Proven Techniques to Save on East Patchogue Auto Insurance

Have you had enough of not being able to afford each month for car insurance? You are in the same boat as many other drivers in New York.

Popular companies such as State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive promote their brand names with catchy ads and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and find the best price available.

If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using these techniques. Choosing the best insurance company for you in East Patchogue is quite easy. Nevertheless, New York drivers do need to know how insurance companies market insurance on the web and apply this information to your search.

Why some people pay less for insurance in East Patchogue

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that play a part in calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to better auto insurance rates.

  • You might want pay the small claims yourself - Companies in New York provide cheaper rates to policyholders who file claims infrequently. If you frequently file small claims, you can expect either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Car insurance is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • Your stress level may be raising your rates - Careers like lawyers, architects and dentists tend to pay the highest average rates due to job stress and long work hours. Other jobs such as farmers, historians and retirees have the lowest average rates.
  • Drive a safer car and pay less - Safer cars are cheaper to insure. The safest vehicles result in less severe injuries and lower injury rates translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders.
  • Theft deterrents lower rates - Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention devices like GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all hinder your car from being stolen.
  • Don't buy coverages you don't need - There are quite a few extra bells and whistles that can waste your money on your auto insurance policy. Insurance for personal injury protection, accident forgiveness and motor club memberships are examples of these. They may seem good initially, but if you don't need them eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
  • Discounts for multiple policies - Some companies provide better rates to customers who buy several policies from them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. This can amount to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. If you currently are using one company, it's still a good idea to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal. Drivers may still find better rates by buying auto insurance from a different company.
  • Marriage pays dividends - Having a spouse helps lower the price when buying auto insurance. Having a significant other is viewed as being more mature and responsible and statistics show drivers who are married are more cautious.
  • Traffic violations increase rates - A bad driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Even one moving violation can increase rates by as much as thirty percent. Good drivers get better rates than their less careful counterparts. If you have dangerous violations like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may find they need to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state DMV in order to prevent a license revocation.

compare East Patchogue auto insurance rates

How to Compare East Patchogue Auto Insurance Rates

Performing a rate comparison is a ton of work if you don't understand the best way to get rate quotes. You can spend your afternoon talking to local insurance agents in East Patchogue, or you could use online quoting to get rates in a matter of minutes.

Most of the larger companies take part in a program that enables customers to complete one form, and each participating company provides a quote based on that information. This eliminates the need for quote forms to each individual auto insurance company.

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

The one downside to doing it this way is you don't know exactly which providers to get quotes from. So if you prefer to pick individual companies to receive pricing from, we have a listing of companies who write auto insurance in New York. Click here to view list.

Whichever way you use, ensure you're using exactly the same coverage limits for each price quote. If the quotes have differing limits then you won't be able to truly determine the lowest rate in East Patchogue. Just a small difference in coverage limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. And when price shopping your coverage, more quotes will increase your chances of finding better pricing.

Don't pay full price with these discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don't always list every discount in a way that's easy to find, so we took the time to find both well-publicized and also the lesser-known auto insurance savings.

  • Drivers Ed for Students - Cut your cost by having your teen driver successfully complete driver's ed class if offered at their school.
  • Accident Free - Claim-free drivers can save substantially when compared to accident-prone drivers.
  • Low Mileage Discounts - Low mileage vehicles can earn lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
  • Safety Course Discount - Taking a course in driver safety could save 5% or more if your company offers it.
  • Pay Now and Pay Less - If you pay your bill all at once instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
  • Paperwork-free - Some insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks simply for signing digitally online.
  • Homeowners Pay Less - Simply owning a home may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because maintaining a house is proof that your finances are in order.
  • Passive Restraints - Cars that have air bags can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.

Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don't profit that way.

To choose insurance companies with discount auto insurance rates in East Patchogue, follow this link.

The auto insurance bait and switch

Auto insurance providers like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO consistently run ads in print and on television. They all say the same thing of big savings if you change to them. How can each company make almost identical claims? It's all in the numbers.

Different companies can use profiling for the type of driver that makes them money. For example, a driver they prefer could possibly be over the age of 50, is a homeowner, and has a short commute. A driver who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and therefore will save when they switch companies.

Drivers who don't measure up to the requirements will be quoted higher premiums which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state "customers who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save money. That's why insurance companies can confidently make the claims of big savings. This emphasizes why you need to get a wide range of price quotes. It is impossible to predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.

More tips and info about auto insurance can be found at the New York Department of Financial Services website. New York consumers can download brochures, read industry bulletins, find disaster information, and view a list of available companies.

Affordable insurance is out there

Cost effective auto insurance is attainable online and with local East Patchogue insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance providers do not offer online price quotes and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.

As you shop your coverage around, it's not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where an accident victim reduced physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible at the best price while still protecting your assets.