Top Ways to Save on Tupper Lake Auto Insurance

I can't think of anyone who likes having to buy auto insurance, particularly when the cost is way too high.

Drivers have so many to pick from, and even though it's nice to have a selection, too many choices makes it more difficult to compare rates.

It's important to compare prices periodically because prices are constantly changing. Even if you got the best price two years ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because we're going to demonstrate the only way to buy cheaper auto insurance.

Finding affordable coverage in Tupper Lake is quite easy. If you are paying for car insurance now, you should be able to lower your premiums substantially using this information. Nevertheless, New York consumers do need to know the way companies price online insurance and apply this information to your search.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Car insurance companies do not advertise all their discounts very clearly, so we took the time to find both the well known and the harder-to-find ways to save on auto insurance.

Accident Forgiveness - Certain companies will allow you to have one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don't have any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
Early Signing - Select companies give a discount for buying a policy before your current expiration date. This can save 10% or more.
Braking Control Discount - Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles are safer to drive and will save you 10% or more.
Auto/Life Discount - Larger companies have a discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
Sign Online - A handful of insurance companies may give you up to $50 simply for signing over the internet.
Memberships - Being a member of a qualifying organization could trigger savings on auto insurance.
Payment Discounts - If paying your policy premium upfront instead of paying each month you could save up to 5%.
Homeowners Savings - Owning a house in Tupper Lake may earn you a small savings because owning a home is proof that your finances are in order.

Consumers should know that most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies don't profit that way.

To see a list of companies offering auto insurance discounts in New York, click this link.

Tupper Lake Auto Insurance Comparisons

There are several ways to shop for auto insurance, but some are more efficient than others. You can waste a lot of time talking to agents in Tupper Lake, or you can stay home and use the web to get prices fast.

Many insurance companies belong to a marketplace that allows shoppers to submit their information once, and at least one company then gives them pricing for coverage. This system prevents you from having to do quote forms to each individual auto insurance company. To submit your quote information now, click to open in new window.

One minor caviat to using this type of system is you can't choose which carriers you want pricing from. So if you prefer to choose specific insurance companies for rate comparison, we have a listing of the cheapest auto insurance companies in New York. Click here for list of insurance companies in New York.

It's up to you how you get prices quotes, just be sure to compare identical coverage limits and deductibles on every quote. If you use different liability limits you will not be able to make a fair comparison in Tupper Lake. Having just a slight variation in coverage limits can result in a big premium difference. Keep in mind that comparing a large number of companies helps you find the best rates.

How to Lower your Auto Insurance Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that go into determining the rates you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with big savings.

Listed below are a few of the "ingredients" used by your company to calculate rates.

Battle of the sexes - Statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn't necessarily mean that women are BETTER drivers than men. They both have accidents in similar percentages, but the males cause more damage. They also have more aggressive citations like DUI and reckless driving. Male drivers age 16 to 19 tend to get in the most accidents and therefore have the most expensive auto insurance rates.
Cautious drivers pay less - Drivers who don't get tickets tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. Only having one citation can bump up the cost twenty percent or more. Drivers who have serious citations like DUI or reckless driving may need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
Do you know you're credit rating? - Credit score is a huge factor in determining your rates. If your credit score is lower than you'd like, you could pay less to insure your by spending a little time repairing your credit. People with high credit ratings tend to be more responsible than drivers with poor credit.
Drive less and save money - The more miles you rack up on your car each year the more you will pay for auto insurance. Almost all companies charge to insure your cars determined by how the vehicle is used. Autos not used for work or commuting qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. Ask your agent if your auto insurance policy shows how each vehicle is driven.

How do I know if I need professional advice?

When choosing the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn't really a perfect coverage plan. Every insured's situation is different so this has to be addressed. For example, these questions may help highlight whether or not you might need an agent's assistance.

Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?
Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
What are the financial responsibility laws in New York?
Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
Am I getting all the discounts available?

If it's difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Is there truth in advertising?

Auto insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. They all seem to make the same claim of big savings if you switch your coverage to them. How does each company claim to save you money? This is how they do it.

All the different companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of customer that is profitable for them. For example, a desirable insured might be between the ages of 30 and 50, a clean driving record, and chooses high deductibles. A customer getting a price quote who matches those parameters is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Consumers who don't measure up to these standards will have to pay higher rates which leads to the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "drivers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much money. That is how insurance companies can confidently state the savings. Because of the profiling, drivers must get as many comparisons as possible. It's impossible to know which company will give you the biggest savings.

Affordable insurance is out there

Cost effective auto insurance can be found both online as well as from independent agents in Tupper Lake, and you should compare price quotes from both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies don't offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.

We covered some good ideas how to compare auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even find the lowest rates come from a lesser-known regional company. These smaller insurers may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates compared to the large companies like .

When buying insurance coverage, make sure you don't reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, someone dropped physical damage coverage only to discover later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest price.

Additional New York consumer information

More tips and info about auto insurance can be found at the New York Department of Financial Services website. Visitors are able to learn about insurance regulations, file complaints about a company, find out industry alerts, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.

Additional helpful sites include this site for New York auto insurance information and see this list of insurance agents in Tupper Lake.