A recent car insurance study discovered that nearly 70% of consumers have purchased from the same company for well over three years, and approximately 40% of consumers have never taken the time to shop around. Most drivers in Buffalo could pocket approximately 45% a year by just comparing rate quotes, but they just don’t want to find lower-cost car insurance rates.
If you want to save the most money, the best way to find low-cost prices for auto insurance rates in Buffalo is to start comparing prices regularly from companies that insure vehicles in New York. Rate comparisons can be done by completing these steps.
- Read about individual coverages and the factors you can control to prevent high rates. Many things that increase rates such as accidents, careless driving, and a negative credit score can be remedied by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes.
- Request price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can provide rates from one company like Progressive or Allstate, while independent agents can give you price quotes for a wide range of insurance providers. View prices
- Compare the new quotes to your current policy and see if you can save money. If you find a lower rate and make a switch, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Provide adequate notice to your current company to cancel your current auto insurance policy and submit payment and a completed application to your new carrier. As soon as you have the new policy, keep the new certificate verifying proof of insurance in your vehicle’s glove compartment or console.
The key thing to remember is that you’ll want to compare similar coverage information on each quote request and and to get rate quotes from as many auto insurance providers as possible. This enables a level playing field and the best price selection.
Buffalo auto insurance companies ranked
Selecting a high-quality insurance company can be rather challenging considering how many different insurance companies sell coverage in Buffalo. The ranking information displayed below may help you analyze which providers to look at comparing rates from.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The General | 96 | 100 | 92 | 91% | A- | 95 |
| Mercury Insurance | 87 | 96 | 100 | 87% | A+ | 93.4 |
| The Hartford | 88 | 96 | 91 | 93% | A+ | 92.6 |
| Progressive | 84 | 94 | 99 | 90% | A+ | 92.4 |
| Travelers | 84 | 93 | 100 | 87% | A++ | 92.3 |
| State Farm | 84 | 93 | 95 | 87% | A++ | 91 |
| Farmers Insurance | 87 | 92 | 90 | 85% | A | 90.6 |
| Erie Insurance | 92 | 90 | 82 | 88% | A+ | 88.5 |
| Safeco Insurance | 85 | 91 | 87 | 86% | A | 88.4 |
| USAA | 71 | 93 | 98 | 87% | A++ | 88 |
| GEICO | 73 | 93 | 95 | 85% | A++ | 87.1 |
| 21st Century | 85 | 85 | 91 | 89% | A | 86.9 |
| Liberty Mutual | 72 | 91 | 97 | 83% | A | 86.4 |
| AAA Insurance | 85 | 85 | 88 | 86% | A | 85.8 |
| Nationwide | 71 | 90 | 93 | 83% | A+ | 84.9 |
| Allstate | 69 | 92 | 92 | 83% | A+ | 84.4 |
| American Family | 77 | 96 | 80 | 85% | A | 83.8 |
| Esurance | 70 | 80 | 89 | 77% | A+ | 79.2 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||||||
Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
Insurance coverage specifics
Knowing the specifics of insurance can be of help when determining the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Insurance terms can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring. Listed below are the usual coverages found on most insurance policies.
Liability auto insurance
This coverage protects you from damage or injury you incur to other’s property or people by causing an accident. It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see limits of 25/50/10 which means $25,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $10,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability coverage pays for claims like pain and suffering, medical expenses, court costs, emergency aid and attorney fees. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but consider buying as much as you can afford. New York state minimum liability requirements are 25/50/10 but drivers should carry more coverage.
The chart below demonstrates why low liability limits may not be high enough to cover claims.
Collision coverage protection
This coverage covers damage to your SLS AMG resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision can pay for things such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, crashing into a building, hitting a parking meter, backing into a parked car and driving through your garage door. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also choose a higher deductible on your SLS AMG to save money on collision insurance.
Coverage for medical payments
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for short-term medical expenses such as funeral costs, doctor visits and nursing services. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance plan or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Comprehensive coverages
This coverage will pay to fix damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things like damage from flooding, vandalism, a broken windshield and falling objects. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.
Uninsured and underinsured coverage
Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection from other drivers when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.
Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (25/50/10 in New York), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea.
Cover all your bases
As you quote Buffalo car insurance, don’t be tempted to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. Too many times, an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage only to regret they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your goal should be to find the BEST coverage for the lowest cost, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.
Affordable Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG insurance in Buffalo can be bought on the web and with local Buffalo insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both so you have a total pricing picture. Some auto insurance companies may not provide the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agencies.
Additional resources
- Comprehensive Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
- Who Has the Cheapest Buffalo Auto Insurance for Good Drivers? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for 19 Year Olds in Buffalo? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Buffalo Car Insurance for a Jeep Wrangler? (FAQ)
- How Much is Buffalo Car Insurance for Inexperienced Drivers? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance with Multiple Speeding Tickets in Buffalo? (FAQ)
- How Much is Auto Insurance for a Toyota RAV4 in Buffalo? (FAQ)
- Older Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- What does Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Cover? (Allstate)
- Air Bags: Potential Dangers to Your Children (Insurance Information Institute)