Tightwads Tips for Saving on Mendham Auto Insurance

Paying for high-priced auto insurance can dwindle your personal savings and force you to prioritize other expenses. Comparison shopping is a great way to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket. Drivers have multiple to buy insurance from, and though it is a good thing to be able to choose, it can be more challenging to compare rates.

It's important to compare prices quite often because prices are constantly changing. If you had the best rates a few years ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. There is a lot of bad information regarding auto insurance online but I'm going to show you some great ways to reduce your auto insurance bill.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that may reward you with big savings.

The list below includes some of the items auto insurance companies consider when setting rates.

Where you live can impact rates - Residing in less populated areas can be a good thing when talking about auto insurance. Urban drivers regularly have much more traffic and longer commute times. Lower population translates into fewer accidents and a lower car theft rate.
Men fork out a little more - Statistics have proven that women are safer drivers than men. However, don't assume that men are worse drivers. They both cause accidents at a similar rate, but the males cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. They also get more serious tickets like DUI and reckless driving.
Rates may be higher depending on your occupation - Jobs such as real estate brokers, social workers and financial analysts tend to have higher average rates in part from high stress levels and lots of time spent at work. Conversely, jobs such as pilots, engineers and the unemployed receive lower rates.
Being married is a good thing - Getting married actually saves money on auto insurance. It means you're more responsible it has been statistically shown that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
Cautious drivers pay less - Careful drivers tend to pay less for car insurance than people who have multiple driving citations. Even a single moving violation can boost insurance rates by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who have severe citations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may need to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to drive a vehicle legally.

Low Cost Mendham Auto Insurance

All major auto insurance companies like GEICO, State Farm and Progressive provide coverage prices on the web. This process is quite simple as you just type in your coverage information into the quote form. After the form is submitted, the system will obtain information on your driving record and credit history and gives you a price quote based on these and other factors. Quoting online helps simplify price comparisons, but the process of having to visit several different sites and enter the same data into a form is monotonous and tiresome. Unfortunately, it is important to have as many quotes as possible if you want to find a lower rate.

The preferred way to locate the lowest prices uses one form that obtains quotes from several companies at one time. It's a real time-saver, requires much less work on your part, and makes rate comparisons much easier to do. After sending the form, it gets priced and you are able to buy any one of the resulting price quotes.

If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you can click and sign and buy the policy. The whole process can be completed in a matter of minutes and you will find out if you're overpaying now.

To find out how much you're overpaying now, click here and complete the simple form. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend you complete the form with your coverages as close as possible to your current policy. This makes sure you will have comparison quotes for the exact same coverage.

More discounts equal less premium

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but you can get discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Most are applied at quote time, but some may not be applied and must be manually applied in order for you to get them. If you're not getting every credit you deserve, you are paying more than you should be.

Life Insurance Discount - Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
Senior Citizens - If you're over the age of 55, you can possibly qualify for better auto insurance rates.
No Accidents - Drivers who don't have accidents pay less as compared to accident-prone drivers.
Sign Online - A handful of insurance companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy over the internet.
Accident Waiver - Certain companies will allow you to have one accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don't have any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
Drive Less and Save - Keeping the miles down could qualify for a substantially lower rate.

A little note about advertised discounts, some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. Just because it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will bring down your premiums.

To choose companies with the best auto insurance discounts in New Jersey, click here.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Consumers in New Jersey can't ignore all the ads for car insurance savings by GEICO, State Farm and Progressive. They all seem to have a common claim about savings if you move to their company.

How does each company claim to save you money? This is how they do it.

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the driver that makes them money. A good example of a desirable insured might be over the age of 40, insures multiple vehicles, and has a short commute. A customer getting a price quote that hits that "sweet spot" will get the preferred rates and therefore will save when switching.

Potential insureds who do not match these standards will have to pay more money and this can result in the customer not buying. The ads state "drivers who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that much. This is how companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings.

Because of the profiling, you need to get a wide range of price quotes. It's impossible to know which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

It's not one size fits all

When buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn't really a perfect coverage plan. Everyone's situation is unique and your policy should reflect that. Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine if you could use an agent's help.

When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?
Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
Am I getting all the discounts available?
What can I do if my company won't pay a claim?

If you can't answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It is quick, free and may give you better protection.

Additional information can be read on the website for the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance. Click here for link. Visitors are able to view agent and company licensing information, learn about insurance regulations, read industry bulletins, and get help finding coverage.

In the end, you save

As you shop your coverage around, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, drivers have reduced collision coverage and discovered at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The ultimate goal is to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price.

Cheaper auto insurance is definitely available both online and also from your neighborhood Mendham agents, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers may not provide online price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.