Free Guide to Spending Less for Rockville Centre Car Insurance Online

No one in their right mind looks forward to buying car insurance, especially when the cost is way too high.

There is such a variety of to buy insurance from, and though it is a good thing to be able to choose, so many choices can make it hard to compare rates.

It's important to get comparison quotes periodically because rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the best price a year ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Forget all the misinformation about car insurance because we're going to demonstrate the quickest way to reduce your cost while improving coverage.

This information will familiarize you with how to effectively get price quotes and some tricks to saving. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will be able to lower your premiums substantially using these techniques. Nevertheless, New York car owners do need to know how companies sell online and apply this information to your search.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that play a part in calculating your car insurance rates. Knowing what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

Shown below are a few of the "ingredients" that factor into rates.

  • Males pay more for insurance - Statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. Now that doesn't mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Both sexes cause accidents in similar percentages, but the males tend to have more serious accidents. They also get more serious tickets such as reckless driving.
  • How's your driving record? - Drivers with clean records have lower premiums than their less careful counterparts. Even a single citation may increase your cost twenty percent or more. Drivers who have dangerous citations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may need to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state motor vehicle department in order to prevent a license revocation.
  • What are your deductibles? - Coverage for physical damage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered are a windshield shattered by a rock, damage from fire, and burglary. The deductibles are how much you are willing to pay out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. The higher the amount the insured has to pay upfront, the lower your rates will be.
  • Teen drivers pay high rates - Young drivers in New York have a tendency to be more careless behind the wheel so they pay higher car insurance rates. Parents adding a youthful driver onto your car insurance can be very expensive. Older drivers are viewed as being more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and tend to be better behind the wheel.

Rockville Centre Car Insurance Comparisons

There are multiple methods to shop for car insurance, and some are easier and takes less work. You can spend your afternoon talking to insurance companies in Rockville Centre, or you could save time and use the internet to quickly compare rates.

Most of the larger companies participate in a marketplace that enables customers to submit their information once, and each company then gives them pricing for coverage. This prevents consumers from doing quote forms to each individual car insurance company.

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

The one downside to getting quotes like this is you cannot specify which providers you want pricing from. So if you prefer to choose from a list of companies to compare rates, we have a listing of car insurance companies in New York. Click here to view list.

Whichever method you choose, be sure to compare identical quote information for every quote you compare. If you use mixed coverages it's impossible to determine the best price in Rockville Centre. Slightly different coverage limits could mean much higher rates. Keep in mind that having more price comparisons helps locate a better price.

Don't pay full price with these discounts

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but companies offer discounts that you may not know about. Some trigger automatically at the time of purchase, but a few need to be specifically requested prior to receiving the credit.

  • Accident Forgiveness - Certain companies will forgive one accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don't have any claims for a set time period.
  • Good Student - This discount can earn a discount of 20% or more. This discount can apply up until you turn 25.
  • Multiple Cars - Having all your vehicles with the same company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
  • New Car Discount - Putting insurance coverage on a new car can cost up to 25% less because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
  • Passive Restraint Discount - Factory air bags or motorized seat belts may earn rate discounts of up to 25% or more.
  • No Claims - Good drivers with no accidents can save substantially as compared to accident-prone drivers.
  • Homeowners Savings - Owning a house in Rockville Centre can save you money because maintaining a house is proof that your finances are in order.

It's important to understand that some credits don't apply to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think all the discounts add up to a free policy, it doesn't quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will bring down your premiums.

To choose companies with discount car insurance rates in New York, click here.

The car insurance bait and switch

Car insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive consistently run ads in print and on television. They all seem to have a common claim of big savings if you change your policy. How does each company make the same claim?

Insurance companies have a certain "appetite" for the right customer that makes them money. For example, a desirable insured could be between 25 and 40, a clean driving record, and has excellent credit. A customer that hits that "sweet spot" is entitled to the best price and therefore will save when switching.

Potential customers who don't measure up to these standards will have to pay higher prices and this can result in business going elsewhere. The ads state "customers that switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that kind of money. That is how insurance companies can confidently make those claims.

Because of the profiling, you need to get quotes from several different companies. Because you never know which company will have the lowest rates.

Your personal situation dictates your coverage

When buying the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn't really a best way to insure your cars. Everyone's situation is a little different and your policy should reflect that. Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight whether or not you would benefit from an agent's advice.

  • Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?
  • Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
  • Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my vehicle is totaled?
  • Should I file a claim if it's only slightly more than my deductible?
  • Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
  • Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?

If you can't answer these questions but one or more may apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Additional car insurance information can be found on the website for the New York Department of Financial Services located here. Consumers can learn about insurance regulations, file complaints about a company, report car insurance fraud, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.

New York car insurance

Final considerations

Low-cost car insurance can be sourced from both online companies in addition to many Rockville Centre insurance agents, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture. Some companies do not provide online price quotes and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.

We just showed you a lot of ways to compare car insurance prices online. It's most important to understand that the more rate comparisons you have, the higher the chance of saving money. You may be surprised to find that the most savings is with some of the lesser-known companies. These smaller insurers can often provide lower rates in certain areas as compared to the big name companies such as .

While you're price shopping online, it's very important that you do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, someone dropped physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time they didn't purchase enough coverage. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford.