Tightwads Guide for Saving on Monterey Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Believe me when I say you are not the only one feeling buyer's remorse.

Big companies like GEICO and Progressive all promote huge savings with catchy ads and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

It's important to do rate comparisons at least once a year since insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the best price a few years ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because you're about to find out how to use online quotes to reduce your cost while improving coverage.

If you have car insurance now, you will be able to lower your premiums substantially using this strategy. Finding the best rates in Monterey is quite easy. Nevertheless, Massachusetts vehicle owners do need to know how insurance companies sell online and apply this information to your search.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Monterey

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that help determine auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get lower auto insurance prices.

A clean driving record saves money - Your driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Even a single moving violation can increase rates twenty percent or more. Good drivers have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who get flagrant violations like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may be required to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to keep their license.
Do you need those extra coverages? - There are a ton of extra coverages you can purchase if you aren't careful. Insurance for rental car reimbursement, better glass coverage and motor club memberships are some examples. They may seem good when you first buy your policy, but if you don't need them eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
Adjust deductibles and save - Insurance for physical damage to your car, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, protects your car from damage. Examples of covered claims are a windshield shattered by a rock, damage caused by hail, and rolling your vehicle. The deductibles are the amount of money you are required to spend before your auto insurance pays a claim. The higher the amount you're willing to pay, the less your auto insurance will be.
Don't let your coverage lapse - Allowing your coverage to lapse will be a fast way to pay more for auto insurance. And not only will your rates increase, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance will get you a license revocation or jail time.
An active claims history can cost you - Insurance companies in Massachusetts generally give cheaper rates to policyholders who file claims infrequently. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can expect either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for the large, substantial claims.
Discounts for multiple policies - Many insurance companies give discounts to people who consolidate policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. This can amount to 10 percent or more. If you currently are using one company, you still need to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still find a better deal by buying auto insurance from a different company.
Occupation reflects on rates - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupations like lawyers, social workers and dentists tend to pay the highest average rates because of job stress and lengthy work days. Other occupations such as actors, historians and performers have the lowest average rates.

How to Compare Monterey Auto Insurance Costs

All major auto insurance companies quote pricing online. Getting online quotes is pretty easy as you simply enter the coverage amounts you desire as detailed in the form. After the form is submitted, their system will obtain reports for credit and driving violations and gives you a price quote based on these factors. Online quotes makes comparing rates easy, but the process of having to visit different websites and enter the same data into a form can be a bit tiresome and repetitive. But it's very important to perform this step if you are searching for better auto insurance pricing.

There is an easier way!

The preferred way to find better auto insurance pricing requires only one form that analyzes rates from a bunch of companies at once. The form is fast, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes comparison shopping much easier to do. After sending the form, it is quoted and you can select your choice of the resulting price quotes. If a lower price is quoted, you can click and sign and buy the new coverage. It takes 15 minutes at the most and can result in significant savings.

To quickly find out what other companies charge, click here to open in new window and submit the form. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you enter the coverages exactly as they are listed on your policy. This makes sure you are getting an apples-to-apples comparison for the exact same coverage.

These discounts can lower your rates

Companies offering auto insurance don't always publicize every available discount in a way that's easy to find, so we took the time to find some of the best known as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving.

Passive Restraint Discount - Vehicles with factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
Low Mileage - Fewer annual miles can earn a substantially lower rate.
Homeowners Discount - Being a homeowner can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.
Seat Belt Usage - Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts can save up to 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
Federal Government Employee - Employees or retirees of the government can save as much as 8% with certain companies.
Multi-policy Discount - If you insure your home and vehicles with one insurance company you may save up to 20% off your total premium.
Accident Free - Drivers with accident-free driving histories can save substantially compared to accident-prone drivers.

It's important to understand that some credits don't apply the the whole policy. Most only reduce individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like it's possible to get free car insurance, it doesn't quite work that way.

To choose providers who offer auto insurance discounts in Monterey, click here.

Are you falling for claims of savings?

Companies like State Farm and Allstate continually stream ads on television and other media. All the ads have a common claim of big savings after switching to them. How can each company say the same thing?

All companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that makes them money. For example, a preferred risk might be profiled as over the age of 50, has no tickets, and has a short commute. A propective insured that hits that "sweet spot" will get the preferred rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Drivers who are not a match for the requirements will be charged higher premiums and this can result in business not being written. The ads state "customers that switch" not "everybody who quotes" save money. That's the way insurance companies can confidently make the claims of big savings. That is why you need to get a wide range of price quotes. It's not possible to predict which auto insurance company will fit your personal profile best.

More tips and info about auto insurance can be found at the Massachusetts Division of Insurance website. Massachusetts drivers can file complaints about a company, discover disciplinary actions, report car insurance fraud, and find a variety of consumer forms.

Shop smart and save

Throughout this article, we presented a lot of ways to compare auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the better your comparison will be. You may even discover the biggest savings come from some of the lesser-known companies. These smaller insurers can often provide lower rates in certain areas than the large multi-state companies such as .

Low-cost auto insurance can be sourced on the web and with local Monterey insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance providers do not offer online price quotes and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.