Comparison Shop South Hero Auto Insurance Prices With These Tricks

Searching for the lowest cost South Hero auto insurance on the web can seem to be impossible for consumers not familiar with buying insurance on the web. With so many choices of companies in the marketplace, how can you even start to compare every company to locate the lowest rates?

Finding affordable coverage in South Hero is quite easy. If you currently have car insurance, you should be able to save some money using this information. Nevertheless, Vermont drivers do need to know how companies market on the web and take advantage of how the system works.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don't always publicize every discount very well, so here is a list both well-publicized and the harder-to-find ways to save on auto insurance.

  • Pay Upfront and Save - If paying your policy premium upfront instead of paying each month you could save up to 5%.
  • Save over 55 - Mature drivers can possibly qualify for a small decrease in premiums.
  • Government Employees - Being employed by or retired from a federal job can earn a discount up to 10% with a few auto insurance companies.
  • Passive Restraints and Air Bags - Cars that have air bags or automatic seat belts can receive discounts of up to 25% or more.
  • Low Mileage Discounts - Keeping the miles down can qualify you for better rates on cars that stay parked.
  • More Vehicles More Savings - Buying insurance for multiple cars or trucks on the same auto insurance policy qualifies for this discount.
  • Own a Home - Simply owning a home may earn you a small savings because of the fact that having a home requires personal responsibility.
  • Claim Free - Drivers who don't have accidents can earn big discounts when compared to bad drivers.

Consumers should know that most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don't profit that way.

To see a list of insurance companies with the best auto insurance discounts in Vermont, click this link.

compare South Hero auto insurance rates

Low Cost South Hero Auto Insurance

There are several ways to compare auto insurance quotes, and some are less labor-intensive and much quicker. You can waste a lot of time driving to insurance companies in South Hero, or you can stay home and use the internet for quick rates.

Many insurance companies are enrolled in a marketplace that allows shoppers to only type in their quote data once, and each participating company provides a quote determined by their information. This system prevents you from having to do repetitive form submissions to each individual auto insurance company.

To submit your quote information now, click to open in new window.

The only downside to doing it this way is you cannot specify which carriers to get quotes from. So if you want to choose individual companies to compare rates, we have a listing of the cheapest auto insurance companies in Vermont. View list of Vermont insurance companies.

It's up to you how you get prices quotes, just make darn sure you compare apples-to-apples coverages for each price quote. If your comparisons have different limits and deductibles on each one you will not be able to truly determine the lowest rate in South Hero. Having just a slight variation in coverage limits may result in large price differences. And when comparison shopping, comparing more company's prices gives you a better chance of getting lower pricing.

Tips to Get Lower South Hero Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to better auto insurance rates.

The list below includes some of the factors used by your company to calculate prices.

  • Theft deterrents lower rates - Purchasing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help lower your rates. Anti-theft devices like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM's OnStar system all aid in stopping your vehicle from being stolen.
  • Men fork out a little more - Statistics have proven women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, don't assume that women are BETTER drivers than men. Men and women have accidents at about the same rate, but the men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also statistically have more aggressive citations such as DWI and reckless driving.
  • You might want pay the small claims yourself - Companies in Vermont give discounts to policyholders who do not file claims often. If you file claims often, you can look forward to higher rates. Car insurance is designed for the bigger claims that can't be paid out-of-pocket.
  • Traffic violations increase rates - Even one speeding ticket can bump up the cost forty percent or more. Drivers who don't get tickets tend to pay less for car insurance than people who have multiple driving citations. If you have severe violations such as DUI or reckless driving may find they need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to drive a vehicle legally.
  • Safer occupants lowers premiums - Safer cars tend to have better insurance rates. The safest vehicles protect occupants better and lower injury rates translates into savings for insurance companies passed on to you as lower rates.

How do I know if I need professional advice?

When choosing proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no one size fits all plan. Every insured's situation is different.

For example, these questions may help you determine whether or not you would benefit from an agent's advice.

  • What can I do if my company won't pay a claim?
  • Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
  • Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
  • Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
  • Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
  • Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
  • Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my vehicle is totaled?
  • Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in South Hero?

If it's difficult to answer those questions then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form.

Is there truth in advertising?

Auto insurance providers like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO regularly use television and radio advertisements. They all make the same claim of big savings if you move your coverage to them. But how can every company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.

Different companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that is profitable for them. An example of a driver they prefer could possibly be between 25 and 40, insures multiple vehicles, and has a high credit rating. A driver who matches those parameters receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.

Drivers who don't measure up to this ideal profile will be quoted higher premiums which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say "drivers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much money. This is how insurance companies can confidently state the savings. This emphasizes why drivers must get quotes from several different companies. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

Insureds who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including unfair underwriting practices, denial of a claim, extreme rates for teen drivers or poor customer service. Regardless of your reason, switching auto insurance companies is actually quite simple.

As you restructure your insurance plan, don't be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that they should have had better coverage. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.

In this article, we presented some good ideas how to compare auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may be surprised to find that the most savings is with a lesser-known regional company.

South Hero auto insurance comparison

More tips and info about auto insurance is available at the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation website. Vermont consumers can view a list of available companies, learn about insurance regulations, and download brochures.

Additional helpful sites include this page for auto insurance prices in Vermont and this list of insurance agents in South Hero, VT.