Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy high-priced car insurance? Trust us when we tell you you’re not the only one.
Insurance companies such as Allstate and Progressive constantly bombard you with fancy advertisements and it is difficult to see past the corporate glitz and take the time to shop coverage around.
Car Insurance Comparison Rates in Derby, CT
There are several ways to compare rate quotes from local in Derby, CTcar insurance companies. The best method to find competitive insurance rates involves getting comparison quotes online. This is very easy and can be done in a couple of different ways.
- The first (and easiest) way to get quotes is an all-inclusive rate comparison (click to open form in new window). This type of form keeps you from doing boring form submissions for every car insurance company. One form gets rate comparisons from many national carriers.
- A more difficult way to analyze rates requires visiting each company website and complete a new quote form. For example, let’s assume you want to compare rates from State Farm, Esurance and Allstate. To get each rate you have to go to every website and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is quicker. For a list of links to insurance companies in Derby, click here.
It’s up to you which method you use, but be sure to compare the exact same deductibles and coverage limits for every quote you compare. If you use different liability limits it will be impossible to determine which rate is truly the best in Derby. Just a small difference in insurance coverages may cause a big price difference. Keep in mind that obtaining a wide range of quotes will increase your chances of finding the best offered rates.
More discounts equal less premium
Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not know about. Most are applied at the time you complete a quote, but less common discounts must be inquired about in order for you to get them.
- Driver Safety – Successfully completing a driver safety course can save you 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
- Organization Discounts – Participating in a qualifying organization may earn a discount when buying car insurance.
- Own a Home – Owning a home in Derby may trigger a car insurance policy discount because of the fact that having a home shows financial diligence.
- Air Bag Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts of 20% or more.
- Seat Belts Save – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt can save 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.
It’s important to understand that most discounts do not apply the the whole policy. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So even though it sounds like it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies wouldn’t make money that way. Any amount of discount will bring down your overall premium however.
To choose insurers with discount car insurance rates in Connecticut, click here.
Educated Consumers Know How to Buy Car Insurance Cheaper
Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that help determine your car insurance rates. Understanding what controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with better car insurance rates.
- More than one policy can earn a discount – Most car insurance companies provide better rates to insureds who buy several policies from them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. This can amount to ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. Even if you’re getting this discount you may still want to shop around to verify if the discount is saving money.
- Safer cars are cheaper to insure – Vehicles with good safety scores get lower rates. Safe vehicles protect occupants better and fewer injuries means lower claim amounts passed on to you as lower rates.
- Having a spouse can save you money – Having a spouse helps lower the price on your policy. Marriage means you’re more mature and responsible and it’s proven that being married results in fewer claims.
- Occupation reflects on rates – Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Occupations such as judges, social workers and accountants are shown to have higher rates than average in part from stressful work requirements and lots of time spent at work. On the flip side, professions such as farmers, athletes and performers pay the least.
- Are you male or female? – Statistics demonstrate women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, don’t assume that women are better drivers. Both sexes tend to get into accidents at a similar rate, but the men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also statistically receive more costly citations such as DWI and reckless driving.
- Older drivers pay less – Teen drivers in Connecticut are known to be careless and easily distracted when behind the wheel so they pay higher car insurance rates. Older insureds are more cautious drivers, tend to cause fewer accidents and tend to be better behind the wheel.
Additional car insurance information can be found on the website for the Connecticut Insurance Department located here. Consumers can file complaints about a company, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and download brochures.
The articles below may also help you learn more about car insurance in Derby
- Derby, KS Auto Insurance Savings the Insurance Agents Dont Want You to Know About
- 8 Ways to Cut Your Car Insurance Rates in Derby, KS
Misconceptions in car insurance advertisements
State Farm and Allstate constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. All the companies say the same thing of big savings if you switch to their company. How does each company make the same claim? This is how they do it.
Insurance companies have a certain “appetite” for the driver that is profitable for them. An example of a desirable insured might be between the ages of 40 and 55, owns a home, and has a high credit rating. Any driver who matches those parameters receives the best rates and as a result will probably save quite a bit of money when switching.
Drivers who don’t qualify for the “perfect” profile will have to pay a more expensive rate which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save money. That’s the way companies can state the savings.
Because of the profiling, you should get quotes from several different companies. It’s impossible to know which company will have the lowest rates.
What is YOUR best insurance company?
When you buy insurance online, do not buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many cases where someone sacrificed collision coverage and learned later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your strategy should be to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.
Cheaper car insurance can be bought on the web and also from your neighborhood Derby agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best selection. There are still a few companies who may not provide online price quotes and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.