Easy Techniques to Pay Less on Las Vegas, NM Car Insurance

If you’re new to shopping for car insurance online, it’s easy to get confused because of the huge number of online car insurance companies and websites selling insurance in Las Vegas.

If you have a current car insurance policy or are looking for a new policy, you can use this information to find better prices while maximizing coverage. Locating affordable protection in Las Vegas is not that difficult. New Mexico consumers just need to learn the proper methods to get comparison rates online.

Las Vegas Rates are Influenced by These Factors

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that go into determining the price you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with big savings.

Add-on coverages can add up – There are quite a few add-on coverages that can waste your money on your car insurance policy. Coverages for roadside assistance, accident forgiveness and additional equipment coverage may be wasting your money. They may seem good at first, but now you might not need them so eliminate them to save money.
Where you reside plays a part – Choosing to live in a rural area is a positive aspect when buying car insurance. Fewer people means reduced accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft. Drivers in populated New Mexico areas tend to have more traffic problems and longer commutes to work. Longer commute distances translates into higher accident risk.
Are you male or female? – Statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, this does not mean women are better drivers. Both sexes cause accidents in similar percentages, but the men have costlier accidents. Men also statistically receive more costly citations like reckless driving and DUI. Male drivers age 16 to 19 tend to get in the most accidents and are penalized with high car insurance rates.
What type of vehicle do you drive? – The make and model of the vehicle you are buying insurance for makes a huge difference in determining your rates. Low performance passenger cars usually have the lowest rates, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
Car features impact rates – Owning a car with a theft deterrent system can save you a little every year. Theft prevention devices such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can help prevent car theft.
Claim-free discounts can add up – If you file claims often, you can pretty much guarantee higher rates. Companies in New Mexico generally give cheaper rates to people who do not file claims often. Insurance coverage is intended for the large, substantial claims.
Pay less after the wedding – Having a spouse actually saves money on car insurance. Having a significant other is viewed as being more mature and responsible and statistics show married couples file fewer claims.
High deductibles save money – Physical damage deductibles define the amount you are required to spend if you file a covered claim. Physical damage coverage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, covers damage that occurs to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered are running into the backend of another car, damage caused by hail, and windstorm damage. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the less your car insurance will be.

Quick Las Vegas Car Insurance Quotes

Performing a rate comparison can take time and effort if you aren’t aware of the best way to get rate quotes. You could waste a few hours driving to insurance companies in Las Vegas, or you could use the web to get the quickest rates.

The majority of car insurance companies are enrolled in a marketplace that enables customers to only type in their quote data once, and every company can give them a price based on that information. This eliminates the need for quotation requests for each company you want a rate for.

To find out what other companies charge click here to open in new window.

The one disadvantage to getting quotes like this is you cannot specify the insurers to get quotes from. So if you want to select specific providers to compare, we have a listing of companies who write car insurance in New Mexico. View list of New Mexico insurance companies.

It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but make absolute certain that you use identical coverages and limits on every quote you get. If you enter mixed coverages it will be very difficult to decipher which rate is best in Las Vegas.

Are car insurance companies telling the truth?

Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for car insurance savings by State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. They all say the same thing that you can save if you move to their company.

How does each company make the same claim?

All companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer they prefer to insure. An example of a preferred risk could possibly be between the ages of 40 and 55, insures multiple vehicles, and drives newer vehicles. A propective insured who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and as a result will probably cut their rates substantially.

Potential customers who do not match the requirements will have to pay higher premiums which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say “customers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much money. This is how insurance companies can confidently claim big savings.

Because of the profiling, you need to get a wide range of price quotes. You cannot predict which car insurance company will have the lowest rates.

Lower rates by qualifying for discounts

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but there are discounts available that many people don’t even know exist. Some discounts apply automatically at the time you complete a quote, but some may not be applied and must be specifically requested prior to getting the savings. If you’re not getting every credit available, you are throwing money away. free New Mexico insurance quote

Auto/Life Discount – Larger companies have better rates if you take out a life insurance policy as well.
Safe Drivers – Safe drivers can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accidents.
Safety Course Discount – Successfully completing a course in driver safety can save you 5% or more if your company offers it.
Distant Student – Any of your kids living away from home attending college and don’t have a car may qualify for this discount.
Good Students Pay Less – Performing well in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
Clubs and Organizations – Participating in a qualifying organization is a good way to get lower rates when shopping for car insurance.

