How to Get the Cheapest Allentown Car Insurance

Consumers who are new to the process of shopping for insurance online will discover shopping for the cheapest Allentown car insurance is more work than they anticipated.

It's important to get comparison quotes occasionally because rates are constantly changing. If you had the lowest rates six months ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. So just forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you're going to learn the tricks you need to know to save on car insurance.

If you are insured now or are shopping for new coverage, you can follow these tips to shop for the lowest rates and still get good coverage. This information will introduce you to how to get online quotes and some tricks to saving. New Jersey drivers only need an understanding of the proper way to shop their coverage around online.

More discounts equal less premium

Car insurance is not cheap, but companies offer discounts to help offset the cost. Some trigger automatically when you get a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be requested specifically before you will receive the discount. If you aren't receiving every discount you qualify for, you're paying more than you need to.

Braking Control Discount - Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles prevent accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
Theft Prevention Discount - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems help deter theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
Drivers Ed for Students - Have your child take driver's ed class in high school.
Federal Employees - Being employed by or retired from a federal job could cut as much as 10% off with certain companies.
Passive Restraints - Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
Sign Early and Save - Some companies give discounts for switching to them before your current expiration date. It can save you around 10%.
Accident Forgiveness - A handful of insurance companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums if you are claim-free for a set time period.
Low Mileage - Keeping the miles down can earn better rates on cars that stay parked.

Consumers should know that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. Even though it may seem like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies don't profit that way. Any qualifying discounts will reduce your premiums.

To see a list of providers with the best car insurance discounts in Allentown, click this link.

Finding Car Insurance in Allentown, NJ

Most companies quote insurance quotes on their websites. The process doesn't take much effort as you simply enter your coverage preferences into the quote form. Once you submit the form, their rating system will obtain reports for credit and driving violations and generates a price based on these factors.

Online quotes makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the time required to go to different websites and fill out multiple forms is not the best way to spend an afternoon. Unfortunately, it is important to perform this step if you are searching for a lower rate.

The preferred way to get multiple rate quotes utilizes a single form to return rates from a bunch of companies at once. It's a real time-saver, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes online shopping much simpler. Once the form is submitted, it is quoted and you are able to buy your choice of the price quotes you receive.

If you find a better price you can simply submit the application and purchase coverage. It takes less than 15 minutes and may result in a nice savings.

If you want to find out how much you're overpaying now, click here and submit the form. To compare your current rates, we recommend you type in the coverage information identical to your current policy. This makes sure you will be getting a price comparison based on the exact same insurance coverage.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that come into play when calculating your car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.

The list below includes a few of the "ingredients" that factor into your rates.

Clean credit earns discounts - Your credit rating is a big factor in determining your rates. Consumers who have excellent credit tend to be less risk to insure than drivers with lower credit scores. Therefore, if your credit rating can use some improvement, you could pay less to insure your by improving your credit score.
Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? - The majority of car insurance companies give discounts to policyholders who buy several policies from them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. This can amount to ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. If you currently are using one company, it's still a good idea to compare rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
Claim-free discounts can add up - If you are a frequent claim filer, you can look forward to either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Insurance companies in New Jersey give cheaper rates to policyholders who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of larger claims.
How's your driving record? - Drivers with clean records get better rates than people who have multiple driving citations. Only having one citation may increase your cost twenty percent or more. Drivers who get severe violations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may be required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state motor vehicle department in order to drive a vehicle legally.

It's not one size fits all

When choosing adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a best way to insure your cars. Your needs are not the same as everyone else's.

Here are some questions about coverages that might point out if you would benefit from an agent's advice.

Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?

If it's difficult to answer those questions but one or more may apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form. It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Consumers can't get away from ads for cheaper car insurance from companies such as Allstate and Progressive. All the ads make the same claim of big savings if you move your policy.

How can each company make the same claim? It's all in the numbers.

Insurance companies have a certain "appetite" for the right customer that is profitable for them. For example, a preferred risk could be between 25 and 40, owns a home, and has a high credit rating. A customer who matches those parameters receives the best rates and therefore will save when they switch companies.

Drivers who do not match the requirements will be charged higher premiums which leads to business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that kind of money. That is how insurance companies can confidently state the savings.

That is why drivers must get a wide range of price quotes. Because you never know which company will have the lowest rates.

In the end, you save

As you restructure your insurance plan, it's a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, an insured cut uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that they should have had better coverage. The aim is to buy enough coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

Insureds who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including policy cancellation, policy non-renewal, extreme rates for teen drivers or poor customer service. It doesn't matter why you want to switch finding a new car insurance company is actually quite simple.

We just showed you some good ideas how to compare car insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even discover the most savings is with a small mutual company.

For more New Jersey car insurance information

Additional car insurance information can be found on the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance website found here. Consumers can find out industry alerts, read consumer alerts, and download brochures.