Expert Advice on Lower Paterson Auto Insurance

Finding better rates for Paterson auto insurance is always a challenge for consumers new to buying insurance online. Drivers have so many options available that it can turn into a lot of work to compare prices in Paterson.

You should take the time to check auto insurance prices once or twice a year because insurance rates change regularly. Despite the fact that you may have had the best rates a few years ago there may be better deals available now. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the easiest way to buy cheaper auto insurance.

Finding the best coverage in Paterson can be fairly easy. Basically, anyone who has to buy auto insurance will most likely be able to reduce their rates. But New Jersey vehicle owners need to learn the methods companies use to price insurance differently.

These discounts can slash auto insurance rates

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but there are discounts available to reduce the price significantly. Most are applied at quote time, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked for prior to getting the savings.

• Federal Government Employee – Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% with select insurance companies.
• Homeowners Savings – Being a homeowner can save you money because of the fact that having a home demonstrates responsibility.
• Military Rewards – Having a deployed family member could mean lower rates.
• Multi-policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with the same company you may earn up to 20% off your total premium.
• Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts up to 30%.
• Drivers Education – Require your teen driver to complete a driver education course in school.
• Drive Less and Save – Low mileage vehicles could be rewarded with a substantially lower rate.

Drivers should understand that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So even though it sounds like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies don’t profit that way. Any amount of discount will help reduce your premiums.

To choose providers offering auto insurance discounts in New Jersey, click here.

How to Compare Auto Insurance in Paterson, NJ

Most companies like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO give insurance quotes online. The process is quite easy as you just type in your personal and coverage information as requested by the quote form. Upon sending the form, their system orders your driving record and credit report and returns pricing information.

Online quotes makes comparing rates easy, but the work required to visit many different websites and complete many quote forms is not the best way to spend an afternoon. But it’s very important to perform this step if you want to find the lowest auto insurance rates.

There is a better way!

The quickest way to compare rates makes use of a single form that gets prices from many companies. It’s a real time-saver, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes rate comparisons much easier to do. As soon as you send your information, it is quoted with multiple companies and you can pick any one of the pricing results.

If the quotes result in lower rates, it’s easy to complete the application and buy the policy. This process takes 15 minutes at the most and you’ll know if lower rates are available.

To save time and compare rates using this form now, click here to open in new window and input your coverage information. To compare your current rates, we recommend you copy the coverages as shown on your current policy. This way, you will have a price comparison based on the exact same insurance coverage.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Paterson

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get lower auto insurance prices.

• Increase deductibles and save – Physical damage deductibles represent how much money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. Physical damage insurance, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, covers damage that occurs to your car. A few examples of covered claims could be colliding with a building, damage from fire, and burglary. The more you have to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
• Marriage pays dividends – Having a spouse helps lower the price when buying auto insurance. Having a significant other translates into being more mature and it’s statistically proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
• Consolidate policies to earn discounts – Some companies will give a discount to policyholders who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you’re getting this discount you still need to comparison shop to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. Drivers may still find a better deal by insuring with multiple companies.
• Choose a safe vehicle and save – Safer cars can get you lower premiums. Safe vehicles have better occupant injury protection and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
• Your age impacts your rates – Teen drivers in New Jersey have a tendency to be less responsible behind the wheel so auto insurance rates are higher. If you’ve ever had to add a teenage driver onto a policy can really hurt. Older drivers tend to be more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and receive fewer citations.
• Clean credit earns discounts – Your credit history is a important factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. Therefore, if your credit rating is not that good, you could be paying less to insure your by improving your rating. Consumers who have high credit scores tend to be less risk to insure than drivers with lower credit scores.
• Protect yourself with liability coverage – The liability section of your policy is the protection when you are found to be at fault for personal injury or accident damage. Liability insurance provides legal defense coverage up to the limits shown on your policy. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not skimp.

When might I need the advice of an agent?

When it comes to choosing coverage, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.

For instance, these questions may help highlight whether you would benefit from professional advice.

• Is my business laptop covered if it gets stolen from my vehicle?
• Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
• Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
• What if I total my vehicle and owe more than it’s worth?
• Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
• Is business property covered if stolen from my car?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but one or more may apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.

Don’t listen to company ads

Auto insurance companies such as Progressive, Allstate and GEICO regularly use ads on TV and radio. They all seem to have a common claim that you can save if you move to their company. How do they all claim to save you money?

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the driver they prefer to insure. For example, a profitable customer might be profiled as between the ages of 40 and 55, insures multiple vehicles, and drives newer vehicles. A driver who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Drivers who don’t qualify for this ideal profile will be charged a higher premium and this can result in the customer not buying. The ad wording is “customers that switch” not “people who quote” save money. That’s the way companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings.

That is why you should get quotes from several different companies. It is impossible to predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest

Drivers leave their current company for a variety of reasons including extreme rates for teen drivers, denial of a claim, delays in responding to claim requests or not issuing a premium refund. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a great new company is actually quite simple.

While you’re price shopping online, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where an insured dropped collision coverage to discover at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your focus should be to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.

In this article, we covered many ways to shop for auto insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more times you quote, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers may even find the biggest savings come from some of the smallest insurance companies.

More consumer information in New Jersey

Additional information can be found on the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance website located here. Consumers can view a list of available companies, learn about specific coverages, and discover disciplinary actions.