Confused by the wide range of auto insurance options in Rochester? Many other drivers are as well. Drivers have so many options that it can turn into a big hassle to find lower rates.
How much can you save with discounts?
Companies that sell car insurance don’t list every discount in a way that’s easy to find, so the following is a list of some of the more common as well as the least known auto insurance savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you are throwing money away.
- Auto/Life Discount – Larger companies have better rates if you take out a life insurance policy as well.
- Low Mileage – Keeping the miles down can qualify you for a substantially lower rate.
- No Accidents – Drivers with accident-free driving histories can earn big discounts when compared to bad drivers.
- Organization Discounts – Belonging to a professional or civic organization may earn a discount on your policy.
- Lower Rates for Military – Having a family member in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
- Pay Upfront and Save – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save up to 5%.
- New Vehicle Savings – Buying coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
- Drivers Ed for Students – Cut your cost by having your teen driver take driver’s ed class if offered at their school.
It’s important to understand that many deductions do not apply the the whole policy. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it doesn’t quite work that way.
To see a list of companies with the best auto insurance discounts in Rochester, click here to view.
Educated Consumers Know How to Buy Auto Insurance Cheaper
Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in big savings.
- Never let your coverage lapse – Letting your insurance expire is a sure-fire way to trigger a rate increase. Not only will you pay more, failure to provide proof of insurance may earn you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
- Sex matters – Statistics have proven that women are safer drivers than men. However, this does not mean men are worse drivers. Women and men cause accidents at about the same rate, but the men have costlier accidents. Men also statistically receive more costly citations like DUI and reckless driving. Young males are several times more likely to be in an accident and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.
- Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance – Cars with high safety ratings are cheaper to insure. These vehicles protect occupants better and lower injury rates translates into savings for insurance companies and lower rates for you.
- More people means more accidents – Living in a small town can save you money when talking about auto insurance. City drivers tend to have traffic congestion and much longer commute distances. Fewer drivers means reduced accidents and a lower car theft rate.
- Bundling policies can get discounts – Some auto insurance companies will give a discount to policyholders who consolidate policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, you may still want to comparison shop to ensure the best deal.
- Protect yourself with liability coverage – Your policy’s liability coverage provides coverage in the event that you are found to be at fault for personal injury or accident damage. Liability insurance provides you with a defense in court which can cost thousands of dollars. Liability is cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not cut corners here.
- The more you drive the more you pay – The more miles you rack up on your car each year the higher your rate. Most companies price each vehicle’s coverage based on their usage. Cars and trucks left parked in the garage get more affordable rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Make sure your auto insurance policy is showing how each vehicle is driven.
- Occupation reflects on rates – Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Jobs such as real estate brokers, executives and accountants tend to pay higher rates than average in part from high stress and lengthy work days. On the flip side, occupations such as farmers, athletes and performers have the lowest average rates.
More information about auto insurance
More detailed New Hampshire auto insurance information is available at the New Hampshire Insurance Department website. New Hampshire drivers can file complaints about a company, find out which companies have the most complaints, report car insurance fraud, and learn about insurance regulations.
Additional helpful sites include this online resource for auto insurance quotes in New Hampshire and this link which helps you find a Rochester agent.
Keep this in mind
When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s not a good idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to regret at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your goal should be to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price.
Cheaper auto insurance is available online in addition to many Rochester insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best selection. There are still a few companies who do not provide online price quotes and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.
Consumers change insurance companies for any number of reasons including delays in responding to claim requests, questionable increases in premium, high prices or even delays in paying claims. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding the right auto insurance provider is actually quite simple.