Is Your Ridgewood New Jersey Auto Insurance Too High? Here is How to Save Money

Price shopping your Ridgewood auto insurance is always challenging for consumers not familiar with shopping for insurance online. People have so many companies to choose from that it can quickly become more work than you anticipated to find lower rates in Ridgewood.

You should make it a habit to price shop coverage once or twice a year because prices change quite often. Just because you had the lowest rates two years ago there may be better deals available now. So just ignore everything you know about auto insurance because I’m going to teach you the things you must know in order to find better rates and still maintain coverage.

Don’t miss out on these money-saving discounts

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but companies offer discounts to help offset the cost. Some discounts apply automatically when you complete an application, but less common discounts must be asked about prior to getting the savings. If they aren’t giving you every credit you deserve, you are throwing money away.

Pay Upfront and Save – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save up to 5%.
Low Mileage Discounts – Keeping the miles down could qualify for a substantially lower rate.
Braking Control Discount – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes prevent accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
Clubs and Organizations – Participating in a professional or civic organization may earn a discount on auto insurance.
Defensive Driver – Successfully completing a driver safety course could save 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
Bundle and Save – When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same insurance company you may save at least 10% off all policies.
Driver’s Ed – Cut your cost by having your teen driver enroll in driver’s education in high school.
Auto/Life Discount – Larger companies have better rates if you take out auto and life insurance together.
New Car Discount – Adding a new car to your policy is cheaper since new cars are generally safer.

It’s important to understand that most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies wouldn’t make money that way. But any discount will help reduce the amount you have to pay.

To see a list of insurance companies with discount auto insurance rates in New Jersey, click this link.

Quote online but still have a local agent

Some people would rather get advice from a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Licensed agents can answer important questions and give you peace of mind. One of the great benefits of price shopping on the web is that you can obtain better rates and still have an agent to talk to. And providing support for local businesses is important especially in Ridgewood.

For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, your coverage information is submitted to local insurance agents who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. You don’t have to leave your house due to the fact that quote results will go straight to your inbox. It doesn’t get any easier!

Insurance agent types

When looking for a reputable insurance agent or broker, you must know there are a couple types of agencies that you can select. Insurance agencies in Ridgewood are either independent or captive. Both insure your vehicles, but it’s worth learning how they differ because it can impact your selection of an agent.

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Independent agencies are not employed by any specific company but instead can place your coverage with any number of different companies depending on which coverage is best. If you are not satisfied with one company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you won’t have to switch agencies.

When comparison shopping, it’s a good idea to get quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to ensure the widest selection of prices. They also have the ability to place coverage with smaller companies which may provide better rates.<img class="alignright" style="padding-top:15px" src="https://www.findnewcarinsurance.com/wp-content/uploads/ci175-43.jpg" alt="Ridgewood New Jersey insurance quotes” />

Listed below are independent insurance agencies in Ridgewood who may be able to give you comparison quotes.

Tri State Insurance Adjusters – 555 Goffle Rd – Ridgewood, NJ 07450 – (973) 256-1300
Bershtein Insurance Inc – 10 Ethelbert Pl # 2 – Ridgewood, NJ 07450 – (973) 839-1454

Captive Agents

Captive agencies write business for a single company and some examples include Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. These agents are not able to give you multiple price quotes so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. These agents are well schooled in insurance sales which helps them compete with independent agents. Some people will only choose to use a captive agent primarily because of high brand loyalty and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.

Listed below is a list of captive agencies in Ridgewood who can help you get comparison quotes.

Allstate Insurance Co – 44 S Maple Ave – Ridgewood, NJ 07450 – (201) 670-0111
State Farm Insurance – 579 Franklin Tpke # 7 – Ridgewood, NJ 07450 – (201) 652-7300

To view a complete directory of Ridgewood captive insurance agencies, please go to this site.

Choosing a car insurance agent requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. These are valid questions to ask:

Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
Do they assist clients in filing claims?
Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?

Upon receiving satisfactory answers as well as a affordable price, most likely you have located an auto insurance agent that will provide auto insurance coverage.

Don’t believe everything you hear

New Jersey drivers can’t ignore all the ads that promise big savings from companies such as 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. They all seem to have a common claim about savings after switching your policy.

How does each company say the same thing? It’s all in the numbers.

All companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver they prefer to insure. An example of a profitable customer could possibly be over the age of 40, has no driving citations, and has a high credit rating. A customer who meets those qualifications will get the preferred rates and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Potential insureds who do not match the requirements will have to pay a more expensive rate and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say “people who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. That’s why companies can claim big savings.

Because of the profiling, it’s extremely important to get as many comparisons as possible. It’s not possible to predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.

For more New Jersey car insurance information

More information can be read on the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance website found here. Visitors are able to find a variety of consumer forms, read industry bulletins, read consumer alerts, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.

Other informative sites include this resource for New Jersey auto insurance prices and CarInsuranceDIY.com.

What is YOUR best insurance company?

As you shop your coverage around, it’s not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage to discover at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The aim is to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price.

The cheapest auto insurance is definitely available on the web and with local Ridgewood insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance providers do not offer the ability to get a quote online and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.

We just covered some good ideas how you can shop for auto insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the best prices are with an unexpected company.