10 Ways You Can Buy Auto Insurance for Less in West Haven Connecticut

Have you fallen victim to high-priced auto insurance? Trust us when we tell you many consumers are feeling buyer’s remorse and feel like there’s no way out.

Online insurance companies like Allstate, Liberty Mutual and State Farm all promote huge savings with TV and radio ads and it is challenging if not impossible to not get sucked in by the cute commercials and take the time to shop coverage around.

You should take the time to get comparison quotes periodically because rates fluctuate regularly. If you had the best price six months ago other companies may now be cheaper. Starting now, block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because I’m going to teach you one of the quickest ways to save on auto insurance.

If you have car insurance now, you will be able to lower your premiums substantially using these tips. Finding the best rates in West Haven is not rocket science. Although Connecticut car owners must learn the way insurance companies market on the web and apply this information to your search.

Policy discounts you shouldn’t miss

Companies don’t always list every discount very clearly, so the following is a list of some of the best known and the more hidden discounts you could be receiving.

  • Student Driver Training – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully complete driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.
  • Low Mileage – Keeping the miles down can qualify you for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
  • Lower Rates for Military – Being on active duty in the military can result in better rates.
  • Discount for New Cars – Insuring a new car can be considerably cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
  • Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can receive discounts of 20% or more.
  • Student in College – Any of your kids living away from home attending college without a vehicle on campus may be able to be covered for less.
  • Paperless Signup – Some insurance companies give back up to $50 for buying your policy digitally online.
  • Discount for Swiching Early – Some companies give discounts for switching policies before your current policy expires. The savings is around 10%.
  • Use Seat Belts – Requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts can save 10% or more off your medical payments premium.
  • Drive Safe and Save – Insureds without accidents can pay as much as 50% less than less cautious drivers.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So when the math indicates all those discounts means the company will pay you, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.

To choose providers with discount auto insurance rates in West Haven, click here to view.

Compare Auto Insurance Today

Most major insurance companies like State Farm and Allstate quote pricing on the web. This process is fairly simple as you just type in the coverage amounts you desire as requested by the quote form. Upon sending the form, the company’s rating system makes automated requests for your driving record and credit report and generates a price determined by many factors. This helps simplify price comparisons, but having to visit a lot of sites and type in the same information can be a bit tiresome and repetitive. Unfortunately, it is important to perform this step in order to find the lowest price.

A more efficient way to locate the lowest prices uses one simple form that obtains quotes from many companies. It saves time, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes online quotes much easier to do. As soon as the form is sent, it gets priced and you can choose your choice of the quotes that you receive. If you find a better price you can click and sign and buy the policy. This process can be completed in less than 10 minutes and you’ll know if lower rates are available.

To compare rates using this form now, click here to open in new window and enter your information. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend you complete the form with the coverages identical to your current policy. This makes sure you will be getting a fair comparison based on identical coverages.

Do I need a local agent?

Some consumers would prefer to talk to a local agent and that is just fine! The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain better rates and still choose a local agent.

To find an agent, once you fill out this quick form, your information is instantly submitted to participating agents in West Haven who will give you bids to get your business. You don’t have to even leave your home because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. How’s that for easy! You’ll get the best rates without the usual hassles of price shopping.

Deciding on a company requires more thought than just the price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

  • What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
  • If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
  • How long has their agency been open in West Haven?
  • Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
  • How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
  • What insurance company do they write the most business with?
  • How are they compensated?

Independent or Captive: It’s your choice

If you’re trying to find local West Haven agents, there are two types of insurance agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies in West Haven can either be captive or independent.free West Haven CT insurance quote

Captive Insurance Agents

These agents can only write with one company such as Farmers Insurance or State Farm. Captives cannot compare other company’s rates so keep that in mind. Captives are trained well on their products and sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.

Listed below are West Haven captive insurance agencies that can give you comparison quotes.

State Farm Insurance – 505 Campbell Ave – West Haven, CT 06516 – (203) 932-0591

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 enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To transfer your coverage to a different company, an independent agent can move your coverage and you don’t have to find a new agent.

When comparison shopping, you should always get quotes from at least one independent agent for the best price selection.

The following are independent agents in West Haven that are able to give price quotes.

Action Auto Insurance – 761 Campbell Ave – West Haven, CT 06516 – (203) 932-8221
Insurance Problem Solvers – 393 Meloy Rd – West Haven, CT 06516 – (203) 933-5800
Parillo Agency – 103 Elm St – West Haven, CT 06516 – (203) 932-5909
Daniels Agency Inc – 212 Main St – West Haven, CT 06516 – (203) 934-2628

For a full directory of auto insurance agents in West Haven, please view this page.

Once you have satisfactory answers to all your questions and a low price estimate, you’ve probably found an insurance agency that is a good match to insure your vehicles.

Detailed coverages of your auto insurance policy

Knowing the specifics of a auto insurance policy can help you determine the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Auto insurance terms can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring. These are typical coverages found on most auto insurance policies.

Medical payments and PIP coverage – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for short-term medical expenses such as surgery, hospital visits and funeral costs. They can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. It covers you and your occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not available in all states and may carry a deductible

UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family and damage to your vehicle.

Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (which is 20/40/10), their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important.

Collision – This will pay to fix damage to your vehicle caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

free West Haven CT insurance quote

Collision can pay for claims like colliding with a tree, driving through your garage door, crashing into a ditch and backing into a parked car. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to increase the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Liability insurance – Liability coverage protects you from damage that occurs to people or other property in an accident. This insurance protects YOU from claims by other people. It does not cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have policy limits of 25/50/25 which means $25,000 bodily injury coverage, $50,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property.

Liability insurance covers things like repair costs for stationary objects, medical expenses, court costs, attorney fees and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much coverage you buy is a personal decision, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford. Connecticut requires drivers to carry at least 20,000/40,000/10,000 but you should think about purchasing more coverage.

Comprehensive auto coverage – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive coverage protects against things like damage from flooding, a broken windshield and falling objects. The highest amount a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.

And the best car insurance company is…

When trying to cut insurance costs, don’t be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many cases where someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits to discover at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. The aim is to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.

We’ve covered a lot of ways to get a better price on auto insurance. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from a smaller regional carrier. Smaller companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates than their larger competitors like State Farm or Progressive.

More Connecticut auto insurance resources

Even more information can be read at the Connecticut Insurance Department website. Consumers can view a list of available companies, read state legal mandates and laws, and find out industry alerts.