Tightwads Guide to Saving on Wolcott Car Insurance

Scraping up a payment for overpriced car insurance can overdraw your bank account and force you to prioritize other expenses. Doing a price comparison is free and is an excellent way to slash your bill and have more diposable income.

Because there are so many options when it comes to car insurance, it's nearly impossible to find the lowest cost provider.

The purpose of this article is to help you learn the most effective way to quote insurance and some tricks to saving. If you currently have car insurance, you should be able to reduce your rates substantially using this strategy. But New York car owners do need to know how companies market on the web.

What determines how much you pay?

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that come into play when calculating your car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to better car insurance rates.

The list below includes some of the items companies use to determine prices.

Lower rates with optional equipment - Purchasing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help lower your rates. Anti-theft devices such as GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all aid in stopping your vehicle from being stolen.
Men fork out a little more - Statistics have proven women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, don't assume that women are better drivers. Men and women are in accidents at a similar rate, but the men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also statistically have more aggressive citations such as reckless driving.
Small claims can cost you - If you are a frequent claim filer, you can expect either higher rates or even cancellation. Companies in New York give discounts to people who file claims infrequently. Car insurance is meant to be used in the event of the bigger claims that can't be paid out-of-pocket.
What type of vehicle do you drive? - The performance of the vehicle you are buying insurance for makes a big difference in how high your rates are. The cheapest insurance rates tend to be for lower performance four cylinder passenger models, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
How's your driving record? - Good drivers tend to pay less for car insurance than people who have multiple driving citations. Only having one ticket can increase rates by as much as thirty percent. If you have severe violations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may find they need to submit a SR-22 form with their state motor vehicle department in order to drive a vehicle legally.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but there are discounts available that can drop the cost substantially. Some trigger automatically when you quote, but some may not be applied and must be requested specifically before you get the savings.

Pay Upfront and Save - If paying your policy premium upfront instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
55 and Retired - If you're over the age of 55, you can possibly qualify for reduced rates.
Government Employees - Employees or retirees of the government can earn a discount up to 10% with a few car insurance companies.
Sign Early and Save - Select companies give a discount for switching to them prior to your current policy expiration. It can save you around 10%.
Good Student Discount - This discount can save 20 to 25%. The good student discount can last up to age 25.
Low Mileage Discounts - Keeping the miles down could qualify for better rates on cars that stay parked.
Military Rewards - Having a family member in the military can result in better rates.
Seat Belts Save more than Lives - Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt could cut 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
Accident Free - Drivers who don't have accidents pay less when compared to accident-prone drivers.
Defensive Driving Course - Taking a driver safety course could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.

Drivers should understand that most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. Just because you may think you could get a free car insurance policy, companies wouldn't make money that way. But all discounts will help reduce the cost of coverage.

To choose insurance companies with the best car insurance discounts in New York, click this link.

How can State Farm, Allstate and GEICO save drivers who switch?

Car insurance providers like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO regularly use ads on television and other media. They all make the same claim that you'll save big if you move to them. But how can every company make the same claim? This is how they do it.

Different companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that makes them money. A good example of a driver they prefer could be between 25 and 40, insures multiple vehicles, and has a high credit rating. A customer who matches those parameters will qualify for 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 quoted a higher premium which leads to business going elsewhere. The ad wording is "drivers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save money. This is how companies can state the savings.

This emphasizes why you should get as many comparisons as possible. Because you never know which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

Tailor your coverage to you

When buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Every insured's situation is different so this has to be addressed. For instance, these questions may help you determine whether you would benefit from an agent's advice.

What can I do if my company won't pay a claim?
Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in New York?
Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?

If it's difficult to answer those questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

Much more information about car insurance in New York can be read on the website for the New York Department of Financial Services. Click here for link. Consumers can view a list of available companies, learn about insurance regulations, download brochures, and learn about specific coverages.

Other informative sites include this page for car insurance prices in New York and this list of insurance agents in Wolcott, NY.

Final considerations

As you restructure your insurance plan, don't be tempted to buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many situations where drivers have reduced full coverage and found out when filing a claim that they should have had better coverage. The proper strategy is to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.

We just showed you some good ideas how to save on car insurance. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even find the most savings is with a lesser-known regional company. Some small companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates than the large multi-state companies such as .