Easy Tips to Pay Less on Barre Auto Insurance

If shopping for auto insurance online is new to you, it’s easy to get confused by the hoards of online companies all offering big savings in Barre.

Quick Barre Auto Insurance Quotes

There are several ways to compare auto insurance quotes, but one way is more efficient than others. You can spend your afternoon discussing policy coverages with insurance companies in Barre, or you can stay home and use online quoting to get the quickest rates.

Most car insurance companies enroll in a system where prospective buyers submit one quote, and each participating company can give them a price based on the submitted data. This saves time by eliminating form submissions for each company you want a rate for.

To compare pricing click here (opens in new window).

The only downside to doing it this way is that you can’t choose which insurance companies you will receive quotes from. So if you prefer to pick individual companies to compare rates, we have assembled a list of auto insurance companies in Vermont. View list of Vermont insurance companies.

It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but double check that you are using the exact same coverages and limits for every quote you compare. If you are comparing unequal deductibles or liability limits then you won’t be able to determine which rate is truly the best in Barre.

Discounts are great for lower rates

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but there could be available discounts to cut the cost considerably. Most are applied when you purchase, but a few must be requested specifically prior to getting the savings. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you’re paying more than you need to.

• E-sign – A few companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy digitally online.
• Braking Control Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles prevent accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• Multiple Cars – Buying coverage for all your vehicles on one policy could earn a price break for each car.
• Multiple Policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with one company you may earn 10% to 20% off each policy.
• Discount for Good Grades – Performing well in school can earn a discount of 20% or more. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
• Drive Safe and Save – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than their less cautious counterparts.
• Senior Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you can possibly qualify for a discount up to 10%.
• Homeowners Pay Less – Owning a house in Barre can help you save on auto insurance because maintaining a house shows financial diligence.
• Accident Free – Good drivers with no accidents pay much less when compared to accident-prone drivers.
• Seat Belts Save – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt can save 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.

A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. Even though it may seem like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it just doesn’t work that way. But any discount will reduce the cost of coverage.

To see a list of insurance companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Barre, follow this link.

Many Things Influence your Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. Understanding what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that could result in big savings.

The list below includes a few of the “ingredients” that factor into premiums.

• Protect yourself with liability coverage – The liability section of your policy will protect you if a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It provides legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so drivers should carry high limits.
• Your location is important – Living in a rural area is a positive aspect when talking about auto insurance. Less people living in that area means reduced accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. Urban drivers have more traffic problems and longer commutes to work. More time commuting means more change of being in an accident.
• Having a spouse can save you money – Having a spouse actually saves money on your policy. Having a significant other usually means you are more mature and responsible and statistics show married drivers get in fewer accidents.
• Too many auto insurance claims drive up costs – Car insurance companies in Vermont provide cheaper rates to insureds who do not file claims often. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can expect higher rates. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
• Policy add-ons can waste money – There are quite a few add-on coverages that can waste your money if you aren’t careful. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, accident forgiveness and motor club memberships may be wasting your money. These coverages may sound good when you first buy your policy, but if you don’t need them eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.

What about my local Barre agents?

Some people would rather get advice from a local agent. Licensed agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and give you peace of mind. The best thing about comparing rates online is you may find better rates but still work with a licensed agent. And providing support for local agencies is definitely important in Barre.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, your information is transmitted to agents in your area who will give you bids for your business. You won’t need to leave your house since price quotes are sent to your email. How cool is that?!

Choose the right insurance agency

When finding a reliable agent, there are two types of insurance agents that you can select. Insurance agencies in Barre are categorized either independent (non-captive) or captive. Both types can write coverage properly, but it’s worth learning how they differ because it can impact your agent selection.

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent insurance agents are not employed by any specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with lots of companies and potentially find a lower price. To move your coverage to a new company, your agent can switch companies without you having to go to a different agency. When shopping rates, you should always include price quotes from several independent insurance agents to ensure the widest selection of prices. They often place coverage with smaller regional carriers who may have lower rates.

The following is a short list of independent agents in Barre willing to provide comparison quotes.

• Richard Otis Agency Inc – 60 Apple Blossom Rd – Barre, VT 05641 – (802) 479-1375
• Donna Alinovi Insurance – 171 N Main St – Barre, VT 05641 – (802) 476-6303
• Denis Ricker and Brown Insurance – 17 State St – Barre, VT 05641 – (802) 229-0563

Captive Insurance Agents

This type of agents work for only one company and some examples include Allstate, AAA, Liberty Mutual and State Farm. They are unable to compare other company’s rates so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captive agencies receive extensive training on the products they sell which can be an advantage. Consumers frequently choose to use a captive agent mainly due to the prominence of the brand and solid financial strength.

The following are Barre captive insurance agencies that can give you price quotes.

• Allstate Advance Look Bldg – 14 Merchant St – Barre, VT 05641 – (802) 476-4307
• State Farm Insurance – 200 S Main St – Barre, VT 05641 – (802) 479-3353

To view a full list of Barre captive agencies, visit this site.

Selecting an insurance agency shouldn’t rely on just the price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

• Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
• Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
• Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
• Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
• What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
• Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
• Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
• Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?

Upon getting satisfactory answers to these questions and locked in a price quote, most likely you have located an insurance agency that can properly service your auto insurance policy.

More information can be found on the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation website. Click here for link. Visitors are able to read industry bulletins, file complaints about a company, and read state legal mandates and laws.

More effort can pay off

Low-cost auto insurance can be bought online and also from your neighborhood Barre agents, so compare prices from both so you have a total pricing picture. A few companies may not provide online price quotes and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

When trying to cut insurance costs, you should never skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are too many instances where consumers will sacrifice full coverage and discovered at claim time that it was a big mistake. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.

Consumers switch companies for a number of reasons such as policy non-renewal, not issuing a premium refund, delays in responding to claim requests or being labeled a high risk driver. No matter why you want to switch, switching companies can be easy and end up saving you some money.