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

No one cherishes buying auto insurance, in particular when they are paying too much.

Numerous battle for your insurance dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates and get the best coverage at the lowest price

It's important to get comparison quotes periodically because prices are constantly changing. Despite the fact that you may have had the best deal six months ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Starting now, forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because you're going to get a crash course in the only way to save on auto insurance.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.

Is your vehicle built for speed? - The type of vehicle you drive makes a substantial difference in how high your rates are. Lower performance four cylinder passenger cars usually have the lowest rates, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
Careful drivers pay lower rates - Even a single speeding ticket may increase your cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers with clean records have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who get flagrant violations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may be required to submit a SR-22 form with their state DMV in order to keep their license.
Teen drivers pay high rates - Older drivers tend to be more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and get fewer tickets. Teen drivers are known to be less responsible behind the wheel therefore auto insurance rates are much higher.
Liability insurance protects assets - Liability coverage is the coverage that protects you in the event that a court rules you are at fault for damages caused by your negligence. Liability provides legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. Liability is cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so buy as much as you can afford.

How to Get Wallington Auto Insurance Comparison Quotes

All major auto insurance companies such as State Farm and Allstate allow you to get insurance quotes on their websites. This process doesn't take much effort as you simply enter your personal and coverage information as detailed in the form. After the form is submitted, the company's rating system will obtain information on your driving record and credit history and returns a price based on these and other factors. Quoting online makes it a lot easier to compare rates but having to visit many different websites and fill out multiple forms can get tiresome after awhile. But it's very important to have as many quotes as possible in order to find better auto insurance pricing.

There is a better way!

The preferred way to compare rates uses one form that analyzes rates from a bunch of companies at once. The form is fast, requires much less work on your part, and makes price shopping online a little more enjoyable. Once the form is submitted, it is rated and you can select any of the resulting price quotes.

If a lower price is quoted, it's easy to complete the application and purchase coverage. The entire process takes just a few minutes to complete and could lower your rates considerably.

To find out what other companies charge, click here to open in new window and complete the simple form. If you have a policy now, it's recommended you input coverages and limits exactly as shown on your declarations page. This makes sure you will get a fair comparison for the exact same coverage.

These discounts can lower your rates

Car insurance can cost a lot, but companies offer discounts to cut the cost considerably. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time of quoting, but lesser-known reductions have to be requested specifically before you will receive the discount.

Early Switch Discount - Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching policies prior to your current policy expiration. It's a savings of about 10%.
Good Student - This discount can earn a discount of 20% or more. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
Save over 55 - If you're over the age of 55, you may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
Organization Discounts - Participating in certain professional organizations could qualify you for a break on your policy.
No Claims - Good drivers with no accidents can earn big discounts compared to accident-prone drivers.

It's important to note that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you're out of luck. But any discount will cut the cost of coverage.

To choose providers who offer auto insurance discounts in Wallington, follow this link.

Are you falling for claims of savings?

Companies like State Farm and Allstate continually stream ads on television and other media. All the ads say the same thing that you can save after switching your policy. How do they all make almost identical claims?

Insurance companies have a certain "appetite" for the right customer that makes them money. An example of a preferred risk could possibly be between the ages of 40 and 55, a clean driving record, and has a high credit rating. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile will get very good rates and as a result will probably cut their rates substantially.

Potential insureds who are not a match for the "perfect" profile will be charged more money which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say "customers that switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that kind of money. That is how insurance companies can state the savings.

That is why you need to get a wide range of price quotes. It's impossible to know which company will have the lowest rates.

Different people need different coverages

When buying proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no cookie cutter policy. Everyone's needs are different so your insurance needs to address that. For instance, these questions may help highlight whether you will benefit from professional help.

Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in New Jersey?
Am I covered by my employer's commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
Are rental cars covered under my policy?
Do I qualify for additional discounts?
Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. If you don't have a local agent, complete this form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.

More information is available on the website for the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance located here. New Jersey consumers can learn about specific coverages, file complaints about a company, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

You just read many ways to compare auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Consumers may even find the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a small local company. These smaller insurers often have lower prices on specific markets than the large multi-state companies such as .

As you restructure your insurance plan, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many cases where someone dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that they should have had better coverage. Your goal should be to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

Lower-priced auto insurance can be bought online in addition to many Wallington insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies do not provide online price quotes and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.