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

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy high-priced auto insurance? Trust us, there are many Malden consumers feeling the pinch from expensive auto insurance. Companies like State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive constantly blast consumers with ad campaigns and it can be hard to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

If you have insurance now or are looking for a new policy, you can follow these tips to find better prices while maintaining coverages. Finding affordable coverage in Malden is easy if you know what you're doing. Massachusetts vehicle owners just need to know how to compare company rates online.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Car insurance companies do not advertise all available discounts in a way that's easy to find, so we took the time to find both the well known and the more hidden auto insurance savings. If you aren't receiving every discount possible, you're paying more than you need to.

Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Driving fewer miles can earn lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Defensive Driver - Completing a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
Air Bag Discount - Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
Payment Discounts - If you pay your bill all at once instead of paying each month you may reduce your total bill.
No Charge for an Accident - A handful of insurance companies permit an accident before raising your premiums so long as you haven't had any claims prior to the accident.
Auto/Home Discount - When you combine your home and auto insurance with one company you may save up to 20% off your total premium.
Anti-theft Discount - Anti-theft and alarm systems help deter theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
Paperless Signup - Certain companies may give you up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.
No Accidents - Drivers with accident-free driving histories can save substantially when compared with bad drivers.
Student in College - Children who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have a car can receive lower rates.

Drivers should understand that most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. Just because it seems like you can get free auto insurance, companies wouldn't make money that way.

To see a list of insurers offering auto insurance discounts in Malden, follow this link.

How to Compare Malden Auto Insurance Costs

There are several ways to compare auto insurance prices but some are easier and takes less work. You can waste a lot of time talking to agents in Malden, or you can utilize online quotes to get rates in a matter of minutes.

Many insurance companies belong to an insurance system that allows shoppers to submit one quote, and each company provides a quote for coverage. This eliminates the need for quote forms to each individual auto insurance company. To submit your quote information now, click to open in new window.

The one downside to getting quotes like this is that you can't choose which carriers to get pricing from. So if you want to select specific providers for rate comparison, we have a page of low cost auto insurance companies in Massachusetts. Click here for list of insurance companies in Massachusetts.

It doesn't matter which method you choose, just compare exactly the same coverages and limits for every quote you compare. If you use different deductibles it will be impossible to determine the best price in Malden.

You have some control over your rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that go into determining the rates you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

Listed below are a few of the "ingredients" auto insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

Safer cars cost less to insure - Cars with high safety ratings are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles reduce injuries and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Little extras can really add up - There are many extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying when buying auto insurance. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, accidental death and term life insurance are examples of these. They may seem like a good idea at first, but if they're wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
How credit affects auto insurance rates - A driver's credit score is a large factor in calculating your auto insurance rates. If your credit score is lower than you'd like, you could pay less to insure your by improving your credit score. Drivers who have excellent credit tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with poor credit.
Your car's features help determine rates - Choosing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft features such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can thwart your car from being stolen.
Your spouse saves you money - Having a spouse can actually save you money when buying auto insurance. Having a spouse means you're more mature than a single person and it's statistically proven that being married results in fewer claims.
Your location affects your rates - Choosing to live in a rural area is a positive aspect when talking about auto insurance. Fewer drivers translates into fewer accidents. Drivers in populated Massachusetts areas have more traffic problems and much longer commute distances. More time commuting means higher likelihood of an accident.
Consolidate policies to earn discounts - Most companies will award you with lower prices to insureds who have multiple policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. This can amount to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even though this discount sounds good, you may still want to compare rates to ensure the best deal. You may still be able to find a better deal by buying insurance from more than one company.

Is there truth in advertising?

Consumers in Massachusetts can't get away from ads that promise big savings by 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the companies say the same thing that you'll save big if you switch to their company.

How can each company claim to save you money?

All companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that is profitable for them. For example, a profitable customer might be over the age of 40, has no tickets, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who don't measure up to the requirements must pay higher prices which usually ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "people who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much. That's the way companies can advertise the way they do. This illustrates why drivers must get as many comparisons as possible. It's impossible to know which auto insurance company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Best coverage at the best price

Budget-conscious auto insurance is available both online and also from your neighborhood Malden agents, and you need to comparison shop both so you have a total pricing picture. Some auto insurance companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

We covered a lot of tips how to compare auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get rates for, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the lowest premiums are with an unexpected company. These smaller insurers may only write in your state and offer lower rates compared to the large companies like .

When shopping online for auto insurance, it's not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are a lot of situations where an insured dropped physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.

More detailed Massachusetts auto insurance information can be found at the Massachusetts Division of Insurance website. Visitors are able to find disaster information, discover disciplinary actions, find out industry alerts, and view a list of available companies.