Finding better rates for White Plains auto insurance can seem to be nearly impossible for consumers new to comparing rates online. People have so many companies to choose from that it can quickly become a challenge to find the best price in White Plains.
If you are paying for car insurance now, you should be able to lower your premiums substantially using these methods. This article will tell you the most effective way to quote insurance and some tricks to saving. Nevertheless, New York vehicle owners can benefit from knowing how the larger insurance companies sell online and use this information to your advantage.
You have some control over your rates
Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.
Listed below are some of the factors that factor into prices.
- How’s your driving record? – Good drivers get better rates than bad drivers. Just one moving violation can increase rates by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who get serious violations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
- Your stress level may be raising your rates – Occupations such as lawyers, business owners and dentists tend to pay the highest average rates because of job stress and long work days. Other professions such as farmers, historians and the unemployed have the lowest average rates.
- Where you live – Residing in small towns and rural areas is a positive aspect when it comes to auto insurance. Drivers who live in large cities have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Fewer people means reduced accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
- Please use or commuting – The higher the mileage driven in a year’s time the higher your rate. Most companies apply a rate based on how the vehicle is used. Autos left parked in the garage can get a lower rate as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Make sure your auto insurance declarations sheet is showing the correct usage for each vehicle, because it can save money.
- The type of vehicle makes a difference – The make and model of the car you are insuring makes a substantial difference in how high your rates are. Lower performance four cylinder passenger cars usually have the lowest rates, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
- Always keep insurance in force – Driving without insurance is against the law and as a result your rates will increase for letting your coverage have a gap. Not only will you pay more, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance might get you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.You may need to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the New York DMV.
White Plains Auto Insurance Prices Online
Most major insurance companies give prices for coverage on their websites. This process is fairly straightforward as you just enter as detailed in the form. When the form is submitted, the system will obtain your driving record and credit report and provides a quote determined by many factors.
Being able to quote online simplifies rate comparisons, but the work required to visit several different sites and type in the same information is repetitive and time-consuming. But it’s very important to do this in order to get a better rate.
An easier way to compare auto insurance pricing utilizes a single form to return rates from multiple companies. This type of form saves time, requires less work, and makes rate comparisons much more enjoyable. As soon as you send your information, it gets priced with multiple companies and you can pick any or none of the pricing results.
If you find a better price you can click and sign and buy the policy. It takes just a few minutes to complete and you will find out if you’re overpaying now.
To use this form to compare rates, simply click here to open in new window and fill out the form. To compare your current rates, we recommend you type in the coverage information as close as possible to your current policy. This guarantees you will have an apples-to-apples comparison based on similar coverages.
Cut your premium with discounts
Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but there could be available discounts to cut the cost considerably. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time of purchase, but less common discounts must be specifically requested before you get the savings.
- Homeowners Discount – Being a homeowner may earn you a small savings because maintaining a house is proof that your finances are in order.
- Accident Waiver – Some insurance companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums so long as you haven’t had any claims for a certain period of time.
- New Vehicle Savings – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can save up to 30% because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
- Life Insurance Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give lower rates if you buy auto and life insurance together.
- Payment Discounts – If you pay your bill all at once instead of making monthly payments you could save 5% or more.
- Seat Belts Save – Requiring all passengers to use a seat belt can save up to 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.
- Government Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job may qualify you for a discount with a few auto insurance companies.
- Accident Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories can earn big discounts when compared to accident-prone drivers.
It’s important to understand that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So even though it sounds like it’s possible to get free car insurance, you won’t be that lucky. But any discount will bring down the cost of coverage.
Aren’t my neighborhood agents an option?
Some people would rather talk to a local agent and that is OK! One of the great benefits of comparing insurance prices online is you may find the lowest rates but also keep your business local. Buying from small agencies is definitely important in White Plains.
After filling out this simple form, your insurance data is transmitted to local insurance agents in White Plains who will return price quotes for your coverage. There is no reason to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. It doesn’t get any easier! You can find better rates AND an agent nearby.
Two types of auto insurance agents
When searching for an insurance agent, there are two different types of agents to choose from. Insurance agencies in White Plains can either be independent or captive.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent insurance agents are not locked into one company so they can insure your vehicles with many different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If you are not satisfied with one company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and that require little work on your part. When comparing rates, we recommend you include at least one independent agent to have the most options to choose from. They also have the ability to place coverage with smaller companies who may have lower rates.
Shown below is a list of independent insurance agencies in White Plains that can give you competitive price quotes.
- Brian Wallach Agency Inc – 1 N Broadway # 402 – White Plains, NY 10601 – (914) 949-0000
- Nationwide Insurance – 297 Knollwood Rd # 208 – White Plains, NY 10607 – (914) 328-5902
- Pettignano Insurance – 75 S Broadway # 455 – White Plains, NY 10601 – (914) 288-8055
- Inifinity Agency Inc – 180 E Post Rd # 100 – White Plains, NY 10601 – (914) 946-1991
- Mc Donald Agency – 11 Virginia Rd – White Plains, NY 10603 – (914) 761-5465
Captive Agents
This type of agents can only place business with one company like Liberty Mutual, State Farm, Allstate and AAA. They usually cannot shop your coverage around so keep that in mind. These agents are trained well on their products and sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers sometimes choose to use a captive agent mostly because of the prominence of the brand and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.
Below are captive insurance agents in White Plains that are able to give rate quotes.
- State Farm Insurance – 385 Tarrytown Rd – White Plains, NY 10607 – (914) 686-1500
- Allstate Insurance Co – 54 Lake St – White Plains, NY 10603 – (914) 993-3300
For a full directory of White Plains captive agencies, visit this site.
Deciding on an insurance agent requires more thought than just the premium amount. These are valid questions to ask:
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in New York?
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
- How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
- Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
Upon getting good answers as well as a affordable price, it’s possible that you found an insurance agent that is a good match to provide auto insurance coverage.
Additional auto insurance information is available on the New York Department of Financial Services website found here. Visitors are able to learn about specific coverages, get help finding coverage, view a list of available companies, and report car insurance fraud.
Other useful links include QuoteClickInsure.com and this link which helps you find a White Plains agent.
Smart shoppers get results
Low-cost auto insurance can be purchased from both online companies and also from your neighborhood White Plains agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some auto insurance companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s a bad idea to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are too many instances where an insured cut uninsured motorist or liability limits to discover at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. The proper strategy is to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest price.
Insureds who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including being labeled a high risk driver, policy cancellation, high prices and extreme rates for teen drivers. Whatever your reason, switching companies is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.