It’s an obvious assumption that car insurance companies want to prevent you from shopping around. Consumers who compare other prices are very likely to switch to a new company because they have a good chance of finding lower prices. A recent car insurance study discovered that people who routinely compared rates saved as much as $865 a year compared to drivers who never shopped around for lower prices.
If saving money on Audi TT insurance is why you’re reading this, understanding how to choose a company and compare insurance coverage can save time and money.
The preferred way to get low-cost Audi TT insurance is to start doing an annual price comparison from companies in Buffalo.
- First, read and learn about the different coverages in a policy and the measures you can take to prevent expensive coverage. Many factors that drive up the price such as speeding tickets, careless driving and a not-so-good credit rating can be eliminated by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
- Second, get rate quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct and exclusive agents can only give rate quotes from a single company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agencies can provide prices for a wide range of insurance providers.
- Third, compare the new rate quotes to your current policy premium to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find a lower rate quote, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
- Fourth, tell your current agent or company of your intent to cancel your existing policy and submit a completed application and payment for the new coverage. Once received, put the new proof of insurance paperwork somewhere easily accessible.
An essential thing to point out is that you use the same coverage limits and deductibles on every price quote and and to compare every insurance company. Doing this provides an apples-to-apples comparison and a thorough price selection.
The companies in the list below provide comparison quotes in Buffalo, NY. To locate cheaper car insurance in New York, we recommend you visit two to three different companies in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Earn discounts on Buffalo car insurance
Companies don’t always advertise every discount very clearly, so the next list breaks down some of the best known and the more hidden credits available to you.
- Smart Student Discounts – Getting good grades can earn a discount of 20% or more. You can use this discount normally up to age 25.
- Bundled Policy Discount – If you can combine your auto and homeowners policy and insure them with the same company they may give you a discount of at least 10% off all policies.
- Switch and Save Discount – A few insurance companies give discounts for buying a new policy early. You could save around 10% when you buy Buffalo car insurance online.
- Own a Home and Save – Owning your own home or condo can earn you a little savings because it means you have a higher level of financial diligence.
- Multi-line Discount – Select insurance carriers reward you with better premium rates if you take out auto and life insurance together.
- Discount for New Cars – Buying insurance coverage on a new vehicle can save you some money compared to insuring an older model.
You can save money using discounts, but most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears it’s possible to get free car insurance, that’s just not realistic.
The diagram below illustrates the comparison of Audi TT car insurance costs with and without policy discounts. The premiums are based on a male driver, no violations or claims, New York state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, multi-car, safe-driver, claim-free, marriage, and multi-policy discounts applied.
Popular car insurance companies and their offered discounts can be found below.
- GEICO may include discounts for federal employee, air bags, multi-vehicle, anti-theft, and seat belt use.
- Travelers policyholders can earn discounts including new car, hybrid/electric vehicle, payment discounts, multi-policy, multi-car, and continuous insurance.
- Nationwide may have discounts that include easy pay, business or organization, good student, family plan, anti-theft, and defensive driving.
- Farmers Insurance discounts include alternative fuel, switch companies, electronic funds transfer, multi-car, homeowner, distant student, and teen driver.
- Esurance includes discounts for anti-theft, multi-policy, claim free, Pac-12 alumni, and safety device.
- State Farm has savings for defensive driving training, accident-free, safe vehicle, good student, passive restraint, good driver, and driver’s education.
- Progressive may offer discounts for good student, online quote discount, homeowner, continuous coverage, online signing, and multi-vehicle.
- Mercury Insurance offers discounts including accident-free, type of vehicle, ease of repair, location of vehicle, and anti-theft.
Check with all the companies which discounts they offer. All car insurance discounts may not apply to policies in Buffalo. To see a list of providers who offer discounts in New York, click here.
