Tightwads Instructions on Saving on Shaftsbury Car Insurance

Are you sick and tired of robbing Peter to pay Paul each month for car insurance? You are no different than the majority of other car owners in Vermont.

Lots of contend for your hard-earned dollar, so it's not easy to compare every and get the best coverage at the lowest price

It's important to get comparison quotes before your policy renews because rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the best price a couple years back a different company probably has better rates today. Forget all the misinformation about car insurance because I'm going to let you in on the secrets to the quickest way to get good coverage at a lower rate.

More discounts equal less premium

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but companies offer discounts that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be applied when you purchase, but less common discounts must be asked about before being credited.

New Car Discount - Buying coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
No Claims - Claim-free drivers can save substantially as compared to drivers who are more careless.
Clubs and Organizations - Belonging to certain professional organizations is a good way to get lower rates on car insurance.
Homeowners Pay Less - Owning a house in Shaftsbury can help you save on car insurance because maintaining a house is proof that your finances are in order.
Passive Restraint Discount - Factory air bags can get savings of 20% or more.
Sign Online - A few companies will give a small break for buying your policy on their website.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most discounts do not apply to the entire cost. Most only cut individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. Just because you may think adding up those discounts means a free policy, car insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will cut your premiums.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that play a part in calculating your car insurance rates. Understanding what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

Shown below are a few of the "ingredients" that factor into rates.

Pleasure use saves money - The higher the mileage driven every year the more you will pay for car insurance. The majority of insurers rate vehicles based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars and trucks used primarily for pleasure use qualify for better rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Double check that your car insurance declarations sheet is showing the correct usage for each vehicle.
Do you work long hours in a high stress job? - Jobs such as lawyers, business owners and accountants are shown to have higher rates than average because of high stress levels and long work days. On the flip side, jobs such as farmers, athletes and retirees pay the least.
Liability coverage protects you - Your policy's liability coverage will protect you if ever you are found to be at fault for damages caused by your negligence. Liability insurance provides for a legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. This coverage is very inexpensive as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not cut corners here.
Bump up deductibles to save - 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 are a windshield shattered by a rock, damage from fire, and burglary. Deductibles for physical damage are how much you are willing to pay out-of-pocket before a claim is paid by your company. The higher the amount the insured has to pay upfront, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
Clean credit earns discounts - Credit score is a important factor in your rate calculation. Consumers who have high credit ratings tend to be less risk to insure than drivers with lower credit scores. Therefore, if your credit rating is low, you could potentially save money when insuring your by repairing your credit.
Pay less after the wedding - Having a spouse helps lower the price on your policy. It usually means you are more responsible and it's proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
Don't get talked into coverage you don't need - There are quite a few extra bells and whistles that you can buy on your policy. Coverages like personal injury protection, towing coverage and membership fees may be costing you every month. These may sound like a good investment when you first buy your policy, but your needs may have changed so get rid of them and save.
Safe vehicles cost less to insure - Vehicles with high crash test scores can get you lower premiums. These vehicles have better occupant injury protection and fewer injuries translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and lower rates for you.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Car insurance companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive consistently run ads in print and on television. They all seem to make an identical promise about savings if you change your policy. How do they all make the same claim?

Insurance companies can use profiling for the right customer that earns them a profit. For example, a desirable insured could be between the ages of 30 and 50, is a homeowner, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer who meets those qualifications will qualify for the lowest rates and therefore will cut their rates substantially.

Consumers who do not match the "perfect" profile will have to pay higher prices and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ad wording is "customers that switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that kind of money. That's why companies can truthfully advertise the way they do.

Because of the profiling, drivers should compare as many rates as you can. Because you never know the company that will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Learn more today

Additional information can be found on the website for the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation located here. Consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, read industry bulletins, find out which companies have the most complaints, and report car insurance fraud.

Final considerations

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, never skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many instances, an accident victim reduced physical damage coverage only to discover later that the savings was not a smart move. The ultimate goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford.

Cheap car insurance can be sourced from both online companies in addition to many Shaftsbury insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some car insurance companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.