Finding lower premiums on Seymour auto insurance is hard for people who are new to comparison shopping online. People have so many options available that it can turn into a ton of work to locate the lowest price in Seymour.
You need to get comparison quotes yearly because rates tend to go up over time. Even if you think you had the lowest price six months ago a different company probably has better rates today. Forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because we’re going to demonstrate the only way to save money, get proper deductibles and limits, all at the lowest rate.
Seymour Auto Insurance Comparisons
There are a variety of methods you can shop for auto insurance but there is one way that is less time-consuming than others. You can spend your afternoon talking to insurance companies in Seymour, or you can stay home and use online quotes to get rates in a matter of minutes.
Many companies participate in an industry program where prospective buyers complete one form, and every company returns a competitive quote based on that information. This eliminates the need for repetitive form submissions to each individual auto insurance company.
To participate in this free quote system, click here (opens in new window).
The only downside to using this type of form is buyers cannot specifically choose which providers to get quotes from. So if you prefer to choose specific insurance companies to compare, we put together a list of the cheapest auto insurance companies in Connecticut. Click to view list.
It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just make darn sure you compare apples-to-apples coverage limits and deductibles for each comparison quote. If you use different values for each quote you can’t possibly make a fair comparison in Seymour.
Don’t believe everything you hear
Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for cheaper car insurance from companies such as Geico, State Farm and Progressive. They all make the same claim that you can save if you change your policy.
But how can every company make the same claim? This is how they do it.
All companies can use profiling for the type of customer they prefer to insure. An example of a preferred risk might be profiled as over the age of 50, insures multiple vehicles, and has a high credit rating. A propective insured that hits that “sweet spot” gets the lowest rates and therefore will save a lot of money.
Consumers who fall outside the requirements will be charged more money which leads to the customer not buying. Company advertisements say “people who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much money. That is how companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings.
That is why drivers must get as many comparisons as possible. It’s not possible to predict which auto insurance company will fit your personal profile best.
Why you might pay higher rates in Seymour
It’s important that you understand the rating factors that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get lower auto insurance prices.
The following are some of the items used by your company to calculate your rates.
- High credit ratings translate to low rates – Having a bad credit score is a huge factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. Consumers who have high credit ratings tend to be less risk to insure than those with lower credit ratings. If your credit is low, you could potentially save money when insuring your by improving your credit score.
- Adjust deductibles and save – Insurance for physical damage to your car, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered are collision with another vehicle, collision with an animal, or theft. Physical damage deductibles are how much you are required to spend out-of-pocket before your auto insurance pays a claim. The higher the amount the insured has to pay upfront, the lower your rates will be.
- Are you male or female? – The statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. That doesn’t necessarily mean that men are worse drivers. They both have accidents in similar percentages, but men cause more damage. Men also get cited for more serious violations such as DWI and reckless driving. Male drivers age 16 to 19 are the most expensive to insure and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.
- Discounts for married couples – Having a spouse can actually save you money when buying auto insurance. Having a significant other translates into being more mature than a single person and it’s proven that being married results in fewer claims.
- What type of vehicle do you drive? – The make and model of the car you own makes a big difference in how high your rates are. Low performance passenger cars generally receive the lowest base rates, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
Discounts are great for lower rates
Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but you can get discounts that you may not even be aware of. Most are applied at the time of quoting, but a few need to be asked for prior to getting the savings. If you’re not getting every credit you deserve, you’re paying more than you need to.
- Accident Free – Claim-free drivers can earn big discounts compared to bad drivers.
- Homeowners Pay Less – Owning a house in Seymour can help you save on auto insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.
- Pay Upfront and Save – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of paying each month you could save up to 5%.
- Good Student – This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. The good student discount can last up until you turn 25.
- Accident Forgiveness – Certain companies will allow you to have one accident without raising rates so long as you haven’t had any claims for a certain period of time.
- Drivers Education – Cut your cost by having your teen driver successfully complete driver’s ed class if offered at their school.
- Service Members Pay Less – Being deployed with a military unit could be rewarded with lower premiums.
- Defensive Driver – Successfully completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could possibly earn you a 5% discount if your company offers it.
- Sign Early and Save – Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching to them before your current policy expires. It can save you around 10%.
It’s important to note that most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. A few only apply to individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don’t profit that way. Any amount of discount will cut your premiums.
To choose insurers offering auto insurance discounts in Seymour, click here.
You may need specialized coverage
When buying the right insurance coverage, there isn’t really a perfect coverage plan. Every insured’s situation is different.
Here are some questions about coverages that might help in determining if you will benefit from professional help.
- Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
- Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
- What is the minimum liability in Connecticut?
- Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
- When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
- What if I don’t agree with a claim settlement offer?
- Does having multiple vehicles earn me a discount?
- When should my teen driver be added to my policy?
If you can’t answer these questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form. It’s fast, free and you can get the answers you need.
Quote online but still have a local agent
Some people would rather buy from a licensed agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Insurance agents can answer important questions and give you peace of mind. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is that you can obtain the best rates but also keep your business local. Supporting local businesses is important especially in Seymour.
After filling out this short form, your insurance data is transmitted to insurance agents in Seymour who will battle for your business. You don’t have to drive around because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. Now that’s easy!
Captive or Independent: There is a difference
When finding a local agent, there are two types of insurance agents to choose from. Agents are categorized either captive or independent (non-captive). Either one can do a good job, but it’s worth learning the differences because it can impact your agent selection.
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agencies do not work for one specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with many different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, your agent can switch companies and you don’t have to find a new agent. When shopping rates, you should always include price quotes from several independent insurance agents for maximum quote selection.Many can place coverage with smaller companies which may provide better rates.
The following are independent insurance agents in Seymour that may be able to provide price quote information.
- Talbot Agency – 7 Wakeley St – Seymour, CT 06483 – (203) 888-7770
- William Poe Insurance Svc – 173 Roosevelt Dr – Seymour, CT 06483 – (203) 734-4588
- Burns Agency – 161 Main St – Seymour, CT 06483 – (203) 888-4843
- Loda Insurance – 246 Bank St – Seymour, CT 06483 – (203) 888-2557
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive agencies can only write with one company like State Farm, Allstate and AAA. These agents are unable to place coverage with different providers so they have to upsell other benefits. These agents are well schooled in insurance sales which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Some people will only choose to use a captive agent mainly due to high brand loyalty and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Shown below are captive insurance agencies in Seymour that are able to give comparison quotes.
- Allstate Insurance – 7 Wakeley St – Seymour, CT 06483 – (203) 881-1079
To view a full list of captive agents in Seymour, visit this site.
Deciding on an insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just the bottom line cost. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
- Do they make recommendations based only on price?
Upon getting positive responses to your questions and an affordable coverage quote, chances are good that you have found an insurance agency that can properly insure your vehicles.
Quote often and quote early
Cheaper auto insurance is available on the web and also from your neighborhood Seymour agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best selection. Some insurance companies may not provide online price quotes and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.
People switch companies for a variety of reasons including high prices, high rates after DUI convictions, lack of trust in their agent or even not issuing a premium refund. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding the right auto insurance provider is actually quite simple.
We just covered quite a bit of information on how to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers could even find that the lowest rates come from some of the smallest insurance companies.
Online resources for education
Much more information about auto insurance in Connecticut can be found on the Connecticut Insurance Department website through this link. Consumers can view a list of available companies, file complaints about a company, and find out which companies have the most complaints.