Car Insurance in Warwick Rhode Island – 6 Discounts Consumers are Missing

Having to pay for overpriced car insurance can dwindle your checking account and make it impossible to make ends meet. Comparison shopping is a great way to slash your bill and have more diposable income. Numerous insurance companies battle for your hard-earned dollar, and because of this it can be hard to compare auto insurance companies and uncover the absolute best rates possible.

It’s a good habit to price shop coverage every six months since rates change quite often. Even if you got the best price six months ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. So just block out anything you think you know about car insurance because it’s time to teach you the best way to properly buy coverages and cut your premium.

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

Getting a cheaper price on insurance isn’t really that difficult. Consumers just need to spend a few minutes on the computer comparing rate quotes online from several insurance companies. This can be done using a couple different methods.

1. The most efficient way to find the lowest comparison rates is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This easy form eliminates the need for repetitive form submissions for each company. Filling out one form gets rate comparisons .
2. A harder way to analyze rates consists of visiting each company website to complete a price quote. For examples sake, we’ll pretend you want to compare rates from Progressive, GEICO and American Family. You would have to spend time on each company’s site and enter your information, which is why most consumers use the first method.

   For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Warwick, click here.

3. The hardest way to compare rates is driving to different Warwick agent offices. Buying insurance online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you have a need for the professional advice only provided by licensed Warwick agents. However, consumers can comparison shop your insurance online and get advice from an agent in your area and you’ll learn how to do that later.

Whichever method you choose, ensure you are comparing identical information on every quote you get. If you have different liability limits you can’t possibly determine the lowest rate in Warwick.

Save big with these six discounts

Car insurance companies do not list all available discounts very well, so here is a list both the well known and also the lesser-known ways to save on car insurance. If you don’t get every credit possible, you are throwing money away.

• No Accidents – Drivers who don’t have accidents can save substantially when compared to drivers who are more careless.
• Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who require all occupants to use a seat belt could save 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
• Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Driving fewer miles can qualify you for a substantially lower rate.
• New Car Discount – Putting insurance coverage on a new car can cost up to 25% less since new cars are generally safer.
• Multiple Policy Discount – When you combine your home and auto insurance with one company you will save approximately 10% to 15%.
• Accident Forgiveness – A handful of insurance companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums so long as you haven’t had any claims for a set time period.

Drivers should understand that some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Most cut specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. So even though it sounds like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won’t be that lucky.

To see a list of companies with discount car insurance rates in Rhode Island, click this link.

Your coverage should be tailored to you

When buying the best car insurance coverage, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so this has to be addressed. For instance, these questions may help you determine if you could use an agent’s help.

• Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
• Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
• Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
• Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
• Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
• What should my uninsured motorist coverage limits be in Rhode Island?
• Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
• Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It only takes a few minutes and can provide invaluable advice.

But I prefer to buy car insurance from an agent

Some people would rather sit down with an agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Educated insurance agents can point out coverage gaps and help you file claims. The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is you can get lower rates but also keep your business local.

To help locate an agent, after submitting this quick form, your insurance data is sent to companies in Warwick who will return price quotes for your business. There is no need to leave your computer due to the fact that quote results will go directly to your email.

Deciding on a company requires more thought than just a cheap price. Some important questions to ask are:

• What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
• Does the agency support the community they serve?
• Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
• Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
• Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
• Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
• Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?

Different types of insurance agencies in Warwick

When searching for a local agent, you need to know there are two different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies in Warwick are categorized either captive or independent (non-captive). Both do a good job, but it’s good to learn the differences because it can influence your selection of an agent.

Agency Captives

Captive agents are contracted to one company and examples are American Family, State Farm and Allstate. They are unable to give you multiple price quotes so they have no alternatives for high prices. These agents are trained well on the products they sell which helps them compete with independent agents.

Shown below is a list of captive insurance agents in Warwick that can give you price quote information.

Allstate Insurance Co – 873 Warwick Ave – Warwick, RI 02888 – (401) 781-5335

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent insurance agents do not work for one specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with many different companies depending on which coverage is best. If your agent finds better pricing, the agent simply finds a different carrier without you having to go to a different agency.

When comparison shopping, you should always get quotes from at least one independent agent for the best price selection.

Listed below are Warwick independent insurance agencies that are able to give price quotes.

Patricia Manning Smith Agency – 808 Main Ave – Warwick, RI 02886 – (401) 737-0535
Ocean Marine Insurance Inc – 334 Knight St # 134 – Warwick, RI 02886 – (401) 732-5300
Daniel Bell Agency – 3590 W Shore Rd – Warwick, RI 02886 – (401) 732-1001
Donna M Di Biasio Insurance – – Warwick, RI 02886 – (401) 826-1067
Rambikur Agency – 808 Main Ave – Warwick, RI 02886 – (401) 737-0535

To view a complete directory of insurance agents in Warwick, visit this link.

Upon receiving reasonable responses to all your questions and an acceptable price quote, most likely you have located an insurance agent that meets your needs to properly service your car insurance policy. But keep in mind consumers can cancel a policy at any time so don’t feel that you are obligated to a specific agent for the entire policy term.

Car insurance coverages

Having a good grasp of a car insurance policy aids in choosing the right coverages for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Below you’ll find typical coverage types found on the average car insurance policy.

Comprehensive or Other Than Collision – This coverage will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for claims such as theft, a broken windshield and vandalism. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Collision – This coverage pays for damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision insurance covers claims such as hitting a parking meter, damaging your car on a curb, crashing into a ditch, backing into a parked car and scraping a guard rail. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from older vehicles. You can also bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

UM/UIM Coverage – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your vehicle.

Due to the fact that many Rhode Island drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (which is 25/50/25), their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage is very important.

Medical costs insurance – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for expenses like surgery, doctor visits, pain medications and dental work. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Liability coverages – Liability insurance provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to other people or property. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You commonly see limits of 50/100/50 that means you have a limit of $50,000 per injured person, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $50,000.

Liability coverage pays for claims such as emergency aid, legal defense fees, pain and suffering and repair costs for stationary objects. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but consider buying as large an amount as possible. Rhode Island requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/25,000 but you should consider buying higher limits.

In Summary

When shopping online for car insurance, it’s very important that you do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many situations where drivers have reduced physical damage coverage and discovered at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price while still protecting your assets.

We just covered a lot of ways to get a better price on car insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the lowest rates come from the least-expected company. These smaller insurers often have lower prices on specific markets than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate and Progressive.

More detailed Rhode Island car insurance information is located at the Rhode Island Division of Insurance Regulation website. Visitors are able to find disaster information, read industry bulletins, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.

Other informative sites include this link for Rhode Island car insurance quotes and this list of agents in Warwick, RI.