Buying the most affordable Niagara Falls car insurance over the internet is difficult for consumers not familiar with shopping for insurance online. With such a large number of insurance companies available, how can consumers even start to compare every company to locate the cheapest available price?
Finding the best rates in Niagara Falls is not that difficult. If you have car insurance now, you will be able to cut costs considerably using these techniques. Nevertheless, New York car owners must learn how the larger insurance companies sell online and take advantage of how the system works.
Do you qualify for a discount?
Companies offering auto insurance do not advertise every discount in a way that’s easy to find, so here is a list some of the best known and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using.
- Paperwork-free – A handful of insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks simply for signing digitally online.
- Auto/Home Discount – When you combine your home and auto insurance with one insurance company you may earn at least 10% off all policies.
- Passive Restraints – Vehicles with factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may earn rate discounts of more than 20%.
- Homeowners Savings – Simply owning a home may earn you a small savings because of the fact that having a home requires personal responsibility.
- Sign Early and Save – Some companies give discounts for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiration. It can save you around 10%.
- Senior Citizens – Mature drivers may receive better car insurance rates.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you’re out of luck.
To see a list of companies who offer car insurance discounts in New York, follow this link.
Compare the Market for Car Insurance in Niagara Falls
There are a variety of methods to compare car insurance prices but there is one way that is easier and takes less work. You can spend your afternoon driving to agents in Niagara Falls, or you could use online quotes to get pricing more quickly.
Many insurance companies belong to an insurance system that enables customers to submit one quote, and every company provides a quote determined by their information. This saves time by eliminating form submissions to each company.
To access this free quoting program, click here to open in new window.
The only drawback to using this type of system is you are unable to specify which providers you want to price. If you would rather choose specific providers to request quotes from, we have assembled a list of car insurance companies in New York. Click to view list.
It’s up to you which method you use, but be sure to compare exactly the same coverages and limits on every quote you get. If you have different limits and deductibles on each one it’s impossible to determine the lowest rate in Niagara Falls. Quoting even small variations in coverages can result in a big premium difference. And when comparison shopping, obtaining a wide range of quotes will increase your chances of finding lower pricing.
What impacts Niagara Falls insurance rates?
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that help determine your car insurance rates. Understanding what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.
The following are some of the items used by your company to calculate rates.
- Policy add-ons can waste money – There are a ton of extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you aren’t careful. Coverages for rental car reimbursement, accidental death and term life insurance are some examples. They may seem like a good idea when talking to your agent, but if they’re wasting money eliminate them to save money.
- Is your vehicle built for speed? – The type of vehicle you drive makes a big difference in your rates. Low performance passenger cars receive the most favorable rates, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
- Choose a safe vehicle and save – Vehicles with high crash test scores get lower rates. Safe vehicles reduce injuries and better occupant protection translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and lower rates for you.
- Proper usage rating affects rates – The higher the mileage driven every year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Almost all companies price each vehicle’s coverage based on their usage. Cars and trucks left parked in the garage get more affordable rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Make sure your car insurance declarations sheet is showing the correct usage for each vehicle.
- Liability coverage protects you – Liability insurance provides coverage when you are found liable for damages from an accident. It provides legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to physical damage coverage, so do not skimp.
- Don’t let your coverage lapse – Driving your car without having proper coverage can get your license suspended and you will pay a penalty because you let your insurance lapse. And not only will insurance be more expensive, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance might get you a license revocation or jail time.
Is my situation unique?
When it comes to choosing the best car insurance coverage, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Every insured’s situation is different.
For instance, these questions can help discover whether you might need an agent’s assistance.
- Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
- How many claims can I have before being cancelled?
- Do I need medical payments coverage since I have good health insurance?
- Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
- Which companies will insure high-risk drivers?
- What is the minimum liability in New York?
- Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?
- When should I remove comp and collision on my vehicle?
- Will my vehicle be repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form.
