Auto Insurance in Brookline Massachusetts – 6 Tricks to Cut Costs

Cutting costs on Brookline auto insurance can be challenging for beginners to comparing rates online. You have so many choices that it can quickly become a challenge to find the best price in Brookline.

Choosing the best insurance company for you in Brookline is quite easy. Basically, every driver who buys auto insurance will most likely be able to cut their insurance bill. Although Massachusetts vehicle owners do need to understand how big insurance companies price online insurance and apply this information to your search.

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

There are several ways of comparing rate quotes from local in Brooklineauto insurance companies. The easiest way to find the lowest rates is to perform an online rate comparison. It is quite easy and can be accomplished using a couple different methods.

• The most efficient way to get the best comparison quotes is to use a rate comparison form like this one (opens in new window). This form prevents you from having to do a different quote for each company you want a rate for. Completing one form gets rate comparisons direct from many companies. Recommended for those who want to invest the least amount of time.
• A more time consuming way to compare rate quotes is going to each company website to complete a price quote. For examples sake, let’s assume you want to compare Auto-Owners, Esurance and Farmers. To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site to input your insurance information, which is why most consumers use the first method.

  For a list of links to insurance companies in Brookline, click here.

• The most time-consuming way to get comparison rates is to spend your day driving to insurance agents’ offices. Shopping for auto insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you require the personal advice of a licensed agent. However, consumers can comparison shop online and still use a local agent and we’ll touch on that later.

It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just ensure you’re using the exact same coverages and limits for every quote you compare. If you enter differing limits it will be next to impossible to find the best deal in Brookline. Slightly different coverages can make a big difference in price. It’s important to know that obtaining a wide range of quotes helps you find the best offered rates.

Verify you’re getting all your discounts

Auto insurance companies do not advertise all their discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we took the time to find some of the best known and the harder-to-find auto insurance savings.

• Early Signing – A few companies offer discounts for switching policies prior to your current policy expiring. This can save 10% or more.
• Anti-lock Brake Discount – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems can reduce accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
• Clubs and Organizations – Affiliation with a civic or occupational organization could qualify you for a break on auto insurance.
• Distant Student – Kids in college who are attending college and do not have a car can receive lower rates.
• New Car Discount – Putting insurance coverage on a new car can cost up to 25% less since new cars are generally safer.
• Good Student – Getting good grades can save 20 to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you up until you turn 25.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears you could get a free auto insurance policy, it just doesn’t work that way.

For a list of insurance companies offering auto insurance discounts in Massachusetts, follow this link.

What happened to insurance agents?

A small number of people prefer to sit down with an agent. One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is you can get the lowest rates and still choose a local agent.

Once you complete this form (opens in new window), your insurance coverage information is emailed to participating agents in Brookline who will compete for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to even leave your home since price quotes are sent to the email address you provide. You’ll get the best rates AND an agent nearby.

Choosing an insurance company shouldn’t rely on just a low price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:

• If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
• What insurance company do they write the most business with?
• How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
• Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
• Are they full-time agents?
• If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
• Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
• Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?

If you want to view licensed agents in Brookline, simply jump to this page.

Upon getting acceptable answers as well as a affordable price, you’ve probably found an insurance company that will service your policy. But remember, once you purchase a policy you can cancel your policy at any time so don’t assume you’re contractually obligated to any particular company with no way out.

More tips and info about auto insurance can be read at the Massachusetts Division of Insurance website. Massachusetts drivers can learn about specific coverages, find disaster information, download brochures, and discover disciplinary actions.

The coverage is in the details

Having a good grasp of auto insurance helps when choosing which coverages you need for your vehicles. Auto insurance terms can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy.

Collision coverage protection

This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision coverage pays for things like scraping a guard rail, damaging your car on a curb, sustaining damage from a pot hole and driving through your garage door. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to increase the deductible to bring the cost down.

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers

This protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your vehicle.

Since many Massachusetts drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (20/40/5 in Massachusetts), their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision)

This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims like damage from flooding, fire damage, vandalism, hail damage and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The highest amount a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Medical expense insurance

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for expenses for chiropractic care, surgery, funeral costs, nursing services and prosthetic devices. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to you and your occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Liability

This provides protection from damage or injury you incur to people or other property in an accident. It consists of three limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You commonly see liability limits of 50/100/50 which stand for $50,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property.

Liability coverage protects against claims like bail bonds, court costs, medical services, loss of income and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but consider buying as much as you can afford. Massachusetts state law requires minimum liability limits of 20,000/40,000/5,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy more coverage.

Do the work, save more money

As you prepare to switch companies, you should never buy less coverage just to save a little money. There have been many cases where someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage only to regret that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your goal should be to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford.

Insureds switch companies for a number of reasons such as policy cancellation, lack of trust in their agent, unfair underwriting practices or even denial of a claim. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch choosing a new insurance company is not as difficult as it may seem.

The cheapest auto insurance is definitely available from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Brookline, so compare prices from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who don’t offer online price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.