No one in their right mind looks forward to buying car insurance, especially knowing their premiums are too high.
You have so many insurance companies to choose from, and though it is a good thing to have a choice, having more car insurance companies makes it harder to compare rates.
Consumers need to shop coverage around periodically because rates are usually higher with each renewal. Just because you found the lowest price two years ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the right way to find great coverage at a great price.
Choosing the best insurance company for you in Newton is not rocket science. Just about everyone who buys car insurance stands a good chance to be able to save money. Although Massachusetts car owners can benefit by having an understanding of the methods companies use to market on the web and apply this information to your search.
Finding Car Insurance in Newton, MA
Comparing car insurance rates can be a daunting task if you don’t utilize the most efficient way to do it. You could spend the better part of a day driving to local insurance agents in Newton, or you can utilize the web to accomplish the same thing much quicker.
Most car insurance companies belong to a marketplace that enables customers to submit their information once, and every company returns a rated price for coverage. This prevents consumers from doing quotation requests to each individual car insurance company.
To submit your quote information now, click here to open in new window.
The one disadvantage to pricing coverage this way is you cannot specify the companies to receive prices from. If you prefer to choose specific providers to compare rates, we have assembled a list of the cheapest car insurance companies in Massachusetts. Click here for list of insurance companies in Massachusetts.
It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but make sure you use apples-to-apples information for every quote you compare. If you compare higher or lower deductibles it will be next to impossible to determine the lowest rate in Newton. Just a small difference in coverages may result in large price differences. Just remember that comparing a large number of companies helps locate the best offered rates.
Buyer beware of car insurance advertising tricks
Car insurance companies such as State Farm, Allstate and Geico continually stream ads on television and other media. They all seem to make an identical promise that you’ll save big after switching your policy. How does each company say the same thing? This is how they do it.
Different companies can use profiling for the type of driver that is profitable for them. An example of a preferred risk could possibly be a mature driver, has no prior claims, and chooses high deductibles. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile will get very good rates and as a result will probably save a lot of money.
Potential customers who do not match this ideal profile will be charged higher prices which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say “drivers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. This is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings. That is why you should compare as many rates as you can. Because you never know which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.
Rate influencing factors
It’s important that you understand the rating factors that go into determining the price you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get better car insurance rates.
- One company can mean more discounts – Many insurers will give a discount to people who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount, it’s in your best interest to compare rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
- Safer occupants lowers premiums – Vehicles with high crash test scores are cheaper to insure. These vehicles protect occupants better and any reduction in injury severity means less money paid by your insurance company and thus lower rates.
- Rates may be lower depending on your job – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for car insurance? Jobs such as doctors, architects and accountants tend to have higher rates than average attributed to high stress and long work days. On the flip side, jobs such as pilots, athletes and homemakers receive lower rates.
- Equipment add-ons that lower car insurance rates – Choosing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help lower your rates. Anti-theft devices like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can thwart car theft.
- A clean driving record saves money – Drivers with clean records receive lower rates compared to drivers with tickets. Even one moving violation may increase your cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who have flagrant citations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may need to submit a SR-22 form with their state motor vehicle department in order to keep their license.
Are you getting all your discounts?
Car insurance companies do not advertise every available discount very clearly, so here is a list some of the best known and the harder-to-find ways to save on car insurance.
- Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles with anti-theft systems can help prevent theft and will save you 10% or more.
- Passive Restraints – Cars that have air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can receive discounts up to 30%.
- Defensive Driver – Successfully completing a course in driver safety could cut 5% off your bill depending on where you live.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents may save up to 50% more than their less cautious counterparts.
- Life Insurance – Select insurance companies reward you with better rates if you take out auto and life insurance together.
- Sign Online – A few companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks simply for signing over the internet.
- Senior Citizens – Mature drivers may receive a discount up to 10%.
- Distant Student – Kids in college who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle can be insured at a reduced rate.
A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Most only apply to individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So when the math indicates you can get free auto insurance, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.
To see a list of companies offering car insurance discounts in Newton, click this link.
But buying car insurance online seems impersonal
A small number of people just want to talk to a local agent and that is OK! The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is you can get lower rates and still have an agent to talk to.
By using this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is immediately sent to companies in Newton who will battle for your business. You don’t have to visit any agencies since price quotes are sent straight to your inbox. How’s that for easy! Get lower rates and work with a local agent.
Choosing an insurance company shouldn’t rely on just a cheap price. These are valid questions to ask:
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- How long has their agency been open in Newton?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- Who are their largest clients?
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
- Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
Newton insurance agents are either independent or captive
When looking for an insurance agent, there are a couple of different types of agents from which to choose. Agencies in Newton can either be captive or independent.
Captive Insurance Agents
These agents write business for a single company and examples are State Farm, Allstate and AAA. They generally cannot shop your coverage around so they have no alternatives for high prices. These agents are usually quite knowledgeable in insurance sales and that can be a competitive advantage.
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent insurance agents are not employed by any specific company so they can insure your vehicles with many different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, they simply move the coverage in-house and that require little work on your part. When comparing rates, it’s a good idea to contact at a minimum one independent agency for the best price selection.
Below is a list of independent agents in Newton that can give you rate quotes.
Professional Insurance – 1171 Washington St – Newton, MA 02465 – (617) 796-8900
Telamon Insurance Network – 150 Wells Ave – Newton, MA 02459 – (617) 964-5340
For a complete listing of insurance agents in Newton, please go to this site.
Upon receiving satisfactory answers to all your questions and an acceptable price quote, chances are good that you have found an insurance agency that meets your needs to insure your vehicles.
More quotes mean more savings
Discount car insurance can be sourced on the web as well as from independent agents in Newton, so you should compare both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance companies don’t offer online quoting and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
While you’re price shopping online, make sure you don’t buy poor coverage just to save money. In many instances, an insured cut collision coverage only to discover later that it was a big error on their part. The aim is to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate.
You just learned some good ideas how you can save on car insurance. The key concept to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may even discover the most savings is with the smaller companies. They often have lower prices on specific markets as compared to the big name companies such as Geico and State Farm.
For more Massachusetts car insurance information
Additional detailed information is located at the Massachusetts Division of Insurance website. Massachusetts consumers can find disaster information, report car insurance fraud, and view a list of available companies.