Are you intimidated by the crazy number of car insurance providers in your area? Rhode Island drivers have such a large number of options that it can easily become hard work to locate the lowest premium rates. Foster is a great place to live, but budgeting for expensive car insurance can make it impossible to be able to afford adequate coverage.
It’s a great practice to check car insurance prices before your policy renews because insurance prices trend upward over time. Just because you found the best price on your last policy you may be paying too much now. Forget all the misinformation about car insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to how to use online quotes to get good coverage at a lower rate.
Pricing cheaper protection in Foster is not that difficult. If you have insurance now or are looking for a new policy, you can use these techniques to find the best rates while maximizing coverage. Rhode Island consumers just need to know the tricks to compare price quotes over the internet.
Rhode Island car insurance discounts
Car insurance can be pricey, but you may find discounts to help offset the cost. Many discounts should be triggered at the time of purchase, but a few need to be asked for before being credited.
- No Claim Discounts – Insureds who avoid accidents and claims have much lower rates when compared to policyholders that have many claims.
- Clubs and Organizations – Joining certain professional organizations may earn a discount on your next renewal.
- Multiple Vehicles – Buying coverage for several vehicles with the same company can get a discount for every vehicle.
- Good Student Discount – Getting good grades may save you up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you until age 25.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with anti-lock braking systems prevent accidents so you can save 10 percent or more.
Discounts save money, but please remember that most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only cut individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.
Insurance companies that may have some of the discounts shown above may include but are not limited to:
When quoting, ask every insurance company which credits you are entitled to. Discounts might not be available to policyholders in your state. For a list of car insurance companies that offer many of these discounts in Rhode Island, follow this link.
Foster car insurance prices are influenced by these factors
It’s important that you understand some of the factors that are used to determine your car insurance rates. If you have a feel for what impacts premium levels, this allows you to make good choices that can earn you better car insurance rates.
The items below are some of the most rate-impacting factors used by your company to calculate your rates.
- Being married can save you money – Having a spouse helps lower the price compared to being single. Having a significant other may mean you are more financially stable and statistics show being married results in fewer claims.
- What type of vehicle do you drive? – The performance level of the car you need to insure makes a huge difference in determining your rates. Economy passenger vehicles usually have the lowest rates, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
- Know your vehicle’s safety rating – Safe vehicles can get you lower premiums. These vehicles reduce injuries and fewer injuries translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims passed on to you as lower rates. If your car has at least an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website it is probably cheaper to insure.
- Frequent claims increase rates – Auto insurance companies in Rhode Island give discounts to policyholders who are claim-free. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can expect higher premiums or even policy non-renewal. Auto insurance is designed for the large, substantial claims.
- Cheaper rates by bundling – The majority of insurers apply discounts to clients who have multiple policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Even with this discount, it’s still a good idea to compare other insurance prices to ensure the best deal.There is a chance you can find lower rates even if you have your coverage with different companies
- Premiums are high for teenagers – Older, more experienced drivers tend to be more responsible, cost insurance companies less in claims , and usually have better credit.Youthful drivers are proven to be more careless when driving and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher.
- Do you know your coverage deductibles? – Insurance for physical damage to your car, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, covers damage that occurs to your car. A few examples of covered claims are colliding with a building, hail damage, and burglary. Comp and collision deductibles are the amount of money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket if a covered claim is submitted. The more money you’re willing to pay, the better rate you will receive.
Tailor your car insurance coverage to you
When it comes to buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s situation is unique.
For example, these questions might point out whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.
- What can I do if my company denied a claim?
- What are Rhode Island no-fault laws?
- Should I file a claim if it’s only slightly more than my deductible?
- Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?
- Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
- What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
- Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Foster?
- Should I buy only the required Rhode Island minimum liability coverage?
- Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Rhode Island?
If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form. It’s fast, free and can help protect your family.
Advertising myths
Consumers in Rhode Island get pounded daily by advertisements for the lowest price car insurance from companies such as Allstate, Geico and Progressive. All the companies make an identical promise of big savings after switching your policy.
It sounds good, but how can they all give you a better price? Here is the trick they use.
Many companies give the best rates for the driver that will not have excessive claims. A good example of a profitable risk profile should be a married male, carries full coverage, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A driver who fits that profile will get very good Foster premium rates and will probably cut their rates substantially.
People who don’t qualify for these criteria may be forced to pay more expensive rates and this results in business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “customers that switch” not “everyone who quotes” can save as much as they claim. That’s the way companies can truthfully claim big savings.
That is why you absolutely need to quotes from several different companies. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will have the lowest prices for your situation.
Additional information is located on the Rhode Island Division of Insurance Regulation website located here. Visitors are able to find out which companies have the most complaints, read state legal mandates and laws, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and find out industry alerts.
Do the work, save more money
Consumers who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including being labeled a high risk driver, extreme rates for teen drivers, high rates after DUI convictions or delays in paying claims. Regardless of your reason, finding a great new company can be pretty painless.
Affordable car insurance can be sourced online and also from your neighborhood Foster agents, so you need to with both to have the best selection. A few companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these smaller providers sell through independent agents.
You just learned a lot of information how to shop for car insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the better chance you’ll have of finding . Drivers may discover the lowest rates are with the smaller companies.