How to Know You’re Wasting Money for Auto Insurance in Stratford Connecticut

Are you a victim of high-priced auto insurance? Trust us, there are lots of people in the same boat.

There are many insurers to purchase coverage from, and although it’s a good thing to have a choice, it can be more difficult to find the best rates.

It’s a good idea to check auto insurance prices periodically due to the fact that insurance rates are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Even if you got the best rates a few years ago there may be better deals available now. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding auto insurance on the web, but I’m going to show you some proven techniques to buy auto insurance cheaper.

Buying car insurance in Stratford is not rocket science. If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to cut costs considerably using these techniques. Although Connecticut drivers do need to understand how big insurance companies sell online and take advantage of how the system works.

Stratford Auto Insurance Quote Comparison

To find the best auto insurance prices, there are several ways to compare rate quotes from different in Stratford, CTinsurance companies. One of the best ways to find the cheapest insurance rates is to use the internet to compare rates. This can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

1. The first (and easiest) way to get the best comparison quotes is a comparison rater form click here to open form in new window. This method keeps you from doing separate quotes for every auto insurance company. One form submission gets you coverage quotes direct from many companies.
2. A slightly less efficient method to shop for auto insurance online requires visiting the website of each company to complete their respective quote request forms. For instance, we’ll pretend you want comparison quotes from Progressive, Safeco and State Farm. To find out each rate you need to visit each site and enter your information, which is why the first method is more popular.

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

3. The most time-consuming method to get comparison rates is to waste gas driving to local insurance agencies. The internet can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you have a need for the trained guidance that only a license agent can provide. You can, however, compare online quotes and still use a local agent. We’ll cover that shortly.

However you get your quotes, double check that you are using identical coverage limits on every quote. If the quotes have unequal deductibles or liability limits then you won’t be able to determine the lowest rate in Stratford. Slightly different coverage limits could mean much higher rates. Keep in mind that quoting more helps locate a better price.

Don’t overlook these discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don’t list all available discounts very clearly, so we researched some of the more common and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving.

• College Student – Youth drivers living away from home attending college without a vehicle on campus may be able to be covered for less.
• Military Rewards – Being deployed with a military unit could be rewarded with lower premiums.
• Employee of Federal Government – Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% with select insurance companies.
• Good Students Pay Less – This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you up to age 25.
• No Accidents – Claim-free drivers can save substantially as compared to accident-prone drivers.
• Early Switch Discount – Some companies give discounts for signing up prior to your current policy expiration. It’s a savings of about 10%.

Keep in mind that most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Most only apply to individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So even though they make it sound like it’s possible to get free car insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.

Neighborhood agents for auto insurance

Certain consumers just want to get advice from a local agent and that is just fine! The best thing about getting online price quotes is you can get the best rates and still have an agent to talk to.

For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, your coverage information is emailed to participating agents in Stratford who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. You don’t have to even leave your home due to the fact that quote results will go to your email. How’s that for easy! You can find the lowest rates AND a local agent.

Picking an provider needs to be determined by more than just the premium amount. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

• Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
• Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
• What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
• Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
• Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Connecticut?
• Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
• Do they make recommendations based only on price?
• Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?

The difference between Stratford insurance agencies

When searching for an insurance agent, there are two types of agencies to choose from. Agencies in Stratford are classified as either captive or independent (non-captive).

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agencies are contracted to one company and examples are Allstate, Farmers Insurance, State Farm and AAA. These agents are not able to place coverage with different providers so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agencies are trained well on the products they sell which helps them compete with independent agents.

Listed below are Stratford captive agencies who can help you get rate quotes.

Allstate Insurance – 2505 Main St – Stratford, CT 06615 – (203) 378-0391
State Farm Insurance – 3657 Main St – Stratford, CT 06614 – (203) 377-5167

Independent Agents

Independent insurance agents are not locked into one company but rather can write business with lots of companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To move your coverage to a new company, the business is moved internally and that require little work on your part.

When searching for an agent, it’s recommended you contact at a minimum one independent agency to get the best comparison.

Listed below is a short list of independent agencies in Stratford that are able to give rate quotes.

Funaro Insurance – 2900 Main St # 1a – Stratford, CT 06614 – (203) 378-2621
Gabriel Agency – 1516 Barnum Ave – Stratford, CT 06614 – (203) 502-5000
Stratford Insurance Group – 937 Stratford Ave # 3 – Stratford, CT 06615 – (203) 377-3601
Thomas Edward Agency Inc – 1825 Barnum Ave # 301 – Stratford, CT 06614 – (203) 377-0405

To view a full list of insurance agents in Stratford, view this link.

Upon receiving positive feedback to these questions and a low price estimate, you may have just found an auto insurance agent that will service your policy.

More detailed Connecticut auto insurance information is located at the Connecticut Insurance Department website. Visitors are able to read state legal mandates and laws, learn about insurance regulations, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

Additional helpful sites include NAIC.org’s Understanding your Policy and QuoteClickSave.com.

The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest

As you shop your coverage around, it’s very important that you do not buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are too many instances where someone dropped collision coverage only to discover later that it was a big mistake. Your strategy should be to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.

Cost effective auto insurance is available from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Stratford, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best rate selection. Some companies don’t offer online quoting and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.