Pittsfield Auto Insurance For Less Than You're Paying Now

Are you overwhelmed by the number of auto insurance company choices in Pittsfield? You have a lot of company. There are so many companies to choose from that it can turn into more work than you anticipated to find the perfect company for you.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Pittsfield

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in better auto insurance rates.

The list below includes some of the factors companies use to determine premiums.

  • Drive a safer car and pay less - Safer cars get lower rates. Safe vehicles result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts and thus lower rates.
  • Rates may be higher depending on your occupation - Occupations such as doctors, social workers and financial analysts tend to pay higher average rates attributed to high stress and long work hours. Conversely, occupations such as actors, engineers and the unemployed have the lowest average rates.
  • Men fork out a little more - Statistics demonstrate that women are safer drivers than men. However, don't assume that women are better drivers. Men and women are in accidents at about the same rate, but the male of the species cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also tend to get more serious tickets like DUI and reckless driving.
  • Discounts for multiple policies - The majority of insurance companies will award you with lower prices to insureds who consolidate policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount, you may still want to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal. Consumers may find a better deal by splitting coverages up.
  • Special features that cut premiums - Choosing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft devices such as GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can thwart auto theft.
  • More miles equals more premium - The more you drive in a year the more you'll pay to insure your vehicle. Most companies charge to insure your cars based on their usage. Cars that are left in the garage can get a lower rate than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Verify your auto insurance policy shows the correct driver usage, because it can save money.
  • Do you have enough liability coverage? - The liability section of your policy provides coverage if you are found liable for damages from an accident. Liability provides legal defense coverage up to the limits shown on your policy. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not skimp.

auto insurance in Pittsfield

Compare the Market for Auto Insurance in Pittsfield

All major auto insurance companies like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm allow you to get pricing directly from their websites. This process is pretty easy as you just enter the coverage amounts you desire as detailed in the form. After the form is submitted, the system will obtain credit information and your driving record and gives you a price quote determined by many factors.

Quoting online makes comparing rates easy, but the process of having to visit each company's website and repetitively enter the same data into a form is repetitive and time-consuming. But it's very important to do this in order to find the best price on auto insurance.

The preferred way to find better auto insurance pricing uses one form that gets prices from several different companies. The form is fast, eliminates form submissions, and makes quoting online much easier to do. After sending the form, it is rated and you are able to buy any one of the resulting price quotes.

If the quotes result in lower rates, you can click and sign and buy the new coverage. The entire process only takes a few minutes and may save quite a bit of money.

To find out if lower rates are available, click here to open in new window and complete the simple form. If you have a policy now, it's recommended you duplicate your coverages as shown on your current policy. This makes sure you will receive comparison quotes for the exact same coverage.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but you may find discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Certain discounts will be applied when you quote, but some must be manually applied prior to getting the savings.

  • Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Keeping the miles down can qualify you for a substantially lower rate.
  • Military Rewards - Being deployed with a military unit can result in better rates.
  • Accident Free - Drivers with accident-free driving histories can earn big discounts when compared with accident-prone drivers.
  • Paperless Signup - Some insurance companies may give you up to $50 just for signing your application over the internet.
  • No Charge for an Accident - Certain companies permit an accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you haven't had any claims for a certain period of time.

Keep in mind that some of the credits will not apply the the whole policy. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it just doesn't work that way. But any discount will bring down the cost of coverage.

To choose insurers with the best auto insurance discounts in Maine, click here.

How can 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm save drivers who switch?

21st Century, Allstate and State Farm regularly use ads on television and other media. All the companies have a common claim that you can save if you move to them. How does each company claim to save you money?

Different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that makes them money. An example of a profitable customer might be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no tickets, and has a short commute. A customer getting a price quote that hits that "sweet spot" will get the preferred rates and as a result will probably save when switching.

Potential customers who are not a match for these standards must pay a higher premium and this can result in the customer not buying. The ads state "people who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save money. That's the way insurance companies can make the claims of big savings.

This illustrates why you need to get quotes from several different companies. It's impossible to know which auto insurance company will fit your personal profile best.

More information is available on the Maine Bureau of Insurance website through this link. Visitors are able to find disaster information, read industry bulletins, and learn about insurance regulations.

auto insurance in Pittsfield

Affordable insurance is out there

Affordable auto insurance is definitely available both online and with local Pittsfield insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance providers do not offer online price quotes and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

Drivers who switch companies do it for many reasons like delays in responding to claim requests, high rates after DUI convictions, denial of a claim or even policy non-renewal. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding the right auto insurance provider is easier than you think.

As you shop your coverage around, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are a lot of situations where an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.