Do you get exhausted from trying to scrape together enough money to pay high car insurance rates every month? You are no different than the majority of other people in New Jersey. Having so many insurance companies to choose from, it’s difficult to locate the most cost effective company.
You should make it a habit to check car insurance prices once or twice a year because prices change frequently. Just because you had the lowest price last year other companies may now be cheaper. There is lot of inaccurate information about car insurance on the internet, but by reading this article, you’re going to learn some of the best ways to find affordable car insurance.
To find the best car insurance rates, there are several ways of comparing rate quotes from many car insurance companies in New Jersey. The fastest way to find affordable insurance rates consists of obtaining rate quotes online. This can be accomplished in a couple minutes as outlined below.
- One of the simplest ways to compare a lot of rates at once is a comparison rater form click here to open form in new window. This quick form keeps you from doing separate forms for every car insurance company. Filling out one form will return price quotes from several companies.
- A more time consuming way to analyze rates requires you to visit each company’s website and request a quote. For example, we’ll assume you want rates from Nationwide, State Farm and Progressive. To do that, you would have to spend time on each company’s site and repeatedly type in your coverage information, which is why first method is reommended.
For a list of links to insurance companies in Ventnor City, click here.
- The least recommended method to get price estimates is to waste gas driving to local Ventnor City insurance agencies. The ability to get quotes online makes this unnecessary unless you prefer the professional abilities of a local Ventnor City agent. If you prefer, some companies allow you to compare the best prices online and have a local agent actually service the policy.
Which method you use is up to you, but make absolute certain that you use the exact same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote. If you compare different limits and deductibles on each one then you won’t be able to get a fair rate comparison in Ventnor City. Just slight variations in insurance coverages may result in a large different in cost. Just remember that more quotes gives you a better chance of getting the best offered rates.
You have control over your car insurance costs
The best way to find cheaper car insurance is to take a look at a few of the rating criteria that help determine the price you pay for car insurance. When you understand what controls the rates you pay, this enables you to make decisions that may result in lower rates.
Listed below are some of the factors used by companies to determine rates.
- Car insurance rates and age – Beginning drivers in New Jersey tend to be inattentive and easily distracted when at the wheel of a vehicle so they pay higher car insurance rates. If you’ve ever had to add a teen driver onto a policy can be quite pricey. More mature drivers are shown to be more cautious, tend to file fewer claims , and are generally more financially stable.
- Pay lower rates if you’re married – Walking down the aisle actually saves money on your car insurance policy. It means you’re more financially stable and insurance companies like that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
- Prevent car insurance policy lapses – Having an insurance coverage lapse is a quick way to increase your rates. Not only will rates go up, not being able to provide proof of insurance might get you a fine, jail time, or a revoked license.
- Infrequent drivers can save – The higher the miles on your car each year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. A lot of insurance companies calculate rates determined by how the vehicle is used. Autos that have low annual miles receive lower rates than those that get driven frequently. It’s a smart idea to ensure your car insurance policy correctly shows annual mileage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
- High credit scores save money – Having a bad credit rating is likely to be a major factor in calculating your car insurance rates. Therefore, if your credit is not that good, you may save money insuring your vehicle by improving your credit score. Insureds with very high credit ratings tend to be less risk to insure as compared to drivers with bad credit.
Take advantage of every car insurance discount
Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but there’s a good chance there are discounts that you may not know about. Most are applied at quote time, but a few must be asked about before you get the savings.
- Professional Memberships – Affiliation with a qualifying organization may earn a discount when shopping for car insurance.
- Data Collection Discounts – Drivers that enable data collection to track their driving habits by using a telematics device like Allstate’s Drivewise could possibly reduce rates if they show good driving skills.
- Discounts for New Vehicles – Insuring a vehicle that is new can get you a discount because new model year vehicles are generally safer.
- Policy Bundle Discount – If you can bundle your home and auto insurance and insure them both with the same insurance company you may earn at least 10 to 15 percent or more.
- College Student – Kids who are enrolled in higher education away from home without a vehicle on campus may be insured at a cheaper rate.
- E-sign Discounts</strong – Some insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying a policy and signing up over the internet.
