How to Know You're Paying Too Much for Auto Insurance in Brigantine

I can't think of a single person who likes paying for auto insurance, especially knowing their premiums are too high.

Numerous battle for your insurance dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates to find the absolute lowest rate

If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to cut costs considerably using these techniques. Choosing the best insurance company for you in Brigantine is quite easy. Nevertheless, New Jersey vehicle owners do need to know the way insurance companies sell online because it can help you find the best coverage.

More discounts equal less premium

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but there are discounts available that you may not know about. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you complete an application, but less common discounts must be requested specifically before they will apply.

Multiple Cars - Having all your vehicles on one policy could earn a price break for each car.
Anti-theft Discount - Anti-theft and alarm systems can help prevent theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
Clubs and Organizations - Affiliation with certain professional organizations could qualify you for a break when buying auto insurance.
Military Rewards - Having a deployed family member could be rewarded with lower premiums.
Federal Employees - Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% depending on your company.
Air Bag Discount - Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings of up to 25% or more.
Accident Free - Good drivers with no accidents pay much less when compared with drivers who are more careless.

It's important to understand that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when the math indicates you can get free auto insurance, it doesn't quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will cut your premiums.

What determines how much you pay?

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that play a part in calculating auto insurance rates. Understanding what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

Shown below are a partial list of the pieces companies use to determine premiums.

Lower deductibles cost more - Your deductibles represent how much money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket before a claim is paid by your company. Physical damage insurance, also known as collision and other-than-collision, covers damage that occurs to your car. Examples of covered claims are colliding with a building, damage from fire, and rolling your vehicle. The more you're willing to pay, the lower your rates will be.
Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? - Some companies will award you with lower prices to people who buy several policies from them. It's known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. If you currently are using one company, you may still want to compare other company rates to make sure you are getting the best deal.
Protect yourself with liability coverage - Your policy's liability coverage is the coverage that protects you if a jury decides you are liable for damages from an accident. Liability insurance provides legal defense starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so buy as much as you can afford.
High crash test scores lower rates - Cars with high safety ratings are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles result in less severe injuries and better occupant protection means less money paid by your insurance company and lower rates for you.

It's not one size fits all

When it comes to buying the best auto insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Each situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won't apply. Here are some questions about coverages that might point out if you would benefit from professional advice.

Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
Are rental cars covered under my policy?
Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?

If you don't know the answers to these questions, you might consider talking to an agent. If you don't have a local agent, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Allstate, GEICO and Progressive consistently run ads in print and on television. All the companies say the same thing of big savings if you change to them. How do they all say the same thing?

All companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For instance, a profitable customer might be profiled as a mature driver, owns a home, and has a high credit rating. A propective insured who fits that profile gets the lowest rates and therefore will cut their rates substantially.

Consumers who do not match the "perfect" profile must pay higher rates which usually ends up with business not being written. The ads say "people who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save money. That is how insurance companies can confidently state the savings.

This illustrates why drivers should get quotes from several different companies. It's not possible to predict which company will have the lowest rates.

Additional auto insurance information is located on the website for the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance through this link. New Jersey drivers can report car insurance fraud, read consumer alerts, find out which companies have the most complaints, and find disaster information.

Shop smart and save

Low-cost auto insurance can be sourced on the web and with local Brigantine insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you restructure your insurance plan, you should never skimp on coverage in order to save money. In too many instances, an insured cut liability coverage limits only to discover later that they should have had better coverage. Your focus should be to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.