Tightwads Guide to Saving on Berkeley Heights Car Insurance

Nobody enjoys paying for car insurance, particularly when the cost is way too high.

Because there are so many options when it comes to car insurance, it is very difficult to find the lowest price insurance company.

It's important to take a look at other company's rates occasionally due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. If you had the best price last year there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you're about to learn one of the easiest ways to eliminate unnecessary coverages and save money.

Berkeley Heights Rates are Influenced by These Factors

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates enables informed choices that can help you get lower car insurance prices.

The list below includes a few of the "ingredients" car insurance companies consider when setting your rates.

Credit scores impact car insurance rates - Your credit rating is a big factor in determining your rates. Drivers who have excellent credit tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers who have lower credit scores. If your credit score can use some improvement, you could save money insuring your by improving your rating.
Multiple policies with one company can save - The majority of car insurance companies give discounts to insureds who consolidate policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount, it's still a good idea to comparison shop to ensure the best deal.
Safer cars are cheaper to insure - Cars with high safety ratings tend to have better insurance rates. Safer cars reduce injuries and any reduction in injury severity means less money paid by your insurance company passed on to you as lower rates.
Bad driving skills means higher rates - Careful drivers get better rates than people who have multiple driving citations. Only having one speeding ticket can boost insurance rates twenty percent or more. Drivers who get severe violations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may be required to submit a SR-22 form to the state department of motor vehicles in order to drive a vehicle legally.

Finding Car Insurance in Berkeley Heights, NJ

All major car insurance companies allow you to get coverage prices online. Obtaining pricing is pretty painless as you simply enter your coverage preferences as detailed in the form. After the form is submitted, the system will obtain reports for credit and driving violations and returns a price. This helps simplify price comparisons, but having to visit multiple sites and complete many quote forms is monotonous and tiresome. But it's very important to perform this step in order to find the best price on car insurance.

The preferred way to get multiple rate quotes makes use of a single form to return rates from a bunch of companies at once. The form is fast, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes rate comparisons a little more enjoyable. Immediately after submitting the form, it is rated and you are able to buy any or none of the resulting price quotes. If you find a better price it's easy to complete the application and purchase coverage. The entire process takes 15 minutes at the most and may save quite a bit of money.

In order to find out if lower rates are available, click here to open in new window and enter your information. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you replicate the coverage information as shown on your current policy. This makes sure you will have a rate comparison for the exact same coverage.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Companies offering auto insurance don't always advertise every available discount very well, so we took the time to find both the well known and also the lesser-known ways to save on car insurance.

Braking Control Discount - Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control prevent accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Anti-theft Discount - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen less frequently and earn discounts up to 10%.
Service Members Pay Less - Having a family member in the military can result in better rates.
Good Student - This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply up to age 25.
Resident Student - Any of your kids who attend school more than 100 miles from home without a vehicle on campus can be insured at a reduced rate.

Keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So even though it sounds like you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn't work that way.

To choose providers with the best car insurance discounts in New Jersey, click this link.

How can Allstate and Progressive save drivers who switch?

Companies like Allstate and Progressive regularly use ads on television and other media. All the ads make the same claim that you can save if you move to their company. But how can every company claim to save you money? It's all in the numbers.

All companies have a certain "appetite" for the driver that makes them money. For example, a preferred risk might be over the age of 40, owns a home, and drives newer vehicles. Any driver who matches those parameters will get very good rates and as a result will probably save a lot of money.

Drivers who are not a match for this ideal profile will be charged higher premiums which leads to the customer not buying. The ads say "customers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much. That is how insurance companies can claim big savings. That is why you need to get as many quotes as possible. You cannot predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

Tailor your coverage to you

When buying the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Every situation is different so this has to be addressed. For instance, these questions might point out whether you could use an agent's help.

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?
Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in New Jersey?
Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Berkeley Heights?
Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?

If it's difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you don't have a local agent, complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area.

Additional detailed information can be found at the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance website. Visitors are able to find out industry alerts, read consumer alerts, find disaster information, and file complaints about a company.

Other informative sites include BankRate.com's Car Insurance: When not to Skimp and this directory of Berkeley Heights insurance agents.

Shop smart and save

When trying to cut insurance costs, don't be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, an insured cut physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that it was a big mistake. The aim is to find the BEST coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

Affordable car insurance is possible both online and also from your neighborhood Berkeley Heights agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. A few companies may not provide online price quotes and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.