Are you sick and tired of scraping the payment together to insure your vehicles every month? You’re in the same situation as many other Vermont drivers. There are many insurers to insure vehicles with, and although it’s nice to have a selection, so many choices can make it hard to compare company pricing.
Choosing the best insurance company for you in Bristol is easy if you know what you’re doing. If you have a policy now or are shopping for new coverage, you can follow these tips to cut your premiums and possibly find even better coverage. Vermont vehicle owners just need to learn the most effective way to find the lowest price on the web.
Bristol Auto Insurance Quote Comparison
Getting better auto insurance pricing isn’t really that difficult. The only requirement is to invest a little time to get quotes provided by online insurance companies. This is very easy and can be done in several different ways.
One of the simplest ways to find the lowest comparison rates would be an industry-wide quote request form like this one (opens in new window). This easy form keeps you from doing separate forms for each company. Filling out one form will get you price quotes from all major companies.
A more time consuming way to compare rate quotes requires a trip to the website for each individual company and complete a new quote form. For sake of this example, let’s say you want to compare rates from Geico, State Farm and Liberty Mutual. To find out each rate you need to go to every website to input your insurance information, and that’s why the first method is more popular.
For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Bristol, click here.
The most time-consuming way to compare rates is to spend your day driving to different Bristol agent offices. Buying insurance online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you require the personal advice only provided by licensed Bristol agents. Drivers can get prices online and still use a local agent and we’ll talk about that later.
Whichever way you use, ensure you are comparing apples-to-apples coverage limits and deductibles with every price quote. If you have different liability limits it will be very difficult to determine which rate is truly the best in Bristol.
Are you getting all your discounts?
Companies offering auto insurance don’t always advertise all available discounts very clearly, so here is a list both well-publicized and the harder-to-find ways to save on auto insurance. If you’re not getting every credit you deserve, you’re paying more than you need to.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Buying coverage for multiple cars or trucks on one policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
- Senior Citizens – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get a small decrease in premiums.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you will save 10% to 20% off each policy.
- Auto/Life Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with a break if you buy auto and life insurance together.
- Discount for Swiching Early – Some insurance companies reward drivers for signing up prior to your current policy expiration. The savings is around 10%.
Drivers should understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. Some only apply to individual premiums such as comp or med pay. Just because you may think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don’t profit that way.
For a list of insurers offering auto insurance discounts in Vermont, click here to view.
Which policy gives me the best coverage?
When it comes to buying the best auto insurance coverage, there really is not a best way to insure your cars. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine whether or not you might need professional guidance.
- What vehicles should carry emergency assistance coverage?
- Does liability extend to a camper or trailer?
- What is covered by UM/UIM coverage?
- Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
- When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
- Does coverage extend to a rental car in a foreign country?
- How much liability coverage do I need in Vermont?
- Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
- Do I need rental car coverage?
- What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
If you’re not sure about those questions, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.
But buying car insurance online seems impersonal
Some people just want to buy from a licensed agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Agents can point out coverage gaps and help file insurance claims. The best thing about price shopping on the web is you may find lower rates and still have an agent to talk to.
After filling out this quick form, your insurance data is immediately sent to agents in your area who will battle to get your business. You won’t need to visit any agencies due to the fact that quote results will go to your email.
Deciding on an insurance company requires more thought than just a low price. Here are some questions to ask:
- Who are their largest clients?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
- Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
- Can glass repairs be made at your home?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in Vermont?
- Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
If you wish to view a list of agents in Bristol to contact, please click here.
After getting good answers and locked in a price quote, you have narrowed it down to an provider that meets your needs to properly service your auto insurance policy. But keep in mind once you purchase a policy you can terminate your policy at any time so never feel you’re contractually obligated to any specific agency with no way to switch.
Auto insurance coverages
Having a good grasp of your auto insurance policy helps when choosing the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. Policy terminology can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Below you’ll find typical coverage types found on the average auto insurance policy.
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers
This coverage provides protection from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.
Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (Vermont limits are 25/50/10), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family.
Auto collision coverage
Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your vehicle resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage protects against claims such as scraping a guard rail, rolling your car, driving through your garage door, sideswiping another vehicle and colliding with a tree. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Liability auto insurance
Liability insurance protects you from damage or injury you incur to other people or property that is your fault. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. Your policy might show limits of 50/100/50 that means you have $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $100,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $50,000.
Liability can pay for claims like court costs, legal defense fees, funeral expenses and pain and suffering. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford. Vermont requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/10,000 but you should consider buying higher limits.
Medical expense insurance
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for expenses like rehabilitation expenses, chiropractic care, dental work and pain medications. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. They cover both the driver and occupants and will also cover getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state and may carry a deductible
Comprehensive (Other than Collision)
This coverage pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims such as rock chips in glass, damage from a tornado or hurricane and fire damage. The highest amount a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.
The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest
When you buy insurance online, make sure you don’t reduce coverage to reduce premium. In too many instances, drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits and learned later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your strategy should be to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.
We just showed you many ways to save on auto insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the lowest rates come from a lesser-known regional company. Some small companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm, Geico and Nationwide.
More detailed Vermont auto insurance information can be found at the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation website. Visitors are able to find a variety of consumer forms, find out which companies have the most complaints, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and read state legal mandates and laws.
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