Bridgeport Car Insurance For Less Than You're Paying Now

If you're new to shopping for car insurance online, it's easy to be confused by the sheer number of car insurance companies offering insurance in Bridgeport.

It's important to take a look at other company's rates periodically due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the best deal a couple years back you may be paying too much now. So forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because I'm going to teach you the proper way to reduce your cost while increasing coverage.

How to Get Bridgeport Car Insurance Comparison Quotes

The are a couple different ways of comparing rates from different Bridgeport insurance companies. The recommended way to compare insurance prices is to get quotes online. This can be accomplished in several different ways.

The first (and easiest) way to get quotes for comparison is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This type of form keeps you from doing a different quote for each company. Just one form gets you price quotes .It's the quickest way to get rates.

A slightly less efficient method to shop for car insurance online requires visiting each company website and complete a new quote form. For example, let's say you want to compare , and . You would have to visit each site and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is quicker. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Bridgeport, click here.

The most time-consuming method to get comparison rates is driving around to insurance agents' offices. Buying insurance online makes this process obsolete unless you want the professional advice of a licensed agent. It is possible to compare the best prices online but buy from a local insurance agent and you'll learn how to do that later.

Whichever method you choose, be sure to compare exactly the same quote information on every quote. If you have mixed coverages you can't possibly make a fair comparison in Bridgeport. Slightly different limits may cause a big price difference. Keep in mind that obtaining a wide range of quotes will improve the odds of getting the best offered rates.

Bridgeport Rates are Influenced by These Factors

It's important that you understand the factors that help determine the rates you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates enables informed choices that can help you get better car insurance rates.

The following are some of the factors car insurance companies consider when setting your rates.

Performance level impacts rates - The type of vehicle you drive makes a huge difference in determining your rates. Economy passenger cars generally receive the lowest base rates, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
Bad driving skills means higher rates - Careful drivers get better rates compared to drivers with tickets. Even a single speeding ticket can boost insurance rates twenty percent or more. Drivers who get flagrant violations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility to the state department of motor vehicles in order to keep their license.
What are your deductibles? - Insurance for physical damage to your car, also known as collision and other-than-collision, protects your car from damage. Some instances where coverage would apply would be collision with another vehicle, collision with an animal, or theft. The deductibles are the amount of money you are required to spend before your car insurance pays a claim. The more money you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.
Occupation reflects on rates - Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for car insurance? Occupations like doctors, social workers and dentists tend to have the highest average rates due to high stress and long work hours. Other occupations like scientists, historians and performers receive lower rates.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Car insurance can cost a lot, but you can get discounts that you may not know about. Some trigger automatically when you complete an application, but some must be asked about before they will apply.

Early Switch Discount - Some companies give discounts for buying a policy before your current policy expires. It's a savings of about 10%.
Good Student - Getting good grades can save 20 to 25%. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
Homeowners Savings - Being a homeowner can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
Federal Employees - Simply working for the federal government can earn a discount up to 10% with certain companies.
Resident Student - Youth drivers who live away from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle can receive lower rates.

Keep in mind that some credits don't apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it just doesn't work that way. But any discount will reduce the amount you have to pay.

For a list of providers who offer car insurance discounts in Bridgeport, click here.

Insurance agents can help

When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else's.

For example, these questions may help highlight whether your personal situation would benefit from an agent's advice.

Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Connecticut?
Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Bridgeport?
Am I covered by my employer's commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?

If you can't answer these questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you don't have a local agent, complete this form.

More information is available on the Connecticut Insurance Department website found here. Visitors are able to learn about specific coverages, file complaints about a company, and report car insurance fraud.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

We just presented a lot of ways to lower your car insurance rates. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the most savings is with a small mutual company.

Affordable car insurance can be sourced both online and also from your neighborhood Bridgeport agents, so you should compare both to get a complete price analysis. Some car insurance companies may not provide online quoting and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it's a bad idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. There have been many cases where someone dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that the savings was not a smart move. Your goal should be to find the BEST coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.