Top 9 Ways You Can Buy Auto Insurance for Less in Shaftsbury, VT

Finding better rates for Shaftsbury auto insurance can be a challenge for consumers not familiar with comparing rates online. Consumers have so many options that it can be a ton of work to find the best price in Shaftsbury.

Smart consumers take time to shop coverage around once or twice a year because insurance rates are usually higher with each renewal. Just because you found the best rates last year the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because you’re about to learn how to use the internet to buy cheaper auto insurance.

Cut your auto insurance rates with these nine discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don’t list every discount in an easy-to-find place, so we took the time to find both well-publicized and the harder-to-find auto insurance savings.

• More Vehicles More Savings – Buying insurance for multiple cars or trucks on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
• Multiple Policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with one company you may save at least 10% off all policies.
• Homeowners Pay Less – Being a homeowner can save you money because owning a home demonstrates responsibility.
• Anti-lock Brakes – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can avoid accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• One Accident Forgiven – A handful of insurance companies will allow you to have one accident before your rates go up so long as you haven’t had any claims for a set time period.
• Federal Employees – Employees or retirees of the government can save as much as 8% with select insurance companies.
• Lower Rates for Military – Having a family member in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
• Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts may earn rate discounts of 20% or more.
• Good Student – A discount for being a good student can save 20 to 25%. The discount lasts up until you turn 25.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don’t profit that way.

For a list of companies with the best auto insurance discounts in Vermont, follow this link.

But don’t I need an insurance agent?

Certain consumers would prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is just fine! One of the best bonuses of comparing insurance prices online is you can get the best rates and still have an agent to talk to.

By using this quick form, your coverage information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents in Shaftsbury who will give you bids to get your business. There is no need to leave your house because quoted prices will be sent to the email address you provide. How cool is that?! You can find better rates AND an agent nearby.

Deciding on an provider needs to be determined by more than just a low price. These questions are important to ask:

• How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
• Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
• Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
• If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
• How long has their agency been open in Shaftsbury?
• Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
• How are they compensated?

Shown below are Shaftsbury insurers that can give you rate quotes.

• Shaftsbury Insurance & Rl Est – 866 VT Route 7a, Shaftsbury, VT 05262 – (802) 447-3366

To view a full list of insurance agents in Shaftsbury, click here to link.

Once you have received positive responses to any questions you have and locked in a price quote, you may have just found a company that is a good match to provide auto insurance coverage.

Don’t believe everything you hear

Allstate, GEICO and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. All the companies make the same claim that you can save if you switch to them. How can each company say the same thing?

All companies have a preferred profile for the driver that is profitable for them. For example, a preferred risk could possibly be between 25 and 40, is a homeowner, and has a short commute. A driver who meets those qualifications gets the lowest rates and therefore will cut their rates substantially.

Drivers who do not match this ideal profile must pay higher prices and ends up with the customer not buying. The ads state “customers that switch” not “people who quote” save that much. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently claim big savings. This illustrates why it’s extremely important to get as many quotes as possible. You cannot predict which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

More Vermont auto insurance information

Even more information can be found at the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation website. Consumers can find out industry alerts, view agent and company licensing information, and find disaster information.

Other useful links include this link for Vermont coverage information and this list of insurance agents in Shaftsbury.

Auto insurance coverages 101

Knowing the specifics of a auto insurance policy helps when choosing the right coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. Policy terminology can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Liability insurance – This protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on a person or their property that is your fault. It protects you from legal claims by others. Liability doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Coverage consists of three different limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You commonly see liability limits of 25/50/25 that translate to a limit of $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property.

Liability insurance covers things such as legal defense fees, emergency aid and repair costs for stationary objects. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, 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.

Collision coverage – This coverage will pay to fix damage to your vehicle from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You will need to pay your deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision can pay for claims like scraping a guard rail, colliding with a tree, damaging your car on a curb and rolling your car. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Comprehensive or Other Than Collision – Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for things like rock chips in glass, damage from flooding, hitting a bird and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Medical costs insurance – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for immediate expenses like ambulance fees, prosthetic devices and doctor visits. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. They cover you and your occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is not universally available but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

UM/UIM Coverage – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since many Vermont drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (which is 25/50/10), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea.

In conclusion

When trying to cut insurance costs, make sure you don’t skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. Too many times, someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits and discovered at claim time that it was a big error on their part. Your goal should be to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.

People switch companies for many reasons like an unsatisfactory settlement offer, policy non-renewal, lack of trust in their agent or denial of a claim. Whatever your reason, choosing a new insurance company is less work than it seems.

Discount auto insurance can be sourced from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Shaftsbury agents, so compare prices from both to have the best rate selection. Some companies may not provide online price quotes and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.