I can’t think of anyone who likes having to buy car insurance, especially when their premiums are through the roof.
You have so many car insurance companies to insure vehicles with, and although it’s nice to have a choice, having more auto insurance companies makes it harder to compare rates and find the lowest cost car insurance.
Smart consumers take time to take a look at other company’s rates before your policy renews because prices are usually higher with each renewal. Even if you got the best deal two years ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. So ignore everything you know about car insurance because you’re about to learn the best methods to properly buy coverages and cut your premium.
The purpose of this post is to familiarize you with the most effective way to quote insurance and some tricks to saving. If you currently have car insurance, you will most likely be able to save some money using these techniques. Although New Jersey car owners do need to know how the larger insurance companies market insurance on the web and use this information to your advantage.
Cheap Perth Amboy Car Insurance Comparisons
When shopping for car insurance there are multiple ways of comparing rates from different in Perth Amboy, NJinsurance companies. The quickest method to compare insurance prices involves getting comparison quotes online. This is very easy and can be done using a couple different methods.
The best way to compare a lot of rates at once would be an industry-wide quote request form click to view form in new window. This form eliminates the need for separate quotation requests to each individual car insurance company. One form will get you price quotes instantly.
A more time consuming way to compare rate quotes is to take the time to go to the website for each individual company to complete a price quote. For examples sake, we’ll assume you want to compare rates from Liberty Mutual, Progressive and State Farm. To get rate quotes you would need to spend time on each company’s site and enter your policy data, which is why most consumers use the first method. For a handy list of car insurance company links in Perth Amboy, click here.
The hardest method to compare rates is to drive around to and from local Perth Amboy insurance agencies. The ability to buy insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you require the professional guidance only provided by licensed Perth Amboy agents. Drivers can get the lowest quotes online and get advice from an agent in your area and we’ll cover that in a bit.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just be sure to compare apples-to-apples coverage limits with every price quote. If you compare different limits and deductibles on each one it will be very difficult to determine the best price in Perth Amboy. Just a small difference in limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. Just keep in mind that having more price comparisons will enable you to find a better price.
Don’t believe everything you hear
Progressive, Allstate and Geico consistently run ads on television and other media. All the companies make an identical promise of big savings if you change your coverage to them. How do they all say the same thing?
Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer that earns them a profit. An example of a driver they prefer could be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no tickets, and has excellent credit. A customer getting a price quote who matches those parameters is entitled to the best price and therefore will save quite a bit of money when switching.
Potential insureds who don’t meet this ideal profile will have to pay a higher premium and ends up with business not being written. The ad wording is “customers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much money. That’s why insurance companies can make those claims.
Because of the profiling, you need to compare many company’s rates. It is impossible to predict which car insurance company will have the lowest rates.
Buy Cheaper Car Insurance with These Tips
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that come into play when calculating car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with lower car insurance prices.
The list below includes a few of the “ingredients” used by your company to calculate rates.
- With age comes lower rates – Youthful drivers in New Jersey are statistically proven to get distracted easily in a vehicle so they pay higher car insurance rates. Mature drivers are more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and get fewer tickets.
- The more you drive the more you pay – Driving more miles every year the higher your rate. Almost all companies apply a rate based on their usage. Autos not used for work or commuting get more affordable rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Ask your agent if your car insurance coverage properly reflects the proper vehicle usage.
- Your car insurance rates can be influenced by your job – Careers like doctors, architects and financial analysts have higher average rates because of high stress levels and long work hours. Conversely, occupations like actors, engineers and the unemployed get better rates.
- Save money with special equipment – Choosing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can save you a little every year. Theft prevention features such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can thwart auto theft.
- Don’t skimp on liability – Liability coverage is the coverage that protects you if ever you are found to be at fault for personal injury or accident damage. Liability insurance provides for a legal defense starting from day one. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not skimp.
- Credit scores impact car insurance rates – Your credit history is a large factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. If your credit is not that good, you could save money insuring your by repairing your credit. Drivers with excellent credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than those with lower credit scores.
Are you getting all your discounts?
Car insurance is not cheap, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not even be aware of. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time you complete a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be requested specifically before they will apply.
- Auto/Life Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
- Early Signing – A few companies offer discounts for switching to them prior to your current policy expiring. This can save 10% or more.
- Auto/Home Discount – When you have multiple policies with one insurance company you could get a discount of up to 20% off your total premium.
- Accident Forgiveness – Some insurance companies will allow you to have one accident before your rates go up if your claims history is clear for a certain period of time.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Keeping the miles down can qualify you for a substantially lower rate.
- Senior Citizens – Mature drivers may be able to get better car insurance rates.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Having multiple cars or trucks on one policy qualifies for this discount.
- Resident Student – Youth drivers living away from home attending college and do not have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Own a Home – Owning a home in Perth Amboy may earn you a small savings due to the fact that maintaining a home shows financial diligence.
- Payment Discounts – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of paying each month you could save 5% or more.
It’s important to note that most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way. But all discounts will cut your premiums.
To see a list of insurers offering car insurance discounts in Perth Amboy, follow this link.
Which insurance is the “right” coverage?
When buying the right insurance coverage, there isn’t really a perfect coverage plan. Every situation is different so your insurance should reflect that Here are some questions about coverages that might point out if you would benefit from professional advice.
- Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
- What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
- At what point should I drop full coverage?
- Am I covered when using my vehicle for business?
- Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
- Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
- Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
- How high should my medical payments coverage be?
- Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
If you’re not sure about those questions, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
But I want to work with a local agent
A small number of people would rather buy from a licensed agent and there is nothing wrong with that. One of the best bonuses of getting online price quotes is you may find better rates and still choose a local agent. And providing support for local businesses is especially important in Perth Amboy.
After completing this quick form, your insurance coverage information is submitted to local insurance agents in Perth Amboy who will battle for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to visit any agencies as quotes are delivered to the email address you provide. It doesn’t get any easier! It’s the lowest rates AND an agent nearby.
Two different types of car insurance agents
When looking for a reliable agent, there are two different agency structures to choose from. Agencies in Perth Amboy can either be independent (non-captive) or captive.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agents do not work for one specific company so they can insure your vehicles with any number of different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To transfer your coverage to a different company, an independent agent can move your coverage without you having to go to a different agency. When shopping rates, it’s a good idea to include price quotes from multiple independent agents for the best price selection.
The following is a short list of independent insurance agents in Perth Amboy that may be able to provide pricing information.
Central Jersey Insurance – 430 Washington St – Perth Amboy, NJ 08861 – (732) 442-7522
EPM Insurance Corp – 533a New Brunswick Ave – Perth Amboy, NJ 08861 – (732) 376-0006
Captive Insurance Agents
This type of agents can only place business with one company like State Farm, AAA, Farmers Insurance or Allstate. These agents are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. They are usually quite knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques and that can be a competitive advantage.
Selecting an insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just a low price. Some important questions to ask are:
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
- Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
- Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Do they make recommendations based only on price?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
- Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
- How often do they review policy coverages?
Upon receiving positive responses to any questions you have and a low price estimate, you have narrowed it down to an auto insurance agent that meets your needs to provide car insurance coverage.
Shop smart and save
We covered many tips how you can shop for car insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. You may be surprised to find that the lowest premiums are with a lesser-known regional company. These companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates than their larger competitors like Geico and State Farm.
Cheap car insurance is attainable online and also from your neighborhood Perth Amboy agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best rate selection. A few companies may not provide online price quotes and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.
Additional car insurance information is available on the website for the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance found here. New Jersey consumers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, read state legal mandates and laws, read consumer alerts, and file complaints about a company.
Other informative sites include Auto Insurance 101 and this page for help finding agents in Perth Amboy, NJ.