Buying the lowest cost Utica auto insurance on the web is intimidating for consumers new to online price comaprisons. Because there are so many insurers to choose from, how can consumers effectively compare every company to locate the cheapest rates?
If you have a policy now or are just looking to switch companies, you can follow these tips to find better prices while maximizing coverage. Shopping for affordable protection in Utica is simple if you know the tricks. New York drivers just need to understand the proper way to shop online.
Utica Rates are Influenced by These Factors
Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that play a part in calculating auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.
- You might want pay the small claims yourself – Auto insurance companies in New York give cheaper rates to drivers who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you frequently file small claims, you can look forward to either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Insurance coverage is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- A clean driving record saves money – Careful drivers have lower premiums than their less careful counterparts. Only having one speeding ticket can boost insurance rates twenty percent or more. If you have dangerous violations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may find they need to submit a SR-22 form to the state department of motor vehicles in order to prevent a license revocation.
- Safe vehicles cost less to insure – Vehicles with good safety scores tend to have better insurance rates. Safe vehicles result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts and lower rates for you.
- Increase deductibles and save – Physical damage coverage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply could be a windshield shattered by a rock, damage from fire, and burglary. Deductibles for physical damage are how much you are willing to pay in the event of a claim. The more expense you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.
- Where you live – Being located in small towns and rural areas is a positive aspect when buying auto insurance. Lower population translates into fewer accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft. Drivers who live in large New York cities tend to have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Longer commute distances translates into higher accident risk.
- Are you male or female? – The statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. However, don’t assume that women are BETTER drivers than men. Both sexes have accidents at about the same rate, but the males cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. They also receive more costly citations such as DWI and reckless driving.
Cut your premium with discounts
Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but there are discounts available that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be applied at the time of purchase, but a few need to be specifically requested before you will receive the discount. If you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you’re paying more than you need to.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
- Pay Upfront and Save – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of paying each month you could save up to 5%.
- Paperless Signup – Certain companies will give a small break for buying your policy over the internet.
- Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who require all occupants to buckle their seat belts can save 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control prevent accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accidents.
- Bundle and Save – If you have multiple policies with the same company you could get a discount of approximately 10% to 15%.
It’s important to note that some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any amount of discount will bring down the cost of coverage.
For a list of providers who offer auto insurance discounts in New York, click here.
Do auto insurance companies bend the truth?
New York consumers constantly see and hear ads for car insurance savings by companies like State Farm, Geico and Progressive. They all seem to say the same thing of big savings if you switch to them.
How does each company make almost identical claims?
Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer they prefer to insure. An example of a profitable customer might be profiled as over the age of 40, has no driving citations, and has excellent credit. Any driver who matches those parameters receives the best rates and as a result will probably save quite a bit of money when switching.
Potential insureds who are not a match for the requirements will have to pay more money which usually ends up with business not being written. The ads state “customers that switch” not “people who quote” save that much money. That’s why companies can truthfully state the savings.
Because of the profiling, you need to get a wide range of price quotes. You cannot predict which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.
More information can be found on the New York Department of Financial Services website through this link. New York drivers can view agent and company licensing information, find a variety of consumer forms, get help finding coverage, and read state legal mandates and laws.
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Quote often and quote early
Cheaper auto insurance is definitely available from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Utica, and you need to price shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some auto insurance companies don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.
We covered many ways to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may even find the lowest premiums are with a smaller regional carrier.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, don’t be tempted to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In too many instances, an insured cut liability coverage limits only to regret at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your focus should be to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.