If shopping for is new to you, chances are good that you are confused because of the huge number of companies that all say they have the best rates.
Smart consumers take time to compare prices occasionally because auto insurance rates are constantly changing. If you had the best rate a couple years back you can probably find a lower rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to how to use online quotes to find the best coverage while lowering your premiums.
If you have a policy now or need a new policy, you can use these tips to cut your premiums while maximizing coverage. The purpose of this post is to let you in on how car insurance quotes work and some tricks to saving. New York consumers only need to know the tricks to shop for auto insurance online.
Compare free Mamaroneck auto insurance price quotes
There are a variety of methods you can shop for auto insurance but there is one way that is more efficient than others. You could waste a few hours discussing policy coverages with agents in Mamaroneck, or you could save time and use online quotes to quickly compare rates.
The majority of car insurance companies belong to a marketplace where prospective buyers enter their policy data once, and every company then gives them pricing based on the submitted data. This system prevents you from having to do quote requests for every auto insurance company. To compare rates now click here (opens in new window).
One minor caviat to getting quotes like this is you are unable to specify which providers to get pricing from. If you would rather choose from a list of companies to compare rates, we put together a list of low cost auto insurance companies in New York. Click to view list.
Whichever way you use, ensure you’re using apples-to-apples coverage limits and deductibles on every quote you get. If you use different values for each quote it will be next to impossible to get a fair rate comparison in Mamaroneck.
Auto insurance discounts are available to cut your rates
Auto insurance is neither fun to buy or cheap, but there’s a good chance there are discounts to help bring down the price. Certain discounts will be applied when you purchase, but a few need to be requested specifically before you get the savings.
- Membership in Organizations – Being a member of a professional or civic organization may earn a discount when shopping for auto insurance.
- Own a Home – Just being a homeowner can save you money because of the fact that having a home is proof that your finances are in order.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Cars equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Buy New and Save – Buying insurance on a new vehicle is cheaper because newer models are generally safer.
- Student Discounts – Performing well in school can earn a discount of 20% or more. The good student discount can last until age 25.
Don’t be surprised that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. Even though the math looks like you can get free auto insurance, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business. Any amount of discount should definitely cut the cost of your policy.
If you would like to choose from a list of insurers offering auto insurance discounts in New York, follow this link.
When should I get advice from an agent?
Certain consumers still like to have an agent’s advice and doing so can bring peace of mind Professional insurance agents will help you protect your assets and help file insurance claims. A nice benefit of getting online price quotes is you can get cheap auto insurance quotes and still choose a local agent.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this quick form, your insurance data is transmitted to companies in Mamaroneck that provide to get your business. There is no reason to contact any insurance agencies since rate quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. In the event you want to get a rate quote from a particular provider, you would need to go to their quote page and fill out the quote form the provide.
Picking the best provider requires more thought than just a cheap quote. You should also get answers to these questions.
- How would your car be valued if totalled?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in New York?
- Is working in the agency their full-time job?
- Can you choose the body shop in case repairs are needed?
- How long has the business existed?
How to choose the best auto insurance agent in Mamaroneck
If you’re trying to find a reputable insurance agent or broker, you need to know there are two different agency structures and how they differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Auto insurance agencies can be categorized as either independent or captive. Either one can write auto insurance policies, but it’s good to learn how they are different because it may have an impact on which type of agent you select.
Captive Auto Insurance Agencies
These agents can only provide pricing for a single company and some examples include Farmers Insurance, State Farm, or Allstate. They usually cannot place coverage with different providers so keep that in mind. Captives are trained well on sales techniques which helps them sell on service rather than price. Many people use the same agent mostly because of the prominent brand name and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Listed below is a list of captive agencies in Mamaroneck who can help you get price quote information.
- State Farm Insurance – 157 Mamaroneck Ave # 1 – Mamaroneck, NY 10543 – (914) 670-0245
- Allstate Insurance Co – 900 E Boston Post Rd – Mamaroneck, NY 10543 – (914) 777-2886
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Agents in the independent channel do not work for one specific company and that is an advantage because they can write policies with a variety of different insurance companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If your premiums go up, your agent can just switch to a different company which requires no work on your part.
If you are comparing auto insurance prices, you absolutely need to include rate quotes from a few independent agents so that you can do a thorough price comparison. Most can insure with companies you’ve never heard of that may provide cheaper auto insurance rates.
The following is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Mamaroneck who can help you get price quotes.
- BNC Insurance – 444 E Boston Post Rd – Mamaroneck, NY 10543 – (914) 777-0010
- B and C Agency Inc – 444 E Boston Rd – Mamaroneck, NY 10543 – (516) 829-4718
- Premium Insurance Inc – 547 Halstead Ave – Mamaroneck, NY 10543 – (914) 777-8634
To choose from more auto insurance agents in Mamaroneck, feel free to view this list of Mamaroneck auto insurance providers.
After getting positive feedback to all your questions and locked in a price quote, you may have found an auto insurance agent that can be relied on to properly insure your vehicles.
Specifics of your auto insurance policy
Learning about specific coverages of auto insurance helps when choosing which coverages you need for your vehicles. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Collision insurance
Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision insurance covers claims like scraping a guard rail, colliding with another moving vehicle and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from older vehicles. Another option is to increase the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance
This gives you protection from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.
Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law (which is 25/50/10), their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea.
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)
Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims such as theft, damage from getting keyed and hitting a bird. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Coverage for liability
Liability insurance will cover injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people in an accident. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.
Liability coverage has 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 which means a limit of $50,000 per injured person, $100,000 for the entire accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery.
Liability coverage pays for things such as medical expenses, bail bonds, attorney fees, legal defense fees and loss of income. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but buy as much as you can afford. New York state law requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/10,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy more coverage.
Insurance for medical payments
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for immediate expenses such as doctor visits, dental work and nursing services. They can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not an option in every state and may carry a deductible
More tips and info about auto insurance can be found at the New York Department of Financial Services website. Consumers can find a variety of consumer forms, find out industry alerts, and learn about specific coverages.
In Summary
While you’re price shopping online, make sure you don’t reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where someone dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to regret that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best possible price but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
Some insurance providers do not offer rate quotes online and most of the time these regional insurance providers prefer to sell through independent insurance agencies. Budget-conscious auto insurance can be sourced both online in addition to many Mamaroneck insurance agents, so you need to compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from.
We just covered a lot of techniques to save on auto insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more times you quote, the higher your chance of finding . Drivers may discover the best price on auto insurance is with some of the smallest insurance companies.