5 Discounts Stamford Drivers Neglect when Comparing Auto Insurance on the Internet

Have you fallen victim to an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Believe me when I say you’re not alone.

Multiple auto insurance companies compete for your business, so it can be very hard to choose a company and uncover the absolute best rates possible.

Stamford Auto Insurance Comparisons

There are several ways to compare quotes and find the best price. The best method to find the lowest rates consists of obtaining rate quotes online. This can be done in a couple of different ways.

• One of the best ways to find low rates would be an industry-wide quote request form click here to open form in new window. This type of form keeps you from doing separate quotation requests for each company you want a rate for. Completing one form compares rates from auto insurance companies with the best prices.
• A more difficult way to compare rate quotes is to take the time to go to the website of each company to complete their respective quote request forms. For sake of this example, let’s say you want to compare rates from GEICO, Liberty Mutual and American Family. You would have to take the time to go to each site and enter your information, and that’s why the first method is more popular.

  To view a list of companies in Stamford, click here.

However you get your quotes, compare apples-to-apples information for each price quote. If each company quotes mixed coverages you can’t possibly find the best deal in Stamford. Quoting even small variations in coverage limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. And when comparison shopping, comparing a large number of companies provides better odds of finding the best rates.

Don’t miss these 5 discounts

Auto insurance companies don’t always advertise all available discounts very well, so the following is a list of both well-publicized as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.

• Passive Restraints – Cars that have air bags or automatic seat belts can receive discounts of 20% or more.
• Auto/Life Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with a discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
• Memberships – Being a member of certain professional organizations could trigger savings when buying auto insurance.
• Braking Control Discount – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems can avoid accidents and will save you 10% or more.
• No Claims – Good drivers with no accidents pay less when compared to bad drivers.

Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don’t profit that way.

For a list of providers who offer auto insurance discounts in Stamford, click here to view.

When might I need help?

When choosing coverage for your vehicles, there really is no “perfect” insurance plan. Each situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. These are some specific questions can help discover whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.

• When should I remove comp and collision on my vehicle?
• Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
• Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
• I don’t drive much so do I pay less?
• Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Stamford?
• Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
• How much liability coverage do I need in Connecticut?
• How much underlying liability do I need for an umbrella policy?
• What are the best liability limits?
• Should I buy additional glass protection?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

What auto insurance coverages do you need?

Having a good grasp of a auto insurance policy can be of help when determining the best coverages for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be difficult to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. These are typical coverage types offered by auto insurance companies.

Uninsured or underinsured coverage

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants as well as damage to your vehicle.

Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (which is 20/40/10), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.

Medical expense coverage

Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for expenses such as nursing services, rehabilitation expenses, X-ray expenses, prosthetic devices and ambulance fees. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not an option in every state but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Coverage for collisions

This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision coverage protects against things such as colliding with a tree, colliding with another moving vehicle, sustaining damage from a pot hole, crashing into a ditch and backing into a parked car. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible to bring the cost down.

Auto liability

Liability coverage provides protection from damage or injury you incur to a person or their property. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show policy limits of 25/50/25 that translate to a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property.

Liability coverage protects against claims like medical services, structural damage, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, legal defense fees and loss of income. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as large an amount as possible. Connecticut state minimum liability requirements are 20,000/40,000/10,000 but drivers should carry more liability than the minimum.

Comprehensive protection

Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for claims such as a broken windshield, theft, hail damage and rock chips in glass. The most your auto insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

What is YOUR best insurance company?

Low-cost auto insurance can be sourced online as well as from independent agents in Stamford, so compare prices from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. A few companies don’t offer online price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.

You just learned many ways to lower your auto insurance rates. It’s most important to understand that the more you quote, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers could even find that the lowest rates come from a lesser-known regional company. Regional companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than their larger competitors like Progressive or GEICO.

When you buy insurance online, do not reduce needed coverages to save money. In too many instances, an insured cut physical damage coverage only to regret they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The aim is to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.

Additional detailed information can be read at the Connecticut Insurance Department website. Consumers can get help finding coverage, report car insurance fraud, read consumer alerts, and view a list of available companies.