When searching for lower-cost insurance, are you overwhelmed by the dozens of auto insurance providers that you can choose from? There are so many choices that it can be hard work to find the perfect company for you. If you’ve ever been there, you know that Buffalo is a wonderful place to live, but expensive auto insurance rates can make it hard for many residents to affordably buy enough coverage.
How to buy affordable Fiat 500 insurance in Buffalo
If your goal is the lowest price, then the best way to find cheaper prices for auto insurance rates in Buffalo is to start comparing prices regularly from companies who provide auto insurance in New York. Rate comparisons can be done by completing these steps.
- Try to learn a little about auto insurance and the factors you can control to drop your rates. Many rating criteria that cause high rates like tickets, at-fault accidents, and a substandard credit history can be amended by making minor changes to your lifestyle. This article provides more information to help prevent expensive coverage and find overlooked discounts.
- Compare price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only quote rates from one company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agents can provide price quotes for a wide range of insurance providers. Begin your rate comparison
- Compare the new rate quotes to your current policy to determine if you can save on 500 insurance. If you can save money and decide to switch, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Notify your current company of your intent to cancel your current policy and submit a down payment along with a completed application for your new coverage. As soon as you have the new policy, put the certificate verifying proof of insurance in a readily accessible location in your vehicle.
The most important part of this process is that you use identical coverages on each price quote and and to get rate quotes from as many auto insurance providers as possible. Doing this guarantees a level playing field and the best rate selection.
Unbelievable but true according to a study the vast majority of auto insurance customers in New York have remained with the same auto insurance company for well over three years, and practically 40% of auto insurance customers have never even compared rates from other companies. With the average auto insurance premium being $1,847, American drivers can save nearly 46.5% each year just by getting comparison quotes, but they just don’t understand how easy it is to find affordable rates by getting comparison quotes.
If you currently have auto insurance, you will most likely be able to lower your rates using the following tips. Shopping for the cheapest policy in Buffalo is not that difficult. But New York consumers can benefit by having an understanding of how insurance companies calculate your auto insurance rates and take advantage of how the system works.
Don’t neglect these premium slashing discounts
Some insurers don’t always advertise all possible discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the following is a list of both the well known and the harder-to-find credits available to lower your premiums when you buy Buffalo car insurance online.
- College Student – Children who are enrolled in higher education away from home and won’t have access to an insured vehicle may be insured at a cheaper rate.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Driving less could be rewarded with substantially lower insurance rates.
- Cautious Drivers – Safe drivers can save as much as half off their rates than less cautious drivers.
- Driver’s Ed – Require your teen driver to take driver’s ed class in high school.
- Safety Course Discount – Participating in a driver safety class could save 5% or more and also improve your driving technique.
- Waiver for an Accident – This one isn’t a discount, but companies like Allstate and GEICO will let one accident slide before hitting you with a surcharge with the catch being you have to be claim-free for a particular time prior to the accident.
- New Vehicle Savings – Buying a new car instead of a used 500 can save you some money since newer vehicles are generally safer.
You can save money using discounts, but most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. Despite the appearance that you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it’s just not the way it works.
To choose providers with discount insurance rates in New York, click this link.
Free Buffalo Fiat 500 insurance price quotes
To find low cost Buffalo car insurance quotes, there are several ways to compare rate quotes from car insurance companies in your area. One of the best ways to compare rates is to perform an online rate comparison.
When quoting car insurance, remember that making a lot of price comparisons increases your odds of finding more affordable insurance.
The auto insurance companies shown below have been selected to offer price quotes in New York. If you want the best car insurance in Buffalo, NY, we recommend you visit two to three different companies in order to find the most affordable rates.
Why Informed Drivers Pay Less for Fiat 500 Insurance
Lots of factors are part of the calculation when you get your auto insurance bill. Some factors are common sense like an MVR report, although others are less apparent like your vehicle usage or your commute time. An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that are used to determine your premiums. When consumers understand what determines premiums, this allows you to make educated decisions that can earn you cheaper rates.
The list below includes a few of the “ingredients” used by companies to determine prices.
How credit rating affects car insurance rates – Having a bad credit score factor in determining what you pay. So if your credit score is lower than you’d like, you could save money insuring your Fiat 500 by repairing your credit. Drivers who have excellent credit tend to be less risk to insure as compared to drivers with lower credit ratings.
Vehicle risk influences costs – The performance level of the vehicle you need to insure makes a big difference in your car insurance bill. The lowest performance passenger models receive the most favorable rates, but that’s not the only thing that factors into the final price.
Having a spouse pays dividends – Having a significant other may save some money compared to being single. It generally demonstrates drivers are more stable financially it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married file infrequent claims.
How do annual miles impact rates? – The more miles you rack up on your Fiat in a year’s time the more you will pay for car insurance. A lot of companies price each vehicle’s coverage based on how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks that do not get driven very much receive better premium rates than vehicles that have high annual mileage. It’s a smart idea to ensure your policy states the proper vehicle usage, because improper ratings can cost you money. Having the wrong rating on your 500 can cost quite a bit.
