Secret Strategies for Buying Exeter Auto Insurance Cheaper

If you’ve never shopped for auto insurance online, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the hoards of online auto insurance companies and websites offering insurance in Exeter.

It’s smart to get comparison quotes before your policy renews due to the fact that insurance rates trend upward over time. If you had the lowest price a year ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because you’re about to find out the proper way to reduce your cost while improving coverage.

Locating affordable auto insurance coverage in Exeter can be fairly easy. If you are insured now or are shopping for new coverage, you can use these tips to shop for the lowest rates while maximizing coverage. New Hampshire drivers just need to know the best way to shop on the web.

Where Can I Get Cheap Exeter Auto Insurance?

Shopping for lower auto insurance rates can be a daunting task if you don’t understand the most efficient way. You can waste a lot of time talking to agents in Exeter, or you could save time and use online quotes to get rates in a matter of minutes.

The majority of car insurance companies enroll in a system where insurance shoppers only type in their quote data once, and at least one company returns a rated price based on the submitted data. This eliminates the need for form submissions to each individual auto insurance company. To fill out one form to compare multiple rates now click here to start a free quote.

The only drawback to getting quotes like this is that consumers can’t choose which carriers you want pricing from. So if you want to select specific providers to compare prices, we have assembled a list of low cost auto insurance companies in New Hampshire. Click here to view list.

It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but be sure to compare exactly the same coverages for each comparison quote. If you compare mixed coverages you will not be able to determine the lowest rate in Exeter.

How your Exeter rates are determined

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that play a part in calculating your auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in better auto insurance rates.

  • Bad driving skills means higher rates – Your driving citation history has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Just one moving violation can bump up the cost by twenty percent. Drivers who don’t get tickets get better rates than bad drivers. Drivers who have serious citations like DUI or reckless driving may need to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
  • Men pay higher rates – Statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, don’t assume that women are better drivers. Both sexes are in accidents at a similar rate, but men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also get cited for more serious violations like reckless driving and DUI.
  • Performance influences rates – The performance level of the vehicle you are insuring makes a huge difference in the rate you pay. The lowest rates are usually for low performance passenger models, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
  • Rates may be higher depending on your occupation – Jobs such as real estate brokers, business owners and stock brokers tend to pay the highest rates because of high stress and long work hours. On the other hand, jobs such as pilots, students and the unemployed have the lowest average rates.
  • Policy add-ons can waste money – There are a ton of add-on coverages that you can buy if you aren’t careful. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, towing coverage and term life insurance may be costing you every month. They may seem like a good idea when talking to your agent, but if they’re wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
  • Don’t sacrifice liability coverage – The liability section of your policy is the coverage that protects you if ever you are found liable for damages from an accident. Liability provides legal defense coverage starting from day one. This coverage is very inexpensive compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.

Policy discounts you shouldn’t miss

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but companies offer discounts that you may not know about. Most are applied at the time of quoting, but less common discounts must be manually applied before being credited. If you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you’re paying more than you need to.

  • Distant Student – Children who are attending college and do not have a car can receive lower rates.
  • Lower Rates for Military – Having a deployed family member could be rewarded with lower premiums.
  • New Vehicle Savings – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can be considerably cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
  • No Claims – Claim-free drivers pay less as compared to drivers who are more careless.
  • Homeowners Discount – Owning a home in Exeter may earn you a small savings because maintaining a house is proof that your finances are in order.
  • Paperless Signup – Some insurance companies may give you up to $50 simply for signing on their website.
  • Safe Drivers – Safe drivers can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accidents.
  • Early Signing – A few companies offer discounts for buying a policy before your current expiration date. This can save 10% or more.
  • 55 and Retired – Older drivers may receive reduced rates.
  • Air Bag Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts can get savings of 20% or more.

It’s important to understand that most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Most only cut individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when it seems like you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn’t work that way. But any discount will bring down the cost of coverage.auto insurance image

Can’t I compare rates from local Exeter agents?

Some consumers prefer to sit down with an agent and that is OK! Licensed agents can help determine the best coverages and give you someone to call. The best thing about price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find the best rates but still work with a licensed agent. Buying from local agencies is important especially in Exeter.

Upon completion of this quick form, your insurance data gets sent to insurance agents in Exeter who will give you bids for your coverage. There is no reason to even leave your home due to the fact that quote results will go straight to your inbox. How’s that for easy!

What types of insurance agents are in Exeter?

When looking for local Exeter agents, there are a couple of different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agents can either be captive or independent (non-captive). Both do a good job, but it’s good to learn how they are different because it can impact buying decisions.

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Independent agencies are not required to write business for one company but rather can write business amongst many companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To move your coverage to a new company, your agent can switch companies and that require little work on your part.

When searching for an agent, it’s recommended you contact multiple independent agents to get the best comparison.Many can place coverage with smaller regional carriers which can be an advantage.

The following are independent insurance agencies in Exeter that may be able to provide comparison quotes.

  • Buttine Underwriters Agency – 19 Elliot St – Exeter, NH 03833 – (603) 772-5005
  • David F Woodford Insurance – 87 Kingston Rd # 2 – Exeter, NH 03833 – (603) 772-7057
  • Foy Insurance Group – 64 Portsmouth Ave – Exeter, NH 03833 – (603) 772-4781
  • De Meritt Agency Inc – 6 Center St – Exeter, NH 03833 – (603) 778-7304
Agency Captives

This type of agents can only write with one company and examples are American Family, Liberty Mutual and AAA. These agents are not able to compare other company’s rates so keep that in mind. They are well schooled in insurance sales which can be an advantage. Consumers often choose to use a captive agent primarily because of loyalty to the company and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.

Below are Exeter captive insurance agencies willing to provide price quotes.

  • Allstate Insurance – 1 Portsmouth Ave # 6 – Exeter, NH 03833 – (603) 772-2220
  • Liberty Mutual Insurance – 92 Portsmouth Ave – Exeter, NH 03833 – (603) 772-1027

To view a complete directory of Exeter captive agencies, please click here.

Deciding on a car insurance agent requires more thought than just a low price. These are valid questions to ask:

  • Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
  • What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
  • What insurance company do they write the most business with?
  • Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
  • Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
  • Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?

Once you have satisfactory answers for all questions you ask and an acceptable price quote, it’s possible that you found an insurance agency that is a good match to service your policy.

car insurance image

Quote often and quote early

When buying insurance coverage, you should never reduce needed coverages to save money. There are many occasions where drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage to discover at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The aim is to find the BEST coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

In this article, we covered many ideas to compare auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the higher the chance of saving money. Drivers may discover the most savings is with a small mutual company.

Cheaper auto insurance is definitely available both online and with local Exeter insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

Much more information about auto insurance in New Hampshire is located on the New Hampshire Insurance Department website located here. Consumers can get help finding coverage, download brochures, and read industry bulletins.

Also read more on this site for rates in New Hampshire and this list of insurance agents in Exeter.