Purchasing discount Ithaca car insurance can be somewhat difficult for drivers new to online price comparisons. With so many insurance agents and online companies, how can drivers have a chance to compare every one to find cheaper car insurance rates?
Ithaca car insurance prices are influenced by these factors
Many things are part of the equation when quoting car insurance. Some factors are common sense such as your driving record, but other factors are less apparent such as whether you are married or how safe your car is.
The items below are just a few of the factors used by your company to calculate rates.
- Your career may increase car insurance rates – Did you know your job can affect your rates? Occupations like real estate brokers, business owners and emergency personnel usually pay higher rates than the rest of us attributed to intense work-related stress and lots of time spent away from family. On the other hand, careers such as actors, historians and retirees generally pay rates lower than average.
- Frequent insurance claims increase prices – If you file a lot of claims you can expect higher premiums or even policy non-renewal. Auto insurance companies in New York provide cheaper rates to policyholders who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Your car insurance is intended to be relied upon for claims that you cannot pay yourself.
- Fast cars cost more to insure – The make and model of the car you drive makes a huge difference in your car insurance bill. Small economy passenger vehicles generally receive the lowest base rates, but many other things help determine your insurance rates.
- Policy add-ons could be costing you – There are a ton of additional coverages that can waste your money if you aren’t careful. Coverage for things like personal injury protection, towing coverage, and Farm Bureau memberships are some examples. They may seem good when you first buy your policy, but if you’ve never needed them in the past eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
- Getting married is a good thing – Walking down the aisle may save some money compared to being single. Having a spouse is viewed as being more mature than a single person and insurance companies reward insureds because married couples file fewer claims.
- Don’t get traffic citations – A bad driving record has a big impact on rates. Attentive drivers tend to pay less for car insurance compared to bad drivers. Having just one moving violation may increase your cost forty percent or more. Drivers who get serious violations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may find they need to prove financial responsibility with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to legally drive a vehicle.
- Drive a safer car and pay less – Vehicles that have high safety ratings tend to be cheaper to insure. Vehicles engineered for safety reduce injuries and fewer injuries means your insurance company pays less and more competitive rates for policyholders. If your vehicle earned at least four stars on Safercar.gov you may be receiving a better rate.
There are several ways to compare car insurance prices but there is one way that is less time-consuming than others. You could spend the better part of a day driving to agents in Ithaca, or you can stay home and use online quotes to achieve your goal.
All the larger companies belong to a marketplace where prospective buyers only type in their quote data once, and every company returns a competitive quote for coverage. This saves time by eliminating quote forms to each company. To find out what other companies charge click here (opens in new window).
One minor caviat to getting quotes like this is that consumers can’t choose which insurance companies you will receive quotes from. So if you want to select specific providers to compare rates, we have a page of car insurance companies in New York. Click to view list.
However you get your quotes, be sure you’re using exactly the same coverage data for every quote you compare. If you are comparing higher or lower deductibles it will be nearly impossible to find the best deal in Ithaca.
Car insurance ads bend the truth
Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements that claim the cheapest rates by Allstate and Progressive. All the ads advertise the message that you’ll save big after switching your coverage.
How does every car insurance company offer you a better deal?
Most companies quote their cheapest rates for the type of driver that earns them the most money. An example of a profitable insured could possibly be between 30 and 50, has no tickets, and drives a lower-performance vehicle. Any new insured that matches those criteria receives the best prices and is almost guaranteed to save quite a bit of money when switching.
Potential customers who cannot meet this ideal profile will be quoted a higher premium which leads to business not being written. The ads state “drivers who switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save the amount stated. That’s the way companies can make it sound like they have such great prices.
Because of the profiling, you absolutely need to get as many as possible. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will provide the lowest premium rates.
Find discounts to get cheap New York car insurance rates
Car insurance is easily one of your largest bills, but there’s a good chance there are discounts that could drop your premiums quite a bit. A few discounts will be applied when you quote, but occassionally some discounts must be specifically requested before they will apply.
- Buy New and Save – Insuring a vehicle that is new can cost up to 25% less compared to insuring an older model.
