9 Must-Know Tricks When Buying Bethlehem Car Insurance

If shopping for car insurance online is new to you, you may be overwhelmed by the sheer number of companies competing for business in Bethlehem.

It’s a good idea to check car insurance prices every six months since rates are constantly changing. Despite the fact that you may have had the best rates on your last policy there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because we’re going to demonstrate one of the best ways to eliminate unnecessary coverages and save money.

This article will familiarize you with the most effective way to quote insurance and some tricks to saving. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to cut costs considerably using these techniques. Pennsylvania consumers just need to understand the most efficient way to find the lowest price over the internet.

Lots of discounts mean lots of savings

Car insurance is not cheap, buy you may qualify for discounts to cut the cost considerably. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at quote time, but less common discounts must be manually applied prior to getting the savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount you deserve, you’re just leaving money on the table.

• Safe Driver Discount – Insureds without accidents may save up to 50% more than drivers with accident claims.
• Auto/Life Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with lower rates if you buy life insurance from them.
• E-sign – Certain companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks simply for signing on their website.
• Payment Method – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of making monthly payments you could save up to 5%.
• Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags can get savings of 20% or more.
• Anti-lock Brake Discount – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can reduce accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
• Homeowners Discount – Being a homeowner can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home shows financial diligence.
• Bundle and Save – If you insure your home and vehicles with the same company you may earn up to 20% off your total premium.
• Early Signing – Some insurance companies reward drivers for signing up prior to your current policy expiring. This can save 10% or more.
• Service Members Pay Less – Being deployed with a military unit could mean lower rates.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So despite the fact that it appears it’s possible to get free car insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way. But all discounts will help reduce the amount you have to pay.

For a list of providers offering car insurance discounts in Pennsylvania, click this link.

What determines how much you pay?

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that go into determining your car insurance rates. Understanding what controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that can help you get better car insurance rates.

Listed below are a partial list of the pieces that factor into your rates.

• Cautious drivers pay less – Your driving citation history impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Good drivers tend to pay less for car insurance than their less careful counterparts. Only having one ticket can increase rates forty percent or more. Drivers who have dangerous citations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility to the state department of motor vehicles in order to prevent a license revocation.
• Being married can save on car insurance – Being married actually saves money when buying car insurance. It means you’re more mature and responsible and statistics show being married results in fewer claims.
• Poor credit can mean higher rates – Your credit history is a important factor in determining your rates. If your credit history is not that good, you could pay less to insure your by repairing your credit. Drivers who have high credit scores tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with lower credit scores.
• Proper usage rating affects rates – The more you drive in a year’s time the higher your rate. Most insurance companies rate vehicles based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars and trucks used primarily for pleasure use qualify for better rates than those used for commuting. Double check that your car insurance policy properly reflects the correct driver usage.
• Occupation reflects on rates – Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Occupations like judges, business owners and accountants are shown to have higher rates than average because of stressful work requirements and lots of time spent at work. On the flip side, professions such as actors, athletes and performers pay the least.
• High crash test scores lower rates – Cars with high safety ratings can get you lower premiums. These vehicles result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity means less money paid by your insurance company and lower rates for you.
• Never go without insurance – Not having insurance can get your license suspended and car insurance companies will penalize you for letting your coverage lapse. Not only will you pay more, failure to provide proof of insurance will get you a revoked license or a big fine.You may then be required to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the Pennsylvania motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.

Different people need different coverages

When choosing adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Everyone’s needs are different.

These are some specific questions can help discover whether or not you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
• Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
• Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
• Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Bethlehem?
• Is my vehicle covered for flood damage?
• Am I covered when using my vehicle for business?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form. It’s fast, free and can help protect your family.

Quote online but work with a neighborhood agent

Certain consumers would prefer to buy from a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Educated insurance agents can point out coverage gaps and help you file claims. The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain the lowest rates but also keep your business local. Buying from small agencies is definitely important in Bethlehem.

To find an agent, once you fill out this quick form, the quote information is emailed to insurance agents in Bethlehem who will battle for your business. You won’t need to leave your computer because quoted prices will be sent immediately to your email address. It doesn’t get any easier!

If you prefer to view licensed agents in Bethlehem, visit this site.

Picking an insurance company needs to be determined by more than just a low price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:

• Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
• What insurance company do they write the most business with?
• Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
• Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
• Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?
• Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
• Do they assist clients in filing claims?
• How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?

Upon receiving positive feedback for all questions you ask and a low price estimate, most likely you have located a company that can provide car insurance coverage.

Read more about Pennsylvania car insurance

Much more information about car insurance in Pennsylvania is available on the Pennsylvania Insurance Department website. Click here for link. Pennsylvania consumers can view agent and company licensing information, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and file complaints about a company.

Buy online or local, you save

We just showed you a lot of ways to reduce car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. You may be surprised to find that the lowest rates come from a lesser-known regional company.

While you’re price shopping online, it’s not a good idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. In too many instances, someone dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to find out they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.

Discount car insurance is available from both online companies in addition to many Bethlehem insurance agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.