How to Find Low-Cost Berlin Auto Insurance

If you've never shopped for auto insurance online, it's easy to get confused by the vast number of auto insurance companies competing for business in Berlin.

The purpose of this article is to familiarize you with how to get online quotes. If you currently have car insurance, you will most likely be able to lower your premiums substantially using these techniques. Nevertheless, Pennsylvania consumers do need to know the methods companies use to market insurance on the web and use this information to your advantage.

More discounts equal less premium

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but there are discounts available to help bring down the price. Most are applied at the time of purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked about prior to receiving the credit.

Safety Course Discount - Taking a defensive driving course can save you 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
Air Bag Discount - Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts of up to 25% or more.
Good Student - A discount for being a good student can save 20 to 25%. This discount can apply up until you turn 25.
Federal Employees - Being employed by or retired from a federal job can earn a discount up to 10% depending on your company.
Paperless Signup - Some insurance companies may give you up to $50 simply for signing online.
Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Low mileage vehicles can earn discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
Memberships - Being a member of a professional or civic organization is a good way to get lower rates when buying auto insurance.

It's important to understand that most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. Just because it seems like you could get a free auto insurance policy, it doesn't quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will help reduce your premiums.

To see a list of insurers with discount auto insurance rates in Pennsylvania, click here to view.

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

Most companies quote prices for coverage directly from their websites. This process is fairly straightforward as you just enter your personal and coverage information into the quote form. Once you submit the form, the system will obtain your credit score and driving record and returns a price.

This makes comparing rates easy, but having to visit each company's website and repetitively type in the same information is monotonous and tiresome. Unfortunately, it is important to perform this step if you are searching for a lower rate.

The preferred way to compare rates uses one form that gets prices from multiple companies. It's a real time-saver, reduces the work, and makes rate comparisons a little more enjoyable. Immediately after you send the form, it is quoted with multiple companies and you can pick any or none of the price quotes you receive.

If the quotes result in lower rates, it's easy to complete the application and purchase coverage. It takes less than 15 minutes and can result in significant savings.

To find out how much you're overpaying now, click here and enter your information. To compare your current rates, we recommend that you enter the insurance coverages exactly as they are listed on your policy. This makes sure you will have comparison quotes based on the exact same insurance coverage.

What determines how much you pay?

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in better auto insurance rates.

Shown below are a few of the "ingredients" companies use to determine premiums.

Little extras can really add up - There are quite a few additional coverages that you can get tricked into buying when buying auto insurance. Things like personal injury protection, accidental death and motor club memberships may be costing you every month. They may seem good at first, but if you don't need them remove them from your policy.
Cautious drivers pay less - Good drivers receive lower rates than their less careful counterparts. Even one citation can increase rates twenty percent or more. Drivers with dangerous tickets like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions are required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to prevent a license revocation.
Men are more aggressive - Statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. Now that doesn't mean women are better drivers. Men and women cause accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species tend to have more serious accidents. Men also tend to receive more costly citations like DUI and reckless driving.
Small claims can cost you - If you frequently file small claims, you can look forward to either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance companies in Pennsylvania award discounts to policyholders who file claims infrequently. Car insurance is intended for larger claims.

It's not one size fits all

When choosing adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Each situation is unique.

Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight if you could use an agent's help.

Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Pennsylvania?
Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?

If you're not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to an agent. If you don't have a local agent, simply complete this short form.

Switch companies and save? Really?

21st Century, Allstate and State Farm consistently run ads in print and on television. All the companies make an identical promise of big savings if you change to them. But how can every company claim to save you money?

Different companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of driver that is profitable for them. For example, a profitable customer might be over the age of 40, a clean driving record, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who meets those qualifications will get very good rates and therefore will save a lot of money.

Potential customers who do not match this ideal profile must pay higher prices and ends up with the customer not buying. The ads say "people who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save money. That is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the way they do.

This illustrates why drivers must get as many quotes as possible. It's impossible to know which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Shop smart and save

Low-cost auto insurance is attainable both online and with local Berlin insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both so you have a total pricing picture. Some auto insurance companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

We covered some good ideas how you can compare auto insurance prices online. It's most important to understand that the more companies you get rates for, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the lowest premiums are with a company that doesn't do a lot of advertising.

People leave their current company for many reasons like questionable increases in premium, poor customer service, denial of a claim or extreme rates for teen drivers. It doesn't matter why you want to switch finding the right auto insurance provider is actually quite simple.

Additional auto insurance information can be found on the Pennsylvania Insurance Department website through this link. Visitors are able to discover disciplinary actions, file complaints about a company, and learn about insurance regulations.

Additional helpful sites include this resource for Pennsylvania auto insurance prices and this link which helps you find a Berlin agent.