Easy Methods to Spend Less on Bainbridge Car Insurance

Shopping for low-cost Bainbridge car insurance over the internet is rather challenging for consumers new to comparison shopping online. When there are so many insurers to choose from, how can consumers possibly compare the different rates to find the lowest rates?

How to Lower your Car Insurance Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.

Shown below are a few of the "ingredients" used by your company to calculate prices.

  • Save money with special equipment - Purchasing a vehicle with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention devices like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM's OnStar system all aid in stopping car theft.
  • Pay less after the wedding - Having a spouse helps lower the price on your policy. Having a significant other translates into being more responsible and it's proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
  • Liability coverage is cheap - Your policy's liability coverage is the protection when you are found liable for personal injury or accident damage. It will provide for a legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Liability insurance is quite affordable as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not cut corners here.
  • With age comes lower rates - More mature drivers are more cautious drivers, statistically cause fewer accidents and receive fewer citations. Youthful drivers have a tendency to be more careless when driving and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher.
  • Claim-free discounts can add up - If you frequently file small claims, you can expect either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Companies in New York award cheaper rates to insureds who do not file claims often. Your insurance policy is intended for the bigger claims that can't be paid out-of-pocket.
  • Bad driving skills means higher rates - Drivers who don't get tickets have lower premiums than their less careful counterparts. Even one moving violation can bump up the cost by as much as thirty percent. If you have dangerous violations like DUI or reckless driving may find they need to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to prevent a license revocation.

compare Bainbridge car insurance rates

Save big with these discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don't always list every discount in a way that's easy to find, so we took the time to find both the well known as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.

  • Pay Now and Pay Less - If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of making monthly payments you could save up to 5%.
  • Paperwork-free - A few companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy digitally online.
  • Organization Discounts - Being a member of a civic or occupational organization is a good way to get lower rates when shopping for car insurance.
  • Senior Citizens - If you're over the age of 55, you may receive a small decrease in premiums.
  • Government Employees - Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off with a few car insurance companies.
  • Passive Restraint Discount - Cars that have air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you won't be that lucky.

To choose insurance companies with discount car insurance rates in Bainbridge, click here to view.

Car insurance ads bend the truth

Car insurance providers like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO consistently run ads on TV and radio. They all make an identical promise about savings if you change your coverage to them. How can each company claim to save you money?

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that makes them money. For example, a driver they prefer might be between the ages of 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and has a short commute. Any driver who meets those qualifications will get very good rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who fall outside the requirements will be quoted more money and ends up with the customer not buying. The ads say "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save that much money. This is how companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings. This emphasizes why you should get a wide range of price quotes. You cannot predict which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

For more New York car insurance information

Even more information can be found at the New York Department of Financial Services website. Visitors are able to view a list of available companies, get help finding coverage, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

Shop smart and save

People leave their current company for a number of reasons such as unfair underwriting practices, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, questionable increases in premium or even not issuing a premium refund. Whatever your reason, choosing a new insurance company is easier than you think.

Cheaper car insurance can be sourced both online as well as from independent agents in Bainbridge, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance providers don't offer online price quotes and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.

As you shop your coverage around, it's not a good idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many situations where drivers have reduced physical damage coverage only to discover later that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The proper strategy is to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.