Finding affordable Newmarket auto insurance is nearly impossible for consumers not familiar with comparing rates online. Drivers have so many choices that it can be a big hassle to find the best price in Newmarket.
If you have insurance now or are just looking to switch companies, you can follow these tips to reduce the price you pay and still get good coverage. Pricing the cheapest auto insurance in Newmarket is easy if you know what you’re doing. New Hampshire vehicle owners just need to understand the proper way to shop for auto insurance on the web.
Be sure to get all your discounts
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but there are discounts available that you may not even be aware of. A few discounts will automatically apply at quote time, but lesser-known reductions have to be requested specifically before they will apply. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you’re paying more than you need to.
- Save over 55 – Mature drivers can possibly qualify for reduced rates.
- Paperless Signup – Some insurance companies will give a small break for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.
- Passive Restraints – Vehicles with factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Requiring all passengers to use their safety belts can save up to 15% off your medical payments premium.
- Discount for Swiching Early – Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching to them prior to your current policy expiring. The savings is around 10%.
- Life Insurance Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with lower rates if you buy life insurance.
- Discount for New Cars – Adding a new car to your policy can be considerably cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
- No Claims – Drivers who don’t have accidents can save substantially as compared to frequent claim filers.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen less frequently and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Safe drivers may save up to 50% more than less cautious drivers.
It’s important to understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like it’s possible to get free car insurance, you’re out of luck. But all discounts will help reduce your premiums.
To see a list of providers who offer auto insurance discounts in New Hampshire, click here.
Everyone needs different coverages
When choosing proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s needs are different.
For example, these questions may help highlight if your insurance needs might need professional guidance.
- Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
- When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
- Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
- Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
- Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
- Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
- Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Newmarket?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form. It is quick, free and can help protect your family.
Won’t my local insurance agent miss me?
Some people just want to sit down with an agent and that is a personal choice. Educated insurance agents can point out coverage gaps and give you peace of mind. The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is you can get the best rates but also keep your business local. And supporting local businesses is especially important in Newmarket.
After completing this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is immediately sent to agents in your area who will give you bids for your business. You don’t have to even leave your home as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address.
The type of insurance agent you choose is important
When researching a reliable agent, there are two different types of agents to choose from. Insurance agencies in Newmarket can either be independent (non-captive) or captive. Both types can do a good job, but it’s good to learn how they differ since it can impact your selection of an agent.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agencies are not required to write business for one company so they can insure your vehicles with lots of companies and potentially find a lower price. To move your coverage to a new company, the business is moved internally and you won’t have to switch agencies. When comparing rates, it’s a good idea to include multiple independent agents to have the most options to choose from. Most have the option of insuring with lesser-known insurance companies who may have lower rates.
The following are independent insurance agents in Newmarket who may be able to give you competitive price quotes.
- Ron Lemieux Insurance – 28 Beech Street Ext – Newmarket, NH 03857 – (603) 659-2131
- Lemieux Insurance – 100 Kent Pl – Newmarket, NH 03857 – (603) 659-2211
- Perkins Agency Inc Insurance – 218 S Main St – Newmarket, NH 03857 – (603) 659-3291
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive insurance agents are contracted to one company such as American Family, State Farm and Allstate. They usually cannot compare other company’s rates so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agents are very knowledgeable in insurance sales and that can be a competitive advantage. Some consumers prefer to buy from captive agents mostly because of high brand loyalty and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.
Deciding on an insurance agency shouldn’t rely on just the bottom line cost. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:
- What insurance companies do they work with?
- If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
- Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
After receiving answers to your satisfaction for all questions you ask and an affordable coverage quote, you have narrowed it down to an auto insurance agent that is a good match to adequately provide auto insurance. Keep in mind once you purchase a policy you can cancel your policy for any reason so don’t assume you are locked into a specific agent for the entire policy term.
Do drivers who switch really save $410 a year?
Consumers in New Hampshire get pounded daily by advertisements for cheaper car insurance by Geico, State Farm and Progressive. All the companies make the same claim of big savings if you switch to their company.
How does each company claim to save you money?
All the different companies have a certain “appetite” for the driver they prefer to insure. For instance, a preferred risk could possibly be between the ages of 40 and 55, is a homeowner, and chooses high deductibles. A driver who meets those qualifications will qualify for the lowest rates and therefore will cut their rates substantially.
Potential insureds who do not match the requirements will be charged more money which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state “customers that switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that kind of money. That’s why companies can claim big savings.
That is why you need to compare as many rates as you can. It is impossible to predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.
More information can be found on the New Hampshire Insurance Department website found here. Visitors are able to read state legal mandates and laws, find disaster information, view agent and company licensing information, and report car insurance fraud.
Other informative sites include this page for auto insurance prices in New Hampshire and this page where you can research Newmarket insurance agents.
Auto insurance coverages and their meanings
Knowing the specifics of auto insurance can be of help when determining which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Uninsured or underinsured coverage – Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants as well as damage to your vehicle.
Due to the fact that many New Hampshire drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (25/50/25), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Most of the time the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liablity limits.
Collision – Collision coverage pays for damage to your vehicle from colliding with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision insurance covers claims such as hitting a parking meter, hitting a mailbox and rolling your car. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also choose a higher deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Coverage for liability – Liability coverage protects you from injuries or damage you cause to other people or property in an accident. It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. Your policy might show policy limits of 50/100/50 that translate to $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $100,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property. Another option is one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which combines the three limits into one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability can pay for claims such as loss of income, repair costs for stationary objects, legal defense fees and pain and suffering. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford. New Hampshire state minimum liability requirements are 25,000/50,000/25,000 but drivers should carry higher limits.
Medical expense coverage – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for immediate expenses like ambulance fees, funeral costs, doctor visits, X-ray expenses and pain medications. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover you and your occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is not universally available but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Comprehensive protection – Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive insurance covers things like rock chips in glass, fire damage, hail damage, falling objects and a broken windshield. The most a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.
The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest
When shopping online for auto insurance, do not buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many instances, consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage and learned later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your strategy should be to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.
Consumers change insurance companies for any number of reasons including poor customer service, extreme rates for teen drivers, not issuing a premium refund or even high rates after DUI convictions. It doesn’t matter what your reason, choosing a new company can be less work than you think.
In this article, we presented a lot of ways to compare auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.