Tightwads Guide for Saving on Rhinebeck Auto Insurance

Tired of trying to scrape together enough money each month for car insurance? You are in the same boat as many other drivers in New York.

Online insurance companies like State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive all promote huge savings with ad campaigns and it is difficult to sift through the bull and find the best price available.

You have some control over your rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that play a part in calculating auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that could result in better auto insurance rates.

Shown below are some of the items auto insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance - Safer cars are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles reduce injuries and better occupant protection translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Lower rates with optional equipment - Driving a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention devices like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all hinder your car from being stolen.
Liability coverage protects you - Your policy's liability coverage will protect you if a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide you with a defense in court up to the limits shown on your policy. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so buy as much as you can afford.
Small claims can cost you - Auto insurance companies in New York provide cheaper rates to insureds who are claim-free. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can definitely plan on either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Car insurance is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Lower miles equals lower premium - The higher the mileage driven every year the more you'll pay to insure your vehicle. Most insurance companies price each vehicle's coverage based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles that are left in the garage get more affordable rates than those used for commuting. Verify your auto insurance declarations sheet is rated on the correct usage for each vehicle.
Males pay more for insurance - The statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. Now that doesn't mean men are worse drivers. Men and women tend to get into accidents at a similar rate, but the male of the species tend to have more serious accidents. Men also tend to get cited for more serious violations like reckless driving and DUI.
More than one policy can earn a discount - Some companies will award you with lower prices to people who carry more than one policy such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can add up to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even if you're getting this discount it's in your best interest to comparison shop to ensure the best deal. Drivers may still find better rates by insuring with multiple companies.

Fast and Easy Rhinebeck Auto Insurance Quotes

There are several ways to compare rate quotes and find the best price. One of the best ways to find the lowest rates consists of shopping online. This is very easy and can be done in several different ways.

The fastest way to find the lowest comparison rates is to use a rate comparison form click to view form in new window. This method prevents you from having to do separate quote forms for each company. Taking the time to complete one form gets you price quotes from many national carriers.
A harder way to compare rate quotes requires a trip to the website for every company you want to comare to complete their respective quote request forms. For examples sake, let's assume you want rates from , and . You would have to take the time to go to each site to input your insurance information, and that's why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in Rhinebeck, click here.

It doesn't matter which method you choose, just double check that you are using exactly the same quote information on every quote you get. If you use mixed coverages it will be very difficult to determine which rate is truly the best in Rhinebeck. Just a small difference in coverages may result in a large different in cost. It's important to know that getting more free quotes will increase your chances of finding a better price.

Take advantage of discounts

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but there could be available discounts that you may not know about. Some trigger automatically when you quote, but some may not be applied and must be inquired about before you get the savings.

Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Low mileage vehicles could qualify for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Pay Now and Pay Less - If you pay your bill all at once instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.
Organization Discounts - Affiliation with a civic or occupational organization could qualify you for a break when buying auto insurance.
Drivers Ed for Students - Cut your cost by having your teen driver enroll in driver's education if offered at their school.
Employee of Federal Government - Employees or retirees of the government can earn a discount up to 10% depending on your company.
New Vehicle Savings - Buying coverage on a new vehicle can cost up to 25% less compared to insuring an older model.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like you could get a free auto insurance policy, auto insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will reduce your overall premium however.

To choose insurers with discount auto insurance rates in Rhinebeck, follow this link.

Are auto insurance companies telling the truth?

21st Century, Allstate and State Farm consistently run ads on TV and radio. All the companies say the same thing about savings if you change to their company. How can each company say the same thing? This is how they do it.

Different companies can use profiling for the driver that makes them money. A good example of a profitable customer might be profiled as between 25 and 40, has no tickets, and has great credit. A propective insured who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Drivers who don't qualify for the requirements must pay a higher premium which usually ends up with business not being written. The ads state "drivers who switch" not "people who quote" save that much. That's why companies can truthfully advertise the savings.

This illustrates why you need to quote coverage with many companies. It's not possible to predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.

Additional information can be read on the website for the New York Department of Financial Services. Click here for link. New York drivers can find disaster information, view a list of available companies, find out which companies have the most complaints, and download brochures.

Affordable insurance is out there

Cheap auto insurance can be sourced on the web and also from your neighborhood Rhinebeck agents, so you should compare both to have the best selection. There are still a few companies who may not provide online price quotes and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When you buy insurance online, it's not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are a lot of situations where an insured dropped full coverage and found out when filing a claim that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The proper strategy is to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.