10 Discounts Roosevelt Shoppers Forget when Buying Car Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an overpriced car insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you you are not the only one feeling buyer's remorse. Online insurance companies like State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive continually hit you with fancy advertisements and it is difficult to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

Don't pay full price with these ten discounts

Companies that sell car insurance do not list every discount in a way that's easy to find, so we researched both the well known as well as the least known car insurance savings. If you aren't receiving every discount possible, you are throwing money away.

  • Pay Upfront and Save - If you pay your bill all at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you can actually save on your bill.
  • Clubs and Organizations - Being a member of a civic or occupational organization could qualify you for a break when shopping for car insurance.
  • Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully complete driver's ed class in high school.
  • Multiple Policy Discount - If you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you may save up to 20% off your total premium.
  • Senior Citizens - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you can possibly qualify for reduced rates.
  • Accident Free - Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay much less when compared to drivers who are more careless.
  • Discount for Life Insurance - Companies who offer life insurance give better rates if you take out a life insurance policy as well.
  • More Vehicles More Savings - Having multiple cars or trucks on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
  • Save with a New Car - Buying coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
  • Federal Government Employee - Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% with a few car insurance companies.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. Just because you may think you can get free auto insurance, car insurance companies aren't that generous.

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The car insurance bait and switch

Consumers in New York get pounded daily by advertisements that promise big savings by companies like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. They all say the same thing about savings if you move to them.

How can each company claim to save you money?

All companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For instance, a driver they prefer might be between 25 and 40, has no driving citations, and chooses high deductibles. Any new insured who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and therefore will save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who don't measure up to the requirements will be quoted higher prices which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ad wording is "customers that switch" not "everyone that quotes" save money. That's the way companies can truthfully state the savings. This emphasizes why you should get quotes from several different companies. It's just too difficult to predict which car insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Even more information is located at the New York Department of Financial Services website. Visitors are able to view a list of available companies, find out which companies have the most complaints, download brochures, and view agent and company licensing information.

A tidy conclusion

Cheap car insurance is possible both online and with local Roosevelt insurance agents, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.

When buying insurance coverage, it's not a good idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There have been many situations where someone sacrificed liability coverage limits only to discover later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.