Have you fallen victim to an overpriced car insurance policy? Believe me, you are not the only one feeling buyer’s remorse. Having so many insurance providers from which to choose, it can be hard to find the best insurer.
You should take the time to do rate comparisons on a regular basis because rates trend upward over time. Even if you got the lowest rates a year ago other companies may now be cheaper. So forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because we’re going to show you the best way to lower your annual insurance bill.
Choosing the best insurance company for you in Belmont is easy if you know what you’re doing. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will be able to lower your premiums substantially using these tips. New Hampshire drivers only need to know the best way to shop over the internet.
How to Lower Your Car Insurance Cost in Belmont, New Hampshire
There are a lot of ways to shop for car insurance, and some are easier and takes less work. You can waste a few hours (or days) discussing policy coverages with local insurance agents in Belmont, or you could use the web to quickly compare rates.
Many companies belong to a marketplace where prospective buyers submit one quote, and every company can provide price quotes for coverage. This prevents consumers from doing quote requests for each company you want a rate for.
To participate in this free quote system, click here (opens in new window).
One minor caviat to doing it this way is you are unable to specify which carriers to get pricing from. If you prefer to choose from a list of companies for rate comparison, we have a page of the cheapest car insurance companies in New Hampshire. Click here for list of insurance companies in New Hampshire.
It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just compare the exact same information with each company. If you are comparing mixed coverages then you won’t be able to determine the best price in Belmont.
Discounts are basically free money
Car insurance companies don’t always publicize every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so we break down both well-publicized and also the lesser-known ways to save on car insurance. If they aren’t giving you every credit possible, you’re paying more than you need to.
- Paperwork-free – Some insurance companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.
- Student in College – Youth drivers living away from home attending college without a vehicle on campus can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Cars that have air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts up to 30%.
- Lower Rates for Military – Having a deployed family member could mean lower rates.
- Homeowners Discount – Owning a house in Belmont can help you save on car insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home demonstrates responsibility.
Drivers should understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. Just because it seems like you could get a free car insurance policy, you won’t be that lucky.
To choose providers offering car insurance discounts in Belmont, click this link.
Smart Consumers Save More
Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in lower car insurance prices.
Shown below are some of the items used by your company to calculate premiums.
- Clean credit earns discounts – A driver’s credit history is a large factor in determining your rates. If your credit is not that good, you could potentially save money when insuring your by improving your credit score. Consumers who have excellent credit tend to be less risk to insure than drivers who have lower credit scores.
- How’s your driving record? – Even one ticket can boost insurance rates forty percent or more. Careful drivers tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. If you have serious violations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may find they need to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
- Higher deductibles cost less – Your deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend if you file a covered claim. Physical damage insurance, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. A few examples of covered claims could be colliding with a building, damage caused by hail, and burglary. The more you have to pay, the less your car insurance will be.
- Consolidate policies to earn discounts – Many companies will award you with lower prices to people who carry more than one policy, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, you may still want to compare other company rates to verify if the discount is saving money.
- Pleasure use saves money – The more you drive every year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. The majority of insurers apply a rate based on their usage. Autos that are left in the garage can get a lower rate compared to those used for work or business. Verify your car insurance policy properly reflects the correct driver usage, because it can save money.
- Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance – Safer cars tend to have better insurance rates. The safest vehicles protect occupants better and any reduction in injury severity translates into savings for insurance companies and lower rates for you.
- Liability coverage protects you – The liability section of your policy is the coverage that protects you if a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not skimp.
Car insurance myths debunked
Consumers can’t get away from ads for the lowest price auto insurance from the likes of State Farm, Allstate and Geico. They all make the same claim about savings if you move your coverage to them.
But how can every company make the same claim?
All the different companies can use profiling for the driver that makes them money. A good example of a driver they prefer might be profiled as over the age of 40, has no driving citations, and has a short commute. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and most likely will save a lot of money.
Potential insureds who don’t measure up to this ideal profile must pay a more expensive rate which leads to the customer not buying. The ads state “drivers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much money. That’s why companies can make the claims of big savings. This illustrates why it is so important to get as many quotes as possible. It’s impossible to know which car insurance company will provide you with the cheapest rates.
In conclusion
The cheapest car insurance can be sourced from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Belmont, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance companies don’t offer online quoting and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.
We just covered a lot of techniques to save on car insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the better your comparison will be. Drivers may discover the lowest premiums are with a lesser-known regional company. They can often provide lower rates in certain areas compared to the large companies like State Farm and Allstate.
While you’re price shopping online, it’s very important that you do not skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In many cases, someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits and learned later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your goal should be to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford.
More detailed New Hampshire car insurance information can be found at the New Hampshire Insurance Department website. New Hampshire drivers can find out industry alerts, report car insurance fraud, read industry bulletins, and find out which companies have the most complaints.
Other informative sites include FindNewCarInsurance.com and this link where you can get more info about Belmont coverage.