Car Insurance in Rutland – 8 Ways to Lower Rates

Tired of being strong-armed to buy car insurance? You’re in the same situation as most other car owners in Vermont. Numerous insurance companies battle for your hard-earned dollar, so it can be very hard to choose a company to find the lowest price

If you have insurance now or are looking for a new policy, you will benefit by learning to cut your premiums and possibly find even better coverage. Choosing the best insurance company for you in Rutland is not rocket science. Vermont drivers just need to understand the best way to compare price quotes on the web.

Discounts are basically free money

Auto insurance companies don’t necessarily list all available discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so we break down some of the more common and the more hidden ways to save on car insurance. If you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you are paying more than you should be.

• Homeowners Savings – Being a homeowner may trigger a car insurance policy discount because maintaining a house is proof that your finances are in order.
• Defensive Driving Course – Taking a course in driver safety could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
• Air Bag Discount – Cars that have air bags can receive discounts of 20% or more.
• Military Rewards – Being deployed with a military unit can result in better rates.
• Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Drivers who require all occupants to wear their seat belts can save up to 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
• Drive Less and Save – Driving fewer miles could qualify for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
• Employee of Federal Government – Simply working for the federal government could cut as much as 10% off with a few car insurance companies.
• Life Insurance – Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase life insurance.

It’s important to note that some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Most cut individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So despite the fact that it appears you could get a free car insurance policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.

To see a list of providers with the best car insurance discounts in Vermont, follow this link.

Will just any policy work for me?

When it comes to choosing adequate coverage, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Every situation is different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For instance, these questions might help in determining if your insurance needs may require specific advice.

• What are Vermont no-fault laws?
• Is borrowed equipment or tools covered if stolen or damaged?
• When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
• Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
• Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
• Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and you can get the answers you need.

Are insurance agents obsolete?

Some people would prefer to talk to a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Good agents can answer important questions and help submit paperwork. One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is you may find the lowest rates and still choose a local agent.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this form (opens in new window), the quote information gets sent to participating agents in Rutland who will compete for your coverage. You don’t have to even leave your home due to the fact that quote results will go immediately to your email address. Now that’s easy!

Picking an provider requires more thought than just a cheap price. Agents should be asked these questions:

• Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in Vermont?
• Is working in the agency their full-time job?
• Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
• Can they give you a list of client referrals?
• Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?
• How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
• How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?

Rutland insurance agencies come in two flavors

When looking for local Rutland agents, there are two types of insurance agents from which to choose. Agencies in Rutland can either be independent (non-captive) or captive. Both types can properly insure your vehicles, but it’s worth mentioning how they differ since it may influence the selection process.

Agency Captives

Captive insurance agents write business for a single company such as Allstate, AAA, Liberty Mutual and State Farm. They are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captive agencies are well schooled on their products and sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.

Listed below are Rutland captive agencies who may provide you with price quotes.

State Farm Insurance – 56 Allen St – Rutland, VT 05701 – (802) 747-7975
Allstate Insurance – 240 S Main St – Rutland, VT 05701 – (802) 775-2587

Independent Agents

These agents do not work for one specific company but instead can place your coverage with many different companies depending on which coverage is best. To transfer your coverage to a different company, an independent agent can move your coverage without you having to go to a different agency.

When searching for an agent, it’s a good idea to include price quotes from several independent insurance agents to have the most options to choose from.

The following are independent insurance agents in Rutland that are able to give comparison quotes.

Horace Mann Insurance Co – 15 Catherine Dr – Rutland, VT 05701 – (802) 773-4993
Rabideau Agency – 40 Woodstock Ave – Rutland, VT 05701 – (802) 775-1628
Ken Nelson Agency – 56 1/2 Merchants Row # 309 – Rutland, VT 05701 – (802) 770-1751
Don Steere Agency – 607 Us Route 4 E – Rutland, VT 05701 – (802) 775-2746
Smith Insurance – 56 1/2 Merchants Row # 220 – Rutland, VT 05701 – (802) 775-5655

For a full directory of licensed insurance agents in Rutland, please go to this site.

Once you have positive feedback and locked in a price quote, it’s possible that you found an auto insurance agent that can adequately provide car insurance.

The fine print in car insurance ads

Consumers can’t get away from ads that promise big savings by Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm. They all seem to say the same thing of big savings after switching to their company.

But how can every company make the same claim? This is how they do it.

Insurance companies can use profiling for the type of driver that earns them a profit. A good example of a preferred risk could possibly be between the ages of 40 and 55, has no prior claims, and drives newer vehicles. Any new insured who matches those parameters gets the lowest rates and therefore will cut their rates substantially.

Consumers who do not match this ideal profile will be quoted a more expensive rate which usually ends up with business not being written. The ads say “drivers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much. That is how insurance companies can confidently make the claims of big savings. This emphasizes why it is so important to compare as many rates as you can. It’s just too difficult to predict which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Learn more today

Even more information is available at the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation website. Visitors are able to learn about insurance regulations, learn about specific coverages, download brochures, and get help finding coverage.

Other informative sites include this site for Vermont car insurance information and this link which helps you find a Rutland agent.

Car insurance coverage breakdown

Having a good grasp of car insurance helps when choosing the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. These are typical coverage types available from car insurance companies.

Uninsured or underinsured coverage

Your UM/UIM coverage provides protection when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your vehicle.

Due to the fact that many Vermont drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (25/50/10), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family.

Medical expense coverage

Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for short-term medical expenses for things like rehabilitation expenses, hospital visits, funeral costs and dental work. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance plan or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and will also cover getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Comprehensive protection

This coverage will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for things such as a tree branch falling on your vehicle, hitting a bird, theft and hail damage. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Liability

This can cover damage or injury you incur to people or other property in an accident. It protects YOU against other people’s claims, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You might see liability limits of 50/100/50 that means you have $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property.

Liability coverage protects against claims like repair costs for stationary objects, legal defense fees and court costs. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but buy as high a limit as you can afford. Vermont requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/10,000 but you should consider buying more coverage.

Collision coverage protection

Collision coverage pays for damage to your vehicle from colliding with another car or object. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision insurance covers things like damaging your car on a curb, backing into a parked car, colliding with a tree, rolling your car and sideswiping another vehicle. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also increase the deductible to bring the cost down.

Buy online or local, you save

Cost effective car insurance can be purchased from both online companies and with local Rutland insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to get a complete price analysis. A few companies do not offer online quoting and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

While you’re price shopping online, it’s not a good idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In too many instances, an insured cut collision coverage to discover at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The proper strategy is to buy the best coverage you can find at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.