Easy Methods to Spend Less on Woodbury Car Insurance

Finding affordable Woodbury car insurance is a challenge for consumers not familiar with buying insurance online. People have so many companies to choose from that it can easily become more work than you anticipated to compare prices in Woodbury.

You have some control over your rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that help determine your car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates enables informed choices that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.

The following are some of the factors car insurance companies consider when setting prices.

  • Claim-free discounts can add up - If you file claims often, you can definitely plan on either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Companies in New York give cheaper rates to drivers who are claim-free. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • Your car insurance rates can be influenced by your job - Did you know your job can affect your rates? Careers like doctors, executives and dentists tend to have the highest average rates because of high stress and long work days. Other occupations such as farmers, historians and performers receive lower rates.
  • Men pay higher rates - The statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, this does not mean men are worse drivers. Both sexes are in accidents at about the same rate, but the men have costlier accidents. Men also statistically have more aggressive citations such as reckless driving. Young males are most likely to cause an accident and are penalized with high car insurance rates.
  • Safer cars are cheaper to insure - Vehicles with high crash test scores tend to have better insurance rates. The safest vehicles reduce injuries and fewer injuries translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders.
  • How's your driving record? - A bad driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Careful drivers have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Only having one speeding ticket can boost insurance rates by twenty percent. If you have flagrant violations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may find they need to submit a SR-22 form with their state motor vehicle department in order to keep their license.
  • Pleasure use saves money - Driving more miles every year the higher your rate. Most insurance companies rate vehicles based on their usage. Autos used primarily for pleasure use can get a lower rate than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Double check that your car insurance coverage is rated on the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.
  • Extra coverages can waste money - There are a ton of extra bells and whistles that can waste your money on your policy. Insurance for rental car reimbursement, accident forgiveness and term life insurance may be wasting your money. These coverages may sound good when you first buy your policy, but if they're wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
  • How credit affects car insurance rates - Having a bad credit history is a important factor in your rate calculation. If your credit rating is not that good, you could save money insuring your by improving your credit score. Drivers who have high credit scores tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than those with lower credit scores.

compare Woodbury car insurance rates

Are you getting all your discounts?

Companies offering auto insurance don't list every discount in a way that's easy to find, so here is a list some of the more common as well as the least known ways to save on car insurance.

  • Drivers Ed for Students - Cut your cost by having your teen driver successfully complete driver's ed class if it's offered in school.
  • Employee of Federal Government - Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off with a few car insurance companies.
  • 55 and Retired - If you're over the age of 55, you may be able to get better car insurance rates.
  • Service Members Pay Less - Having a family member in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
  • Good Students Pay Less - This discount can earn a discount of 20% or more. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.

Keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. Some only reduce individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it just doesn't work that way.

To choose insurance companies who offer car insurance discounts in Woodbury, click this link.

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

Car insurance providers like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO continually stream ads on television and other media. They all make the same claim that you can save after switching to their company. How can each company make the same claim?

Insurance companies can use profiling for the driver that makes them money. An example of a driver they prefer could be a mature driver, is a homeowner, and has excellent credit. A customer who matches those parameters will get very good rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Drivers who are not a match for the requirements will be quoted higher premiums which leads to business going elsewhere. The ads say "customers that switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much. That's why insurance companies can make those claims. This emphasizes why you should get a wide range of price quotes. Because you never know the company that will have the lowest rates.

Learn more today

Additional detailed information is available at the New York Department of Financial Services website. Consumers can download brochures, read industry bulletins, and learn about insurance regulations.

Affordable insurance is out there

Insureds change insurance companies for a number of reasons such as extreme rates for teen drivers, high rates after DUI convictions, denial of a claim or even unfair underwriting practices. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, choosing a new insurance company is easier than you think.

While you're price shopping online, it's not a good idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many situations where an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to find out they didn't purchase enough coverage. The proper strategy is to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.

We just showed you some good ideas how to save on car insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even discover the best price on car insurance is with a small local company.