7 Discounts Middlebury Consumers Overlook when Shopping for Auto Insurance on the Web

Buying low-cost Middlebury auto insurance over the internet may be somewhat difficult for consumers not familiar with buying insurance on the web. Since there are so many insurers available, how can consumers effectively compare every company to locate the lowest rates?

Auto Insurance Comparison Rates in Middlebury, Vermont

Comparing auto insurance rates can be exhausting if you aren’t aware of the easiest way. You can spend countless hours driving to local insurance agents in Middlebury, or you could use online quoting to maximize your effort.

Most of the best insurance companies belong to a marketplace where insurance shoppers submit their information once, and at least one company returns a competitive quote for coverage. This saves time by eliminating quote forms to every company.

To enter your information into the quoting system, click here to start a free quote.

One minor caviat to comparing rates this way is buyers cannot specifically choose which providers to get pricing from. So if you want to select specific providers to compare, we have assembled a list of auto insurance companies in Vermont. Click here for list of insurance companies in Vermont.

It’s up to you which method you use, but compare identical information on every quote. If you are comparing different liability limits it will be very difficult to make a fair comparison in Middlebury. Slightly different coverage limits can result in a big premium difference. It’s important to know that getting more free quotes will increase your chances of finding a better price.

Take these seven discounts and save

Car insurance is not cheap, but you can get discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Most are applied when you get a quote, but some may not be applied and must be manually applied prior to getting the savings.

• Distant Student – Kids in college who live away from home and don’t have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
• Employee of Federal Government – Being employed by or retired from a federal job could cut as much as 10% off with select insurance companies.
• No Charge for an Accident – A handful of insurance companies will forgive one accident without raising rates if you are claim-free for a particular time prior to the accident.
• More Vehicles More Savings – Having multiple cars or trucks on one policy qualifies for this discount.
• Air Bag Discount – Cars that have air bags or motorized seat belts may earn rate discounts up to 30%.
• Homeowners Savings – Simply owning a home may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because of the fact that having a home demonstrates responsibility.
• Auto/Home Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with one company you could get a discount of at least 10% off all policies.

Keep in mind that many deductions do not apply to the entire cost. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies wouldn’t make money that way. Any qualifying discounts will bring down the amount you have to pay.

For a list of insurance companies with discount auto insurance rates in Vermont, follow this link.

But I prefer to buy car insurance from an agent

Certain consumers would prefer to sit down with an agent and that is OK! One of the best bonuses of comparing insurance prices online is the fact that you can find the lowest rates but still work with a licensed agent. And providing support for small agencies is important particularly in Middlebury.

For easy comparison, once you complete this simple form, your insurance data is instantly submitted to local insurance agents who will battle for your business. There is no need to drive around since price quotes are sent directly to your email. You’ll get the best rates and work with a local agent.

The following are agents in Middlebury that are able to give price quotes.

• U I Insurance Svc Inc – Washington Street Ext, Middlebury, VT 05753 – (802) 388-9944
• Bourdon Insurance – 10 Merchants Row, Middlebury, VT 05753 – (802) 388-4037
• Underwriter’s Agency-New Engln – 231 Court St, Middlebury, VT 05753 – (802) 382-1300

For a complete listing of Middlebury insurance agents, please click here.

Choosing a company shouldn’t rely on just the bottom line cost. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:

• If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
• Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
• Can they give you a list of client referrals?
• Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
• How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
• Are they full-time agents?
• Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?

After receiving answers to your satisfaction to your questions and a low price estimate, you may have just found an insurance company that meets your needs to provide auto insurance coverage. Keep in mind you can always terminate your policy at any point so don’t feel you are locked into a specific agent for the full term.

What auto insurance coverages do you need?

Knowing the specifics of auto insurance can help you determine which coverages you need for your vehicles. The terms used in a policy can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy.

Comprehensive coverage – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as damage from a tornado or hurricane, vandalism, theft, falling objects and damage from flooding. The maximum payout your auto insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Medical payments coverage and PIP – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP pay for short-term medical expenses for X-ray expenses, doctor visits, ambulance fees, funeral costs and hospital visits. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants and will also cover getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states and may carry a deductible

Auto liability – Liability insurance will cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You commonly see limits of 100/300/100 that translate to a limit of $100,000 per injured person, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Occasionally you may see one number which is a combined single limit that pays claims from the same limit without having the split limit caps.

Liability coverage pays for claims like pain and suffering, attorney fees and medical expenses. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but consider buying as large an amount as possible. Vermont state minimum liability requirements are 25,000/50,000/10,000 but drivers should carry more liability than the minimum.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage – This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since many Vermont drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (25/50/10 in Vermont), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important. Frequently the UM/UIM limits are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

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

Collision coverage pays for claims like crashing into a ditch, hitting a mailbox, sideswiping another vehicle, backing into a parked car and rolling your car. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. Another option is to raise the deductible to bring the cost down.

Additional auto insurance information can be found on the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation website. Click here for link. Vermont drivers can get help finding coverage, find disaster information, read state legal mandates and laws, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

Other informative sites include BankRate.com’s Car Insurance: When not to Skimp and this list of insurance agents in Middlebury, VT.

Cheaper insurance is a realistic goal

Affordable auto insurance can be purchased online in addition to many Middlebury insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best selection. Some auto insurance companies do not provide online quoting and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

Insureds leave their current company for many reasons like lack of trust in their agent, being labeled a high risk driver, high rates after DUI convictions and questionable increases in premium. No matter why you want to switch, finding the right auto insurance provider is less work than it seems.

As you prepare to switch companies, don’t be tempted to reduce needed coverages to save money. There are too many instances where an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to discover later that it was a big error on their part. Your strategy should be to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.