Car Insurance in Burlington, VT – 10 Discounts Drivers are Missing

Confused by the wide range of car insurance options in Burlington? Many other drivers are as well. People have so many options that it can easily become a real challenge to find lower rates.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will be able to lower your premiums substantially using these tips. Shopping for cheaper car insurance in Burlington is easy if you know what you’re doing. Although Vermont drivers do need to understand the way companies price insurance differently and take advantage of how the system works.

Lower rates by qualifying for these ten discounts

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not know about. Some trigger automatically when you quote, but a few need to be requested specifically prior to getting the savings.

• Senior Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
• Multiple Cars – Having all your vehicles on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
• Homeowners Discount – Being a homeowner may trigger a car insurance policy discount because owning a home is proof that your finances are in order.
• Driver Safety – Taking a course in driver safety could cut 5% off your bill if you qualify.
• Good Student Discount – Getting good grades can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The good student discount can last up to age 25.
• Student in College – Children who are attending college and do not have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
• Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Drivers who require all occupants to use a seat belt could save 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.
• Club Memberships – Being a member of a professional or civic organization may earn a discount on your policy.
• Drivers Education – Require your teen driver to successfully complete driver’s ed class in high school.
• Early Switch Discount – Select companies give a discount for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiring. It’s a savings of about 10%.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won’t be that lucky. But any discount will bring down your overall premium however.

Car insurance is unique, just like you

When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s needs are different.

These are some specific questions can aid in determining if you will benefit from professional help.

• When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
• Does my insurance cover damage caused when ticketed for reckless driving?
• Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Burlington?
• Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?
• When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
• What if I don’t agree with a claim settlement offer?
• Do all my vehicles need collision coverage?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form.

Buyer beware of car insurance advertising tricks

Car insurance companies such as 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm regularly use ads on television and other media. They all seem to say the same thing that you can save if you move to their company. How does each company make the same claim? It’s all in the numbers.

Different companies can use profiling for the right customer that earns them a profit. For instance, a driver they prefer might be profiled as a mature driver, owns a home, and chooses high deductibles. Any driver that hits that “sweet spot” will get very good rates and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Potential insureds who do not match the requirements will be quoted higher rates which leads to business going elsewhere. The ad wording is “people who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. That’s why companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings.<img class="alignright" style="padding-top:15px;" src="https://www.findnewcarinsurance.com/wp-content/uploads/ci175-78.jpg" alt="Burlington car insurance quote”/>

This emphasizes why you should get as many quotes as possible. It is impossible to predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.

Specifics of your car insurance policy

Understanding the coverages of a car insurance policy can help you determine appropriate coverage for your vehicles. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and coverage can change by endorsement.

Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance – This coverage protects you and your vehicle when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your vehicle.

Due to the fact that many Vermont drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (Vermont limits are 25/50/10), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family. Normally your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.

Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision) – This coverage will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for claims such as damage from flooding, vandalism, theft, damage from a tornado or hurricane and hail damage. The highest amount your car insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Collision coverage – Collision insurance pays for damage to your vehicle from colliding with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision insurance covers things such as scraping a guard rail, driving through your garage door, crashing into a ditch and damaging your car on a curb. This coverage can be expensive, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. You can also choose a higher deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Liability coverages – This can cover damage that occurs to other people or property in an accident. It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You might see liability limits of 100/300/100 which stand for a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Occasionally you may see a combined limit which provides one coverage limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability can pay for things like pain and suffering, emergency aid, loss of income and medical expenses. How much liability should you purchase? That is a personal decision, but buy higher limits if possible. Vermont state law requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/10,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy higher limits.

Insurance for medical payments – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for immediate expenses for dental work, surgery and prosthetic devices. They can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not universally available and may carry a deductible

For more reading

Additional information can be found on the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation website. Click here for link. Vermont consumers can read consumer alerts, find disaster information, get help finding coverage, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

Buy online or local, you save

Budget-conscious car insurance is possible both online and with local Burlington insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best selection. There are still a few companies who do not offer online quoting and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.

People leave their current company for a variety of reasons including questionable increases in premium, not issuing a premium refund, delays in responding to claim requests and being labeled a high risk driver. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding a new car insurance company is actually quite simple.

We’ve covered a lot of tips how to shop for car insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more companies you get rates for, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Drivers may discover the best prices are with some of the lesser-known companies.