Top Ways to Save on Carver Car Insurance

Nobody looks forward to paying for car insurance, particularly when their premiums are too high.

Insurance companies such as State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive continually bombard you with ads and it is difficult to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

It's important to get comparison quotes periodically due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the lowest price on your last policy the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you're about to find out the only way to eliminate unnecessary coverages and save money.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but companies offer discounts that many people don't even know exist. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time of quoting, but less common discounts must be inquired about before you will receive the discount.

  • Accident Forgiveness - A handful of insurance companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don't have any claims prior to the accident.
  • Early Signing - Some companies give discounts for buying a policy before your current expiration date. This can save 10% or more.
  • Anti-theft Discount - Cars that have factory anti-theft systems help deter theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
  • Payment Discounts - If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of paying each month you could save 5% or more.
  • Senior Citizens - Mature drivers may qualify for a discount up to 10%.
  • No Claims - Good drivers with no accidents pay much less as compared to bad drivers.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will reduce the amount you have to pay.

To see a list of companies offering car insurance discounts in Carver, click here to view.

Carver Car Insurance Comparisons

The are a couple different ways of comparing rates from different Carver insurance companies. The best method to find competitive insurance rates is to perform an online rate comparison. This can be done using a couple different methods.

  • The best way consumers can analyze rates is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This easy form saves time by eliminating separate quote forms for every car insurance company. Just one form compares rates from many national carriers.
  • A slightly less efficient method to shop for car insurance online is going to each individual company website to complete a price quote. For instance, let's assume you want to compare , and . To get rate quotes you would need to go to every website and enter your information, which is why the first method is quicker. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Carver, click here.

It's up to you which method you use, but be sure to compare exactly the same coverage limits and deductibles with each company. If your comparisons have different liability limits then you won't be able to make an equal comparison in Carver. Quoting even small variations in coverages could mean much higher rates. Keep in mind that having more price comparisons will increase your chances of finding the best rates.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with lower car insurance prices.

  • Battle of the sexes - Statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. That doesn't necessarily mean that men are WORSE drivers than women. Women and men have accidents in similar numbers, but the males cause more damage. They also receive more costly citations like DUI and reckless driving. Youthful male drivers are the most expensive to insure and therefore have the most expensive car insurance rates.
  • Bad driving skills means higher rates - Drivers with clean records get better rates than bad drivers. Even one moving violation may increase your cost twenty percent or more. Drivers who have serious citations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
  • More than one policy can earn a discount - Most insurers will give a discount to insureds who have multiple policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can amount to five, ten or even twenty percent. Even if you're getting this discount it's still a good idea to compare rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
  • Save money with special equipment - Owning a car with a theft deterrent system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft features like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can help prevent car theft.

Insurance agents can help

When choosing the best car insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Every situation is different so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions may help highlight whether your personal situation might need professional guidance.

  • Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?
  • Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
  • Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
  • What can I do if my company won't pay a claim?
  • Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
  • Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?

If you're not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Car insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. They all seem to make an identical promise about savings if you switch your policy. How can each company claim to save you money? It's all in the numbers.

All companies have a certain "appetite" for the right customer that is profitable for them. For instance, a desirable insured might be between 30 and 50, a clean driving record, and has great credit. Any driver who meets those qualifications receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who don't qualify for the requirements will have to pay more money and ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. That is how companies can truthfully advertise the savings.

Because of the profiling, drivers must get quotes from several different companies. You cannot predict which company will fit your personal profile best.

Final considerations

Cheaper car insurance can be found both online in addition to many Carver insurance agents, so compare prices from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who do not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.

We just presented some good ideas how you can compare car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the best prices are with some of the smallest insurance companies. These smaller insurers may cover specific market segments cheaper compared to the large companies like .

When you buy insurance online, it's not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, someone dropped liability coverage limits only to discover later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at the best price.

Massachusetts car insurance

Additional Massachusetts consumer information

Additional information is located on the website for the Massachusetts Division of Insurance found here. Visitors are able to learn about insurance regulations, file complaints about a company, read consumer alerts, and view a list of available companies.