Detailed insurance information
The coverage information shown next covers a range of insurance premium costs for Audi TT models. Having insight into how insurance quotes are figured helps drivers make decisions on the best policy coverages.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TT 2.0T Quattro 2-Dr Coupe | $124 | $250 | $254 | $16 | $76 | $720 | $60 |
| TT 2.0T Quattro 2-Dr Coupe | $124 | $250 | $254 | $16 | $76 | $720 | $60 |
| TT 2.0T Quattro 2-Dr Coupe | $124 | $250 | $254 | $16 | $76 | $720 | $60 |
| TT S 2.0T Quattro 2-Dr Coupe | $136 | $282 | $254 | $16 | $76 | $764 | $64 |
| TT 2.0T Quattro 2-Dr Roadster | $136 | $282 | $254 | $16 | $76 | $764 | $64 |
| TT 2.0T Quattro 2-Dr Roadster | $136 | $282 | $254 | $16 | $76 | $764 | $64 |
| TT S 2.0T Quattro 2-Dr Coupe | $136 | $282 | $254 | $16 | $76 | $764 | $64 |
| TT S 2.0T Quattro 2-Dr Roadster | $136 | $282 | $254 | $16 | $76 | $764 | $64 |
| TT 2.0T Quattro 2-Dr Roadster | $136 | $282 | $254 | $16 | $76 | $764 | $64 |
| TT S 2.0T Quattro 2-Dr Roadster | $150 | $316 | $254 | $16 | $76 | $812 | $68 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Above prices assume married male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and New York minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, homeowner, safe-driver, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Prices do not factor in garaging location in Buffalo which can alter premium rates noticeably.
Rate comparison of full coverage and liability-only
The information below illustrates the comparison of Audi TT auto insurance rates with and without physical damage coverage, medical payments, and uninsured/under-insured motorist coverage. The premiums are based on no violations or claims, $1,000 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
When to drop comp and collision
There is no exact formula of when to stop paying for full coverage, but there is a general guideline. If the annual cost of having full coverage is more than 10% of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
For example, let’s say your Audi TT book value is $7,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most you would get paid by your company is $6,000 after paying your policy deductible. If premiums are more than $600 a year for comprehensive and collision coverage, then you might consider buying liability only.
There are some circumstances where buying only liability insurance is not in your best interest. If you haven’t satisfied your loan, you must maintain physical damage coverage in order to keep the loan. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should not opt for liability only.
Car insurance agents are trained to help
Some consumers just prefer to get professional advice from a licensed agent and that is recommended in a lot of cases Professional agents are highly skilled in risk management and give you someone to call. One of the great benefits of comparing rate quotes online is the fact that drivers can get cheap rate quotes but still work with a licensed agent.
Once you complete this short form, the quote information is emailed to local insurance agents who want to provide quotes for your auto insurance coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to even leave your home as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. If you need to compare rates from a specific company, you just need to navigate to their website and submit a quote form there.
Finding the right insurer should depend on more than just a cheap price. The answers to these questions are important, too.
- What company do they have the most business with?
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
- Is every driver in your family covered?
- Do they have a Better Business Bureau rating in Buffalo?
- How is replacement cost determined on your vehicle?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
- Are there any discounts for paying up front?
- How are claims handled?
Choose the right auto insurance agent
If you are searching for a reputable insurance agent or broker, there are two different types of agencies and how they differ in how they quote coverages. Auto insurance agents in Buffalo are considered either exclusive agents or independent agents. Both types can sell and service auto insurance coverage, but it’s important to point out how they are different because it can factor into the type of agent you choose.
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Agents that elect to be exclusive can only provide pricing for a single company like Farmers Insurance, Allstate, or State Farm. They generally cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they have to upsell other benefits. These agents are highly trained on their products and sales techniques which helps overcome the inability to quote other rates. Some people will only use the same exclusive agent primarily because of loyalty to the company rather than having the cheapest rates.
Shown below is a short list of exclusive insurance agencies in Buffalo who may provide you with comparison quotes.
- Dan Schmidt – State Farm Insurance Agent
615 Elmwood Ave – Buffalo, NY 14222 – (716) 783-9460 – View Map - Progressive Insurance – Buffalo Service Center
6699 Transit Road – Buffalo, NY 14221 – (716) 810-1500 – View Map - George Ihle III – State Farm Insurance Agent
7718 Buffalo Ave – Niagara Falls, NY 14304 – (716) 283-9100 – View Map
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Agents that elect to be independent are normally appointed by many insurers so they have the ability to put coverage through lots of different companies and find the cheapest auto insurance rates. If you want to switch companies, they simply move your policy to a different company and you don’t have to switch agencies. When comparing rate quotes, you will want to get several quotes from independent agents in order to compare the most rates. Most independent agents also contract with small mutual carriers which could offer lower prices.
Below is a short list of independent agents in Buffalo willing to provide price quote information.
- State Insurance Fund
225 Oak St – Buffalo, NY 14203 – (716) 851-2000 – View Map - Jacob Hauck Agency Inc
801 Main St – Buffalo, NY 14203 – (716) 853-3820 – View Map - Encompass Agency, Inc.
142 Niagara Falls Blvd – Buffalo, NY 14214 – (716) 835-6790 – View Map
Once you have acceptable answers to these questions as well as offering an affordable quote, you have narrowed it down to an insurance agency that will properly insure your vehicles.
