A recent insurance study revealed that a large majority of insurance policyholders in New York have stayed with the same insurance company for a minimum of four years, and about 40% of consumers have never compared rate quotes at all. American insurance shoppers can save hundreds of dollars each year by just shopping around, but most just don’t grasp the rate savings if they just switched companies.
If your goal is the lowest price, then the best way to get affordable Chevy Spark insurance in Buffalo is to begin comparing prices regularly from insurance carriers who can sell car insurance in New York. You can compare prices by following these guidelines.
- Step 1: Learn about how companies set rates and the steps you can take to prevent rate increases. Many risk factors that result in higher rates such as at-fault accidents, careless driving, and a negative credit history can be rectified by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes. This article gives instructions to help prevent costly coverage and find discounts that you may qualify for.
- Step 2: Obtain price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only provide price estimates from one company like GEICO or Allstate, while independent agencies can quote prices for a wide range of companies.
- Step 3: Compare the new rates to the price on your current policy and determine if there is any savings. If you find a lower rate and decide to switch, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
A crucial key to this process is to use the same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote request and to quote with every company you can. Doing this provides the most accurate price comparison and a complete selection of prices.
Finding cheap auto insurance rates is not rocket science. All that’s required is to invest a little time to get quotes from online providers.
It’s so simple to compare auto insurance quotes online replaces the need to spend your day driving to insurance agents’ offices. Shopping for auto insurance online eliminates this option unless you have a need for the professional guidance that only a licensed agent can provide. Drivers can price shop your coverage online but have a local agent actually write the policy.
The providers in the list below offer price quotes in New York. If you wish to find cheap auto insurance in NY, it’s a good idea that you visit two to three different companies in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Affordable Chevy Spark insurance in Buffalo
Some insurers don’t always advertise every discount available very clearly, so the list below details a few of the more well known in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits that may apply to you.
- Senior Discount – Mature drivers can get a small decrease in premiums.
- Government Employees – Having worked for a branch of the government may qualify for a discount when you quote Buffalo car insurance with a few auto insurance companies.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Drivers without accidents may save up to 50% more than drivers with accidents.
- Paperwork-free – Some auto insurance companies will provide an incentive get Buffalo car insurance over the internet.
- Use Seat Belts – Drivers who always wear seat belts and also require passengers to buckle up may be able to save a few bucks off PIP or medical payments premium.
- Good Student – Performing well in school could provide a savings of up to 20% or more. The discount lasts up until you turn 25.
- No Claims – Drivers who don’t have accidents can earn big discounts in comparison to drivers with a long claim history.
- Waiver for an Accident – Not a discount per se, but certain companies will turn a blind eye to one accident without the usual rate increase if you have no claims for a set time period.
A quick disclaimer, some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.
A partial list of companies who might offer these money-saving discounts include:
When comparing rates, check with all companies you are considering the best way to save money. Some discounts may not apply to policies in every state.
When should I get advice from an insurance agent?
A small number of people just prefer to have an agent’s advice and that is just fine! Professional insurance agents can answer important questions and help you file claims. One of the benefits of price shopping on the web is that you can find the lowest rates and also buy local.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this form (opens in new window), your coverage information is submitted to companies in Buffalo who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. You don’t have to contact any agents as quotes are delivered immediately to you. If you want to get a price quote from a specific insurance company, just jump over to their website and fill out the quote form the provide.
Picking the best insurance company should depend on more than just the quoted price. The following questions are important to ask.
- Does the agent help file claims?
- Are they actively involved in the community?
- Will one accident increase rates?
- Is working in the agency their full-time job?
- Do they offer claims assistance after hours?
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
When searching for a reputable agency, it’s important to understand the types of insurance agents that you can select. Agents in Buffalo are either independent or exclusive. Both can properly insure your vehicles, but it’s worth learning the difference in the companies they write for because it can factor into which type of agent you select.
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Exclusive agents can only place business with one company like State Farm or Allstate. They usually cannot provide prices from multiple companies so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Exclusive insurance agents receive extensive training on their products and sales techniques and that can be a competitive advantage.
Listed below are Buffalo exclusive agents who can help you get price quote information.
George Ihle III – State Farm Insurance Agent
7718 Buffalo Ave – Niagara Falls, NY 14304 – (716) 283-9100 – View Map
State Farm: Dan Hawrylczak
1335 Hertel Ave – Buffalo, NY 14216 – (716) 873-3771 – View Map
Lou Santiago – State Farm Insurance Agent
557 Niagara St – Buffalo, NY 14201 – (716) 883-5500 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agencies
Agents of this type are not employed by any specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with any number of different companies and find you the best rates. If they find a cheaper price, they simply switch companies in-house which is easy for the insured.
