Perplexed by the sheer number of car insurance company choices in New Bedford? Many other consumers are too. You have so many choices that it can quickly become a big hassle to compare prices.
Finding affordable coverage in New Bedford is easy if you know what you’re doing. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will be able to cut costs considerably using these methods. Massachusetts drivers only need an understanding of the most efficient way to compare price quotes online.
Are you getting all your discounts?
Companies that sell car insurance don’t always advertise every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so we researched both the well known and also the lesser-known savings tricks you should be using. If they aren’t giving you every credit available, you’re paying more than you need to.
- Anti-theft Discount – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems help deter theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Larger companies have better rates if you take out auto and life insurance together.
- College Student – Youth drivers who are attending college and do not have a car can receive lower rates.
- Bundle and Save – When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same company you may earn 10% to 20% off each policy.
- Early Switch Discount – Select companies give a discount for signing up before your current expiration date. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles with factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can receive discounts of more than 20%.
- Safe Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accidents.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles are safer to drive and will save you 10% or more.
- Homeowners Pay Less – Owning a house in New Bedford may earn you a small savings because maintaining a house requires personal responsibility.
As a disclaimer on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it may seem like all the discounts add up to a free policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.
For a list of insurers with the best car insurance discounts in Massachusetts, follow this link.
Cheap New Bedford Car Insurance Comparisons
Finding a better price on car insurance is not a difficult process. You just have to spend a little time comparing price quotes online from several insurance companies. This is very easy and can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.
- The best way to find low rates is to use a rate comparison form like this one (opens in new window). This form saves time by eliminating separate quote forms for each company you want a rate for. One form gets rate comparisons from all major companies.It’s the quickest way to get rates.
- A slightly less efficient method to compare prices is going to each individual company website and fill out their own quote form. For instance, let’s assume you want comparison quotes from Auto-Owners, Progressive and Allstate. To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is more popular.
To view a list of companies in New Bedford, click here.
- The most time-consuming way to get comparison rates is driving to and from local New Bedford insurance agencies. Shopping for car insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you want the professional advice of a local New Bedford agent. You can, however, compare the best prices online and still use a local agent and we’ll cover that in a bit.
It’s up to you which method you use, but compare the exact same coverage limits for each comparison quote. If the quotes have unequal deductibles or liability limits it will be very difficult to find the best deal in New Bedford.
Coverage specifics
Knowing the specifics of your policy can be of help when determining the best coverages for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
UM/UIM Coverage – This protects you and your vehicle when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (20/40/5 in Massachusetts), their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea.
Collision – This coverage will pay to fix damage to your vehicle resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage protects against claims like sideswiping another vehicle, hitting a parking meter and hitting a mailbox. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Auto liability insurance – Liability insurance provides protection from damage or injury you incur to a person or their property. This insurance protects YOU from claims by other people, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You might see limits of 50/100/50 that translate to $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $50,000.
Liability can pay for claims like repair bills for other people’s vehicles, legal defense fees and medical services. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but buy as high a limit as you can afford. Massachusetts state minimum liability requirements are 20,000/40,000/5,000 but drivers should carry more liability than the minimum.
Comprehensive or Other Than Collision – This will pay to fix damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers things like damage from flooding, hail damage and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum amount your car insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Medical costs insurance – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for immediate expenses for things like prosthetic devices, dental work, funeral costs, EMT expenses and surgery. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not universally available and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
More effort can pay off
When you buy insurance online, it’s not a good idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many cases where an insured dropped full coverage only to find out that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The ultimate goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest price.
You just learned many tips how you can shop for car insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Consumers may even find the best price on car insurance is with a small local company.
Drivers switch companies for any number of reasons including poor customer service, questionable increases in premium, high prices or unfair underwriting practices. Whatever your reason, finding a new company is easier than you think.