How to Know You're Paying Too Much for Auto Insurance in Topsfield

I can't think of anyone who looks forward to paying for auto insurance, especially knowing they are paying too much.

Online insurance companies like GEICO and Progressive all claim big savings with ad campaigns and consumers find it hard to sift through the bull and find the best price available.

It's important to compare prices occasionally since insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the best rates a few years ago you can probably find a better price now. You'll find quite a bit of inaccurate information about auto insurance on the web, but I'm going to show you some great ways to quit paying high auto insurance rates.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that help determine auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that may reward you with better auto insurance rates.

Big city or small town - Living in a small town can be a good thing when buying auto insurance. Lower population translates into fewer accidents and a lower car theft rate. Urban drivers tend to have much more traffic to deal with and longer commute times. Longer commute distances can result in more accidents.
Consolidate policies to earn discounts - Many companies will give a discount to people who consolidate policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can add up to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even if you're getting this discount it's in your best interest to comparison shop to ensure the best deal.
Lower deductibles cost more - Insurance for physical damage to your car, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply are running into the backend of another car, collision with an animal, and rolling your vehicle. Your deductibles are how much you are required to spend before your auto insurance pays a claim. The more expense you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.
Occupation reflects on rates - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Jobs such as real estate brokers, architects and dentists tend to have the highest average rates in part from high stress levels and long work hours. Other occupations such as scientists, historians and performers receive lower rates.

These discounts can lower your rates

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but you can get discounts that you may not know about. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time of quoting, but some may not be applied and must be manually applied before you will receive the discount.

Bundle and Save - If you insure your home and vehicles with one insurance company you may earn 10% to 20% off each policy.
Anti-theft System - Anti-theft and alarm systems help deter theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Homeowners Savings - Owning a house in Topsfield may trigger a auto insurance policy discount due to the fact that maintaining a home demonstrates responsibility.
No Accidents - Good drivers with no accidents pay less as compared to accident-prone drivers.
Payment Method - If you pay your bill all at once instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.
Sign Online - Some insurance companies give back up to $50 for buying your policy digitally online.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So even though they make it sound like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, auto insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will reduce the cost of coverage.

To choose companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Topsfield, follow this link.

Are you falling for claims of savings?

Auto insurance companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive continually stream ads on television and other media. They all seem to say the same thing about savings after switching to their company. How can each company say the same thing? This is how they do it.

Different companies have a certain "appetite" for the driver that makes them money. A good example of a desirable insured might be profiled as between 30 and 50, owns a home, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A propective insured who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who are not a match for the requirements will have to pay more money which usually ends up with business not being written. The ads state "drivers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much. That is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do.

Because of the profiling, you should get a wide range of price quotes. It's not possible to predict which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Different people need different coverages

When buying coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Everyone's situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won't apply. For instance, these questions might point out whether you might need professional guidance.

What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
What can I do if my company won't pay a claim?
Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
Am I getting all the discounts available?

If you don't know the answers to these questions, then you may want to think about talking to 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.

Additional information can be read on the website for the Massachusetts Division of Insurance. Click here for link. Massachusetts drivers can view agent and company licensing information, read consumer alerts, report car insurance fraud, and read industry bulletins.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

When shopping online for auto insurance, it's a bad idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. In many instances, an insured cut collision coverage and discovered at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The ultimate goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price.

Cheap auto insurance can be sourced on the web and also from your neighborhood Topsfield agents, so compare prices from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some auto insurance companies may not provide online price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.