How to Know You're Throwing Money Away for Auto Insurance in West Berlin

Are you sick and tired of robbing Peter to pay Paul each month for car insurance? Your situation is no different than the majority of other car owners in New Jersey.

There is such a variety of to buy insurance from, and though it is a good thing to have a selection, so many choices can make it hard to compare rates.

It's important to get comparison quotes before your policy renews because prices are constantly changing. Just because you found the best deal a year ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Starting right now, forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because you're going to get a crash course in the proper way to save on auto insurance.

Buying the cheapest auto insurance in West Berlin is simple if you know the tricks. Just about every vehicle owner who carries auto insurance stands a good chance to be able to cut their insurance bill. Although New Jersey drivers do need to know how big insurance companies sell online and take advantage of how the system works.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Car insurance is not cheap, but companies offer discounts that you may not know about. A few discounts will automatically apply when you quote, but some must be specifically requested prior to getting the savings.

  • Multi-policy Discount - When you combine your home and auto insurance with one insurance company you will save approximately 10% to 15%.
  • No Claims - Claim-free drivers can earn big discounts compared to bad drivers.
  • Multiple Cars - Buying coverage for all your vehicles on the same auto insurance policy qualifies for this discount.
  • Save over 55 - Mature drivers may receive a discount up to 10%.
  • Memberships - Participating in a qualifying organization could qualify you for a break on your policy.
  • Drivers Education - Have your child take driver's ed class if offered at their school.
  • Homeowners Pay Less - Being a homeowner may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because maintaining a house requires personal responsibility.

A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. Just because you may think having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will bring down the cost of coverage.

To see a list of providers with discount auto insurance rates in New Jersey, follow this link.

West Berlin auto insurance quote

Comparison of Auto Insurance in West Berlin

Most companies like Allstate and Progressive provide insurance quotes on the web. This process doesn't take much effort as you simply enter as detailed in the form. Once you submit the form, the company's rating system will obtain credit information and your driving record and returns a price quote. Being able to quote online makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the time required to go to several different sites and fill out multiple forms gets old quite quickly. But it's very important to do this if you want to find the best price on auto insurance.

Quote rates the easy way

The preferred way to lower your auto insurance bill uses one form to return rates from several different companies. The form is fast, eliminates form submissions, and makes online price comparison much more enjoyable. After your information is entered, it gets priced with multiple companies and you can pick any one of the price quotes you receive.

If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you can simply submit the application and purchase the new policy. The whole process only takes a few minutes and you will find out if you're overpaying now.

To find out if lower rates are available, click here to open in new window and enter your vehicle and coverage information. If you have a policy now, it's recommended you copy the limits and deductibles as close as possible to your current policy. This makes sure you're receiving rate comparison quotes based on the exact same insurance coverage.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that play a part in calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that can help you get big savings.

  • How many coverages with the same company - Some companies give discounts to customers who consolidate policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even if you're getting this discount it's in your best interest to compare rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. Drivers may still find better rates by insuring with multiple companies.
  • Do you work long hours in a high stress job? - Occupations like doctors, architects and financial analysts are shown to have higher average rates in part from high stress levels and lots of time spent at work. Conversely, occupations such as farmers, engineers and retirees pay the least.
  • Bump up deductibles to save - Coverage for physical damage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, protects your car from damage. Some examples of claims that would be covered could be running into the backend of another car, vandalism, and rolling your vehicle. Your deductibles are the amount of money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
  • Mature drivers pay less - Teen drivers in New Jersey have a tendency to be less responsible in a vehicle so they pay higher auto insurance rates. Mature drivers tend to be more responsible, file fewer claims and get fewer tickets.
  • Don't skimp on liability - Your policy's liability coverage will protect you in the event that a court rules you are at fault for damages caused by your negligence. Liability provides legal defense coverage which can cost thousands of dollars. Liability is cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so buy as much as you can afford.
  • More claims means more premium - Insurance companies in New Jersey provide lower rates to insureds who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can look forward to either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Insurance coverage is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • Your spouse saves you money - Being married helps lower the price when buying auto insurance. Marriage usually means you are more responsible it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married are more cautious.
  • Clean credit earns discounts - Your credit score is a huge factor in your rate calculation. Consumers who have high credit scores tend to be less risk to insure as compared to drivers with poor credit. If your credit history is low, you could pay less to insure your by spending a little time repairing your credit.

How can Allstate and Progressive save drivers who switch?

Companies like Allstate and Progressive consistently run ads on television and other media. All the ads say the same thing about savings if you change your policy. How does each company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.

All the different companies can use profiling for the right customer that is profitable for them. An example of a preferred risk could possibly be between 30 and 50, is a homeowner, and has excellent credit. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and as a result will probably save when switching.

Potential customers who are not a match for these standards will be charged a higher premium which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say "drivers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that kind of money. That's why companies can truthfully make those claims.

That is why drivers must get quotes from several different companies. It's impossible to know the company that will have the lowest rates.

Affordable insurance is out there

While you're price shopping online, it's very important that you do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to find out they didn't purchase enough coverage. The aim is to buy enough coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.

The cheapest auto insurance can be sourced online in addition to many West Berlin insurance agents, so compare prices from both to have the best rate selection. Some companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

Learn more today

Additional information is available on the website for the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance. Click here for link. New Jersey consumers can read consumer alerts, read industry bulletins, report car insurance fraud, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.