- Life Insurance – Not every insurance company offers life insurance, but if they do you may earn a small discount if you purchase some life insurance too.
- Claim Free – Insureds who avoid accidents and claims can save substantially in comparison to frequent claim filers.
- Discount for Home Ownership – Being a homeowner can get you a discount since owning and maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.
- Distant Student Discount – Older children who are enrolled in higher education away from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle may qualify for this discount.
We need to note that some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. Despite the appearance that adding up those discounts means a free policy, you’re out of luck.
If you would like to see a list of insurers offering car insurance discounts in Ithaca, click here to view.
When do I need to talk to an insurance agency?
A small number of people prefer to go talk to an agent and that is a personal choice. Insurance agents can answer important questions and help submit paperwork. A nice benefit of comparing insurance prices online is you may find the lowest rates but still work with a licensed agent. Buying insurance from local insurance agents is definitely important in Ithaca.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this simple form, your insurance data is immediately sent to local insurance agents that can give you for your business. You won’t even need to find an agent since price quotes are sent to you directly. If you need to get a price quote for a specific company, just jump over to their website to submit a rate quote request.
If you are searching for a reliable insurance agent, it’s important to understand the different agency structures to choose from. Insurance agencies in Ithaca are either independent agents or captive agents depending on their employer. Either one can sell car insurance policies, but we need to point out the subtle differences since it may influence which type of agent you select.
Independent Car Insurance Agents (or Brokers)
Agents of this type are not limited to a single company so as a result can place your coverage with many different companies and potentially find a lower price. If you want to switch companies, the agent simply finds a different carrier and the insured can keep the same agent.
When comparison shopping, you absolutely need to include price quotes from a couple of independent agencies to get the best comparison. Most also write with small mutual carriers which may provide better rates.
Shown below is a short list of independent agencies in Ithaca who can help you get free rate quotes.
- Barry Scott Agency – 435 Franklin St # 205 – Ithaca, NY 14850 – (607) 273-8564
- Andrews Agency – 800 W State St – Ithaca, NY 14850 – (607) 273-7551
- True Insurance – 124 Seneca Way – Ithaca, NY 14850 – (607) 273-7511
- Lee Newhart Insurance – 1011 W State St – Ithaca, NY 14850 – (607) 273-6391
- Becker-Wells Agency Inc – 903 Hanshaw Rd – Ithaca, NY 14850 – (607) 257-1003
Captive Car Insurance Agents
Agents of this type write business for a single company and examples are Farmers Insurance and State Farm. Captives cannot shop your coverage around so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Captive insurance agents are very knowledgeable on their company’s products which can be an advantage. Some people will only use the same captive agent mainly due to loyalty to the company and solid financial strength.
The following is a list of captive insurance agencies in Ithaca willing to provide price quotes.
- State Farm Insurance – 1111 Triphammer Rd – Ithaca, NY 14850 – (607) 257-8900
- Allstate Insurance Co – 840 Hanshaw Rd # 2 – Ithaca, NY 14850 – (607) 257-0606
To view agents near you, link to this directory of Ithaca insurance agents.
Selecting an car insurance agent should include more criteria than just the price. You should also get answers to these questions.
- Will the agent help in case of a claim?
- Are there any discounts for paying up front?
- Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
- Are they in the agency full-time?
- Which family members are covered?
- Do they offer rental car reimbursement?
- How often do they review policy coverages?
Much more information about car insurance in New York is located on the website for the New York Department of Financial Services located here. New York consumers can read industry bulletins, read consumer alerts, get help finding coverage, and learn about specific coverages.
Cheaper car insurance is a realistic goal
Budget-conscious car insurance can be found on the web and with local Ithaca insurance agents, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some car insurance companies do not provide rate quotes online and these regional carriers only sell through independent insurance agencies.
As you restructure your insurance plan, you should never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In many instances, an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage at the best possible price, not the least amount of coverage.
We’ve covered many ways to lower your car insurance auto insurance rates. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the lowest auto insurance rates come from some of the lesser-known companies.