Tired of paying out the nose to buy car insurance? You’re in the same situation as most other car owners in New York.
Insurance companies such as State Farm, Progressive and Geico continually hit you with ads and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and find the best price available.
Fast and Easy Oyster Bay Car Insurance Quotes
The are a couple different ways to compare rate quotes from different in Oyster Bay, NYinsurance companies. The easiest way by far to find the cheapest insurance rates is to use the internet to compare rates. This can be done in several different ways.
- The most efficient way to get quotes for comparison would be an industry-wide quote request form click to view form in new window. This form saves time by eliminating a different quote for every car insurance company. Filling out one form compares rates from all major companies.
- A slightly less efficient method to get quotes online requires visiting the website for every company you want to comare and request a quote. For example, we’ll assume you want to compare rates from Auto-Owners, State Farm and Farmers. To find out each rate you need to take the time to go to each site and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is quicker.
For a handy list of car insurance company links in Oyster Bay, click here.
Which method you use is up to you, but make absolute certain that you use exactly the same information for each price quote. If each company quotes mixed coverages it will be next to impossible to determine which rate is truly the best in Oyster Bay. Slightly different coverage limits can result in a big premium difference. And when price shopping your coverage, more quotes gives you a better chance of getting lower pricing.
You probably qualify for some discounts
Auto insurance companies do not list every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so here is a list some of the best known and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Keeping the miles down can qualify you for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
- Anti-theft System – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems can help prevent theft and will save you 10% or more.
- Federal Government Employee – Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% with certain companies.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Drivers who require all occupants to wear their seat belts could save 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- Senior Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you may receive better car insurance rates.
- Payment Discounts – If you pay your bill all at once rather than paying monthly you can actually save on your bill.
- Braking Control Discount – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control are safer to drive and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than less cautious drivers.
- Accident Free – Good drivers with no accidents can earn big discounts when compared with accident-prone drivers.
It’s important to note that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears it’s possible to get free car insurance, you’re out of luck.
To see a list of insurers with the best car insurance discounts in New York, follow this link.
Components of your insurance rates
It’s important that you understand the factors that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in better car insurance rates.
- Do you need those extra coverages? – There are many extra bells and whistles that you can get tricked into buying on your car insurance policy. Insurance for rental car reimbursement, accidental death and additional equipment coverage may be wasting your money. They may seem good at first, but now you might not need them so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
- Drive less and save money – The more miles you rack up on your car every year the higher your rates will be. Most insurance companies charge to insure your cars determined by how the vehicle is used. Autos left parked in the garage receive lower rates than those used for commuting. Make sure your car insurance policy is showing how each vehicle is driven, because improper ratings can cost you money.
- Where you live can impact rates – Residing in less populated areas can be a good thing when talking about car insurance. Urban drivers regularly have much more traffic and longer commute times. Fewer drivers means fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
- Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? – Many insurance companies will award you with lower prices to customers who carry more than one policy such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can be 10 percent or more. Even if you’re getting this discount you may still want to shop around to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still find a better deal by insuring with multiple companies.
- Always keep insurance in force – Letting your insurance expire is a sure-fire way to pay more for car insurance. And not only will your rates increase, failure to provide proof of insurance can result in a revoked license or a big fine.
- Are you male or female? – Statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. Now that doesn’t mean women are better drivers. Both sexes are in accidents at about the same rate, but the males tend to have more serious accidents. They also have more aggressive citations like DUI and reckless driving.
- Marriage pays dividends – Having a spouse actually saves money when buying car insurance. Marriage usually means you are more mature and statistics show married couples file fewer claims.
- Poor credit can mean higher rates – Having a bad credit history is a big factor in determining your rates. Therefore, if your credit score is not that good, you could be paying less to insure your by improving your rating. People with good credit tend to be more responsible than those with lower credit scores.
More detailed New York car insurance information can be read at the New York Department of Financial Services website. New York drivers can read industry bulletins, learn about insurance regulations, and read consumer alerts.
The following information may also be useful.
Do the work, save more money
When trying to cut insurance costs, don’t be tempted to buy less coverage just to save a little money. In too many instances, someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits and found out when filing a claim that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.
Budget-conscious car insurance is possible from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Oyster Bay agents, so you should compare both to have the best selection. There are still a few companies who may not provide online price quotes and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.