help deter theft and will save you 10% or more.
- Homeowners Pay Less – Owning a home in Paterson may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because owning a home demonstrates responsibility.
Consumers should know that most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to individual premiums such as comp or med pay. Just because you may think all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
Parts of your auto insurance policy
Having a good grasp of your policy helps when choosing which coverages you need for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Collision coverages – Collision insurance pays for damage to your vehicle from colliding with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage pays for claims such as hitting a mailbox, sideswiping another vehicle and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. Another option is to bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – This pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like vandalism, damage from getting keyed, hitting a bird, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and a broken windshield. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Auto liability insurance – This provides protection from damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have liability limits of 25/50/25 which means $25,000 bodily injury coverage, 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 protects against things such as emergency aid, structural damage, medical expenses and pain and suffering. How much liability should you purchase? That is a personal decision, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford. New Jersey requires drivers to carry at least 15,000/30,000/5,000 but you should think about purchasing more coverage.
Medical expense insurance – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for immediate expenses like doctor visits, EMT expenses and ambulance fees. They can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. They cover both the driver and occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not universally available and may carry a deductible
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.
Due to the fact that many New Jersey drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (which is 15/30/5), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.
Consumer auto insurance information in New Jersey
Additional detailed information is available at the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance website. Visitors are able to read industry bulletins, report car insurance fraud, read state legal mandates and laws, and get help finding coverage.