The best way to get discount auto insurance rates is to compare prices at least once a year from insurers in Buffalo. You can compare rates by following these steps.
- Get a basic knowledge of how companies set rates and the changes you can make to keep rates down. Many factors that drive up the price such as careless driving and an unfavorable credit rating can be controlled by being financially responsible and driving safely. Continue reading for additional ideas to get affordable coverage and get discounts that may be available to you.
- Compare price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can provide rates from a single company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agencies can provide price quotes for a wide range of companies.
- Compare the new quotes to the price on your current policy to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find a better price, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
- Give notification to your current company to cancel your existing policy. Submit payment and a completed application to your new insurance company. Once coverage is bound, place the new proof of insurance certificate along with the vehicle’s registration papers.
One piece of advice is to use the same amount of coverage on each quote request and and to analyze every company you can. This provides the most accurate price comparison and a thorough selection of prices.
We don’t have to point out that fact that car insurance companies don’t want policyholders to shop around. Insureds who shop around annually will most likely buy a different policy because there is a high probability of finding a cheaper policy. A recent car insurance study discovered that consumers who routinely compared quotes saved $70 a month compared to drivers who don’t make a habit of comparing rates.
If saving the most money on insurance is your objective, then learning a little about the best way to quote and compare auto insurance can help make the process easier and more efficient.
These five discounts can lower your car insurance rates
Companies that sell car insurance don’t always publicize every available discount very well, so the following list contains a few of the more common as well as some of the hidden credits that may apply to you. If you do not check that you are getting every discount you qualify for, you may be paying too high a price.
- Military Discounts – Having an actively deployed family member could qualify you for better rates.
- Membership in Organizations – Having an affiliation with qualifying employment or professional organizations may earn a discount on car insurance.
- Driving Data Discount – Drivers who elect to allow driving data collection to look at when and where they use their vehicle by using a telematic data system such as In-Drive from State Farm or Allstate’s Drivewise system could save a few bucks as long as they are good drivers.
- Defensive Driver Discounts – Participating in a safe driver course could save 5% or more if your company offers it.
- Driver’s Education for Students – Reduce the cost of insurance for teen drivers by having them successfully take a driver’s education course in high school.
Don’t be shocked that some credits don’t apply to the whole policy. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it’s just not the way it works.
The diagram below illustrates the comparison of Buick Lucerne insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the rates. The prices are based on a male driver, no claims, a clean driving record, New York state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with safe-driver, claim-free, multi-car, multi-policy, marriage, and homeowner discounts applied.
A partial list of companies who may offer most of the discounts above are:
If you need the cheapest Buick Lucerne rate quotes, ask every insurance company which discounts they offer. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not be available to policyholders in Buffalo.
When comparing auto insurance rates, know that quoting more increases your odds of finding the best price.
The car insurance companies shown below offer free rate quotes in New York. To buy the best car insurance in NY, it’s highly recommended you get price quotes from several of them in order to find the cheapest rates.
Auto insurance data for a Buick Lucerne
The price information shown next showcases detailed analysis of insurance prices for Buick Lucerne models. Learning a little about how prices are determined can aid in making decisions on which insurance to purchase.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucerne CX | $182 | $320 | $270 | $16 | $80 | $868 | $72 |
| Lucerne CXL | $182 | $320 | $270 | $16 | $80 | $868 | $72 |
| Lucerne CXL Special Edition | $182 | $370 | $270 | $16 | $80 | $918 | $77 |
| Lucerne Super | $202 | $370 | $270 | $16 | $80 | $938 | $78 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data variables include married female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and New York minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, claim-free, and homeowner. Rate quotes do not factor in your specific Buffalo location which can influence coverage prices considerably.
The example below highlights how deductible choice and can increase or decrease Buick Lucerne insurance premiums for different age groups. The information is based on a single male driver, comp and collision included, and no discounts are applied.
Auto insurance rates are higher with tickets and accidents
The information below illustrates how traffic citations and at-fault claims influence Buick Lucerne car insurance rates for different categories of driver ages. The data assumes a single male driver, full coverage, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Buick Lucerne insurance premiums by gender
The illustration below illustrates the difference between Buick Lucerne premium costs for male and female drivers. The price estimates are based on no violations or claims, full physical damage coverage, $500 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Full coverage rates compared to liability-only
The illustration below visualizes the comparison of Buick Lucerne car insurance costs with and without physical damage coverage. The price estimates are based on no claims or violations, $1,000 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are factored in.
Guidelines for dropping full coverage
There is no clear-cut formula to delete full coverage, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is more than 10% of the settlement you would receive from your company, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
For example, let’s say your Buick Lucerne book value is $5,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most you would get paid by your company is $4,000 after paying your deductible. If it’s costing in excess of $400 annually for your policy with full coverage, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
There are some circumstances where eliminating full coverage is not in your best interest. If you haven’t paid off your loan, you are required to maintain full coverage in order to satisfy the requirements of the loan. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should maintain full coverage.