Drivers should understand that most discounts do not apply the the whole policy. A few only apply to individual premiums such as comp or med pay. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way. Any qualifying discounts will help reduce the cost of coverage.

To see a list of providers who offer car insurance discounts in New Mexico, click here to view.

Price shop online but buy from a local Las Vegas agent

Certain consumers would rather buy from a licensed agent. Good agents can point out coverage gaps and give you someone to call. The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain the best rates and still choose a local agent. Supporting local businesses is important especially in Las Vegas.

By using this short form, your information is emailed to companies in Las Vegas who will battle for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to drive around due to the fact that quote results will go immediately to your email address. How cool is that?!

Captive agents vs. Independent agents

When researching a local agent, you must know there are a couple types of insurance agents that you can select. Insurance agencies in Las Vegas are either independent or captive. Either one can properly insure your vehicles, but it’s good to learn the differences since it can impact the type of agent you choose

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent agents are not employed by any specific company so they can insure your vehicles with many different companies and potentially find a lower price. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move the coverage in-house and you won’t have to switch agencies. When comparison shopping, you should always contact at least one independent agent for maximum quote selection. Many write coverage with lesser-known insurance companies which can save you money.

Shown below are Las Vegas independent agencies that may be able to provide rate quotes.

Trujillo Agency – 807 Grand Ave – Las Vegas, NM 87701 – (505) 425-5696
Manny Sena Agency – 1800 7th St – Las Vegas, NM 87701 – (505) 425-7309
Union County Agency – F and S Arcade – Las Vegas, NM 87701 – (505) 374-8312
Northern Insurance Inc – 611 National Ave – Las Vegas, NM 87701 – (505) 425-9325
Crow Insurance – 626 Grand Ave – Las Vegas, NM 87701 – (505) 454-4424

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agents write business for a single company such as State Farm, Allstate and AAA. They are unable to shop your coverage around so always compare other rates. Captive agencies are well schooled on their company’s products and that can be a competitive advantage. Some consumers prefer to buy from captive agents primarily because of loyalty to the company and strong financial ratings.

The following is a short list of captive insurance agencies in Las Vegas willing to provide price quote information.

Farm Bureau Financial Svc – 2501 Church St – Las Vegas, NM 87701 – (505) 425-5404

For a full directory of captive agencies in Las Vegas, view this link.

Deciding on an insurance agency shouldn’t rely on just a low price. Some important questions to ask are:

If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
Do they assist clients in filing claims?
How long has their agency been open in Las Vegas?
What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
Do they make recommendations based only on price?

Once you have received acceptable answers to all your questions and a low price estimate, most likely you have located an insurance agency that is a good match to provide car insurance coverage.

Tailor your coverage to you

When it comes to buying the best car insurance coverage, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Every situation is different.

Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine if you will benefit from professional help.

Is pleasure use cheaper than using my vehicle to commute?
Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
Should I buy more coverage than the required New Mexico minimum liability coverage?
Can I afford low physical damage deductibles?
Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
If my vehicle is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
How high should my medical payments coverage be?
Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?

If you’re not sure about those questions then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form. It only takes a few minutes and may give you better protection.

Additional car insurance information can be found on the New Mexico Insurance Division website located here. Consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find out industry alerts, and read consumer alerts.

The following information may also be useful.

And the best car insurance company is…

Cheap car insurance can be sourced both online and with local Las Vegas insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who do not offer online price quotes and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s a bad idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. In many cases, an insured dropped collision coverage and discovered at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The ultimate goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate.

People switch companies for many reasons like questionable increases in premium, high prices, lack of trust in their agent or even an unsatisfactory settlement offer. Regardless of your reason, choosing a new company can be easier than you think.