9 Guaranteed Tips to Reduce Car Insurance Costs in Winchester

Paying for high-priced car insurance can dwindle your checking account and put the squeeze on your family's finances. Comparison shopping is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket.

Having so many online and local companies to choose from, it is hard for the average consumer to find the most cost effective company.

Don't pay full price with these nine discounts

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but there are discounts available that you may not know about. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time of quoting, but some may not be applied and must be manually applied before you will receive the discount.

  • Multiple Cars - Having all your vehicles with the same company qualifies for this discount.
  • 55 and Retired - If you're over the age of 55, you may receive reduced rates.
  • Anti-lock Brake System - Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can avoid accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
  • Passive Restraints and Air Bags - Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts can receive discounts of 20% or more.
  • Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Low mileage vehicles could qualify for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
  • Driver's Ed - Cut your cost by having your teen driver enroll in driver's education if offered at their school.
  • Pay Now and Pay Less - If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
  • New Car Discount - Buying coverage on a new vehicle can cost up to 25% less since new cars are generally safer.
  • Student in College - Kids in college living away from home attending college and don't have a car may be able to be covered for less.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like it's possible to get free car insurance, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will help reduce your premiums.

To choose insurers with discount car insurance rates in Massachusetts, click here to view.

The car insurance bait and switch

Allstate, GEICO and Progressive consistently run ads in print and on television. All the companies make an identical promise about savings if you change to them. But how can every company make the same claim? This is how they do it.

All companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that makes them money. A good example of a profitable customer could be a mature driver, insures multiple vehicles, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. Any new insured who meets those qualifications receives the best rates and therefore will save a lot of money.

Potential insureds who don't measure up to this ideal profile must pay more money and ends up with business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say "drivers who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save money. This is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do.

This illustrates why you should get a wide range of price quotes. It's just too difficult to predict which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Your personal situation dictates your coverage

When buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no "perfect" insurance plan. Everyone's situation is unique so your insurance should reflect that Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine whether or not you would benefit from professional advice.

  • Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my vehicle is totaled?
  • Am I covered by my employer's commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
  • Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
  • Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
  • Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
  • Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
  • Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
  • Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?

If you're not sure about those questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to an agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Additional information can be read on the website for the Massachusetts Division of Insurance. Click here for link. Consumers can report car insurance fraud, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, find out industry alerts, and file complaints about a company.

Other informative sites include this link for Massachusetts car insurance quotes and this page for help finding agents in Winchester, MA.

Winchester car insurance comparison

Do the work, save more money

Cheaper car insurance can be sourced from both online companies and with local Winchester insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some car insurance companies do not offer online price quotes and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When shopping online for car insurance, do not buy poor coverage just to save money. In too many instances, drivers have reduced collision coverage and discovered at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.

You just learned some good ideas how you can save on car insurance. It's most important to understand that the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even discover the best price on car insurance is with a smaller regional carrier. Some small companies may cover specific market segments cheaper as compared to the big name companies such as .