How to Know You're Wasting Money for Auto Insurance in Darien

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Believe me, there are lots of people in the same boat. Drivers have multiple to buy insurance from, and although it's a good thing to be able to choose, it can be more challenging to compare rates.

Buying car insurance in Darien is quite easy. If you have car insurance now, you will be able to cut costs considerably using these methods. Connecticut drivers only need an understanding of the most efficient way to get comparison rates on the web.

Darien Rates are Influenced by These Factors

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that play a part in calculating auto insurance rates. Knowing what determines base rates enables informed choices that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

Shown below are a partial list of the pieces auto insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

Protect yourself with liability coverage - Your policy's liability coverage provides coverage if a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide legal defense starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not skimp.
Extra add-on coverages are wasting money - There are quite a few extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you aren't careful. Coverages for roadside assistance, accidental death and term life insurance are some examples. They may seem good when you first buy your policy, but if they're wasting money eliminate them to save money.
Theft deterrents lower rates - Choosing a vehicle with an alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Theft prevention devices like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can thwart auto theft.
With age comes lower rates - Teenage drivers in Connecticut have a tendency to get distracted easily when behind the wheel so they pay higher auto insurance rates. Older insureds are more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and receive fewer citations.
Men are more aggressive - Statistics demonstrate that women are safer drivers than men. Now that doesn't mean men are worse drivers. Women and men tend to get into accidents in similar numbers, but the male of the species tend to have more serious accidents. Men also tend to get more serious tickets like reckless driving and DUI.
Having a spouse can save you money - Having a wife or husband helps lower the price on auto insurance. Having a spouse means you're more mature and responsible and it's proven that being married results in fewer claims.

Save big with these discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don't always advertise all available discounts very clearly, so we researched some of the best known as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving. If you're not getting every credit possible, you are paying more than you should be.

Organization Discounts - Affiliation with a qualifying organization may earn a discount when buying auto insurance.
Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Low mileage vehicles could be rewarded with a substantially lower rate.
Pay Now and Pay Less - By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.
Student in College - Youth drivers who are attending college and don't have a car may qualify for this discount.
Senior Discount - If you're over the age of 55, you may receive better auto insurance rates.
Drivers Education - Cut your cost by having your teen driver enroll in driver's education if offered at their school.
Paperless Signup - Certain companies give back up to $50 simply for signing over the internet.

It's important to understand that some credits don't apply to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, it doesn't quite work that way.

To choose insurers with discount auto insurance rates in Connecticut, click here.

Auto insurance ads bend the truth

Connecticut drivers can't ignore all the ads that promise big savings by Allstate, GEICO and Progressive. All the companies have a common claim of big savings if you change to their company.

How does each company say the same thing?

All companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that makes them money. For instance, a profitable customer might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A propective insured that hits that "sweet spot" will get very good rates and most likely will save when switching.

Drivers who fall outside these standards must pay higher premiums and this can result in business not being written. The ads say "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save that much. That's the way insurance companies can confidently advertise the way they do. This illustrates why you should get quotes from several different companies. It's not possible to predict which auto insurance company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Learn more about Connecticut auto insurance

More tips and info about auto insurance is located at the Connecticut Insurance Department website. Connecticut drivers can find out which companies have the most complaints, discover disciplinary actions, view a list of available companies, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.

A tidy conclusion

Low-cost auto insurance is attainable on the web and also from your neighborhood Darien agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some auto insurance companies may not provide online price quotes and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, never buy poor coverage just to save money. In too many instances, someone sacrificed collision coverage and learned later that the savings was not a smart move. Your focus should be to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.