Shopping for the cheapest Central Falls car insurance on the internet may be somewhat difficult for people who are new to buying insurance on the web. Because there are so many insurance companies available, how can Central Falls drivers effectively compare them all to find the best available rates?
It’s a great practice to take a look at other company’s rates every six months since rates are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Despite the fact that you may have had the best deal a couple years back there may be better deals available now. You’ll find quite a bit of inaccurate information about car insurance online but we’re going to give you the best ways to find affordable car insurance.
Choosing the best insurance company for you in Central Falls is not that difficult. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will be able to save some money using these methods. But Rhode Island consumers can benefit from knowing the way companies sell insurance online.
Save Money with These Tips
It’s important that you understand the different types of things that go into determining the price you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to big savings.
Listed below are some of the items used by your company to calculate prices.
- Little extras can really add up – There are quite a few add-on coverages that you can buy on your car insurance policy. Coverages for vanishing deductibles, towing coverage and additional equipment coverage are examples of these. These coverages may sound good initially, but now you might not need them so eliminate them to save money.
- Your car’s features help determine rates – Purchasing a vehicle with an alarm system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Theft prevention features like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all aid in stopping your car from being stolen.
- Younger drivers pay higher rates – Older insureds are more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and tend to be better behind the wheel. Teenage drivers tend to be less responsible when behind the wheel therefore car insurance rates are much higher.
- Pay less after the wedding – Being married can get you a discount on car insurance. It is viewed as being more mature and responsible and it’s statistically proven that married couples file fewer claims.
- Keep rates low by being claim-free – Insurance companies in Rhode Island generally give cheaper rates to drivers who do not file claims often. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can expect either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for the large, substantial claims.
How to Lower Your Car Insurance Cost in Central Falls, Rhode Island
There are several ways to shop for car insurance, but one way is less labor-intensive and much quicker. You can spend your afternoon discussing policy coverages with local insurance agents in Central Falls, or you could use online quoting to get the quickest rates.
Many insurance companies belong to a marketplace where insurance shoppers send in one quote, and each participating company can give them a price based on the submitted data. This system prevents you from having to do quotation requests for each company. To submit your quote information now, click here to start a free quote.
The single downside to doing it this way is you are unable to specify which providers you will receive quotes from. If you wish to select from a list of companies to compare prices, we have a page of car insurance companies in Rhode Island. Click to view list.
Whichever way you use, ensure you’re using the exact same information with every price quote. If the quotes have mixed coverages you can’t possibly truly determine the lowest rate in Central Falls. Just a small difference in coverage limits could mean much higher rates. And when price shopping your coverage, quoting more gives you a better chance of getting lower pricing.
Do drivers who switch really save $424 a year?
State Farm, Geico and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. All the companies say the same thing that you’ll save big if you switch to their company. How can each company say the same thing?
All the different companies have a certain “appetite” for the driver that is profitable for them. A good example of a profitable customer might be profiled as over the age of 50, has no tickets, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and most likely will save when switching.
Consumers who don’t qualify for this ideal profile will be quoted higher rates and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say “people who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much money. That is how insurance companies can make the claims of big savings. This emphasizes why you should get quotes from several different companies. It’s impossible to know which car insurance company will fit your personal profile best.
Verify you’re getting all your discounts
Companies don’t always list all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list both the well known as well as the least known car insurance savings.
- Senior Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you may receive better car insurance rates.
- Safe Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents may receive a discount up to 45% less than their less cautious counterparts.
- Defensive Driver – Taking a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount if your company offers it.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Life Insurance Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase life insurance from them.
- Good Students Pay Less – Performing well in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The good student discount can last well after school through age 25.
- Distant Student – Kids in college who are attending college and do not have a car can receive lower rates.
- Paperless Signup – Some insurance companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up on their website.
- Employee of Federal Government – Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount with a few car insurance companies.
- Own a Home – Simply owning a home can save you money because maintaining a house demonstrates responsibility.
A little note about advertised discounts, many deductions do not apply the the whole policy. Most only cut specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. So when it seems like you can get free auto insurance, you’re out of luck.
To see a list of insurers with discount car insurance rates in Central Falls, follow this link.
Car Insurance through a local agent
Certain consumers prefer to talk to a local agent. The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is that you can obtain the lowest rates but also keep your business local.
Once you complete this quick form, the quote information is immediately sent to participating agents in Central Falls who will give you bids for your coverage. You won’t need to drive around because quoted prices will be sent immediately to your email address. Now that’s easy! You can find better rates and a licensed agent to work with.
Choosing a company should depend on more than just a low price. Some important questions to ask are:
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
- How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
- Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
- Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
- How are they compensated?
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
The difference between Central Falls car insurance agents
When searching for a good insurance agency, you need to know there are two types of agencies that you can select. Central Falls agents are classified as either captive or independent.
Captive Agents
Captive agents work for only one company like Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. They usually cannot compare other company’s rates so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agencies are very knowledgeable on their company’s products which can be an advantage. Consumers often choose to use a captive agent mostly because of the brand legacy and strong financial ratings.
The following is a short list of captive agencies in Central Falls who can help you get rate quotes.
- Allstate Insurance Co – 661 Dexter St – Central Falls, RI 02863 – (401) 725-2560
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agencies do not work for one specific company so they can insure your vehicles with any number of different companies and potentially find a lower price. If you are not satisfied with one company, the business is moved internally without you having to go to a different agency.
When shopping rates, you should always contact at a minimum one independent agency to ensure the widest selection of prices. They also have the ability to place coverage with lesser-known insurance companies who may have lower rates.
Below is a list of independent agencies in Central Falls willing to provide comparison quotes.
- Louis J Najjar Insurance Inc – 706 Dexter St – Central Falls, RI 02863 – (401) 726-1509
- Zoraida Yepes Insurance – 590 Dexter St – Central Falls, RI 02863 – (401) 729-8065
For a complete listing of licensed insurance agents in Central Falls, view this link.
Once you have received good answers to these questions and a good coverage price, chances are good that you have found an auto insurance agent that is a good match to adequately provide car insurance.
More tips and info about car insurance can be found at the Rhode Island Division of Insurance Regulation website. Rhode Island consumers can view agent and company licensing information, find out which companies have the most complaints, learn about insurance regulations, and read industry bulletins.
In Summary
We just showed you many ways to reduce car insurance prices online. It’s most important to understand that the more you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the biggest savings come from an unexpected company.
Insureds leave their current company for many reasons like extreme rates for teen drivers, questionable increases in premium, policy non-renewal or even high prices. No matter why you want to switch, finding a new company is not as difficult as it may seem.
Cheaper car insurance is attainable on the web in addition to many Central Falls insurance agents, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture. Some car insurance companies do not provide online price quotes and these smaller companies work with independent agents.