- Accident Forgiveness Coverage – This one is not really a discount per se, but a few companies such as Allstate and Geico will turn a blind eye to one accident without raising rates if you have no claims prior to being involved in the accident.
- Low Mileage – Driving less could qualify for substantially lower premium rates.
- Good Student – Excelling in school could provide a savings of up to 20% or more. Many companies even apply the discount to college students up until you turn 25.
Discounts lower rates, but some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Most only cut specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears you can get free auto insurance, companies wouldn’t make money that way. Any qualifying discounts will bring down the cost of your policy.
A list of car insurance companies and some of their more popular discounts are outlined below.
- State Farm may offer discounts for Steer Clear safe driver discount, passive restraint, Drive Safe & Save, good driver, defensive driving training, and safe vehicle.
- Esurance discounts include paid-in-full, anti-lock brakes, multi-car, emergency road assistance, good driver, good student, and safety device.
- Progressive offers discounts for homeowner, online quote discount, multi-vehicle, good student, and multi-policy.
- Liberty Mutual offers discounts including multi-policy, newly retired, multi-car, preferred payment discount, new move discount, and hybrid vehicle.
- Auto-Owners Insurance may have discounts that include air bags, safe driver, mature driver, paperless, good student, safe vehicle, and student away at school.
- Geico offers premium reductions for multi-vehicle, daytime running lights, air bags, anti-theft, and five-year accident-free.
Check with every company which discounts can lower your rates. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts may not apply to policies in Ventnor City. To choose providers that offer many of these discounts in Ventnor City, click this link.
When in doubt talk to an agent
When it comes to buying the best car insurance coverage, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Everyone’s needs are different so your insurance should reflect that For instance, these questions can aid in determining if your insurance needs might need professional guidance.
- Is my business laptop covered if it gets stolen from my vehicle?
- Do I have coverage for damage caused while driving under the influence?
- Are rental cars covered under my policy?
- Does my personal auto insurance policy cover using my vehicle for business use?
- Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
- Is there coverage for injuries to my pets?
- Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Ventnor City?
- Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
- When would I need rental car insurance?
- Does liability extend to a camper or trailer?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Local Ventnor City auto insurance agents
Some people still like to buy from a licensed agent and we recommend doing that One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is you can get lower auto insurance rates and still have a local agent.
By using this quick form, the quote information is emailed to local insurance agents who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to contact any agents due to the fact that quote results will go to the email address you provide. Get lower rates and a licensed agent to work with. If you need to compare rates from one company in particular, just visit that company’s website and give them your coverage information.
Selecting an insurance company requires more thought than just the quoted price. The answers to these questions are important, too.
- What company do they have the most business with?
- What are their preferred companies if they are an independent agency?
- Are they full-time agents?
- Do the agents have professional certifications like CPCU or CIC?
- Will you get a loaner vehicle if you car is being repaired?
- Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
- Does the quote include credit and driving reports?
When searching for a local insurance agency, it’s important to understand the different types of agents and how they are slightly different. Ventnor City agents can be classified as either captive or independent agents depending on their company appointments.
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive insurance agents can usually just insure with one company and examples are Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. Captive agencies are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so they really need to provide good service. Captive agents receive a lot of sales training on their company’s products which helps offset the inability to provide other markets.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agents are not restriced to one company and that enables them to quote your coverage amongst many companies and get you the best rates possible. To transfer your coverage to a different company, an independent agent can move your coverage and that require little work on your part.
When comparing car insurance prices, it’s a good idea to compare quotes from several independent insurance agents to get the most accurate price comparison.
Affordable car insurance is out there
Low-cost car insurance can be found online in addition to local insurance agencies, so you need to with both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies don’t offer rate quotes online and these smaller providers only sell coverage through independent agents.
We’ve covered a lot of ways to reduce car insurance rates online. The key concept to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better likelihood of getting . You may even discover the biggest savings come from the least-expected company. Regional companies often have lower auto insurance rates on specific markets than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm or Progressive.
More detailed New Jersey car insurance information is available at the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance website. Consumers can report car insurance fraud, get help finding coverage, view a list of available companies, and learn about specific coverages.
Other useful links include NAIC.org’s Understanding your Policy and this list of insurance agents in Ventnor City, NJ.