8 Discounts Potsdam Consumers Forget when Quoting Car Insurance

No one enjoys paying for car insurance, particularly when the price is too high.

Because you have many choices, it is very difficult to find the lowest price car insurance company.

Buying car insurance in Potsdam is not that difficult. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will most likely be able to save some money using these methods. Although New York consumers do need to know the way companies determine prices and take advantage of how the system works.

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

There are several ways to get quotes from different Potsdam insurance companies. One of the best ways to find the lowest rates is to perform an online rate comparison. This is very easy and can be done in a couple of different ways.

The fastest way consumers can analyze rates is to use a rate comparison form like this one (opens in new window). This easy form prevents you from having to do separate quote forms for each company you want a rate for. Just one form will return price quotes from many national carriers.
A more time consuming way to get quotes online consists of visiting each individual company website to request a price quote. For instance, let's assume you want to compare , and . To get each rate you have to go to every website to enter your coverage information, which is why most consumers use the first method.

To view a list of companies in Potsdam, click here.
The least recommended method of comparing rate quotes is to waste gas driving to insurance agents' offices. The ability to buy insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you prefer the trained guidance that only a license agent can provide. However, consumers can find lower rates online and still use a local agent and we'll cover that in a bit.

It's up to you which method you use, but be sure to compare apples-to-apples deductibles and coverage limits for each price quote. If you use different values for each quote it will be impossible to truly determine the lowest rate in Potsdam. Quoting even small variations in coverages could mean much higher rates. Keep in mind that having more price comparisons gives you a better chance of getting better pricing.

Save big with these eight discounts

Auto insurance companies don't always list all available discounts very well, so here is a list both the well known and the more hidden savings tricks you should be using.

Homeowners Savings - Owning a home in Potsdam can help you save on car insurance because of the fact that having a home requires personal responsibility.
Air Bag Discount - Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts of 20% or more.
Military Discounts - Being on active duty in the military can result in better rates.
Good Student - This discount can earn a discount of 20% or more. The discount lasts up to age 25.
Save with a New Car - Buying coverage on a new vehicle can cost up to 25% less because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
No Claims - Good drivers with no accidents can earn big discounts when compared with accident-prone drivers.
Paperless Signup - A few companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy online.
Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Keeping the miles down can qualify you for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because you may think adding up those discounts means a free policy, you won't be that lucky.

To choose insurers with the best car insurance discounts in New York, click here to view.

Car insurance ads bend the truth

Allstate, GEICO and Progressive regularly use ads on TV and radio. All the companies make an identical promise about savings if you move your policy. But how can every company claim to save you money?

Insurance companies have a certain "appetite" for the right customer that makes them money. An example of a profitable customer might be between the ages of 30 and 50, a clean driving record, and has great credit. Any new insured who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and most likely will save a lot of money.

Drivers who fall outside this ideal profile must pay higher premiums and ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "people who switch" not "people who quote" save that kind of money. That is how companies can truthfully advertise the savings. This illustrates why you need to quote coverage with many companies. It's just too difficult to predict which company will fit your personal profile best.

But I don't know anything about car insurance

When buying proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no "best" method to buy coverage. Everyone's needs are different so your insurance should reflect that These are some specific questions may help highlight if your situation might need an agent's assistance.

When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
Should I buy only the required New York minimum liability coverage?
Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?

If you're not sure about those questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Even more information is available at the New York Department of Financial Services website. Visitors are able to report car insurance fraud, find out industry alerts, find disaster information, and file complaints about a company.

Other informative sites include this page for New York car insurance and this page for help finding agents in Potsdam, NY.

Final considerations

The cheapest car insurance is possible both online in addition to many Potsdam insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who do not provide online price quotes and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

We just covered some good ideas how you can compare car insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the higher the chance of saving money. Drivers may discover the lowest rates come from an unexpected company. These smaller insurers may cover specific market segments cheaper than their larger competitors like .