7 Proven Ways to Cut Your Car Insurance Cost in Berlin, New Hampshire
Are you a victim of overpriced car insurance? Trust us, there are lots of people in the same boat. There are many auto insurance companies to pick from, and although it’s a good thing to have multiple companies, having more insurers makes it harder to compare rates and cut insurance costs.
How much can you save with discounts?
Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but you can get discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Certain discounts will be applied when you quote, but a few need to be manually applied in order for you to get them. If you aren’t receiving every discount available, you’re paying more than you need to.
- Braking Control Discount – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems can avoid accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Good Student Discount – Performing well in school can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply up until you turn 25.
- Claim Free – Drivers who don’t have accidents can save substantially as compared to accident-prone drivers.
- Early Switch Discount – Some companies give discounts for switching policies before your current expiration date. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- E-sign – Certain companies give back up to $50 simply for signing online.
- Save over 55 – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get better car insurance rates.
- Service Members Pay Less – Being deployed with a military unit can result in better rates.
- Employee of Federal Government – Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount with select insurance companies.
- Multiple Cars – Having all your vehicles with the same company can get a discount on all vehicles.
A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So despite the fact that it appears all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won’t be that lucky. But any discount will reduce your overall premium however.
To see a list of insurance companies who offer car insurance discounts in Berlin, click this link.
How to Compare Car Insurance Costs in Berlin, NH
Comparing car insurance rates can take hours if you aren’t aware of the fastest way to get free quotes. You can spend countless hours talking about coverages with local insurance agents in Berlin, or you could use online quoting to get prices fast.
Most major companies take part in a program where prospective buyers send in one quote, and at least one company returns a competitive quote. This prevents consumers from doing repetitive form submissions to each company.
To compare rates using this form now click here (opens in new window).
The only drawback to doing it this way is you don’t know exactly which providers you will receive quotes from. So if you want to choose individual companies to compare rates, we have a page of car insurance companies in New Hampshire. Click to view list.
It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but double check that you are using apples-to-apples information for every company. If your comparisons have different values for each quote you can’t possibly determine which rate is truly the best in Berlin.
Factors that affect insurance rates
Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that go into determining your car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get better car insurance rates.
- Liability insurance protects assets – The liability section of your policy is the protection in the event that you are found liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It provides you with a defense in court up to the limits shown on your policy. Liability is cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
- Males pay more for insurance – Statistics have proven women tend to be less risk to insure than men. Now that doesn’t mean men are worse drivers. They both tend to get into accidents in similar percentages, but men tend to have more serious accidents. Men also have more aggressive citations like reckless driving and DUI.
- Where you live is a factor – Choosing to live in less populated areas is a positive aspect when talking about car insurance. Lower population means fewer accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft. Drivers in populated New Hampshire areas have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. More time commuting means higher likelihood of an accident.
- Pay less if you’re married – Having a wife or husband actually saves money when buying car insurance. Marriage translates into being more mature than a single person and it’s statistically proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
Can’t I compare rates from local Berlin agents?
Some people just want to buy from a licensed agent and that is OK! Educated insurance agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and give you someone to call. The best thing about price shopping on the web is that you can obtain lower rates and still have an agent to talk to. And supporting local businesses is important particularly in Berlin.
To find an agent, once you fill out this form (opens in new window), the quote information is sent to insurance agents in Berlin who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to even leave your home due to the fact that quote results will go to the email address you provide. It doesn’t get any easier!
Types of insurance agents
When looking for a reputable insurance agent or broker, there are a couple of different types of agents from which to choose. Agents are categorized either captive or independent. Both properly insure your vehicles, but it’s worth learning how they are different since it may influence buying decisions.
Independent Agents
Independent agencies do not work for one specific company but instead can place your coverage amongst many companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If you are not satisfied with one company, the business is moved internally and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparison shopping, you should always contact several independent insurance agents for the best price selection.
Shown below is a list of independent insurance agencies in Berlin willing to provide price quote information.
Croteau Agency – 324 Main St – Berlin, NH 03570 – (603) 752-2304
Captive Agents
This type of agents can only write with one company and some examples include Liberty Mutual, Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. These agents are not able to compare other company’s rates so keep that in mind. Captives are usually quite knowledgeable on their company’s products and that can be a competitive advantage.
Selecting an insurance agency needs to be determined by more than just the premium amount. 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)?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in New Hampshire?
- Do they regularly work with personal auto policies?
- Who are their largest clients?
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
- If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
Upon receiving positive feedback to any questions you have and an affordable coverage quote, most likely you have located an auto insurance agent that meets your needs to service your policy.
Drivers who switch save $434 a year? Really?
New Hampshire drivers can’t ignore all the ads for the lowest price auto insurance by companies like Allstate and Progressive. All the companies have a common claim that you’ll save big if you move to them.
How do they all say the same thing?
All the different companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of customer that earns them a profit. A good example of a driver they prefer might be a mature driver, a clean driving record, and chooses high deductibles. A customer who matches those parameters will get very good rates and as a result will probably pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Potential customers who don’t measure up to the requirements will be charged higher premiums which leads to business going elsewhere. The ads say “customers that switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. This is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the way they do.
That is why you should get as many comparisons as possible. You cannot predict which company will give you the biggest savings.
More quotes mean more savings
We just covered a lot of techniques to lower your car insurance rates. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the lowest rates come from an unexpected company. They may only write in your state and offer lower rates as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.
Lower-priced car insurance can be bought on the web as well as from independent agents in Berlin, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. There are still a few companies who don’t offer online quoting and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.
More information is located on the website for the New Hampshire Insurance Department found here. Consumers can get help finding coverage, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, download brochures, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.
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