When shopping rates, we highly recommend that you get quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to get the best comparison.
Listed below are Buffalo independent agencies that can give you price quotes.
Hoch Insurance
2333 Elmwood Ave – Buffalo, NY 14217 – (716) 846-1715 – View Map
Nationwide Insurance: Debra R Hamsher
1101 Niagara Falls Blvd – Buffalo, NY 14226 – (716) 833-1900 – View Map
Clauss and Company Insurance Agency
735 Delaware Ave – Buffalo, NY 14209 – (716) 886-6600 – View Map
Informed Consumers Save Every Year
When buying auto insurance it’s important to understand the different types of things that are used to determine your auto insurance rates. If you know what controls the rates you pay, this enables you to make decisions that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices. Lots of things are part of the equation when you get your auto insurance bill. Some factors are common sense like an MVR report, but other factors are less obvious like your vehicle usage or how safe your car is.
The items below are some of the factors utilized by car insurance companies to help set premiums.
Does insurance cost more for males? – Statistics have proven women are more cautious behind the wheel. The data does not necessarily mean that women are BETTER drivers than men. Females and males tend to get into auto accidents in similar numbers, but the men tend to have more serious accidents. Men also have more aggressive citations like DWI (DUI) or reckless driving. Male drivers age 16 to 19 have the highest risk to insure and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.
Reduce rates by driving vehicles with better crash test results – Safe vehicles cost less to insure. Safe vehicles result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity translates into savings for insurance companies and more competitive rates for policyholders. If your Chevy Spark has ratings of a minimum four stars on Safercar.gov it may cost less to insure.
Accidents mean higher prices – Having a clean driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Attentive drivers get better rates compared to bad drivers. Even one moving violation can increase the cost of insurance forty percent or more. Drivers who have received flagrant citations like DUI or reckless driving are required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state motor vehicle department in order to keep their license.
Cheaper rates after marriage – Your spouse helps lower the price when buying auto insurance. Having a spouse means you’re less irresponsible and it’s proven that drivers who are married file infrequent claims.
Where you reside can modify prices – Living in less populated areas has it’s advantages when it comes to auto insurance. Urban drivers tend to have much more traffic and more severe claims. Fewer drivers means reduced accidents and lower theft and vandalism rates.
Extra policy coverages can add up – There are quite a few optional add-on coverages that can add up on your auto insurance policy. Coverages like roadside assistance, death and dismemberment, and extra life insurance coverage may be costing you every month. They may sound like good ideas at first, but if you’ve never needed them in the past remove them from your policy.
Why you need Chevy Spark insurance in New York
Even though Buffalo Spark insurance rates can get expensive, maintaining insurance serves a purpose in several ways.
- Almost all states have minimum liability requirements which means the state requires a minimum amount of liability protection in order to drive the car. 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 vehicle has a lienholder, it’s guaranteed your bank will make it mandatory that you have insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender may insure your Chevy at an extremely high rate and force you to pay a much higher amount than you were paying before.
- Insurance protects both your Chevy and your assets. Insurance will also pay for medical bills for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability insurance also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are sued as the result of an accident. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, your auto insurance policy will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of carrying enough insurance more than offset the price you pay, especially for larger claims. Today the average American driver overpays as much as $750 every year so it’s very important to do a rate comparison each time the policy renews to ensure rates are inline.
Cover all your bases
Cost effective Chevy Spark insurance is definitely available both online and with local Buffalo insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies do not provide online price quotes and usually these smaller providers only sell coverage through independent insurance agents.
We’ve covered many ideas to shop for Chevy Spark insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the lowest priced insurance comes from a small mutual company. These smaller insurers may cover specific market segments cheaper compared to the large companies like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.
As you restructure your insurance plan, don’t be tempted to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are many occasions where drivers have reduced full coverage and learned later that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the lowest possible cost.
Additional insurance information is located at the links below
- Your Car has been Stolen: Now What? (Allstate)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for 19 Year Olds in Buffalo? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Buffalo Auto Insurance for Teachers? (FAQ)
- How Much is Car Insurance for Drivers with a DUI in Buffalo? (FAQ)
- Winter Driving (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Does No-Fault Insurance Cover? (Allstate)