Popular Methods for Buying Raymond New Hampshire Auto Insurance at a Discount

Expensive auto insurance can empty your bank account and make it impossible to make ends meet. Comparison shopping is a great way to cut your insurance bill. Since consumers have many insurance companies to choose from, it’s nearly impossible to pick the right car insurance company.

You should make it a habit to do rate comparisons every six months because insurance rates are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Even if you think you had the best deal last year you can probably find a lower rate today. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding auto insurance on the web, but I’m going to show you a lot of great tips on how to buy auto insurance cheaper.

Discounts are available to cut your rates

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but companies offer discounts to help bring down the price. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time you complete a quote, but some must be inquired about in order for you to get them. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you are paying more than you should be.

Accident Free – Drivers who don’t have accidents pay less when compared with accident-prone drivers.
Federal Employees – Employees or retirees of the government can earn a discount up to 10% with certain companies.
Lower Rates for Military – Being deployed with a military unit could mean lower rates.
Driver’s Ed – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to complete a driver education course in high school.
Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Drivers who require all occupants to use a seat belt could save 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.
Accident Waiver – A few companies permit an accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don’t have any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
Driver Safety – Completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could possibly earn you a 5% discount depending on where you live.
Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts may earn rate discounts of 20% or more.
Anti-lock Brake System – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems are safer to drive and earn discounts up to 10%.

Keep in mind that most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when the math indicates it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies wouldn’t make money that way. But all discounts will bring down the cost of coverage.

To see a list of insurers with the best auto insurance discounts in New Hampshire, click this link.

Components of your insurance rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. Understanding what influences your rates enables informed choices that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.

Older drivers save more – Mature drivers are more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and tend to be better behind the wheel. Youthful drivers tend to be less responsible in a vehicle therefore auto insurance rates are much higher.
High credit ratings translate to low rates – Having a bad credit score is a large factor in determining your rates. If your credit rating is lower than you’d like, you could potentially save money when insuring your by spending a little time repairing your credit. Drivers who have excellent credit tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with poor credit.
Bad driving skills means higher rates – A bad driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Even one speeding ticket can boost insurance rates twenty percent or more. Careful drivers get better rates than their less careful counterparts. If you have dangerous violations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may find they need to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to prevent a license revocation.
Too many auto insurance claims drive up costs – Insurance companies in New Hampshire award discounts to drivers who file claims infrequently. If you frequently file small claims, you can pretty much guarantee either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Your insurance policy is designed for the large, substantial claims.
Performance makes a difference – The type of vehicle you are insuring makes a substantial difference in the rate you pay. Lower performance four cylinder passenger cars receive the most favorable rates, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
Do you work long hours in a high stress job? – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for auto insurance? Careers like lawyers, executives and accountants tend to pay higher rates than average in part from high stress levels and lots of time spent at work. On the flip side, professions such as pilots, athletes and performers have the lowest average rates.
Don’t cancel a policy without a new one in place – Allowing your coverage to lapse will be a guaranteed way to pay more for auto insurance. Not only will rates go up, getting caught without coverage may earn you a revoked license or a big fine.You may have to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the New Hampshire department of motor vehicles.

Do I just need basic coverages?

When it comes to choosing the best auto insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s needs are different so your insurance needs to address that. These are some specific questions might point out whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.

Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
Should I sign the liability waiver when renting a car?
Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
What are New Hampshire no-fault laws?
When would I need additional glass coverage?
When should my teen driver be added to my policy?
Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
Is there coverage for injuries to my pets?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It is quick, free and may give you better protection.

Buying car insurance locally

Some consumers just want to get advice from a local agent and that is OK! Good agents can answer important questions and help in the event of a claim. The best thing about getting online price quotes is you can get the best rates but also keep your business local. And providing support for local businesses is important especially in Raymond.

After completing this short form, your coverage information is immediately sent to local insurance agents in Raymond who will compete to get your business. You won’t need to even leave your home since price quotes are sent immediately to your email address. Now that’s easy!

Types of insurance agents in Raymond

When searching for an insurance agent, you must know there are a couple different agency structures from which to choose. Agents can either be captive or independent. Both types can write coverage properly, but it’s worth learning the difference between them because it can impact the type of agent you choose

Independent Agents

Independent agencies do not work for one specific company but instead can place your coverage with many different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To transfer your coverage to a different company, your agent can switch companies and you don’t have to find a new agent.

When comparing rates, it’s a good idea to get quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to get the best comparison.

The following are Raymond independent insurance agents who may be able to give you comparison quotes.

Stewart Limited/Insurance Mgmt – 10 Freetown Rd – Raymond, NH 03077 – (603) 895-2200
Headd Agency – 39 Freetown Rd – Raymond, NH 03077 – (603) 895-1330
Annis-Rajchel Insurance Inc – 74 Main St – Raymond, NH 03077 – (603) 895-4766

Captive Agents

This type of agents work for only one company like American Family, Liberty Mutual and AAA. Captives cannot compare other company’s rates so they have no alternatives for high prices. These agents receive extensive training on the products they sell which helps them compete with independent agents.

Deciding on an auto insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just the price. These questions are important to ask:

What insurance companies do they work with?
Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
What insurance company do they write the most business with?
How long has their agency been open in Raymond?
Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?

After receiving positive responses for all questions you ask as well as a affordable price, chances are good that you have found an auto insurance agent that meets your needs to properly insure your vehicles.

Can you really save that much by switching?

Consumers can’t get away from ads for the lowest price auto insurance from the likes of GEICO, State Farm and Progressive. All the companies make an identical promise that you’ll save big if you move your coverage to them.

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

Different companies have a certain “appetite” for the right customer they prefer to insure. For instance, a preferred risk might be over the age of 50, has no tickets, and drives newer vehicles. Any driver who matches those parameters gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save quite a bit of money when switching.

Potential customers who don’t measure up to the “perfect” profile will be charged higher prices and ends up with business not being written. The ad wording is “customers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much. This is how insurance companies can make those claims.

That is why it’s extremely important to get a wide range of price quotes. It’s not possible to predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

Additional auto insurance information is available on the website for the New Hampshire Insurance Department through this link. Consumers can read consumer alerts, report car insurance fraud, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and read industry bulletins.

Smart consumers save more

You just learned a lot of information how to save on auto insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your comparison will be. Drivers may discover the lowest premiums are with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. Regional companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than their larger competitors like State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.

When you buy insurance online, make sure you don’t skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In too many instances, an insured cut physical damage coverage and found out when filing a claim that it was a big error on their part. Your focus should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.