South Hadley Auto Insurance For Less Than You're Paying Now

Are you overwhelmed by the wide range of auto insurance options in South Hadley? You're not the only one! There are so many choices that it can turn into more work than you anticipated to find the lowest price.

If you currently have car insurance, you will be able to reduce your rates substantially using this information. The purpose of this article is to tell you the most effective way to quote insurance and some tips to save money. Although Massachusetts drivers do need to know the way companies sell insurance online.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Auto insurance companies don't always list every discount in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of both well-publicized and the more hidden discounts you could be receiving.

Student Driver Training - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully complete driver's ed class in school.
Defensive Driver - Taking a course in driver safety could possibly earn you a 5% discount if you qualify.
Air Bag Discount - Cars that have air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can get savings of 20% or more.
Low Mileage Discounts - Driving fewer miles could qualify for a substantially lower rate.
Multi-car Discount - Buying insurance for more than one vehicle on one policy could earn a price break for each car.
Discount for New Cars - Buying coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
Claim Free - Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay less when compared to drivers who are more careless.

A little note about advertised discounts, some credits don't apply the the whole policy. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. Just because you may think you could get a free auto insurance policy, you won't be that lucky.

How to Lower your Auto Insurance Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to better auto insurance rates.

Listed below are some of the items used by your company to calculate prices.

Your car's features help determine rates - Choosing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft features like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM's OnStar system can thwart auto theft.
Don't get talked into coverage you don't need - There are many extra coverages that can waste your money on your auto insurance policy. Coverages like vanishing deductibles, accident forgiveness and additional equipment coverage are some examples. These may sound like a good investment at first, but now you might not need them so get rid of them and save.
Traffic violations increase rates - A bad driving record impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Even one ticket can bump up the cost twenty percent or more. Drivers who don't get tickets receive lower rates than bad drivers. If you have serious violations such as DUI or reckless driving may find they need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to continue driving.
Drive a safer car and pay less - Safer cars get lower rates. The safest vehicles protect occupants better and lower injury rates means lower claim amounts and lower rates for you.
Don't skimp on liability - Liability insurance provides coverage when a court rules you are at fault for personal injury or accident damage. It provides you with a defense in court up to the limits shown on your policy. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to physical damage coverage, so do not skimp.
The more you drive the more you pay - The more miles you rack up on your car in a year the higher your rate. Almost all companies apply a rate based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars that are left in the garage get more affordable rates compared to those used for work or business. Verify your auto insurance policy is showing how each vehicle is driven.
Your occupation can affect rates - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Careers like real estate brokers, social workers and accountants have higher rates than average attributed to high stress levels and long work hours. On the flip side, occupations like actors, athletes and homemakers get better rates.

Is there truth in advertising?

Auto insurance providers like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. They all have a common claim about savings if you switch your coverage to them. How do they all make almost identical claims?

Different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of customer that earns them a profit. A good example of a driver they prefer could possibly be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no tickets, and chooses high deductibles. A driver that hits that "sweet spot" will get the preferred rates and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Potential customers who don't measure up to the "perfect" profile will be quoted higher prices and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state "people who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much money. That's the way companies can truthfully state the savings. This emphasizes why drivers should quote coverage with many companies. It is impossible to predict which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Even more information can be read at the Massachusetts Division of Insurance website. Massachusetts consumers can view a list of available companies, discover disciplinary actions, and file complaints about a company.

Final considerations

Drivers switch companies for many reasons like extreme rates for teen drivers, questionable increases in premium, poor customer service and even delays in responding to claim requests. Regardless of your reason, finding the right auto insurance provider is less work than it seems.

The cheapest auto insurance is available online as well as from independent agents in South Hadley, and you should compare price quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies don't offer you the ability to get quotes online and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.

In this article, we presented a lot of ways to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the higher the chance of saving money. Drivers may discover the lowest rates come from an unexpected company.