Finding affordable North Haven auto insurance can be challenging for beginners to buying insurance online. People have so many companies to choose from that it can quickly become a ton of work to compare prices in North Haven.
This article will teach you how to get online quotes and some money-saving tips. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will be able to save some money using these tips. Connecticut drivers only need to know the tricks to compare prices online.
How to Compare Auto Insurance in North Haven
Finding lower auto insurance rates is not a difficult process. You just have to take time to compare quotes provided by online insurance companies. This can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.
- The best way to find the lowest comparison rates would be an industry-wide quote request form click here to open form in new window. This easy form saves time by eliminating repetitive form entry for each company you want a rate for. A single, simple form will return quotes from all major companies.It’s the quickest way to get rates.
- A more difficult way to compare prices requires a trip to each company website to request a price quote. For example, we’ll pretend you want comparison quotes from Progressive, Liberty Mutual and Travelers. To get rate quotes you would need to go to every website and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is quicker. To view a list of companies in North Haven, click here.
- The hardest way to get comparison rates is to spend time driving to different North Haven agent offices. The ability to buy insurance online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you want the personal advice that only a license agent can provide. You can, however, compare the best prices online and get advice from an agent in your area. We’ll cover that shortly.
It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but double check that you are using exactly the same quote information with each company. If you enter different deductibles it will be impossible to decipher which rate is best in North Haven.
How much can you save with discounts?
Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but companies offer discounts to help bring down the price. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be specially asked for before you will receive the discount. If you don’t get every credit possible, you are throwing money away.
- Memberships – Affiliation with a civic or occupational organization may earn a discount on auto insurance.
- Drivers Ed for Students – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver’s ed class in school.
- Military Rewards – Being on active duty in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
- No Charge for an Accident – A handful of insurance companies allow you one accident before your rates go up so long as you haven’t had any claims for a set time period.
- Employee of Federal Government – Simply working for the federal government can save as much as 8% depending on your company.
- Seat Belt Usage – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could cut 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
A little note about advertised discounts, some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won’t be that lucky. Any amount of discount will bring down your premiums.
For a list of companies with discount auto insurance rates in Connecticut, click here.
Many Things Influence your Rates
It’s important that you understand the different types of things that come into play when calculating your auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that can help you get better auto insurance rates.
The list below includes some of the items that factor into your rates.
- Claim-free discounts can add up – Car insurance companies in Connecticut generally give better rates to people who do not file claims often. If you frequently file small claims, you can look forward to either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
- Optional equipment can affect rates – Driving a car that has an advanced theft prevention system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention devices such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder auto theft.
- Men pay higher rates – Statistics have proven that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, this does not mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Both sexes cause accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species have costlier accidents. Men also tend to get cited for more serious violations like DUI and reckless driving. Youthful male drivers are most likely to cause an accident and thus pay the highest rates.
- Liability coverage is cheap – Liability insurance is the coverage that protects you if ever you are found liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability provides you with a defense in court starting from day one. This coverage is very inexpensive compared to physical damage coverage, so drivers should carry high limits.
- Your age impacts your rates – Teenage drivers in Connecticut have a tendency to be less responsible in a vehicle so they pay higher auto insurance rates. Mature drivers tend to be more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers.
- Your credit rating is important – Having a bad credit rating is a big factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. Drivers with high credit ratings tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers with lower credit scores. If your credit history can use some improvement, you could save money insuring your by repairing your credit.
- Your location is important – Being located in a rural area can save you money when buying auto insurance. Urban drivers have traffic congestion and much longer commute distances. Lower population means fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
- Do you work long hours in a high stress job? – Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupations like real estate brokers, architects and accountants are shown to have higher rates than average attributed to job stress and long work hours. On the flip side, professions such as pilots, athletes and homemakers pay the least.
What about my local North Haven agents?
Certain consumers just want to sit down with an agent and that is OK! Licensed agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and give you someone to call. The best thing about comparing rates online is the fact that you can find better rates but still work with a licensed agent. And supporting small agencies is important especially in North Haven.
After filling out this short form, your coverage information is sent to companies in North Haven who will compete for your coverage. There is no reason to leave your computer as quotes are delivered to the email address you provide. How cool is that?!
If you prefer to view a list of agents in North Haven to contact, simply jump to this page.
Selecting a company needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. These questions are important to ask:
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
- How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
- Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
Once you have acceptable answers to these questions and locked in a price quote, you have narrowed it down to an provider that can insure your vehicles.
When might I need an agent?
When buying the best auto insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a best way to insure your cars. Each situation is unique.
For example, these questions could help you determine whether your personal situation might need an agent’s assistance.
- Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
- Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?
- Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
- Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
- Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Connecticut?
- Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
- When should my teen driver be added to my policy?
- Is my teen driver covered when they drive my company car?
- What can I do if my company denied a claim?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form. It is quick, free and can provide invaluable advice.
Additional auto insurance information is available on the Connecticut Insurance Department website. Click here for link. Connecticut consumers can report car insurance fraud, file complaints about a company, and get help finding coverage.
Additional helpful sites include this site for rates in Connecticut and this page of insurance agents in North Haven.
Best coverage at the best price
Consumers change insurance companies for a number of reasons such as denial of a claim, delays in paying claims, high prices and poor customer service. It doesn’t matter what your reason, switching companies can be easy and end up saving you some money.
When trying to cut insurance costs, you should never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are too many instances where consumers will sacrifice liability coverage limits only to regret they didn’t have enough coverage. Your strategy should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.
We just presented a lot of ways to compare auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may even find the biggest savings come from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.