7 Discounts Dover Drivers Forget when Buying Auto Insurance

Finding lower premiums on Dover auto insurance is a challenge for consumers not familiar with buying insurance online. You have so many options that it can be a real hassle to compare prices in Dover.

It’s important to price shop coverage before your policy renews because prices change regularly. Despite the fact that you may have had the best price last year a different company probably has better rates today. So just forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because you’re going to get a crash course in the things you must know in order to remove unneeded coverages and save money.

How to Compare Dover Auto Insurance Costs

The are a couple different ways of comparing rates and find the best price. One of the best ways to find competitive insurance rates is simply to get online rate quotes. This is very easy and can be done in a couple of different ways.

Probably the best way consumers can make multiple comparisons is an all-inclusive rate comparison like this one (opens in new window). This method prevents you from having to do repetitive form submissions to each individual auto insurance company. One quote request will return price quotes . This is by far the quickest method.
A more time consuming way to find lower rates is spending the time to visit each company’s website and complete a new quote form. For instance, we’ll assume you want to compare rates from USAA, Safeco and State Farm. To find out each rate you need to take the time to go to each site and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is more popular.
To view a list of companies in Dover, click here.
The least recommended way to get comparison rates is to drive around to insurance agents’ offices. The ability to buy insurance online makes this process obsolete unless you prefer the trained guidance only provided by licensed Dover agents. It is possible to compare online quotes but still have the advice of a local agent and we’ll talk about that later.

However you get your quotes, make darn sure you compare the exact same coverage limits and deductibles for each price quote. If you are comparing differing limits you can’t possibly determine which rate is truly the best in Dover. Quoting even small variations in limits can make a big difference in price. Just remember that quoting more helps you find lower pricing.

The auto insurance bait and switch

Companies like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm regularly use ads on television and other media. All the ads make an identical promise that you’ll save big if you move your policy. But how can every company claim to save you money?

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the driver that is profitable for them. For instance, a driver they prefer could possibly be between 25 and 40, insures multiple vehicles, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A driver that hits that “sweet spot” is entitled to the best price and most likely will cut their rates substantially.

Drivers who are not a match for these standards must pay a higher premium which leads to business going elsewhere. The ad wording is “customers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently make those claims. This illustrates why you need to get as many comparisons as possible. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

Don’t pay full price with these seven discounts

Auto insurance companies do not list all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so we researched both well-publicized and also the lesser-known savings tricks you should be using.

Drive Less and Save – Fewer annual miles could be rewarded with lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Homeowners Pay Less – Being a homeowner can help you save on auto insurance because maintaining a house demonstrates responsibility.
Lower Rates for Military – Being on active duty in the military could mean lower rates.
Air Bag Discount – Cars that have air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can get savings up to 30%.
Sign Online – A few companies give back up to $50 just for signing your application online.
Club Memberships – Belonging to a civic or occupational organization could trigger savings when shopping for auto insurance.
No Charge for an Accident – A handful of insurance companies allow you one accident before your rates go up if your claims history is clear for a particular time prior to the accident.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. Even though it may seem like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way.

What happened to insurance agents?

Certain consumers would prefer to talk to a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is you can get the best rates but still work with a licensed agent.

After completing this simple form, the coverage information is sent to participating agents in Dover who will compete for your business. There is no need to even leave your home since price quotes are sent straight to your inbox. It’s the lowest rates and work with a local agent.

Deciding on an insurer shouldn’t rely on just the price. Here are some questions to ask:

If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
What insurance company do they write the most business with?
How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
Will your rates increase after a single accident?

Two different types of car insurance agents

If you’re trying to find a reputable insurance agent or broker, you need to know there are two types of agencies from which to choose. Dover agents can either be independent (non-captive) or captive.

Captive Insurance Agents

These agents work for only one company like Liberty Mutual, State Farm, Allstate and AAA. These agents are unable to give you multiple price quotes so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captives are very knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques which can be an advantage. Consumers frequently choose to use a captive agent mainly due to the brand legacy and strong financial ratings.

Shown below are captive agencies in Dover that can give you price quote information.

State Farm Insurance – 95 New Rochester Rd – Dover, NH 03820 – (603) 742-2220
Allstate Insurance – 827 Central Ave # 5 – Dover, NH 03820 – (603) 749-6666
Liberty Mutual Insurance – 828 Central Ave – Dover, NH 03820 – (603) 749-1045

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent agents are not required to write business for one company so they have the ability to put coverage with many different companies and potentially find a lower price. If you are not satisfied with one company, the business is moved internally and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparing rates, it’s recommended you get quotes from several independent insurance agents for the best price selection.Many can place coverage with smaller companies who may have lower rates.

Below is a short list of independent agents in Dover that are able to give price quote information.

Gowen and Wainwright Agency – 44 Dover Point Rd # E – Dover, NH 03820 – (603) 742-2552
Richardson Agency – 34 Dover Point Rd – Dover, NH 03820 – (603) 742-1616
KANE Insurance – 303 Central Ave – Dover, NH 03820 – (603) 742-6960
Mc Duffee Insurance – 93 Washington St – Dover, NH 03820 – (603) 742-1452

To view a complete directory of licensed insurance agents in Dover, visit this site.

After receiving positive responses and a good coverage price, it’s possible that you found an auto insurance agent that meets your needs to service your policy. Keep in mind once you purchase a policy you can terminate coverage whenever you wish so don’t feel that you’re stuck with a policy with no way out.

Auto insurance coverage basics

Understanding the coverages of your policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement.

Comprehensive coverages – Comprehensive insurance covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for things such as hail damage, hitting a deer, vandalism, hitting a bird and a broken windshield. The maximum payout your auto insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Coverage for medical payments – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for bills for things like dental work, prosthetic devices, chiropractic care, surgery and funeral costs. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Auto liability – This provides protection from damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property. Liability coverage has 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 liability limits of 25/50/25 which stand for $25,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property.

Liability coverage protects against things such as court costs, repair costs for stationary objects, attorney fees, emergency aid and funeral expenses. How much liability should you purchase? That is a personal decision, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford. New Hampshire state law requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/25,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy higher limits.

Collision coverages – This coverage will pay to fix damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision can pay for claims such as colliding with a tree, rolling your car, colliding with another moving vehicle, backing into a parked car and crashing into a building. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to raise the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Uninsured and underinsured coverage – This coverage provides protection when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for medical payments for you and your occupants and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.

Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (New Hampshire limits are 25/50/25), their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.

More quotes mean more savings

Consumers change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including extreme rates for teen drivers, not issuing a premium refund, delays in paying claims and even high prices. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, switching companies can be easy and end up saving you some money.

In this article, we covered some good ideas how you can shop for auto insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Consumers may even find the best price on auto insurance is with some of the lesser-known companies.

As you shop your coverage around, you should never buy less coverage just to save a little money. In too many instances, an insured dropped physical damage coverage and learned later that they should have had better coverage. Your aim should be to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price.

New Hampshire auto insurance information

More tips and info about auto insurance is available at the New Hampshire Insurance Department website. New Hampshire consumers can learn about insurance regulations, report car insurance fraud, view agent and company licensing information, and learn about specific coverages.

Additional helpful sites include this resource for New Hampshire auto insurance prices and this page for help finding agents in Dover, NH.