10 Shopping Tips Guaranteed to Lower Car Insurance Costs in Pawtucket Rhode Island

Overwhelmed by the sheer number of car insurance companies in Pawtucket? You’re not the only one! People have so many companies to choose from that it can quickly become a real hassle to find the lowest price.

This article will familiarize you with the most effective way to quote insurance. If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using these techniques. Rhode Island drivers just need to know the tricks to get comparison rates online.

How to Compare Car Insurance Costs in Pawtucket, RI

There are a lot of ways to shop for car insurance, and some are easier and takes less work. You can waste hours talking about coverages with local insurance agents in Pawtucket, or you can stay home and use the web to get rates in a matter of minutes.

Many companies participate in a marketplace where prospective buyers complete one form, and each company then returns a price quote for coverage. This eliminates the need for quote forms to each individual car insurance company.

To find out how much you can save on car insurance click here (opens in new window).

One minor caviat to pricing coverage this way is buyers cannot specifically choose which companies to get quotes from. If you wish to select individual companies to compare, we have a listing of car insurance companies in Rhode Island. View list of Rhode Island insurance companies.

It’s up to you which method you use, but double check that you are using identical coverages for each price quote. If you compare different deductibles you can’t possibly decipher which rate is best in Pawtucket.

Discounts are great for lower rates

Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, buy you may qualify for discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Most are applied when you complete an application, but some may not be applied and must be manually applied before they will apply. If you don’t get every credit possible, you’re just leaving money on the table.

• Government Employees – Simply working for the federal government can save as much as 8% depending on your company.
• Auto/Life Discount – Larger companies have a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
• Senior Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you may qualify for a discount up to 10%.
• Accident Waiver – A handful of insurance companies permit an accident before your rates go up if your claims history is clear prior to the accident.
• Drive Less and Save – Fewer annual miles can qualify you for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
• Paperless Signup – Certain companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks just for signing your application online.
• Clubs and Organizations – Participating in a professional or civic organization could qualify you for a break on your policy.
• Discount for Swiching Early – Some insurance companies reward drivers for signing up prior to your current policy expiration. The savings is around 10%.
• Defensive Driver – Taking a driver safety course could save 5% or more depending on where you live.
• Good Student Discount – Performing well in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you up to age 25.

It’s important to understand that most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when the math indicates you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn’t work that way. Any qualifying discounts will cut your premiums.

Specifics of your car insurance policy

Knowing the specifics of a car insurance policy aids in choosing the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Medical payments and PIP coverage

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for short-term medical expenses such as dental work, hospital visits, funeral costs and prosthetic devices. They can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers both the driver and occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states and may carry a deductible

UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage

This coverage protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your vehicle.

Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law (Rhode Island limits are 25/50/25), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked. Normally your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.

Comprehensive auto coverage

This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive insurance covers things like hitting a deer, hail damage and damage from flooding. The maximum payout your car insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Collision protection

This covers damage to your vehicle resulting from colliding with an object or car. You have to pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage protects against claims like hitting a mailbox, crashing into a building, colliding with another moving vehicle and backing into a parked car. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Coverage for liability

Liability insurance protects you from damage or injury you incur to people or other property in an accident. This insurance protects YOU against other people’s claims, 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 limits of 100/300/100 which stand for a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, $300,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Another option is one limit called combined single limit (CSL) that pays claims from the same limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability coverage pays for claims like emergency aid, attorney fees and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much coverage you buy is a personal decision, but consider buying higher limits if possible. Rhode Island state law requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/25,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy more coverage.

To learn more about car insurance in Rhode Island

Much more information about car insurance in Rhode Island is located on the Rhode Island Division of Insurance Regulation website through this link. Rhode Island consumers can read consumer alerts, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, learn about insurance regulations, and report car insurance fraud.

Other informative sites include Wikipedia and this page of Pawtucket insurance agents.