Having to pay for overpriced auto insurance can dwindle your checking account and force you to prioritize other expenses. Doing a price comparison is free and is an excellent way to make sure you’re not throwing money away. Lots of car insurance companies contend for your insurance dollar, and because of this it can be hard to compare insurers to find the absolute lowest rate
If you are insured now or are looking for a new policy, you can use this information to shop for the lowest rates while maintaining coverages. Choosing the best insurance company for you in Exeter is easy if you know what you’re doing. New Hampshire drivers only need an understanding of the proper way to get comparison rates on the web.
Exeter Auto Insurance Prices Online
Finding cheaper auto insurance prices doesn’t have to be difficult. All that’s required is to invest a few minutes to get quotes from different insurance companies. This can be done in a couple of different ways.
- One of the simplest ways to get the best comparison quotes would be an industry-wide quote request form like this one (opens in new window). This type of form prevents you from having to do separate forms for each company you want a rate for. Taking the time to complete one form compares rates from auto insurance companies with the best prices.
- A harder way to compare rate quotes requires a visit to the website for each individual company to complete a price quote. For instance, we’ll assume you want comparison quotes from Nationwide, Progressive and GMAC. To get each rate you have to take the time to go to each site and enter your information, which is why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in Exeter, click here.
Whichever method you choose, compare the exact same coverage information on every quote you get. If the quotes have different values for each quote it will be very difficult to find the best deal in Exeter.
Buyer beware of auto insurance advertising tricks
New Hampshire drivers can’t get away from ads for the lowest price auto insurance by companies like Allstate and Progressive. All the companies make an identical promise that you’ll save big if you change to them.
How can each company say the same thing?
Different companies can use profiling for the type of driver they prefer to insure. For example, a desirable insured might be profiled as a mature driver, has no tickets, and has a short commute. A customer getting a price quote who meets those qualifications will get the preferred rates and most likely will cut their rates substantially.
Potential customers who do not match the “perfect” profile will have to pay higher premiums and this can result in the customer not buying. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. This is how insurance companies can advertise the savings.
Because of the profiling, it’s extremely important to get a wide range of price quotes. It’s impossible to know the company that will have the lowest rates.
Decisions you make can impact your rates
Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with lower auto insurance prices.
The following are a few of the “ingredients” that factor into rates.
- Multi-policy discounts can save money – Many auto insurance companies will give a discount to policyholders who have multiple policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. This can amount to ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. Even though this discount sounds good, it’s still a good idea to comparison shop to verify if the discount is saving money.
- Allowing your policy to lapse raises rates – Not having insurance is against the law and you will pay a penalty because you let your insurance expire. And not only will your rates increase, getting caught without coverage will get you a steep fine or even jail time.You may then be required to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the New Hampshire department of motor vehicles.
- Higher deductibles cost less – Physical damage coverage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, protects your car from damage. Examples of covered claims are running into the backend of another car, collision with an animal, or theft. Physical damage deductibles are the amount of money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. The more expense you’re willing to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
- Your car’s features help determine rates – Choosing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft features like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can thwart your vehicle from being stolen.
- Don’t get talked into coverage you don’t need – There are quite a few add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you aren’t careful. Coverages like roadside assistance, accidental death and membership fees may be wasting your money. These coverages may sound good when talking to your agent, but your needs may have changed so get rid of them and save.
Are you getting all your discounts?
Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but you may find discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Some trigger automatically when you get a quote, but some must be inquired about before you get the savings. If they aren’t giving you every credit available, you are throwing money away.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with one insurance company you may save approximately 10% to 15%.
- Claim Free – Good drivers with no accidents pay much less when compared to bad drivers.
- Homeowners Discount – Owning a house in Exeter can save you money because maintaining a house shows financial diligence.
- Safe Driver Discount – Insureds without accidents may receive a discount up to 45% less than less cautious drivers.
- Discount for Good Grades – Getting good grades can earn a discount of 20% or more. The good student discount can last until age 25.
- Clubs and Organizations – Participating in a qualifying organization is a good way to get lower rates on your policy.
- Accident Forgiveness – Certain companies will forgive one accident before hitting you with a surcharge if you are claim-free for a particular time prior to the accident.
- Drivers Ed for Students – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver’s ed class if offered at their school.
Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you won’t be that lucky. But all discounts will reduce your overall premium however.
Smart shoppers get results
Lower-priced auto insurance can be sourced on the web and also from your neighborhood Exeter agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best selection. Some companies may not provide online quoting and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
We covered a lot of tips how to lower your auto insurance rates. The most important thing to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the lowest rates come from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. Smaller companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate and Progressive.
As you restructure your insurance plan, do not buy poor coverage just to save money. There are many occasions where an insured cut uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that they should have had better coverage. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.
More information can be found on the website for the New Hampshire Insurance Department located here. Consumers can learn about insurance regulations, discover disciplinary actions, and find out industry alerts.