New Strategies for Paying Less for on Jersey City, NJ Car Insurance

If shopping for car insurance online is new to you, you may be confused due to the large number of companies offering insurance in Jersey City.

Lower rates by qualifying for discounts

Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but you may find discounts that you may not even be aware of. A few discounts will automatically apply when you complete an application, but a few must be inquired about before they will apply.

• Anti-theft Discount – Anti-theft and alarm systems are stolen less frequently and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• Student Driver Training – Cut your cost by having your teen driver successfully complete driver’s ed class if offered at their school.
• Clubs and Organizations – Affiliation with a civic or occupational organization may earn a discount on car insurance.
• Good Students Pay Less – Getting good grades can save 20 to 25%. The discount lasts up until you turn 25.
• Multiple Vehicles – Having multiple vehicles on one policy could earn a price break for each car.
• Safe Driver Discount – Safe drivers may receive a discount up to 45% less than drivers with accidents.
• Accident Waiver – A handful of insurance companies permit an accident without raising rates if you are claim-free for a set time period.

Drivers should understand that some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. But all discounts will cut your premiums.

For a list of insurers with discount car insurance rates in Jersey City, follow this link.

Finding Car Insurance in Jersey City, NJ

Comparing car insurance rates can take hours if you aren’t aware of the best way to get rate quotes. You could waste a few hours discussing policy coverages with local insurance agents in Jersey City, or you could use online quotes to achieve your goal.

Most of the best insurance companies take part in a program that enables customers to complete one form, and at least one company can give them a price. This eliminates the need for quote requests to each individual car insurance company. To find out what other companies charge click here to open in new window.

The only drawback to getting quotes like this is you can’t choose the companies you want to price. If you prefer to choose specific insurance companies to compare rates, we put together a list of the cheapest car insurance companies in New Jersey. View list of New Jersey insurance companies.

Which method you use is up to you, but make absolute certain that you use exactly the same coverage information with every price quote. If you enter different liability limits it will be impossible to determine the lowest rate in Jersey City. Quoting even small variations in coverage limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. And when price shopping your coverage, getting more free quotes helps you find the best price.

Why your price might be higher

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates enables informed choices that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

• Save money with special equipment – Choosing a vehicle with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention devices like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can thwart auto theft.
• Better crash test results mean better rates – Vehicles with good safety scores are cheaper to insure. These vehicles result in less severe injuries and better occupant protection means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
• Bad driving skills means higher rates – Drivers with clean records have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Only having one moving violation may increase your cost by as much as thirty percent. If you have flagrant violations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may find they need to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to keep their license.
• Performance influences rates – The performance level of the vehicle you own makes a huge difference in the rate you pay. The lowest rates are usually for low performance passenger cars, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
• Lower miles equals lower premium – The higher the mileage driven each year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Most insurance companies rate vehicles based on their usage. Cars left parked in the garage can get a lower rate compared to those used for work or business. Make sure your car insurance declarations sheet is showing the correct usage for each vehicle, because it can save money.
• Too many car insurance claims drive up costs – If you file claims often, you can definitely plan on either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Companies in New Jersey award cheaper rates to drivers who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Your insurance policy is intended for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
• Policy add-ons can waste money – There are a lot of extra bells and whistles you can purchase on your car insurance policy. Insurance for rental car reimbursement, better glass coverage and membership fees are some examples. They may seem good at first, but your needs may have changed so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.

Car insurance is unique, just like you

When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Every situation is different.

For instance, these questions may help highlight whether you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Jersey City?
• Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
• Should I buy only the required New Jersey minimum liability coverage?
• Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in New Jersey?
• Does my insurance cover damage caused when ticketed for reckless driving?
• Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
• Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?
• Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
• Is a new car covered when I drive it off the dealer lot?
• What discounts do I qualify for?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions, you may need to chat with an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form.

A little work can save a LOT of money

We’ve covered many ways to get a better price on car insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the better your comparison will be. Drivers may discover the most savings is with the smaller companies.

Consumers change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including high prices, not issuing a premium refund, delays in responding to claim requests or even lack of trust in their agent. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch choosing a new company is easier than you think.

When trying to cut insurance costs, you should never buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many instances, someone dropped physical damage coverage and learned later that they should have had better coverage. Your goal should be to get the best coverage possible at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.

Additional car insurance information can be found on the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance website through this link. Visitors are able to find out which companies have the most complaints, file complaints about a company, and find disaster information.