How to Know You're Throwing Money Away for Car Insurance in Delmar

Have you had enough of paying out the nose each month for car insurance? You're in the same situation as the majority of other car owners in New York. Because there are so many insurance companies to choose from, it can be diffult for consumers to pick the most cost effective provider.

It's important to get comparison quotes before your policy renews due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the best rates a year ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. There is a lot of wrong information about car insurance on the internet, so we're going to give you some great ways to save money.

Locating affordable car insurance in Delmar can be fairly easy. If you have a policy now or need a new policy, you can follow these tips to shop for the lowest rates while maintaining coverages. New York vehicle owners just need to know the tricks to compare prices on the web.

How much can you save with discounts?

Car insurance can cost a lot, but companies offer discounts that you may not know about. Some discounts apply automatically at quote time, but some may not be applied and must be specifically requested in order for you to get them. If you don't get every credit available, you're paying more than you need to.

  • Passive Restraints and Air Bags - Vehicles with factory air bags can receive discounts of more than 20%.
  • No Claims - Claim-free drivers pay less compared to bad drivers.
  • Homeowners Pay Less - Being a homeowner may earn you a small savings because maintaining a house demonstrates responsibility.
  • Good Students Pay Less - A discount for being a good student can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The good student discount can last up until you turn 25.
  • Senior Citizens - Mature drivers may receive a discount up to 10%.
  • Employee of Federal Government - Being employed by or retired from a federal job may qualify you for a discount with certain companies.
  • Theft Prevention System - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen less frequently and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
  • Pay Now and Pay Less - If paying your policy premium upfront instead of paying each month you could save 5% or more.
  • Seat Belts Save more than Lives - Requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts can save up to 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
  • Low Mileage - Low mileage vehicles could qualify for better rates on cars that stay parked.

Drivers should understand that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. So when the math indicates all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies wouldn't make money that way. But all discounts will help reduce the amount you have to pay.

To see a list of providers with discount car insurance rates in New York, click this link.

New York car insurance

Cheap Delmar Car Insurance Comparisons

Performing a rate comparison can take time and effort if you aren't aware of the most efficient way. You can waste a lot of time talking about coverages with local insurance agents in Delmar, or you can stay home and use the internet for quick rates.

Many insurance companies participate in a marketplace that allows shoppers to complete one form, and every company can provide price quotes based on the submitted data. This system prevents you from having to do quote requests for each company you want a rate for.

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

The one disadvantage to using this type of form is you don't know exactly which carriers you will receive quotes from. So if you prefer to pick specific insurance companies to receive pricing from, we have a page of the cheapest car insurance companies in New York. Click here to view list.

It's up to you how you get prices quotes, just ensure you're using apples-to-apples quote information for every company. If each company quotes mixed coverages you will not be able to decipher which rate is best in Delmar.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that play a part in calculating 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 big savings.

  • Clean credit earns discounts - Your credit score is a huge factor in your rate calculation. Consumers who have excellent credit tend to be less risk to insure as compared to drivers with lower credit ratings. If your credit score is low, you could pay less to insure your by improving your rating.
  • Do you work long hours in a high stress job? - Occupations like real estate brokers, executives and stock brokers are shown to have the highest rates in part from stressful work requirements and lots of time spent at work. On the other hand, occupations like farmers, students and retirees pay the least.
  • Bump up deductibles to save - Physical damage coverage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, protects your car from damage. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be running into the backend of another car, vandalism, or theft. Physical damage deductibles are the amount of money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. The more expense the insured has to pay upfront, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
  • Bad driving skills means higher rates - Your driving record has a big impact on rates. Drivers with clean records tend to pay less for car insurance than their less careful counterparts. Only having one ticket may increase your cost by twenty percent. Drivers who get dangerous violations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility to the state department of motor vehicles in order to prevent a license revocation.
  • Males pay more for insurance - The statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. Now that doesn't mean men are WORSE drivers than women. They both have accidents at a similar rate, but men tend to have more serious accidents. Men also have more aggressive citations like DUI and reckless driving.
  • High numbers of claims are not good - If you frequently file small claims, you can definitely plan on higher rates. Insurance companies in New York give discounts to people who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Insurance coverage is intended for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • How many coverages with the same company - Some car insurance companies give discounts to insureds who have multiple policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, it's in your best interest to compare rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. Drivers may still find better rates by buying insurance from more than one company.
  • Lower rates with optional equipment - Driving a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention devices such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder your vehicle from being stolen.

Save 15 percent in 15 minutes? Is it for real?

Consumers in New York can't get away from ads for the lowest price auto insurance from companies such as State Farm and Allstate. All the ads make the same claim that you'll save big if you change your policy.

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

All the different companies can use profiling for the right customer that is profitable for them. A good example of a preferred risk might be over the age of 50, is a homeowner, and has excellent credit. Any driver who matches those parameters will qualify for the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.

Potential insureds who don't meet this ideal profile will be charged more money which leads to the customer not buying. The ad wording is "drivers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. That's why companies can make those claims.

That is why drivers must compare many company's rates. You cannot predict the company that will have the lowest rates.

Best coverage at the best price

We just presented some good ideas how to compare car insurance prices online. It's most important to understand that the more you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the biggest savings come from a lesser-known regional company. These smaller insurers may only write in your state and offer lower rates compared to the large companies like .

Budget-conscious car insurance can be sourced both online in addition to many Delmar insurance agents, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

Learn more today

Much more information about car insurance in New York can be read on the website for the New York Department of Financial Services. Click here for link. Visitors are able to find out industry alerts, read industry bulletins, report car insurance fraud, and file complaints about a company.

Additional helpful sites include NAIC.org's Understanding your Policy and this directory of Delmar insurance agents.