5 Proven Ways to Pay Lower Auto Insurance Cost in Amherst, NY

Overpriced auto insurance can overdraw your checking account and force you to make sacrifices. Comparing price quotes is a great way to help make ends meet.

Many insurance companies vie for your business, so it can be very hard to choose a insurer to find the absolute best rates possible.

Policy discounts you shouldn’t miss

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but there could be available discounts to help bring down the price. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you purchase, but some may not be applied and must be asked about before you get the savings.

• Drivers Ed for Students – Cut your cost by having your teen driver complete a driver education course if it’s offered in school.
• Homeowners Savings – Owning a home in Amherst can save you money because of the fact that having a home demonstrates responsibility.
• No Charge for an Accident – A few companies will allow you to have one accident before your rates go up as long as you don’t have any claims prior to the accident.
• Low Mileage – Driving fewer miles can earn better rates on cars that stay parked.
• Pay Now and Pay Less – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of making monthly payments you could save up to 5%.
• Seat Belt Usage – Requiring all passengers to use a seat belt can save up to 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.
• Safe Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents may save up to 50% more than less cautious drivers.
• Anti-lock Brake System – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
• Multi-policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with one company you could get a discount of approximately 10% to 15%.
• Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Cars that have air bags may earn rate discounts of more than 20%.

Keep in mind that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous. But any discount will bring down your overall premium however.

To see a list of providers offering auto insurance discounts in New York, follow this link.

Amherst Auto Insurance Prices Online

There are a variety of methods you can shop for auto insurance but one way is more efficient than others. You can spend countless hours driving to local insurance agents in Amherst, or you could use online quoting to get pricing more quickly.

Most car insurance companies take part in a program where prospective buyers submit their information once, and each company provides a quote based on that information. This eliminates the need for quote forms for each company. To compare rates using this form now click here (opens in new window).

One minor caviat to using this type of form is you can’t choose the insurers to receive prices from. If you prefer to choose from a list of companies to compare rates, we have assembled a list of companies who write auto insurance in New York. Click to view list.

It’s up to you which method you use, but ensure you’re using identical coverages with every price quote. If each company quotes different deductibles it’s impossible to determine the lowest rate in Amherst. Quoting even small variations in coverages can mean a large discrepancy in price. And when quoting auto insurance, remember that comparing more company’s prices will improve the odds of getting lower pricing.

Don’t assume everyone needs the same coverage

When it comes to choosing the best auto insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s needs are different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. These are some specific questions may help highlight if your insurance needs would benefit from professional advice.

• Is there coverage for injuries to my pets?
• Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
• What discounts do I qualify for?
• Do I need higher deductibles?
• Do no-fault laws apply in New York?
• How high should my medical payments coverage be?
• What can I do if my company won’t pay a claim?
• Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in New York?

If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.

The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest

Lower-priced auto insurance is available online and also from your neighborhood Amherst agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who may not provide online quoting and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

In this article, we covered a lot of information how to compare auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Drivers may discover the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a smaller regional carrier. They can often insure niche markets at a lower cost compared to the large companies like State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.

As you prepare to switch companies, it’s a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where an insured cut liability coverage limits and discovered at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The ultimate goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price.