Compare rate quotes but buy from a neighborhood Buffalo auto insurance agent
A lot of people would rather buy from a licensed agent and often times that is recommended One of the great benefits of comparing rate quotes online is that you can find lower car insurance rates and also buy local. Putting coverage with local agencies is important particularly in Buffalo.
Once you complete this form (opens in new window), your information is submitted to companies in Buffalo who will give competitive quotes for your coverage. You won’t even need to find an agent on your own because quoted prices will be sent to the email address you provide. You can find better rates and an insurance agent to talk to. If you have a need to quote rates from a specific insurance company, just go to their quote page and give them your coverage information.
If you are searching for a reputable agency, there are two types of agencies from which to choose. Auto insurance policy providers are categorized either exclusive or independent.
Independent Auto Insurance Agents
These type of agents can quote rates with many companies and that allows them to write policies with many different companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If they find a lower price, the agent simply finds a different carrier and that require little work on your part. When comparing auto insurance rates, we recommend you get rate quotes from several independent insurance agents to have the best price comparison.
Featured below is a list of independent insurance agents in Buffalo that can possibly get you pricing information.
Petrella Agency Inc
3411 Delaware Ave # 7 – Buffalo, NY 14217 – (716) 874-1400 – View Map
Nationwide Insurance: Kevin K Conley
2521 Niagara Falls Blvd – Buffalo, NY 14228 – (716) 691-4000 – View Map
Linda’s Able Agency
2564 Bailey Ave – Buffalo, NY 14215 – (716) 896-3366 – View Map
Exclusive Agents
Agents of this type can usually just insure with one company and some examples include Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They usually cannot shop your coverage around so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. These agents are well schooled on sales techniques and that can be a competitive advantage.
Listed below is a short list of exclusive insurance agencies in Buffalo that can give you price quotes.
George Ihle III – State Farm Insurance Agent
7718 Buffalo Ave – Niagara Falls, NY 14304 – (716) 283-9100 – View Map
Farmers Insurance – Toni Du Bois
2460 Main St – Buffalo, NY 14214 – (716) 931-5200 – View Map
Lou Santiago – State Farm Insurance Agent
557 Niagara St – Buffalo, NY 14201 – (716) 883-5500 – View Map
Choosing the best insurance agent is decision based upon more than just the price. The answers to these questions are important, too.
- What company holds the largest book of business for them?
- Do they have 24-hour customer assistance?
- How many companies do they write for?
- Are there any discounts for paying up front?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
- What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
Insurance coverage basics
Having a good grasp of your policy helps when choosing the right coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and coverage can change by endorsement. Listed below are typical coverages offered by insurance companies.
Comprehensive insurance
Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive can pay for things such as damage from getting keyed, damage from a tornado or hurricane, hitting a bird and fire damage. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)
This provides protection when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your Buick Lucerne.
Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits (which is 25/50/10), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Most of the time the UM/UIM limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for short-term medical expenses such as pain medications, surgery, rehabilitation expenses and doctor visits. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Liability auto insurance
This will cover damage or injury you incur to other people or property in an accident. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You might see limits of 25/50/10 which means $25,000 bodily injury coverage, $50,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $10,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Another option is one number which is a combined single limit that pays claims from the same limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability can pay for things such as funeral expenses, medical expenses, pain and suffering, repair costs for stationary objects and structural damage. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but buy as high a limit as you can afford. New York requires drivers to carry at least 25/50/10 but drivers should carry better liability coverage.
The next chart demonstrates why low liability limits may not be high enough to adequately cover claims.
Coverage for collisions
This will pay to fix damage to your Lucerne resulting from a collision with another car or object. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision insurance covers things such as backing into a parked car, scraping a guard rail and damaging your car on a curb. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible on your Lucerne to get cheaper collision coverage.
You can lower your insurance rates
Discount Buick Lucerne insurance in Buffalo is available from both online companies and from local insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. A few companies may not offer online price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.
You just learned a lot of techniques to get a better price on Buick Lucerne insurance in Buffalo. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the lowest rates are with a small local company. These companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm and Allstate.
For more information, feel free to visit the resources below:
- Prepare your Teens for Safe Driving (InsureUonline.org)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for 19 Year Olds in Buffalo? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for Hybrid Vehicles in Buffalo? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Buffalo Car Insurance Rates for Young Drivers? (FAQ)
- Teen Driving Statistics (iihs.org)
- Liability Insurance Coverage (Nationwide)
- Side airbags reduce rollover fatalities (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)