Learn How to Lower Your Premiums for Yonkers, NY Car Insurance

Having to pay for overpriced car insurance can drain your bank account and make it hard to pay other bills. Shopping your coverage around is a smart way to cut your insurance bill.

Since consumers have many options when it comes to car insurance, it can be challenging to choose the most affordable provider.

You need to check car insurance prices periodically because rates are constantly changing. Just because you had the best rates a couple years back a different company probably has better rates today. There is a lot of bad advice regarding car insurance online but by reading this article, you’re going to learn the easiest ways to put money back in your pocket.

Choosing the best insurance company for you in Yonkers is easy if you know what you’re doing. Basically, every vehicle owner who carries car insurance will more than likely be able to lower their premiums. Nevertheless, New York vehicle owners must comprehend the methods companies use to compete online and use this information to your advantage.

Car Insurance Prices in Yonkers, NY

The are a couple different ways to compare quotes from different in Yonkers, NYinsurance companies. The quickest method to find competitive insurance rates is simply to get online rate quotes. This can be accomplished in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

The most efficient way to get quotes would be an industry-wide quote request form click to view form in new window. This method prevents you from having to do separate quote forms for each company. Just one form gets you price quotes from several companies.

A slightly less efficient method to compare rate quotes is to manually visit each company website and request a quote. For sake of this example, let’s assume you want comparison quotes from Liberty Mutual, Esurance and State Farm. To find out each rate you need to go to every website and enter your policy data, and that’s why the first method is more popular.

For a handy list of car insurance company links in Yonkers, click here.

The least recommended way of comparing rate quotes to local insurance agencies. Shopping for car insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you prefer the personal advice only provided by licensed agents. You can, however, price shop online but still have the advice of a local agent. We’ll cover that shortly.

Whichever method you choose, ensure you are comparing exactly the same quote information with each company. If you are comparing mixed coverages it will be next to impossible to determine the lowest rate in Yonkers. Just a small difference in insurance coverages can mean a large discrepancy in price. And when comparison shopping, quoting more will increase your chances of finding the best price.

Ads can be misleading

Car insurance companies such as State Farm, Allstate and GEICO continually stream ads on TV and radio. They all seem to make the same claim that you’ll save big after switching your coverage to them. How does each company claim to save you money?

All the different companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of customer that earns them a profit. For example, a preferred risk might be over the age of 50, a clean driving record, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A propective insured who meets those qualifications receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to pay quite a bit less when switching companies.New York auto insurance

Potential customers who fall outside these standards will be charged higher prices and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads say “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. This is how insurance companies can advertise the savings. That is why drivers should get quotes from several different companies. You cannot predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.

How insurance companies determine rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that go into determining your car insurance rates. Knowing what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that can help you get better car insurance rates.

  • Are you male or female? – The statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. However, don’t assume that women are BETTER drivers than men. They both cause accidents at a similar rate, but the male of the species cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also tend to receive more costly citations like reckless driving and DUI.
  • Rates may be lower depending on your job – Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Occupations such as lawyers, business owners and accountants are shown to have higher rates than average because of high stress levels and lengthy work days. On the flip side, jobs such as scientists, athletes and performers pay the least.
  • An active claims history can cost you – If you file claims often, you can pretty much guarantee either higher rates or even cancellation. Companies in New York provide discounts to drivers who do not file claims often. Car insurance is intended for the large, substantial claims.
  • One company can mean more discounts – The majority of insurers give discounts to people who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, it’s still a good idea to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal. Consumers may find better rates by buying insurance from more than one company.
  • Having a spouse can save you money – Being married actually saves money on car insurance. Having a spouse usually means you are more mature than a single person and it’s proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.

How much can you save with discounts?

Car insurance companies do not advertise every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we took the time to find both the well known and the more hidden ways to save on car insurance.

  • Good Student Discount – Performing well in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. This discount can apply up to age 25.
  • Federal Government Employee – Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount depending on your company.
  • Lower Rates for Military – Having a family member in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
  • Homeowners Pay Less – Simply owning a home may trigger a car insurance policy discount because owning a home demonstrates responsibility.
  • Safe Driver Discount – Safe drivers may save up to 50% more than drivers with accidents.
  • Theft Prevention System – Anti-theft and alarm systems help deter theft and will save you 10% or more.
  • Accident Waiver – A few companies will forgive one accident before your rates go up if your claims history is clear for a particular time prior to the accident.
  • New Car Discount – Insuring a new car can cost up to 25% less since new cars are generally safer.

It’s important to understand that some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. So when the math indicates you can get free auto insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way.

For a list of companies offering car insurance discounts in Yonkers, click here to view.

When might I need help?

When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a best way to insure your cars. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions could help you determine whether you may require specific advice.

  • Is borrowed equipment or tools covered if stolen or damaged?
  • Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
  • Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
  • When should my teen driver be added to my policy?
  • When should I not file a claim?
  • Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
  • Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
  • Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
  • Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?

If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area.

But don’t I need an insurance agent?

A small number of people just want to sit down with an agent and that is just fine! The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is you can get the best rates but still work with a licensed agent.

For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), your insurance coverage information is emailed to agents in your area who will return price quotes for your business. There is no need to even leave your home because quoted prices will be sent to the email address you provide. It doesn’t get any easier! You can find better rates and an insurance agent to talk to.

Choosing an insurance company shouldn’t rely on just the bottom line cost. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:

  • Will your rates increase after a single accident?
  • Is working in the agency their full-time job?
  • Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in New York?
  • Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
  • Who are their largest clients?
  • Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
  • Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?

If you prefer to view licensed agents in Yonkers, visit this link.

New York auto insurance

After getting acceptable answers to all your questions and an affordable coverage quote, you’ve probably found an insurer that meets your needs to service your policy.

Summing up your car insurance search

We just presented a lot of tips how to lower your car insurance rates. The key concept to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. You may even find the lowest rates come from a smaller regional carrier. They may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than their larger competitors like GEICO and State Farm.

Cheap car insurance is possible online as well as from independent agents in Yonkers, and you should be comparing both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies don’t offer you the ability to get quotes online and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.

More New York car insurance information

More tips and info about car insurance is located at the New York Department of Financial Services website. Consumers can learn about specific coverages, find disaster information, and learn about insurance regulations.

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