Six Things That Impact Your Insurance Premiums
Consumers need to have an understanding of a few of the rating criteria that help calculate the price you pay for insurance. If you have some idea of what controls the rates you pay, this helps enable you to make changes that could result in better insurance rates.
- An active claims history can cost more – If you’re an insured who likes to file claims you should expect either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Auto insurance companies in New York give better rates to drivers who are claim-free. Your car insurance is designed for claims that pose a financial burden.
- Bundle policies and save – The majority of insurance companies provide discounts to clients who buy several policies from them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to ten percent or more. Even with this discount, consumers should still compare other company rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
- Eliminate extra policy coverages – Insurance companies have many extra coverages that can waste your money if you aren’t careful. Coverages like personal injury protection, high-cost glass coverage, and extra life insurance coverage may be wasting your money. These may sound like a good investment initially, but now you might not need them so consider taking them off your policy.
- Costs may be higher where you live – Having an address in less populated areas is a good thing when talking about insurance. People who live in big cities have to deal with more aggressive driving styles and longer commutes to work. Lower population means a lower chance of having an accident as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
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Men drivers tend to cost more – Over the last 30 years, statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. This data doesn’t prove that women are BETTER drivers than men. Females and males are responsible for accidents in similar numbers, but the male of the species have costlier accidents. Men also tend to get more serious tickets such as DWI and reckless driving.
The diagram below shows the difference between Audi TT annual premium costs for male and female drivers. The premiums are based on no claims or driving violations, comprehensive and collision coverage, $1,000 deductibles, single marital status, and no additional discounts are factored in.
- Pleasure use or commuting – The higher the miles on your Audi every year the higher your rate. Most companies rate vehicles based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles left parked in the garage receive lower rates than those used for commuting. It’s always a good idea to double check that your vehicle rating states the correct driver usage, because it can save money. Having the wrong rating on your TT is just wasting money.
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Insurance loss statistics an Audi TT – Companies study historical loss data to help calculate a profitable premium rate. Models that the data shows to have a higher amount or frequency of claims will have higher premium rates.
The data below shows the compiled insurance loss statistics for Audi TT vehicles. For each coverage category, the loss probability for all vehicles as a whole is considered to be 100. Values that are below 100 represent a good loss history, while numbers above 100 show a trend for more claims or statistically larger losses.
Audi TT Insurance Claim Statistics Vehicle Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Audi TT 2dr 4WD 168 111 Audi TTS 2dr 4WD 141 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEEmpty fields indicate not enough data collected
Statistics Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Best reasons to buy auto insurance in New York
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure an Audi in Buffalo, buying auto insurance is a good idea for several reasons.
- Most states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means state laws require specific minimum amounts of liability protection if you drive a vehicle. In New York these limits are 25/50/10 which means you must have $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $10,000 of property damage coverage.
- If you have a lien on your Audi TT, almost every bank will make it a condition of the loan that you have insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you default on your policy, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Audi for a lot more money and force you to pay much more than you were paying before.
- Insurance safeguards your vehicle and your assets. It will also provide coverage for all forms of medical expenses for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance will also pay to defend you if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of having auto insurance definitely exceed the cost, especially when you need to use it. According to a recent study, the average American driver is overpaying over $869 every year so you should quote your policy with other companies once a year at a minimum to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Don’t give up on cheaper coverage
When getting Buffalo car insurance quotes online, make sure you don’t skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are many occasions where an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Budget-friendly car insurance in Buffalo can be found both online and from local insurance agents, so you need to quote Buffalo car insurance with both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some car insurance companies may not have price quotes online and these regional carriers provide coverage only through local independent agents.
In this article, we presented quite a bit of information on how to compare Audi TT insurance prices in Buffalo. It’s most important to understand that the more you quote Buffalo car insurance, the higher your chance of finding affordable Buffalo car insurance quotes. Drivers may even discover the best prices are with some of the lesser-known companies.
To learn more, feel free to browse the articles below:
- Front crash protection reduces rear-end crashes (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for High School Students in Buffalo? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Buffalo Car Insurance Rates for a Subaru Outback? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Buffalo Car Insurance for a Jeep Wrangler? (FAQ)
- Tools for Teen Driving Safety (State Farm)
- Teen Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Dangers of fake or stolen airbags (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)