Proven Ways to Save on Clifton Park Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Believe me when I say many Clifton Park consumers feel financially strained by their auto insurance policy. With so many different company options, it can be hard to find the best provider.

It's important to compare prices every six months because prices are constantly changing. Even if you got the best rates a year ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. There is a lot of wrong information about auto insurance online but we're going to give you some great ways to reduce your auto insurance bill.

Finding affordable coverage in Clifton Park is not that difficult. If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using this information. New York consumers only need to know how to compare rates online.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels enables informed choices that can help you get better auto insurance rates.

Listed below are some of the items auto insurance companies consider when setting your rates.

  • Careful drivers pay lower rates - Your driving record has a big impact on rates. Even a single ticket can boost insurance rates by as much as thirty percent. Careful drivers tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. Drivers who get serious 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 with their state DMV in order to continue driving.
  • Do you know your deductibles? - Physical damage coverage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, protects your car from damage. Some instances where coverage would apply could be running into the backend of another car, collision with an animal, or theft. Your deductibles are the amount of money you are willing to pay in the event of a claim. The more expense you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your auto insurance will be.
  • Poor credit can mean higher rates - Your credit score is a huge factor in calculating your auto insurance rates. If your credit history is lower than you'd like, you could save money insuring your by improving your rating. Drivers who have high credit ratings tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers who have poor credit.
  • Don't skimp on liability - Liability insurance provides coverage in the event that a court rules you are at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It provides you with a defense in court up to the limits shown on your policy. Liability is cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.
  • Teen drivers pay high rates - Teen drivers in New York are statistically proven to be less responsible when behind the wheel so auto insurance rates are higher. Older insureds tend to be more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers.
  • Marriage pays dividends - Getting married can actually save you money when buying auto insurance. Marriage means you're more responsible it has been statistically shown that being married results in fewer claims.

New York auto insurance

How to Compare Auto Insurance Quotes in Clifton Park, New York

Reducing your insurance rates doesn't have to be difficult. Consumers just need to take the time comparing price quotes from different insurance companies. This can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.

  1. The fastest way to compare a lot of rates at once is a comparison rater form click here to open form in new window. This method keeps you from doing repetitive form submissions for each company. Filling out one form compares rates from multiple companies.
  2. A more difficult way to shop for auto insurance online is going to each company website and complete a new quote form. For examples sake, let's assume you want to compare rates from , and . You would have to take the time to go to each site and enter your information, and that's why the first method is more popular.

    For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Clifton Park, click here.

Whichever way you use, ensure you are comparing apples-to-apples coverage limits and deductibles on every quote. If the quotes have different liability limits it will be very difficult to make a fair comparison in Clifton Park.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Auto insurance 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 auto insurance savings. If you don't get every credit possible, you are paying more than you should be.

  • Discount for Good Grades - This discount can save 20 to 25%. The good student discount can last until age 25.
  • Multi-car Discount - Buying insurance for more than one vehicle with the same company qualifies for this discount.
  • Anti-lock Brake Discount - Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control are safer to drive and will save you 10% or more.
  • E-sign - Some insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying your policy online.
  • Organization Discounts - Participating in a professional or civic organization could qualify you for a break on your policy.
  • No Charge for an Accident - Some insurance companies will allow you to have one accident before hitting you with a surcharge if you are claim-free for a certain period of time.
  • Multi-policy Discount - If you insure your home and vehicles with one company you may save 10% to 20% off each policy.

A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. Just because you may think you could get a free auto insurance policy, you won't be that lucky.

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

Save $429 a year? Really?

New York consumers can't ignore all the ads that promise big savings by State Farm and Allstate. All the ads say the same thing about savings if you switch to their company.

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

Different companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that makes them money. A good example of a preferred risk could possibly be over the age of 40, has no driving citations, and has excellent credit. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.

Consumers who don't qualify for this ideal profile will be charged higher rates which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state "drivers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much. That's the way companies can truthfully make those claims. That is why you need to quote coverage with many companies. It's impossible to know which auto insurance company will have the lowest rates.

Even more information can be read at the New York Department of Financial Services website. New York consumers can file complaints about a company, report car insurance fraud, find out industry alerts, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

Other informative sites include NAIC.org's Understanding your Policy and this directory of insurance agents in Clifton Park New York.

A tidy conclusion

You just read many ways to compare auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the higher the chance of saving money. Drivers may discover the lowest premiums are with a smaller regional carrier. These smaller insurers may cover specific market segments cheaper compared to the large companies like .

The cheapest auto insurance can be found online and also from your neighborhood Clifton Park agents, and you need to comparison shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies may not provide online price quotes and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

While you're price shopping online, don't be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many cases where someone sacrificed full coverage and found out when filing a claim they didn't purchase enough coverage. Your goal should be to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.