How to Find Low-Cost Brookhaven Car Insurance

If price shopping car insurance online is new to you, you may be overwhelmed by the hoards of car insurance companies competing for business in Brookhaven.

It's important to price shop coverage periodically since rates are constantly changing. Just because you had the lowest price a few years ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding car insurance on the internet, so we're going to give you some great ways to reduce your car insurance bill.

Shopping for affordable coverage in Brookhaven is easy if you know what you're doing. If you have insurance now or are looking for a new policy, you will benefit by learning to shop for the lowest rates while maintaining coverages. New York vehicle owners just need to know the most effective way to get comparison quotes online.

Learn How to Buy Car Insurance Cheaper

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that can help you get better car insurance rates.

  • The type of vehicle makes a difference - The type of car you drive makes a huge difference in the rate you pay. The cheapest insurance rates tend to be for economy passenger vehicles, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
  • Poor driving leads to higher costs - Drivers with clean records tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. Just one ticket may increase your cost twenty percent or more. Drivers who get serious violations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may be required to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
  • Lower miles equals lower premium - The more miles you rack up on your car each year the higher your rates will be. The majority of insurers charge to insure your cars based on how the vehicle is used. Vehicles that are left in the garage receive lower rates than those used for commuting. Verify your car insurance policy properly reflects how each vehicle is driven, because improper ratings can cost you money.
  • Equipment add-ons that lower car insurance rates - Owning a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help lower your rates. Anti-theft features such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can help prevent your car from being stolen.

New York car insurance

How to Get Brookhaven Car Insurance Comparison Quotes

Reducing your insurance rates can be surprisingly simple. Just spend a few minutes getting comparison quotes from different insurance companies. This can be accomplished in several different ways.

  1. The fastest way consumers can make multiple comparisons is to use a rate comparison form like this one (opens in new window). This method eliminates the need for separate quotes for each company. Just one form will return quotes instantly. This is by far the quickest method.
  2. A more time consuming way to compare rate quotes is to take the time to go to each company website and request a quote. For example, let's say you want to compare , and . You would have to visit each site and enter your information, and that's why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in Brookhaven, click here.

Whichever way you use, be sure to compare apples-to-apples coverages and limits with every price quote. If you compare different deductibles it will be very difficult to find the best deal in Brookhaven.

Take advantage of discounts

Car insurance can cost a lot, buy you may qualify for discounts that you may not even be aware of. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time you complete a quote, but a few must be manually applied prior to getting the savings. If you don't get every credit you qualify for, you are paying more than you should be.

  • Early Signing - Select companies give a discount for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiration. This can save 10% or more.
  • Anti-lock Brake Discount - Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control are safer to drive and earn discounts up to 10%.
  • Payment Discounts - If you pay your bill all at once instead of making monthly payments you could save 5% or more.
  • Multi-policy Discount - If you insure your home and vehicles with the same company you may earn 10% to 20% off each policy.
  • Anti-theft System - Anti-theft and alarm systems are stolen less frequently and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
  • Organization Discounts - Being a member of a professional or civic organization could qualify you for a break on your policy.
  • Driver's Ed - Cut your cost by having your teen driver take driver's ed class in school.
  • Defensive Driver - Taking a defensive driving course can save you 5% or more if your company offers it.
  • Resident Student - Children who are attending college and do not have a car may qualify for this discount.

Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. So when the math indicates you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don't profit that way. But all discounts will help reduce your overall premium however.

To choose providers offering car insurance discounts in New York, follow this link.

Are car insurance companies telling the truth?

Consumers in New York can't ignore all the ads for cheaper car insurance from companies such as State Farm and Allstate. All the ads say the same thing that you'll save big if you switch your policy.

But how can every company claim to save you money? This is how they do it.

Different companies have a certain "appetite" for the right customer that makes them money. For instance, a preferred risk might be a mature driver, a clean driving record, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. Any new insured who fits that profile gets the lowest rates and most likely will save a lot of money.

Potential customers who don't qualify for this ideal profile will be charged a more expensive rate which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ads say "drivers who switch" not "people who quote" save that kind of money. That is how companies can advertise the way they do.

That is why you need to compare as many rates as you can. It's just too difficult to predict which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

How to know if you need help

When buying the best car insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no "best" method to buy coverage. Everyone's situation is unique.

These are some specific questions may help highlight whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.

  • Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
  • Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
  • Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
  • What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
  • Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
  • Am I getting all the discounts available?

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. It is quick, free and may give you better protection.

Much more information about car insurance in New York is located on the New York Department of Financial Services website. Click here for link. Visitors are able to learn about specific coverages, file complaints about a company, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.

Other informative sites include III.org's auto insurance page and this directory of insurance agents in Brookhaven New York.

New York car insurance

And the best car insurance company is...

We just covered many ways to compare car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Drivers may discover the best price on car insurance is with a smaller regional carrier.

When shopping online for car insurance, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many cases where someone dropped collision coverage and learned later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your goal should be to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.

Consumers switch companies for any number of reasons including high prices, policy cancellation, unfair underwriting practices or even policy non-renewal. No matter why you want to switch, switching car insurance companies is easier than you think.