10 Excellent Ways to Cut Your Car Insurance Rates in Shelburne

No one in their right mind looks forward to paying for car insurance, especially knowing their premiums are too high. Many insurers vie to insure your vehicles, and it can be difficult to compare rates to find the absolute best price available.

It is always a good idea to compare prices at least once a year because insurance rates are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Even if you got the lowest price six months ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. There is a lot of bad advice regarding car insurance on the internet, so by reading this article, you’re going to learn a bunch of ideas how to find cheap car insurance.

If you have a current car insurance policy or are just looking to switch companies, you can use this information to find better prices and possibly find even better coverage. Choosing the best insurance company for you in Shelburne is not that difficult. Vermont drivers only need to know the proper way to shop for car insurance over the internet.

Low Cost Shelburne Car Insurance

Reducing your insurance rates doesn’t have to be difficult. All you need to do is take time to get quotes online from several insurance companies. This can be done in several different ways.

• One of the best ways consumers can analyze rates is an all-inclusive rate comparison click here to open form in new window. This type of form saves time by eliminating separate quotation requests for each company you want a rate for. One simple form gets rate comparisons from multiple companies.
• A more difficult way to obtain and compare quotes online requires a trip to each individual company website and fill out their own quote form. For examples sake, we’ll pretend you want to compare Allstate, Farmers and State Farm. To find out each rate you need to spend time on each company’s site to enter your coverage information, which is why most consumers use the first method. To view a list of companies in Shelburne, click here.
• The least efficient method of getting rate comparisons is driving around to different Shelburne agent offices. Shopping for car insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you have a need for the professional advice of a local Shelburne agent. Drivers can price shop online but buy from a local insurance agent and we’ll cover that in a bit.

It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just make darn sure you compare apples-to-apples coverages and limits for every company. If you enter different liability limits it’s not possible to determine the lowest rate in Shelburne.

The fine print in car insurance ads

Vermont consumers constantly see and hear ads for car insurance savings from companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive. They all make the same claim of big savings after switching your policy.

How can each company make almost identical claims?

Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that earns them a profit. An example of a desirable insured could be between the ages of 40 and 55, owns a home, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. Any driver who fits that profile receives the best rates and most likely will save when switching.

Potential customers who don’t meet these standards will be quoted higher rates which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ads say “people who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. This is how companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings.

This emphasizes why drivers should compare many company’s rates. It’s just too difficult to predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.

Smart Buyers can Save Money

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to big savings.

• Don’t let your coverage lapse – Allowing your coverage to lapse will be a quick way to increase your car insurance rates. And not only will insurance be more expensive, but not being able to provide proof of insurance will get you a steep fine or even jail time.
• Your occupation can affect rates – Occupations such as judges, architects and stock brokers tend to pay the highest rates due to high stress levels and lots of time spent at work. On the other hand, jobs such as actors, students and the unemployed have the lowest average rates.
• Keep rates low by being claim-free – If you tend to file frequent claims, you can expect either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Car insurance companies in Vermont generally give discounts to drivers who are claim-free. Your insurance policy is intended for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
• Poor credit can mean higher rates – A driver’s credit history is a huge factor in determining your rates. So if your credit rating is not that good, you could pay less to insure your by improving your credit score. Drivers with high credit ratings tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records as compared to drivers with lower credit scores.
• Increase deductibles and save – Deductibles for physical damage define the amount you are required to spend out-of-pocket before a claim is paid by your company. Insurance for physical damage to your car, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, covers damage that occurs to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply are running into the backend of another car, vandalism, and windstorm damage. The more expense you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the bigger discount you will receive.

Don’t pay full price with these discounts

Car insurance is not cheap, buy you may qualify for discounts to reduce the price significantly. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time of quoting, but some must be asked for before you will receive the discount. If they aren’t giving you every credit you deserve, you’re paying more than you need to.

• Drive Less and Save – Driving fewer miles can earn a substantially lower rate.
• Seat Belts Save – Drivers who require all occupants to buckle their seat belts could cut 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.
• Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings of 20% or more.
• Military Discounts – Having a family member in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
• Anti-lock Brakes – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes are safer to drive and earn discounts up to 10%.

Drivers should understand that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. So even though they make it sound like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any amount of discount will bring down the amount you have to pay.

Will just any policy work for me?

When buying adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Every situation is different so your insurance should reflect that These are some specific questions might help in determining if you would benefit from professional advice.

• Do I need motorclub coverage?
• Do I need higher deductibles?
• Will my vehicle be repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
• Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
• What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
• How high should my medical payments coverage be?
• Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
• Am I getting all the discounts available?
• Do I need added coverage for expensive stereo equipment?
• Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?

If you’re not sure about those questions, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and may give you better protection.

Are insurance agents obsolete?

A small number of people just want to sit down with an agent and that is OK! Professional agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help submit paperwork. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is you can get the best rates but also keep your business local. Supporting small agencies is definitely important in Shelburne.

To help locate an agent, after submitting this simple form, your insurance coverage information is submitted to insurance agents in Shelburne who will give you bids for your coverage. There is no reason to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent immediately to your email address. How’s that for easy!

The type of insurance agency you choose is important

When finding a local agent, there are a couple of different agency structures from which to choose. Shelburne agents can either be captive or independent. Both types can do a good job, but it’s worth learning the differences since it may influence buying decisions.

Independent Agents

These agents are not required to write business for one company so they can insure your vehicles amongst many companies depending on which coverage is best. To transfer your coverage to a different company, your agent can switch companies and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparing rates, it’s recommended you include price quotes from multiple independent agents to ensure the widest selection of prices.

Listed below are independent insurance agents in Shelburne willing to provide pricing information.

Fortier Insurance and Investment – 88 Oakhill Rd – Shelburne, VT 05482 – (802) 985-2022
Palmer Insurance – 331 Shelburne Hinesburg Rd – Shelburne, VT 05482 – (802) 985-3303

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agents are contracted to one company and some examples include Allstate, Farmers Insurance, State Farm and AAA. These agents are unable to place coverage with different providers so keep that in mind. Captives are trained well on their products and sales techniques which helps them compete with independent agents.

Deciding on an insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just the bottom line cost. Here are some questions to ask:

• Are they full-time agents?
• Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
• Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
• Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
• How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
• Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
• Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
• What insurance companies do they work with?

Upon receiving positive feedback to your questions and locked in a price quote, you have narrowed it down to an insurance agent that will adequately provide car insurance.

Final thoughts

While you’re price shopping online, do not reduce needed coverages to save money. There are many occasions where an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to discover later that the savings was not a smart move. The ultimate goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford.

We just presented some good ideas how you can lower your car insurance rates. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Drivers may discover the lowest priced car insurance comes from a small local company. Smaller companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like Progressive or GEICO.

Find out more about car insurance

More information is available on the website for the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation found here. Vermont drivers can read consumer alerts, report car insurance fraud, and file complaints about a company.