How to Know You're Wasting Money for Auto Insurance in Bellows Falls

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Trust us, many Bellows Falls consumers feel financially strained by their auto insurance policy.

There is such a variety of to buy insurance from, and though it is a good thing to be able to choose, so many choices can make it hard to compare rates.

It's important to get comparison quotes every six months because insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best rates a few years ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. There is a lot of bad information regarding auto insurance online but I'm going to show you some great ways to reduce your auto insurance bill.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with better auto insurance rates.

The following are some of the items that factor into rates.

Lower miles equals lower premium - Driving more miles in a year the more you will pay for auto insurance. The majority of insurers apply a rate based on their usage. Cars that are left in the garage get more affordable rates compared to those used for work or business. Verify your auto insurance coverage shows the proper vehicle usage.
Do you know your deductibles? - Coverage for physical damage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered could be running into the backend of another car, collision with an animal, or theft. The deductibles are how much you are required to spend if you file a covered claim. The more expense the insured has to pay upfront, the less your auto insurance will be.
Having a spouse can save you money - Getting married can get you a discount on auto insurance. It usually means you are more mature it has been statistically shown that being married results in fewer claims.
Do you have a high stress job? - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Jobs such as real estate brokers, social workers and financial analysts are shown to have higher average rates in part from high stress and long work hours. Conversely, occupations like actors, engineers and performers pay the least.
You might want pay the small claims yourself - Car insurance companies in Vermont generally give lower rates to drivers who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you file claims often, you can definitely plan on either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Car insurance is designed for the large, substantial claims.
Equipment add-ons that lower auto insurance rates - Choosing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Theft prevention features such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can thwart auto theft.

Compare Quotes for Bellows Falls Auto Insurance

There are several ways to compare auto insurance prices and some are easier and takes less work. You can spend your afternoon talking about coverages with agents in Bellows Falls, or you can stay home and use online quoting to achieve your goal.

Most of the larger companies participate in a marketplace that allows shoppers to send in one quote, and each company then returns a price quote for coverage. This prevents consumers from doing quote requests to each individual auto insurance company.

To submit your quote information now, click here to open in new window.

The one disadvantage to pricing coverage this way is you can't choose which providers you want to price. If you prefer to choose individual companies for rate comparison, we have assembled a list of the cheapest auto insurance companies in Vermont. Click to view list.

Whichever method you choose, ensure you are comparing identical information with every price quote. If you use higher or lower deductibles it will be very difficult to find the best deal in Bellows Falls. Slightly different limits could mean much higher rates. Just remember that having more price comparisons helps locate the best price.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don't list all their discounts very clearly, so the following is a list of both well-publicized and the harder-to-find discounts you could be receiving.

Life Insurance Discount - Some companies give a discount if you purchase life insurance from them.
Multiple Vehicles - Buying insurance for multiple vehicles with the same company qualifies for this discount.
Sign Online - Some insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks just for signing your application over the internet.
No Claims - Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay less as compared to accident-prone drivers.
Drivers Education - Cut your cost by having your teen driver complete a driver education course if it's offered in school.

Keep in mind that some credits don't apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. Just because it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it just doesn't work that way.

To choose companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Vermont, click here.

Is there truth in advertising?

Auto insurance companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive continually stream television and radio advertisements. They all seem to have a common claim that you can save after switching your policy. How does each company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.

Different companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer that makes them money. A good example of a desirable insured could possibly be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and has a short commute. A driver that hits that "sweet spot" is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Potential customers who don't measure up to these standards will have to pay a more expensive rate and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say "drivers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. That's the way insurance companies can make the claims of big savings. Because of the profiling, you need to get quotes from several different companies. It is impossible to predict which auto insurance company will fit your personal profile best.

Additional detailed information can be read at the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation website. Vermont consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, report car insurance fraud, get help finding coverage, and read industry bulletins.

Affordable insurance is out there

As you shop your coverage around, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, someone sacrificed full coverage and found out when filing a claim that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage for the lowest price.

Affordable auto insurance can be purchased online in addition to many Bellows Falls insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance providers do not provide online price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.