Compare Amherst Auto Insurance Prices With These Tricks

Are you overwhelmed by the number of auto insurance options in Amherst? Lot's of other consumers are too. Drivers have so many companies to choose from that it can turn into a ton of work to compare prices.

It's important to get comparison quotes at least once a year since insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the best deal a few years ago you may be paying too much now. So just block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because it's time to teach you the only way to save on auto insurance.

Finding affordable coverage in Amherst is easy if you know what you're doing. In a nutshell, every driver who is required by state law to have auto insurance will be able to save money. But Massachusetts vehicle owners do need to know how insurance companies sell online and take advantage of how the system works.

Comprehensive Amherst Auto Insurance Comparison Quotes

Effectively comparing auto insurance prices can be challenging if you don't know the most efficient way to do it. You could spend your day driving to local insurance agents in Amherst, or you could save time and use online quoting to get the quickest rates.

All the larger companies participate in a marketplace that allows shoppers to submit one quote, and at least one company then gives them pricing for coverage. This system prevents you from having to do repetitive form submissions to each individual auto insurance company.

To submit your quote information now, click here (opens in new window).

The only drawback to using this type of system is you don't know exactly which companies you want pricing from. So if you want to select from a list of companies to receive pricing from, we have a page of auto insurance companies in Massachusetts. Click to view list.

It doesn't matter which method you choose, just compare apples-to-apples quote information on every quote. If you use mixed coverages it's not possible to make a fair comparison in Amherst. Having just a slight variation in insurance coverages could mean much higher rates. Just keep in mind that having more price comparisons provides better odds of finding the best offered rates.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

It's important that you understand the rating factors that help determine auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

Being married can save on auto insurance - Being married can get you a discount on your auto insurance policy. It usually means you are more mature than a single person and it's proven that being married results in fewer claims.
Do you need the policy add-ons? - There are a ton of extra coverages that you can buy if you aren't careful. Things like vanishing deductibles, towing coverage and membership fees may be wasting your money. They may seem like a good idea when you first buy your policy, but your needs may have changed so remove them from your policy.
Women pay lower rates - Statistics demonstrate women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, this does not mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Both sexes have accidents at about the same rate, but the males have costlier accidents. They also have more aggressive citations like reckless driving and DUI. Teenage male drivers are most likely to cause an accident and thus pay the highest rates.
Discounts for multiple policies - Many auto insurance companies will give a discount to people who have multiple policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, you still need to shop around to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still find a better deal by buying insurance from more than one company.
Allowing your policy to lapse raises rates - Allowing your auto insurance policy to lapse will be a fast way to increase your auto insurance rates. Not only will rates go up, getting caught without coverage may earn you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.Then you may be required to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the Massachusetts department of motor vehicles.
Occupation reflects on rates - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Jobs such as doctors, executives and stock brokers are shown to have the highest rates because of stressful work requirements and long work days. On the other hand, occupations like actors, students and performers pay the least.
Car features impact rates - Choosing a vehicle with an alarm system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention features such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can thwart your vehicle from being stolen.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don't list all their discounts very well, so here is a list some of the best known as well as the least known ways to save on auto insurance.

Sign Online - A few companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up online.
Drive Less and Save - Fewer annual miles can qualify you for better rates on cars that stay parked.
No Charge for an Accident - Some insurance companies will forgive one accident without raising rates as long as you don't have any claims for a set time period.
Bundle and Save - When you have multiple policies with one company you may save at least 10% off all policies.
Seat Belts Save more than Lives - Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could save 15% off your medical payments premium.
No Claims - Drivers with accident-free driving histories can earn big discounts as compared to frequent claim filers.
Payment Method - If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying monthly you could save 5% or more.
New Vehicle Savings - Adding a new car to your policy can save up to 30% because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
Discount for Good Grades - Getting good grades can earn a discount of 20% or more. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
Senior Discount - Older drivers may be able to get a discount up to 10%.

Drivers should understand that many deductions do not apply the the whole policy. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies wouldn't make money that way.

For a list of companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Massachusetts, click this link.

More detailed Massachusetts auto insurance information is available at the Massachusetts Division of Insurance website. Massachusetts drivers can get help finding coverage, discover disciplinary actions, and learn about insurance regulations.

Other useful links include this page for Massachusetts auto insurance and see this list of insurance agents in Amherst.

Affordable insurance is out there

Budget-conscious auto insurance can be sourced on the web in addition to many Amherst insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance providers do not provide online quoting and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

As you shop your coverage around, do not reduce needed coverages to save money. In many cases, an insured dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford.

Insureds change insurance companies for a number of reasons such as an unsatisfactory settlement offer, delays in responding to claim requests, denial of a claim and policy non-renewal. Regardless of your reason, choosing a new insurance company is not as hard as you think.