6 Ways to Slash Auto Insurance Prices in Schenectady, NY

Scraping up a payment for overpriced auto insurance can overdraw your checking account, especially in this economy. Comparing price quotes is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to lower your monthly bill.

Numerous car insurance companies battle for your insurance dollar, so it can be very hard to choose a company to discover the definitive best rates possible.

Schenectady Auto Insurance Quote Comparison

Most major insurance companies quote pricing directly from their websites. Getting online rates is pretty easy as you just type in your coverage information into a form. Once entered, the company’s rating system pulls information on your driving record and credit history and gives you a price quote. Online price quotes simplifies rate comparisons, but the work required to visit several different sites and fill out multiple forms can be a bit repetitive. But it’s absolutely necessary to do this in order to get lower prices.

Quote rates the easy way

An easier way to locate the lowest prices uses one form to get prices from many companies. It saves time, reduces the work, and makes online quotes much more efficient. After your information is entered, it is rated and you are able to buy any one of the returned quotes.

If you find a better price it’s easy to complete the application and purchase coverage. The entire process can be completed in less than 10 minutes and you will know how your current rates stack up.

To find out how much you’re overpaying now, click here to open in new window and enter your vehicle and coverage information. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended you copy the coverage information exactly as they are listed on your policy. Doing this guarantees you will receive rate comparison quotes based on identical coverages.

Lower rates by qualifying for discounts

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but you may find discounts that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time you complete a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked for prior to receiving the credit.

• Distant Student – Youth drivers living away from home attending college and do not have a car may qualify for this discount.
• Good Students Pay Less – A discount for being a good student can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. This discount can apply up until you turn 25.
• Driver Safety – Completing a course in driver safety can save you 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
• Accident Free – Good drivers with no accidents can save substantially compared to frequent claim filers.
• Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags can receive discounts of more than 20%.
• Military Rewards – Being deployed with a military unit may qualify for rate reductions.
• Discounts for Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents can pay as much as 50% less than less cautious drivers.
• Multi-policy Discount – When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same company you may save up to 20% off your total premium.
• Drivers Ed for Students – Require your teen driver to complete a driver education course if it’s offered in school.

Keep in mind that most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. Just because it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you won’t be that lucky. Any qualifying discounts will reduce your overall premium however.

Lower your Schenectady Auto Insurance Rates

It’s important that you understand the different types of things that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates enables informed choices that can help you get better auto insurance rates.

• Being married can save on auto insurance – Being married helps lower the price on auto insurance. Having a spouse usually means you are more mature it has been statistically shown that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
• More than one policy can earn a discount – The majority of insurance companies give discounts to policyholders who carry more than one policy, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, you still need to compare rates to ensure the best deal.
• More performance means more cost – The make and model of the car you are buying insurance for makes a huge difference in how high your rates are. The most favorable rates are generally reserved for small economy passenger cars, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
• Where you live can impact rates – Choosing to live in a small town has it’s advantages when insuring your vehicles. Lower population means a lower chance of having an accident. Drivers in populated New York areas regularly have congested traffic and much longer commute distances. Higher commute times means more change of being in an accident.
• Never go without insurance – Driving with no insurance can get your license suspended and auto insurance companies will penalize you for letting your coverage lapse. And not only will your rates increase, failure to provide proof of insurance will get you a revoked license or a big fine.
• Optional equipment can affect rates – Choosing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft devices such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can thwart your vehicle from being stolen.
• Liability coverage is cheap – Liability insurance will protect you if a court rules you are at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide you with a defense in court starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
• A clean driving record saves money – Whether or not you get tickets has a big impact on rates. Only having one speeding ticket can bump up the cost twenty percent or more. Drivers who don’t get tickets receive lower rates than their less careful counterparts. Drivers with dangerous tickets such as DUI or reckless driving are required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to prevent a license revocation.

Car insurance is unique, just like you

When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no best way to insure your cars. Every situation is different so this has to be addressed. For example, these questions could help you determine if you may require specific advice.

• Is New York a no-fault state?
• Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
• When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
• Am I getting all the discounts available?
• Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
• Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
• Do I qualify for additional discounts?
• Who is covered by my policy?
• Does my policy pay for OEM or aftermarket parts?
• Does my car insurance cover rental cars?

If you’re not sure about those questions, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Additional information can be found on the website for the New York Department of Financial Services. Click here for link. New York consumers can get help finding coverage, find a variety of consumer forms, find disaster information, and learn about insurance regulations.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Companies like GEICO, State Farm and Progressive continually stream ads on TV and radio. All the ads have a common claim of big savings after switching your policy. How do they all say the same thing?

All companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of customer that earns them a profit. An example of a desirable insured could be between 30 and 50, owns a home, and drives newer vehicles. Any driver who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Drivers who are not a match for this ideal profile will be charged a higher premium and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ad wording is “customers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently advertise the way they do.

That is why drivers should quote coverage with many companies. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

One last thing about your coverage

While you’re price shopping online, it’s very important that you do not reduce needed coverages to save money. In many cases, an accident victim reduced collision coverage and found out when filing a claim that it was a big error on their part. Your focus should be to buy the best coverage you can find at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.

Cost effective auto insurance is available from both online companies and with local Schenectady insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies do not offer online quoting and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.