Consumer Tested Strategies to Save on Dracut Auto Insurance

Sick and tired of scraping the payment together each month for car insurance? You are in the same boat as the majority of other car owners in Massachusetts.

Online insurance companies like State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive promote their brand names with advertising and it can be hard to sift through the bull and take the time to shop coverage around.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Car insurance companies don't necessarily list all available discounts in a way that's easy to find, so we researched both well-publicized as well as the least known auto insurance savings.

Clubs and Organizations - Participating in a civic or occupational organization could qualify you for a break when buying auto insurance.
Pay Now and Pay Less - If you pay your bill all at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.
Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver's education if offered at their school.
No Claims - Claim-free drivers pay much less when compared with drivers who are more careless.
Homeowners Pay Less - Owning a home in Dracut may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because maintaining a house shows financial diligence.
One Accident Forgiven - A handful of insurance companies will forgive one accident before your rates go up so long as you haven't had any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, auto insurance companies aren't that generous.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that play a part in calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that could result in big savings.

Liability coverage protects you - Your policy's liability coverage will protect you if a court rules you are at fault for damages caused by your negligence. It provides legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so buy as much as you can afford.
Optional equipment can affect rates - Driving a car with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention devices like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder your car from being stolen.
Better crash test results mean better rates - Vehicles with good safety scores are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles have better occupant injury protection and lower injury rates translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Low deductibles can be expensive - Your deductibles represent how much money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket before your auto insurance pays a claim. Physical damage insurance, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered could be colliding with a building, damage from fire, and burglary. The more the insured has to pay upfront, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
Marriage pays dividends - Having a wife or husband helps lower the price when buying auto insurance. Having a spouse usually means you are more responsible and it's proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
Big city or small town - Being located in less populated areas is a positive aspect when insuring your vehicles. Less people living in that area means reduced accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft. Drivers who live in large Massachusetts cities regularly have more traffic problems and longer commute times. Higher commute times means higher likelihood of an accident.
Pleasure use saves money - The higher the mileage driven every year the more you'll pay to insure your vehicle. The majority of insurers apply a rate based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles not used for work or commuting receive lower rates compared to those used for work or business. Ask your agent if your auto insurance declarations sheet is rated on the correct usage for each vehicle, because improper ratings can cost you money.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Allstate, GEICO and Progressive consistently run television and radio advertisements. All the companies say the same thing about savings if you change your policy. How can each company make almost identical claims?

All the different companies can use profiling for the right customer that earns them a profit. For instance, a profitable customer could possibly be between 30 and 50, has no tickets, and drives newer vehicles. A driver who fits that profile gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Consumers who don't qualify for the requirements must pay higher prices which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. That's why companies can truthfully claim big savings. This illustrates why drivers should compare as many rates as you can. It is impossible to predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.

More Massachusetts auto insurance information

Even more information is located at the Massachusetts Division of Insurance website. Massachusetts consumers can find out which companies have the most complaints, view a list of available companies, find disaster information, and report car insurance fraud.

Affordable insurance is out there

Cheap auto insurance can be sourced online in addition to many Dracut insurance agents, so compare prices from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. A few companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When trying to cut insurance costs, it's not a good idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. In too many instances, an insured dropped liability coverage limits only to discover later that it was a big mistake. Your focus should be to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.