It’s an obvious statement that auto insurance companies want to keep you from comparing prices. Drivers who shop around are likely to switch to a new company because there are good odds of finding a policy with better rates. A recent survey revealed that consumers who shopped around every year saved approximately $3,400 over four years compared to policyholders who never compared other company’s rates.
If finding the cheapest price for car insurance in Buffalo is your ultimate objective, then having an understanding of how to choose a company and compare insurance can make it simple to find affordable coverage.
The most effective way to find affordable car insurance rates is to regularly compare quotes from providers who provide car insurance in Buffalo. Prices can be compared by following these steps.
- Get an understanding of how car insurance works and the measures you can take to prevent rate increases. Many rating factors that result in higher prices such as high-risk driving behaviors and bad credit can be remedied by making minor changes to your lifestyle.
- Compare price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only quote rates from one company like GEICO and State Farm, while independent agents can provide prices for a wide range of insurance providers.
- Compare the new rate quotes to your existing rates to see if a cheaper price is available in Buffalo. If you find a better price, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
An important note is to make sure you enter identical coverage information on each price quote and and to compare as many different insurance providers as possible. This ensures a fair rate comparison and the best price selection.
To find the best car insurance quotes, there are several ways of comparing price quotes from many car insurance companies in New York. The quickest method to do a complete rate comparison is to jump online and get quotes.
Comparing rates online is fast and free, and it replaces the need to physically go to different Buffalo agent offices. The ability to buy insurance online eliminates the middleman unless you have a complicated situation and need the trained guidance only provided by licensed Buffalo agents. Some companies do allow you to get prices online and get advice from an agent in your area.
Keep in mind that comparing a wide range of rates helps you find the best price. Not every company provides online price quotes, so it’s recommended that you also compare rates from them, too.
The companies shown below provide free quotes in New York. To locate cheaper auto insurance in Buffalo, we recommend you visit several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Four Things That Impact Your Insurance Prices
The best way to find cheaper car insurance is to take a look at some of the factors that play a part in calculating car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates, this enables informed choices that can help you get cheaper rates.
Shown below are some of the most rate-impacting factors used by companies to determine your rate level.
- Amount of liability coverage – Liability coverage will afford coverage in the event that a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability provides for a legal defense to attempt to prove you were not liable. Liability insurance is pretty cheap compared to other policy coverages, so insureds should have plenty of protection for their assets.
- Car features that lower premiums – Purchasing a vehicle with advanced anti-theft systems can save you some money. Anti-theft features such as OnStar found on GM vehicles, advanced tracking like LoJack, and vehicle immobilization systems can thwart your vehicle from being stolen.
- Pleasure use or commuting – The higher the mileage driven in a year the more you’ll pay to insure it. A lot of insurance companies charge rates based on how the vehicle is used. Vehicles that have low annual miles receive better premium rates than those that get driven frequently. Improper usage on your Captiva Sport is just wasting money. Double check that your car insurance policy states annual mileage.
- Use but don’t abuse your insurance – Insurance companies in New York give most affordable rates to policyholders who are not frequent claim filers. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can pretty much guarantee higher premiums or even policy non-renewal. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
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Insurance loss data for a Chevy Captiva Sport – Insurance companies use data from past claims when they calculate premium prices for each model. Models that the data determines to have increased claim numbers or amounts will cost more for specific coverages.
The next table shows the historical insurance loss data for Chevy Captiva Sport vehicles. For each policy coverage type, the claim amount for all vehicles compiled together is a value of 100. Percentage numbers below 100 are indicative of better than average losses, while percentage numbers above 100 indicate a higher chance of having a claim or a tendency for claims to be larger.
Car Insurance Loss Data for Chevrolet Captiva Sport Models Vehicle Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Chevrolet Captiva Sport 4dr 2WD 89 95 88 123 115 105 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEData Source: iihs.org (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) for 2013-2015 Model Years
Three reasons to insure your vehicle
Despite the high cost, paying for auto insurance is required by state law in New York and it also provides benefits you may not be aware of.
- Just about all states have mandatory insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a specific minimum amount of liability insurance in order to license the 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 your Captiva Sport has a lienholder, most lenders will require that you carry insurance to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank may insure your Chevy at a more expensive rate and force you to reimburse them for it.
- Insurance safeguards not only your vehicle but also your assets. It also can pay for medical expenses for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you cause an accident and are sued. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of having auto insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, particularly when you have a large claim. According to a survey of 1,000 drivers, the average driver is overpaying over $869 every year so compare rates at every policy renewal to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Buffalo car insurance company ratings
Insuring your vehicle with a high-quality insurer is difficult considering how many different companies there are to choose from in New York. The company ratings shown next may help you decide which auto insurers you want to consider when looking for cheaper rates.
Top 10 Buffalo Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Value
- The General
- Erie Insurance
- The Hartford
- Mercury Insurance
- Farmers Insurance
- 21st Century
- Safeco Insurance
- AAA Insurance
- State Farm
- Travelers
Top 10 Buffalo Car Insurance Companies by A.M. Best Rank
- USAA – A++
- GEICO – A++
- Travelers – A++
- State Farm – A++
- Allstate – A+
- Nationwide – A+
- Esurance – A+
- Erie Insurance – A+
- Progressive – A+
- Mercury Insurance – A+