Free Guide to Spending Less for Bedford Hills Auto Insurance Online

Are you sick and tired of paying out the nose each month for car insurance? You're in the same situation as many other New York drivers. With so many companies and agents to choose from, it's difficult to locate the lowest price company.

It's important to compare prices before your policy renews because insurance rates are constantly changing. If you had the best rates a couple years back a different company probably has better rates today. There is a lot of wrong information about auto insurance online but we're going to give you some great ways to find cheap auto insurance.

More discounts equal less premium

Companies don't always publicize every available discount very well, so the following is a list of both well-publicized and the harder-to-find discounts you could be receiving. If you don't get every credit available, you are throwing money away.

Passive Restraints and Air Bags - Vehicles with factory air bags can receive discounts of 20% or more.
Claim Free - Claim-free drivers pay less compared to drivers who are more careless.
Lower Rates for Military - Being deployed with a military unit can result in better rates.
Low Mileage - Keeping the miles down could qualify for a substantially lower rate.
Multi-policy Discount - If you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you will save 10% to 20% off each policy.
Seat Belt Usage - Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts can save up to 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.

A little note about advertised discounts, some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. Just because it seems like you could get a free auto insurance policy, you won't be that lucky.

How to Lower your Auto Insurance Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get better auto insurance rates.

The list below includes some of the items used by your company to calculate your rates.

Do you know you're credit rating? - Your credit rating is a huge factor in your rate calculation. People with good credit tend to be more responsible than those with lower credit ratings. Therefore, if your credit history can use some improvement, you could potentially save money when insuring your by improving your rating.
Rates may be lower depending on your job - Occupations like real estate brokers, social workers and stock brokers have the highest rates in part from high stress levels and long work hours. On the other hand, jobs such as farmers, students and the unemployed get better rates.
Safer occupants lowers premiums - Safer cars get lower rates. Safer cars protect occupants better and lower injury rates translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims passed on to you as lower rates.
Traffic violations increase rates - Your driving record has a big impact on rates. Even a single ticket can bump up the cost twenty percent or more. Drivers who don't get tickets tend to pay less for car insurance than people who have multiple driving citations. Drivers who get severe violations such as DUI or reckless driving may be required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state DMV in order to drive a vehicle legally.
Bump up deductibles to save - Physical damage coverage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, protects your car from damage. A few examples of covered claims could be running into the backend of another car, collision with an animal, and burglary. The deductibles are the amount of money you are required to spend out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. The more expense you have to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
Don't let your coverage lapse - Driving without insurance is a misdemeanor and your next policy will cost more because you let your coverage have a gap. And not only will insurance be more expensive, failure to provide proof of insurance can result in a license revocation or jail time.You may have to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the New York motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
Optional equipment can affect rates - Driving a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help lower your rates. Anti-theft devices like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM's OnStar system all hinder auto theft.
Small claims can cost you - Insurance companies in New York generally give discounts to insureds who do not file claims often. If you frequently file small claims, you can definitely plan on higher rates. Car insurance is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.

Switch companies and save? Really?

New York consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for the lowest price auto insurance from the likes of State Farm and Allstate. All the ads have a common claim about savings if you move your coverage to them.

But how can every company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.

Different companies can use profiling for the type of customer that earns them a profit. A good example of a preferred risk could possibly be between the ages of 30 and 50, is a homeowner, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A driver that hits that "sweet spot" receives the best rates and therefore will save a lot of money.

Consumers who do not match this ideal profile will be charged higher prices and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say "drivers who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that much money. That's why companies can truthfully advertise the way they do. That is why drivers should compare many company's rates. It is impossible to predict the company that will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Even more information can be read at the New York Department of Financial Services website. New York consumers can find out industry alerts, read industry bulletins, find disaster information, and file complaints about a company.

Also read more on NAIC.org's Understanding your Policy and this directory of Bedford Hills insurance agents.

Best coverage at the best price

In this article, we presented a lot of techniques to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from a smaller regional carrier. Regional companies may cover specific market segments cheaper as compared to the big name companies such as .

Cheaper auto insurance is possible online as well as from independent agents in Bedford Hills, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some auto insurance companies don't offer you the ability to get quotes online and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.