Follow These Insider Tips for Lower Randolph Car Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy overpriced car insurance? Trust us, there are many Randolph consumers feeling the pinch from expensive car insurance.

You have so many car insurance companies to buy insurance from, and although it’s a good thing to have multiple companies, so many choices can make it hard to get the best deal.

Choosing the best insurance company for you in Randolph is not rocket science. If you have car insurance now, you should be able to lower your premiums substantially using this strategy. But Vermont consumers can benefit by having an understanding of the methods companies use to price insurance differently and apply this information to your search.

Get Cheaper Rates by Understanding Pricing

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that come into play when calculating car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates enables informed choices that may reward you with lower car insurance prices.

The list below includes some of the items car insurance companies consider when setting rates.

  • More people means more accidents – Being located in a small town is a positive aspect when it comes to car insurance. Drivers who live in large cities regularly have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Lower population translates into fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
  • Type of vehicle determines base rates – The type of car you are buying insurance for makes a big difference in how high your rates are. The cheapest insurance rates are generally reserved for economy passenger models, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
  • Adjust deductibles and save – Insurance for physical damage to your car, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, protects your car from damage. Examples of covered claims could be collision with another vehicle, damage from fire, and burglary. Your deductibles are the amount of money you are required to spend out-of-pocket before your car insurance pays a claim. The higher the amount you’re willing to pay, the bigger discount you will receive.
  • Allowing your policy to lapse raises rates – Not having insurance is illegal and as a result your rates will increase for letting your coverage lapse. Not only will you pay more, but not being able to provide proof of insurance may earn you a steep fine or even jail time.You may have to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with the Vermont motor vehicle department.
  • Your spouse saves you money – Having a wife or husband helps lower the price on your car insurance policy. It means you’re more mature than a single person and it’s statistically proven that married couples file fewer claims.
  • More claims means more premium – Companies in Vermont award lower rates to drivers who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you file claims often, you can definitely plan on either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Car insurance is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • Males pay more for insurance – Statistics have proven women tend to be less risk to insure than men. That doesn’t necessarily mean that men are worse drivers. They both cause accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species cause more damage. Men also tend to get cited for more serious violations such as DWI and reckless driving. Teenage male drivers tend to get in the most accidents and are penalized with high car insurance rates.

Don’t miss out on these money-saving discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don’t necessarily list all available discounts very well, so the following is a list of both the well known and also the lesser-known savings tricks you should be using.

  • Driver Safety – Taking part in a course teaching defensive driving skills could save 5% or more depending on where you live.
  • Save with a New Car – Buying coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
  • Accident Forgiveness – Some insurance companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums if your claims history is clear prior to the accident.
  • Service Members Pay Less – Having a deployed family member can result in better rates.
  • No Accidents – Drivers who don’t have accidents can earn big discounts as compared to accident-prone drivers.
  • Life Insurance Discount – Some companies give lower rates if you buy life insurance.
  • Discount for Swiching Early – A few companies offer discounts for switching policies before your current policy expires. The savings is around 10%.
  • Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles with the same company could earn a price break for each car.
  • Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles with factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may earn rate discounts up to 30%.

It’s important to understand that most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. So when the math indicates it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies wouldn’t make money that way.

For a list of insurers offering car insurance discounts in Randolph, click here to view.

More tips and info about car insurance can be read at the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation website. Visitors are able to file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find out industry alerts, and view a list of available companies.

Auto insurance in Vermont

Affordable insurance is out there

We covered some good ideas how to lower your car insurance rates. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the most savings is with a lesser-known regional company. Some small companies often have lower prices on specific markets compared to the large companies like GEICO and State Farm.

As you shop your coverage around, it’s very important that you do not buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced liability coverage limits only to find out that the savings was not a smart move. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.