Discover Proven Techniques to Save on Oyster Bay, NY Auto Insurance

Saving money on Oyster Bay auto insurance can seem to be hard for consumers not familiar with buying insurance online. People have so many companies to choose from that it can easily become a challenge to compare prices in Oyster Bay.

It’s a good idea to shop coverage around before your policy renews since rates are variable and change quite frequently. Just because you had the best deal last year there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Starting right now, forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because you’re going to learn how to quote online to lower your annual insurance bill.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you should be able to save some money using these methods. This information will help educate you on how car insurance quotes work and some tricks to saving. Although New York vehicle owners should learn the methods companies use to sell insurance online because it can help you find the best coverage.

Auto Insurance Prices in Oyster Bay, NY

The are a couple different ways to compare rate quotes from auto insurance companies in your area. By far the easiest way to compare insurance prices is to perform an online rate comparison. This can be done using a couple different methods.

• One of the best ways to find the lowest comparison rates is to use a rate comparison form like this one (opens in new window). This method prevents you from having to do boring form submissions for each company you want a rate for. A single, simple form gets you price quotes . It’s definitely the quickest method.
• A less efficient way to compare rate quotes is going to each company website to complete a price quote. For examples sake, we’ll pretend you want rates from Auto-Owners, Allstate and GMAC. You would have to spend time on each company’s site to input your insurance information, which is why most consumers use the first method.

  To view a list of companies in Oyster Bay, click here.

It’s up to you which method you use, but ensure you’re using exactly the same coverage information for each comparison quote. If your comparisons have higher or lower deductibles it will be impossible to find the best deal in Oyster Bay. Just a small difference in coverage limits can result in a big premium difference. And when price shopping your coverage, obtaining a wide range of quotes provides better odds of finding the best offered rates.

Advertising myths

Auto insurance companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive consistently run television and radio advertisements. They all seem to make an identical promise about savings if you change your policy. How do they all make the same claim?

Different companies can use profiling for the type of customer that makes them money. An example of a preferred risk might be profiled as between the ages of 40 and 55, insures multiple vehicles, and has a short commute. A propective insured who meets those qualifications gets the lowest rates and therefore will pay quite a bit less when switching companies.

Potential customers who don’t qualify for the requirements will have to pay more money and ends up with business not being written. The ad wording is “drivers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much. This is how companies can state the savings. Because of the profiling, it is so important to get a wide range of price quotes. It’s just too difficult to predict which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Informed Drivers can Cut Their Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that may reward you with better auto insurance rates.

The list below includes a few of the “ingredients” auto insurance companies consider when setting rates.

• Lower deductibles cost more – Physical damage deductibles represent how much money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket before a claim is paid by your company. Physical damage insurance, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, protects your car from damage. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be colliding with a building, damage from fire, or theft. The more the insured has to pay upfront, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
• Little extras can really add up – There are quite a few add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying on your auto insurance policy. Insurance for roadside assistance, accidental death and term life insurance may be costing you every month. These may sound like a good investment at first, but if they’re wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
• Men pay higher rates – Statistics demonstrate that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, this does not mean women are BETTER drivers than men. Both sexes cause accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species have costlier accidents. Men also tend to get cited for more serious violations like reckless driving and DUI. Youthful male drivers are the most expensive to insure and thus pay the highest rates.
• What type of vehicle do you drive? – The performance level of the vehicle you are insuring makes a big difference in your rates. The most favorable rates are usually for low performance passenger models, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
• Don’t let your coverage lapse – Letting your insurance expire will be a sure-fire way to increase your auto insurance rates. Not only will you pay more, getting caught without coverage will get you a steep fine or even jail time.
• Drive a safer car and pay less – Safer cars get lower rates. Safer cars reduce injuries and any reduction in injury severity translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Companies offering auto insurance do not list every discount very clearly, so here is a list some of the more common as well as the least known auto insurance savings.

• Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts can save 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.
• Accident Forgiveness – A few companies allow you one accident before your rates go up as long as you don’t have any claims for a set time period.
• Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Keeping the miles down could be rewarded with better rates on cars that stay parked.
• Auto/Life Discount – Some companies give better rates if you take out a life insurance policy as well.
• Passive Restraint Discount – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings of more than 20%.
• Discount for Good Grades – A discount for being a good student can save 20 to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you up until you turn 25.

Drivers should understand that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.

To choose companies with discount auto insurance rates in New York, follow this link.

Tailor your coverage to you

When choosing the best auto insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Each situation is unique.

For example, these questions might help in determining whether you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• Will my vehicle be repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
• When would I need additional glass coverage?
• What should my uninsured motorist coverage limits be in New York?
• Where can I get insurance after a DUI in New York?
• When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
• Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
• What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
• Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in New York?
• Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form.

Online plus local equals savings

You just learned a lot of tips how to save on auto insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may be surprised to find that the most savings is with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.

When you buy insurance online, don’t be tempted to buy poor coverage just to save money. In many instances, someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage to discover at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The proper strategy is to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.

Consumers who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including policy non-renewal, policy cancellation, lack of trust in their agent or even unfair underwriting practices. Whatever your reason, switching companies can be less work than you think.

More information about auto insurance

Even more information can be found at the New York Department of Financial Services website. Consumers can discover disciplinary actions, read industry bulletins, view a list of available companies, and read state legal mandates and laws.