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

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Trust us, you're not the only one. Companies like GEICO and Progressive all promote huge savings with advertising and consumers find it hard to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

St Johnsville Rates are Influenced by These Factors

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that help determine auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates enables informed choices that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

The following are a few of the "ingredients" auto insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

Do you have enough liability coverage? - Liability coverage provides coverage if a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide for a legal defense starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so drivers should carry high limits.
Add-on coverages can add up - There are a ton of extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you aren't careful. Insurance for roadside assistance, accidental death and term life insurance may be wasting your money. These coverages may sound good initially, but if they're wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
Where do you drive? - Driving more miles in a year the more you'll pay to insure your vehicle. Most insurance companies price each vehicle's coverage based on their usage. Autos left parked in the garage qualify for better rates than those used for commuting. Make sure your auto insurance coverage is rated on the proper vehicle usage.
Never let your coverage lapse - Letting your insurance expire will be a fast way to trigger a rate increase. Not only will you pay more, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance will get you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
Do you have a high stress job? - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupations such as lawyers, executives and dentists tend to have the highest average rates due to high stress and lengthy work days. Other professions such as actors, historians and performers receive lower rates.
Teen drivers pay high rates - Older insureds are more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and receive fewer citations. Teenage drivers are known to be less responsible when behind the wheel and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher.
Lower rates with optional equipment - Choosing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can thwart your vehicle from being stolen.

How to Compare St Johnsville Auto Insurance Costs

Reducing your insurance rates can be quick and easy. Just invest a few minutes comparing rate quotes online with multiple companies. It is quite easy and can be accomplished using a couple different methods.

The fastest way to get quotes for comparison is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This form prevents you from having to do multiple quote forms for every auto insurance company. Completing one form gets rate comparisons from multiple low-cost companies.
A harder way to compare rate quotes is spending the time to visit each individual company website to complete their respective quote request forms. For instance, we'll assume you want to compare rates from , and . To get rate quotes you would need to go to every website and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is quicker.

To view a list of companies in St Johnsville, click here.
The hardest method to get comparison rates to and from local St Johnsville insurance agencies. Buying insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you want the professional advice of a local St Johnsville agent. Drivers can find lower rates online and still use a local agent and we'll touch on that later.

It doesn't matter which method you choose, just compare exactly the same information on every quote you get. If you are comparing higher or lower deductibles then you won't be able to determine which rate is truly the best in St Johnsville.

Take advantage of discounts

Companies don't always list all available discounts in a way that's easy to find, so we break down some of the best known and also the lesser-known ways to save on auto insurance. If you aren't receiving every discount possible, you are paying more than you should be.

Organization Discounts - Affiliation with a civic or occupational organization could trigger savings when buying auto insurance.
Driver Safety - Completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could possibly earn you a 5% discount if your company offers it.
New Vehicle Savings - Insuring a new car can cost up to 25% less since new cars are generally safer.
Seat Belts Save more than Lives - Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts can save 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
Federal Government Employee - Employees or retirees of the government can save as much as 8% depending on your company.

Keep in mind that many deductions do not apply the the whole policy. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it may seem like you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn't work that way.

To choose insurers who offer auto insurance discounts in St Johnsville, click this link.

Are auto insurance companies telling the truth?

New York drivers can't ignore all the ads that promise big savings by Allstate, GEICO and Progressive. All the companies make the same claim that you can save after switching to their company.

How can each company say the same thing? It's all in the numbers.

All companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that makes them money. For example, a profitable customer might be profiled as over the age of 40, has no tickets, and chooses high deductibles. A propective insured who matches those parameters gets the lowest rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Drivers who don't qualify for the requirements must pay a higher premium which leads to business not being written. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" not "people who quote" save that much. That's the way insurance companies can state the savings. This illustrates why you need to get a wide range of price quotes. It's not possible to predict which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Additional detailed information can be found at the New York Department of Financial Services website. New York drivers can find out which companies have the most complaints, discover disciplinary actions, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and find a variety of consumer forms.

And the best car insurance company is...

Affordable auto insurance can be purchased on the web and also from your neighborhood St Johnsville agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best selection. Some insurance companies may not provide online price quotes and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When buying insurance coverage, it's a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In too many instances, an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your focus should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.