10 Discounts Plymouth Drivers Overlook when Shopping for Auto Insurance on the Web

Have you had enough of not being able to afford each month for car insurance? You are no different than millions of other consumers.

With so many companies and agents to choose from, it is hard for the average consumer to locate the lowest price insurer.

This information will familiarize you with how car insurance quotes work and some tricks to saving. If you have car insurance now, you should be able to save some money using this information. Nevertheless, Massachusetts drivers must learn the methods companies use to price online insurance and use this information to your advantage.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but you may find discounts that you may not even be aware of. Most are applied at the time of quoting, but a few need to be asked about before being credited.

Life Insurance – Some companies give lower rates if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
Service Members Pay Less – Having a deployed family member can result in better rates.
Clubs and Organizations – Participating in a qualifying organization could qualify you for a break when shopping for auto insurance.
Safety Course Discount – Taking a defensive driving course can save you 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
Accident Waiver – Certain companies permit an accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don’t have any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
Anti-lock Brake System – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can reduce accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
Senior Discount – Older drivers can possibly qualify for reduced rates.
Seat Belt Usage – Requiring all passengers to use their safety belts could cut 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.
Multiple Cars – Having all your vehicles on one policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
Distant Student – Kids in college living away from home attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle can receive lower rates.

It’s important to note that most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think all the discounts add up to a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way. Any qualifying discounts will bring down the cost of coverage.

To choose providers who offer auto insurance discounts in Massachusetts, click this link.

How do I know if I need professional advice?

When it comes to choosing coverage, there is no best way to insure your cars. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and your policy should reflect that. For instance, these questions can aid in determining if you might need an agent’s assistance.

Are all vehicle passengers covered by medical payments coverage?
How do I file an SR-22 for a DUI in Massachusetts?
Am I getting all the discounts available?
I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
Does my personal policy cover me when driving my company car?
Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?
Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
Do no-fault laws apply in Massachusetts?

If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.

Do drivers who switch really save?

State Farm, GEICO and Progressive continually stream television and radio advertisements. All the companies make the same claim about savings after switching to them. How do they all say the same thing? This is how they do it.

Different companies have a preferred profile for the driver that makes them money. For example, a profitable customer could possibly be between 30 and 50, has no prior claims, and has great credit. A driver who matches those parameters gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.

Potential insureds who do not match this ideal profile will be quoted a more expensive rate and ends up with business not being written. The ad wording is “customers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save money. That’s why insurance companies can advertise the savings.

This emphasizes why drivers should compare many company’s rates. It’s not possible to predict which company will have the lowest rates.

Additional auto insurance information is available on the website for the Massachusetts Division of Insurance through this link. Massachusetts consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, read industry bulletins, find a variety of consumer forms, and find disaster information. save money in Plymouth MA

More related Plymouth auto insurance information:

Coverage specifics

Learning about specific coverages of your auto insurance policy helps when choosing which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. Auto insurance terms can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement. These are the usual coverages found on most auto insurance policies.

Comprehensive insurance

Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as damage from getting keyed, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, falling objects and rock chips in glass. The highest amount your auto insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)

This coverage protects you and your vehicle when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your vehicle.

Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (Massachusetts limits are 20/40/5), their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Normally your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for short-term medical expenses for pain medications, nursing services and dental work. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Collision insurance

Collision insurance pays for damage to your vehicle caused by collision with another car or object. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision insurance covers things such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, sideswiping another vehicle, rolling your car, colliding with another moving vehicle and hitting a mailbox. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also raise the deductible to bring the cost down.

Auto liability

This will cover injuries or damage you cause to people or other property in an accident. It protects YOU from claims by other people, and does not provide coverage for your own vehicle damage or injuries.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see liability limits of 50/100/50 which means a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Some companies may use one number which is a combined single limit which combines the three limits into one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability can pay for claims such as medical expenses, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and attorney fees. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a personal decision, but consider buying higher limits if possible. Massachusetts requires drivers to carry at least 20,000/40,000/5,000 but you should think about purchasing more coverage.

Buy online or local, you save

As you shop your coverage around, don’t be tempted to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. Too many times, someone dropped physical damage coverage only to regret that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage at the best price.

Affordable auto insurance is available online in addition to many Plymouth insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.