Expert Techniques to Paying Less for Pittsfield Car Insurance

Are you intimidated by the number of car insurance companies in Pittsfield? Many other consumers are too. There are so many choices that it can be more work than you anticipated to find the perfect company for you.

You should make it a habit to do rate comparisons every six months due to the fact that insurance rates are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Just because you found the best deal a couple years back you will most likely find a better rate today. So just forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you’re going to get a crash course in the fastest and easiest way to save money, get proper coverage and the best rates.

Locating cheaper car insurance in Pittsfield is not that difficult. Basically, everyone who has to buy car insurance stands a good chance to be able to cut their insurance bill. But Massachusetts car owners must understand the methods companies use to determine prices and take advantage of how the system works.

Components of your insurance rates

It’s important that you understand the factors that go into determining your car insurance rates. Understanding what controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that could result in big savings.

No coverage gaps is important – Not having insurance is illegal and as a result your rates will increase for letting your coverage have a gap. And not only will your rates increase, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance may earn you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.Then you may be required to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the Massachusetts DMV.
Sex matters – Statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, don’t assume that women are better drivers. They both have accidents in similar percentages, but the males cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. They also get more serious tickets like reckless driving and DUI.
The type of vehicle makes a difference – The type of car you own makes a significant difference in your rates. Economy passenger cars usually have the lowest rates, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
Where do you drive? – The more miles you rack up on your car each year the higher your rates will be. The majority of insurers price each vehicle’s coverage based on how the vehicle is used. Vehicles that are left in the garage can get a lower rate compared to those used for work or business. Verify your car insurance policy properly reflects how each vehicle is driven, because it can save money.
Where you live can impact rates – Choosing to live in a small town is a positive aspect when it comes to car insurance. Drivers who live in large cities have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Less people living in that area means fewer accidents and a lower car theft rate.
Liability coverage protects you – Your policy’s liability coverage will protect you if a jury decides you are liable for personal injury or accident damage. Liability insurance provides legal defense coverage starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so buy as much as you can afford.
Bundling policies can get discounts – Some insurers will give a discount to policyholders who have multiple policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can add up to five, ten or even twenty percent. Even if you’re getting this discount you may still want to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal.
Poor credit can mean higher rates – Having a bad credit rating is a huge factor in calculating your car insurance rates. Consumers who have good credit tend to be less risk to insure than drivers with poor credit. If your credit can use some improvement, you could potentially save money when insuring your by repairing your credit.

Be sure to get all your discounts

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but you may find discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Certain discounts will be applied at the time of quoting, but some may not be applied and must be specially asked for before they will apply.

Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may earn rate discounts of more than 20%.
Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Fewer annual miles could qualify for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Homeowners Savings – Simply owning a home may trigger a car insurance policy discount due to the fact that maintaining a home shows financial diligence.
Auto/Home Discount – If you have multiple policies with one company you will save at least 10% off all policies.
Drive Safe and Save – Insureds without accidents may save up to 50% more than drivers with accident claims.
Government Employees – Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off with a few car insurance companies.
Paperless Signup – Certain companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks just for signing your application over the internet.
Claim Free – Good drivers with no accidents pay less when compared to drivers who are more careless.

It’s important to understand that most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only reduce individual premiums such as comp or med pay. Just because it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you won’t be that lucky. But all discounts will reduce the amount you have to pay.

To choose insurance companies who offer car insurance discounts in Pittsfield, click here.

Won’t my local insurance agent miss me?

Certain consumers prefer to visit with an insurance agent and that is a personal choice. The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is you can get better rates but still work with a licensed agent. And providing support for local insurance agencies is important especially in Pittsfield.

To find an agent, once you fill out this quick form, the quote information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents who will return price quotes for your business. You won’t need to leave your computer as quotes are delivered directly to your email. How’s that for easy! You can find better rates without the usual hassles of price shopping.<img class="alignright" style="padding-top:15px" src="https://www.findnewcarinsurance.com/wp-content/uploads/ci175-62.jpg" alt="Auto insurance in Massachusetts” />

Types of insurance agents in Pittsfield

If you’re trying to find local Pittsfield agents, you need to know there are two types of insurance agents that you can select. Agencies in Pittsfield are either captive or independent.

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Independent insurance agents do not work for one specific company so they have the ability to put coverage amongst many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, an independent agent can move your coverage without you having to go to a different agency. When shopping rates, you should always contact at least one independent agent to ensure the widest selection of prices. Most have the option of insuring with lesser-known insurance companies which can save you money.

Shown below is a list of independent insurance agencies in Pittsfield that can give you rate quotes.

JNP Insurance and Financial – 2 South St – Pittsfield, MA 01201 – (413) 442-7506
Read-Shaw Insurance Inc – 128 South St – Pittsfield, MA 01201 – (413) 443-5943

Agency Captives

This type of agents can only write with one company and some examples include Allstate, State Farm and Farmers Insurance. They usually cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. They are very knowledgeable on their company’s products and that can be a competitive advantage. Some people will only choose to use a captive agent mostly because of the prominence of the brand and solid financial strength.

Choosing an insurance agency needs to be determined by more than just the premium amount. Some important questions to ask are:

Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
Are they full-time agents?
Who are their largest clients?
Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?

Once you have received acceptable answers for all questions you ask and a good coverage price, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that can properly insure your vehicles.

Is there truth in advertising?

Companies like State Farm and Allstate continually stream ads on TV and radio. All the ads make the same claim about savings after switching to them. But how can every company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.

All companies are able to cherry pick for the type of customer that makes them money. A good example of a driver they prefer might be profiled as over the age of 40, a clean driving record, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Any new insured who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Consumers who do not match the “perfect” profile must pay higher prices and this can result in business going elsewhere. The ads say “people who switch” not “people who quote” save that kind of money. That is how companies can make the claims of big savings.

This illustrates why it is so important to get as many comparisons as possible. It’s not possible to predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.

Much more information about car insurance in Massachusetts is located on the Massachusetts Division of Insurance website through this link. Massachusetts drivers can file complaints about a company, find disaster information, and read consumer alerts.

The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest

When you buy insurance online, never buy less coverage just to save a little money. In too many instances, someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to discover later that it was a big mistake. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.

Consumers leave their current company for any number of reasons including delays in responding to claim requests, policy cancellation, poor customer service and delays in paying claims. Whatever your reason, choosing a new insurance company can be easy and end up saving you some money.

Affordable car insurance can be bought online and with local Pittsfield insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some car insurance companies do not offer online quoting and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.