Comparing Cheap Garden City Auto Insurance

Tired of scraping the payment together each month for car insurance? Your situation is no different than many other New York drivers.

Drivers have multiple to buy insurance from, and even though it's nice to have multiple companies, it can be more challenging to compare rates.

This article will instruct you on how to get online quotes and some tricks to saving. If you have car insurance now, you will be able to lower your premiums substantially using these methods. Nevertheless, New York vehicle owners do need to know the way companies market on the web and use this information to your advantage.

Take advantage of discounts

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but you can get discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Certain discounts will be applied at the time of purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be requested specifically prior to receiving the credit.

  • Clubs and Organizations - Affiliation with a qualifying organization may earn a discount when buying auto insurance.
  • Drivers Education - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver's education in high school.
  • Employee of Federal Government - Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% depending on your company.
  • Senior Discount - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you can possibly qualify for better auto insurance rates.
  • Pay Upfront and Save - By paying your policy upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may reduce your total bill.
  • Homeowners Pay Less - Owning a home in Garden City can save you money because of the fact that having a home is proof that your finances are in order.
  • No Accidents - Claim-free drivers can save substantially when compared with drivers who are more careless.
  • Paperless Signup - Certain companies give back up to $50 simply for signing over the internet.

Consumers should know that some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. Most only cut individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it may seem like you can get free auto insurance, companies don't profit that way. Any qualifying discounts will bring down your overall premium however.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. Knowing what determines base rates enables informed choices that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

The list below includes a few of the "ingredients" auto insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

  • Protect your assets with liability insurance - The liability section of your policy will protect you if a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide for a legal defense starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not skimp.
  • Too many auto insurance claims drive up costs - Auto insurance companies in New York generally give lower rates to policyholders who are claim-free. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can expect higher rates. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • Rates may be higher depending on your occupation - Occupations such as lawyers, social workers and financial analysts tend to have higher average rates because of job stress and lengthy work days. Conversely, professions such as farmers, engineers and the unemployed receive lower rates.
  • Men fork out a little more - The statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. However, don't assume that men are worse drivers. Women and men tend to get into accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also tend to get more serious tickets like reckless driving and DUI.
  • Your car's features help determine rates - Driving a car with an alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft devices like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all hinder auto theft.
  • Low deductibles can be expensive - The deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. Coverage for physical damage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, covers damage that occurs to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply are colliding with a building, vandalism, and rolling your vehicle. The higher the amount you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
  • Being married is a good thing - Having a spouse actually saves money on auto insurance. Having a spouse means you're more mature and responsible and it's proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.

Are auto insurance companies telling the truth?

Allstate, GEICO and Progressive regularly use ads on TV and radio. All the companies have a common claim of big savings if you move to their company. How does each company say the same thing?

All companies can use profiling for the driver that earns them a profit. For example, a profitable customer might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, has no tickets, and has a high credit rating. A propective insured that hits that "sweet spot" will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will save when switching.

Potential customers who don't qualify for these standards must pay higher prices and this can result in business not being written. The ad wording is "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save that much. That's why insurance companies can confidently state the savings.

This illustrates why drivers should get quotes from several different companies. It's not possible to predict the company that will have the lowest rates.

Additional auto insurance information can be found on the website for the New York Department of Financial Services located here. New York drivers can find out which companies have the most complaints, download brochures, read industry bulletins, and learn about insurance regulations.

compare Garden City auto insurance rates

Shop smart and save

Cost effective auto insurance is definitely available on the web and also from your neighborhood Garden City agents, and you should compare price quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you restructure your insurance plan, it's very important that you do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. In too many instances, an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that they should have had better coverage. Your focus should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.