Are you overwhelmed by the wide range of car insurance companies in Phillipsburg? You’re not alone. You have so many choices that it can quickly become a real challenge to locate the lowest price.
If you have car insurance now, you will most likely be able to cut costs considerably using this strategy. The purpose of this article is to teach you how car insurance quotes work and some tips to save money. Nevertheless, New Jersey consumers need to have an understanding of the way companies sell online because it can help you find the best coverage.
Vehicle Insurance Comparison
The are a couple different ways to compare rate quotes from different in Phillipsburg, NJinsurance companies. The quickest method to find the cheapest insurance rates is simply to get online rate quotes. This is very easy and can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.
- The easiest and least time consuming way to find the lowest comparison rates is an all-inclusive rate comparison click here to open form in new window. This easy form eliminates the need for separate quotes to each individual car insurance company. A single form compares rates . Just one form and you’re done.
- A different way to obtain and compare quotes online requires a visit to the website of each company to complete their respective quote request forms. For example, let’s say you want to compare rates from Auto-Owners, Allstate and Farmers. To get rate quotes you would need to visit each site and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is quicker. For a handy list of car insurance company links in Phillipsburg, click here.
- The most time-consuming method to compare rates is to spend time driving to and from local Phillipsburg insurance agencies. The ability to buy insurance online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you want the professional guidance only provided by licensed Phillipsburg agents. You can, however, comparison shop your insurance online and still use a local agent and you’ll learn how to do that later.
Whichever method you choose, ensure you’re using apples-to-apples coverages and limits with each company. If you are comparing different values for each quote it will be impossible to decipher which rate is best in Phillipsburg. Just a small difference in coverages can mean a large discrepancy in price. And when comparing car insurance rates, know that having more price comparisons gives you a better chance of getting the best price.
Car insurance myths debunked
Companies like Allstate, Geico and Progressive consistently run ads on TV and radio. All the ads have a common claim about savings if you change your policy. How do they all make almost identical claims? It’s all in the numbers.
All the different companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer they prefer to insure. For example, a desirable insured could possibly be between 25 and 40, owns a home, and has great credit. A customer getting a price quote that hits that “sweet spot” gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.
Potential insureds who don’t meet this ideal profile will have to pay more money and this can result in business not being written. The ads say “people who switch” not “people who quote” save that kind of money. That’s why insurance companies can advertise the way they do.
Because of the profiling, it’s extremely important to get a wide range of price quotes. You cannot predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.
Lower the Price of Insurance with These Tips
Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that go into determining car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.
Listed below are some of the items that factor into rates.
- Men fork out a little more – Statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, this does not mean men are worse drivers. Women and men are in accidents in similar percentages, but the males have costlier accidents. They also receive more costly citations such as reckless driving. Young males are several times more likely to be in an accident and are penalized with high car insurance rates.
- High credit ratings translate to low rates – Having a bad credit score is a huge factor in calculating your car insurance rates. So if your credit rating is lower than you’d like, you could potentially save money when insuring your by repairing your credit. Drivers with high credit ratings tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records as compared to drivers with poor credit.
- Never allow your policy to lapse – Not having insurance is against the law and as a result your rates will increase for letting your insurance lapse. Not only will rates go up, failure to provide proof of insurance might get you a steep fine or even jail time.Then you may be required to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with the New Jersey motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
- What type of vehicle do you drive? – The make and model of the vehicle you drive makes a significant difference in how high your rates are. The lowest base rates are generally reserved for small economy passenger vehicles, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
- High deductibles save money – Insurance for physical damage to your car, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Examples of covered claims would be colliding with a building, damage from fire, and rolling your vehicle. Physical damage deductibles are how much you are willing to pay before your car insurance pays a claim. The higher the amount you’re willing to pay, the lower your rates will be.
Lots of discounts mean lots of savings
Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but there could be available discounts that you may not even be aware of. Some discounts apply automatically at quote time, but a few must be requested specifically in order for you to get them.
- Save with a New Car – Putting insurance coverage on a new car is cheaper due to better safety requirements for new cars.
- No Charge for an Accident – Some insurance companies permit an accident before hitting you with a surcharge if your claims history is clear prior to the accident.
- 55 and Retired – Mature drivers may qualify for reduced rates.
- Clubs and Organizations – Being a member of certain professional organizations may earn a discount when shopping for car insurance.
- Government Employees – Active or retired federal employment can earn a discount up to 10% with certain companies.
- Military Rewards – Being deployed with a military unit could mean lower rates.
Keep in mind that some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. Most only cut individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies don’t profit that way. But any discount will cut your premiums.
For a list of insurers with the best car insurance discounts in Phillipsburg, click this link.
Car insurance is unique, just like you
When buying coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s situation is unique.
These are some specific questions might help in determining if you might need professional guidance.
- How can I get high-risk coverage after a DUI?
- Does my policy pay for OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
- Do I have coverage if my license is suspended?
- Do I need added coverage for expensive stereo equipment?
- Are all vehicle passengers covered by medical payments coverage?
- Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
- Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
- What can I do if my company denied a claim?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, 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.
Compare online but buy from a local Phillipsburg agent
A small number of people prefer to buy from a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is you can get better rates but still work with a licensed agent. And supporting local insurance agencies is important particularly in Phillipsburg.
Upon completion of this simple form, your information is submitted to agents in your area who will battle for your business. You don’t have to leave your house as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. How cool is that?! It’s the lowest rates AND an agent nearby.
If you wish to contact a specific insurance agent in Phillipsburg, visit this link.
Picking an provider shouldn’t rely on just the price. These questions are important to ask:
- What insurance companies do they work with?
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
- Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
- If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
- How are claims handled?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
Once you have received reasonable responses for all questions you ask and an affordable coverage quote, most likely you have located an insurance company that meets your needs to adequately provide car insurance.
In Summary
People change insurance companies for many reasons like high prices, unfair underwriting practices, delays in responding to claim requests and policy cancellation. Whatever your reason, switching car insurance companies can be easier than you think.
As you shop your coverage around, you should never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are too many instances where an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to find out that it was a big error on their part. The aim is to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.
The cheapest car insurance is possible on the web and with local Phillipsburg insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.
More information is located on the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance website found here. New Jersey consumers can report car insurance fraud, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and find a variety of consumer forms.