Your local neighborhood insurance agent
Some people prefer to visit with an insurance agent. The best thing about getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find lower rates and still choose a local agent.
After filling out this simple form, your coverage information is emailed to local insurance agents who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. You don’t have to drive around due to the fact that quote results will go to the email address you provide. How cool is that?! You can find better rates and an insurance agent to talk to.
Deciding on an insurer needs to be determined by more than just a low price. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:
- Are they full-time agents?
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
- Do they regularly work with personal auto policies?
- Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
The different types of insurance agents
When searching for a reputable insurance agent or broker, there are a couple of different agency structures to choose from. Agents can either be independent or captive.
Captive Insurance Agents
These agents can only place business with one company and examples are American Family, State Farm and Allstate. Captives cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agents are very knowledgeable on their company’s products which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers frequently buy from captive agents mostly because of the prominence of the brand and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.
Listed below are captive agencies in Niagara Falls that can give you rate quotes.
- State Farm Insurance – 2201 Pine Ave – Niagara Falls, NY 14301 – (716) 282-5253
- Allstate Insurance Co – 8575 Niagara Falls Blvd – Niagara Falls, NY 14304 – (716) 297-5000
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agencies are not locked into one company so they can insure your vehicles with many different companies depending on which coverage is best. To move your coverage to a new company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparison shopping, you should always include multiple independent agents to ensure the widest selection of prices. They also have the ability to place coverage with lesser-known insurance companies which can save you money.
Below is a short list of independent insurance agents in Niagara Falls that are able to give comparison quotes.
- Restaino Insurance Svc – 44 Niagara Shore Dr – Niagara Falls, NY 14301 – (716) 284-6289
- Accardo Agency Inc – 2914 Pine Ave – Niagara Falls, NY 14301 – (716) 284-7868
- Nationwide Insurance – 7000 Sy Rd – Niagara Falls, NY 14304 – (716) 731-2788
- Cannello Agency Inc – 8711 Buffalo Ave – Niagara Falls, NY 14304 – (716) 283-8725
- Bruce Lucsok Agency Inc – 6928 Williams Rd – Niagara Falls, NY 14304 – (716) 298-1882
For a complete listing of licensed insurance agents in Niagara Falls, please go to this site.
Upon receiving answers to your satisfaction to these questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, chances are good that you have found an auto insurance agent that will provide car insurance coverage.
Are you falling for claims of savings?
Companies like Progressive, Geico, Allstate and State Farm regularly use television and radio advertisements. All the ads have a common claim that you’ll save big if you move your coverage to them. How can each company claim to save you money? It’s all in the numbers.
Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer that is profitable for them. For example, a driver they prefer could possibly be between 30 and 50, owns a home, and has a high credit rating. A customer who meets those qualifications will get very good rates and as a result will probably save a lot of money.
Consumers who are not a match for the “perfect” profile will have to pay higher prices and ends up with business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “customers that switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much money. That is how insurance companies can confidently make the claims of big savings. Because of the profiling, it’s extremely important to quote coverage with many companies. It’s not possible to predict which car insurance company will give you the biggest savings.
Shop smart and save
When shopping online for car insurance, it’s very important that you do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. In too many instances, an accident victim reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits and found out when filing a claim that it was a big mistake. Your focus should be to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate.
Drivers leave their current company for many reasons like being labeled a high risk driver, lack of trust in their agent, poor customer service or even not issuing a premium refund. No matter why you want to switch, finding a great new company can be easier than you think.
In this article, we presented a lot of techniques to lower your car insurance rates. It’s most important to understand that the more times you quote, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the lowest priced car insurance comes from a smaller regional carrier.
More sites with car insurance information
More tips and info about car insurance is available at the New York Department of Financial Services website. Consumers can view agent and company licensing information, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and find out industry alerts.
Additional helpful sites include this resource for New York car insurance prices and this resource to find Niagara Falls, NY insurance agents.