8 Methods to Save on Car Insurance in Skaneateles

Overpriced car insurance can overdraw your savings account and put a big crunch on your finances. Shopping your coverage around is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to help make ends meet. With so many choices of insurance companies, it's nearly impossible to pick the cheapest car insurance company.

It's important to compare prices yearly since rates are constantly changing. Despite the fact that you may have had the lowest price a few years ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you're about to learn one of the best ways to get good coverage at a lower rate.

These eight discounts can lower your rates

Companies that sell car insurance don't always publicize every available discount very well, so we researched both the well known as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using. If you don't get every credit you deserve, you're paying more than you need to.

Good Student Discount - A discount for being a good student can earn a discount of 20% or more. Earning this discount can benefit you well after school through age 25.
Life Insurance - Some companies give a break if you buy life insurance.
Resident Student - Kids in college who are attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle can be insured at a reduced rate.
Anti-lock Brake System - Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can reduce accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Own a Home - Being a homeowner can help you save on car insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home shows financial diligence.
Low Mileage - Fewer annual miles could be rewarded with discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
E-sign - A few companies may give you up to $50 just for signing your application online.
Accident Waiver - Some insurance companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums if you are claim-free for a set time period.

Keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So despite the fact that it appears all the discounts add up to a free policy, it just doesn't work that way.

To see a list of providers who offer car insurance discounts in New York, click here to view.

How to Get Cheap Car Insurance in Skaneateles, NY

Most companies allow you to get price estimates on their websites. Getting quotes is quite simple as you simply enter your required coverages as detailed in the form. Once you submit the form, the system will obtain credit information and your driving record and provides a quote determined by many factors. This streamlines rate comparisons, but the work required to visit many different websites and enter the same data into a form can be a bit tiresome and repetitive. But it's very important to do this in order to find better car insurance pricing.

There is a better way!

The preferred way to compare car insurance pricing is to use a quote form that analyzes rates from a lot of companies. The form is fast, eliminates form submissions, and makes comparison shopping much easier. After sending the form, it is rated and you can select any or none of the price quotes you receive. If a lower price is quoted, you can simply submit the application and buy the policy. The entire process just takes a couple of minutes and may save quite a bit of money.

To find out what other companies charge, click here to open in new window and begin entering your coverage information. If you have coverage now, it's recommended you input the insurance coverages as shown on your current policy. This makes sure you are getting a fair comparison based on the exact same insurance coverage.

Different people need different coverages

When choosing the best car insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no "best" method to buy coverage. Everyone's needs are different so your insurance should reflect that For instance, these questions can help discover whether you may require specific advice.

Should I buy only the required New York minimum liability coverage?
When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
What are New York no-fault laws?
Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?
When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?

If you're not sure about those questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.

Are you falling for claims of savings?

Consumers in New York can't get away from ads for car insurance savings from the likes of State Farm and Allstate. All the ads make an identical promise that you can save after switching your coverage to them.

But how can every company claim to save you money?

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that is profitable for them. For instance, a preferred risk might be over the age of 50, has no prior claims, and has a short commute. Any new insured who meets those qualifications gets the lowest rates and as a result will probably save a lot of money.

Drivers who are not a match for this ideal profile will be charged a higher premium and ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much money. This is how insurance companies can make the claims of big savings. That is why drivers must get quotes from several different companies. It's just too difficult to predict which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

In the end, you save

We just covered some good ideas how you can compare car insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Consumers could even find that the biggest savings come from a small local company. These smaller insurers can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than the large multi-state companies such as .

As you shop your coverage around, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many cases where consumers will sacrifice liability coverage limits only to discover later that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your goal should be to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

Affordable car insurance can be bought both online as well as from independent agents in Skaneateles, and you should be comparing both to have the best selection. Some insurance providers don't offer the ability to get a quote online and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

Learn more about car insurance in New York

Additional detailed information is located at the New York Department of Financial Services website. Visitors are able to file complaints about a company, view agent and company licensing information, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and find out industry alerts.

Additional helpful sites include III.org's auto insurance page and this directory of insurance agents in Skaneateles New York.