6 Tricks Guaranteed to Slash the Cost of Auto Insurance Costs in Westport

Searching for cheap Westport auto insurance online may be intimidating for consumers new to comparing rates online. With dozens of companies competing online, how can consumers effectively compare the different rates to find the cheapest available price?

It is always a good idea to get comparison quotes at least once a year because prices fluctuate regularly. Just because you found the best deal six months ago you will most likely find a better rate today. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the only way to eliminate unnecessary coverages and save money.

If you are insured now or are shopping for new coverage, you can follow these tips to shop for the lowest rates and still get good coverage. The purpose of this article is to help you learn the most effective way to quote insurance and some tips to save money. Connecticut drivers just need to learn the tricks to shop their coverage around over the internet.

Do you qualify for these six discounts?

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not know about. Some discounts apply automatically when you purchase, but some may not be applied and must be manually applied before being credited. If you’re not getting every credit available, you’re just leaving money on the table.

Accident Free – Good drivers with no accidents pay much less when compared with accident-prone drivers.
Federal Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can save as much as 8% with a few auto insurance companies.
Accident Forgiveness – A few companies will forgive one accident without raising rates if your claims history is clear for a set time period.
Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Low mileage vehicles can earn discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
Good Student Discount – A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. The good student discount can last up until you turn 25.
Defensive Driver – Taking a course in driver safety can save you 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.

Keep in mind that most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous. But any discount will reduce your overall premium however.

Your personal situation dictates your coverage

When buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no perfect coverage plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.

For example, these questions could help you determine whether you could use an agent’s help.

Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
Which companies will insure high-risk drivers?
Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
When should I remove comp and collision on my vehicle?
Am I covered when driving someone else’s vehicle?
Is my custom paint covered by insurance?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can help protect your family.

Are insurance agents a thing of the past?

Some consumers just want to visit with an insurance agent. Professional agents can help determine the best coverages and help in the event of a claim. One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find lower rates but still work with a licensed agent. And providing support for local agencies is especially important in Westport.

To help locate an agent, after submitting this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is transmitted to local insurance agents who will compete for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to drive around as quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. How’s that for easy!

Auto insurance agents in Westport come in two varieties

When finding a good insurance agency, there are two types of agencies that you can select. Insurance agencies in Westport are classified as either captive or independent. Both types can properly insure your vehicles, but it’s important to know the difference between them because it can influence your selection of an agent.

Independent Agents

Independent agents do not work for one specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with multiple insurance companies depending on which coverage is best. If you are not satisfied with one company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you don’t have to find a new agent. When searching for an agent, we recommend you contact at a minimum one independent agency to have the most options to choose from.Many can place coverage with lesser-known insurance companies which can save you money.

Shown below is a list of independent agencies in Westport willing to provide price quotes.

Haehl Agency – 31 Imperial Ave – Westport, CT 06880 – (203) 221-0330
Netter Agency LLC – 830 Post Rd E # 206 – Westport, CT 06880 – (203) 341-8655
Patricia Floyd Agency – 1720 Post Rd E # 112 – Westport, CT 06880 – (203) 786-4764
Kaye Insurance – 1221 Post Rd E # 303 – Westport, CT 06880 – (203) 291-1800
Continental Insurance – 191 Post Rd W – Westport, CT 06880 – (203) 221-0200

Captive Insurance Agents

This type of agents write business for a single company and some examples include Allstate, AAA, Liberty Mutual and State Farm. These agents are not able to place coverage with different providers so they have to upsell other benefits. These agents receive extensive training on the products they sell which helps them compete with independent agents. Consumers frequently purchase coverage from captives partially due to the brand legacy and strong financial ratings.

Below are captive agents in Westport who can help you get rate quotes.<img class="alignright" style="padding-top:15px;" src="https://www.findnewcarinsurance.com/wp-content/uploads/ci175-70.jpg" alt="Connecticut auto insurance“/>

Allstate Insurance – 180 Saugatuck Ave – Westport, CT 06880 – (203) 226-1182

To view a full list of Westport captive insurance agents, please view this page.

Selecting an insurance agent should depend on more than just the price. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:

Is assistance available after office hours?
Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Connecticut?
What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?

Upon receiving good answers in addition to an acceptable price estimate, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that is a good match to provide auto insurance coverage.

Find out more about auto insurance

Much more information about auto insurance in Connecticut is available on the Connecticut Insurance Department website through this link. Connecticut drivers can download brochures, find disaster information, and get help finding coverage.

Auto insurance coverages and their meanings

Learning about specific coverages of auto insurance can help you determine appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and coverage can change by endorsement.

Medical costs insurance

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for short-term medical expenses for surgery, hospital visits, funeral costs, EMT expenses and pain medications. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Coverage for liability

Liability coverage provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to other people or property that is your fault. It protects YOU from claims by other people, and does not provide coverage for damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Coverage consists of three different limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have policy limits of 25/50/25 which stand for a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property. Some companies may use a combined single limit or CSL which combines the three limits into one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability can pay for claims such as repair costs for stationary objects, attorney fees, funeral expenses, emergency aid and pain and suffering. How much liability coverage do you need? That is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible. Connecticut state law requires minimum liability limits of 20,000/40,000/10,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy higher limits.

UM/UIM Coverage

Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your vehicle.

Due to the fact that many Connecticut drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (20/40/10), their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea. Most of the time your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.

Collision protection

Collision coverage pays for damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage protects against claims such as backing into a parked car, sideswiping another vehicle, hitting a mailbox and scraping a guard rail. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Comprehensive or Other Than Collision

Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as damage from a tornado or hurricane, hail damage and hitting a deer. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest

We just presented a lot of information how to save on auto insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more price quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even discover the biggest savings come from a small local company.

As you shop your coverage around, do not buy poor coverage just to save money. In many instances, drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage and discovered at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.

Lower-priced auto insurance can be found on the web and with local Westport insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and these smaller companies work with independent agents.