Qualify for multi-policy discounts – The majority of insurers allow better rates to clients that buy multiple policies in the form of a multi-policy discount. The discount can be anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even if you’re getting this discount consumers should still check prices from other companies to guarantee you are still saving the most. Consumers may save money even if you insure with multiple companies
Expect high rates for teens – Mature drivers are more responsible, cost insurance companies less in claims, and are generally more financially stable. Teen drivers are statistically shown to be careless and easily distracted when driving with friends so car insurance rates are higher.
Safety ratings are a factor – Cars with five star safety ratings tend to have lower insurance rates. The safest vehicles protect occupants better and any reduction in injury severity means less money paid by your insurance company which can result in lower premiums. If your Fiat 500 is rated at least four stars on Safercar.gov it may cost less to insure.
Alarms and GPS tracking systems cut rates – Buying a car with a theft deterrent system can help lower your rates. Systems that thwart thieves like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system can help prevent car theft and help bring rates down.
Claims statistics for a Fiat 500 – Auto insurance companies factor in historical loss data to help determine rates. Models that the statistics show to have high amounts or severity of claims will have a higher cost to insure.
The table shown below demonstrates the historical loss data for Fiat 500 vehicles. For each type of coverage, the statistical loss for all vehicles averaged together is represented as 100. Percentage numbers below 100 suggest losses that are better than average, while values over 100 indicate frequent claims or tendency to have higher losses.
Vehicle Make and Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fiat 500 | 72 | 76 | 66 | 96 | 89 | 84 |
Fiat 500 Convertible | 76 | 79 | 60 | 85 | ||
Fiat 500 Electric | 73 | 59 | 76 | 60 | ||
Fiat 500L | 112 | 80 | 102 | 128 | 93 | 97 |
Empty fields indicate not enough data collected
Statistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
Do I need special coverages?
When choosing a policy, there isn’t really a cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s needs are different.
These are some specific questions can aid in determining whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.
- Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
- Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
- Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
- Can I get a multi-policy discount?
- Should I pay a claim out-of-pocket?
- How high should deductibles be on a Fiat 500?
- Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?
- Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in New York?
If you can’t answer these questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form.
Local agents and insurance
Some consumers still prefer to sit down and talk to an agent and we recommend doing that An additional benefit of price shopping on the web is you may find lower rates but also keep your business local. And buying from neighborhood insurance agencies is especially important in Buffalo.
After filling out this form (opens in new window), your coverage information is emailed to agents in your area who will give you bids for your business. You don’t have to drive around as quotes are delivered to the email address you provide. You can most likely find cheaper rates without a big time investment. If you have a need to get a comparison quote for a specific company, you can always find their quoting web page and give them your coverage information.
What type of Buffalo auto insurance agent is right for you?
When searching for an insurance agent, you should know the different types of agents and how they can write your policy. Insurance agencies in Buffalo are either exclusive or independent (non-exclusive).
Independent Insurance Agents
These type of agents are not employed by one company and that is an advantage because they can write policies through many different insurance companies depending on which coverage is best. If they quote lower rates, they simply move your policy to a different company and that require little work on your part. When comparing insurance prices, it’s recommended you compare prices from several independent agencies in order to compare the most rates. Many write coverage with smaller companies which can save you money.
Below is a list of independent insurance agencies in Buffalo that can give you price quote information.
- Mesi Agency Inc
759 Dick Rd – Buffalo, NY 14225 – (716) 626-3355 – View Map - State Insurance Fund
225 Oak St – Buffalo, NY 14203 – (716) 851-2000 – View Map - Encompass Agency, Inc.
142 Niagara Falls Blvd – Buffalo, NY 14214 – (716) 835-6790 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Exclusive agencies are contracted to one company like Farmers Insurance, State Farm, or Allstate. They generally cannot provide other company’s prices so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Exclusive insurance agents are trained well on what they offer which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers often buy insurance from these agents primarily because of the prominent brand name rather than low price.
Shown below are exclusive insurance agents in Buffalo that are able to give price quote information.
- Lou Santiago – State Farm Insurance Agent
557 Niagara St – Buffalo, NY 14201 – (716) 883-5500 – View Map - GEICO Insurance Agent
3835 McKinley Pkwy #2 – Buffalo, NY 14219 – (716) 604-0345 – View Map - George Ihle III – State Farm Insurance Agent
7718 Buffalo Ave – Niagara Falls, NY 14304 – (716) 283-9100 – View Map
Finding the right insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just a low price. Below are some questions you should ask.
- How much experience to they have in personal lines coverages?
- Do they reduce claim amounts on high mileage vehicles?
- What companies can they write with?
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in New York?
- Do they write coverage based solely on cost?
- How long has their agency been in business in Buffalo?
- Does the quote include credit and driving reports?
- Is the agency active in community causes in Buffalo?
Best reasons to buy insurance in New York
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Fiat in Buffalo, maintaining insurance serves several important purposes.
- Just about all states have mandatory insurance requirements which means you are required to buy specific limits of liability protection in order to get the vehicle licensed. 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 500, almost every bank will require that you carry insurance to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the bank will be required to insure your Fiat at a more expensive rate and require you to fork over for it.
- Insurance protects not only your Fiat 500 but also your assets. It will also reimburse you for medical expenses that are the result of an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, will also pay to defend you if you are sued as the result of an accident. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, your policy will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of insuring your car definitely exceed the cost, especially when you need to use it. The average driver in New York is currently overpaying as much as $855 a year so we recommend shopping around at every policy renewal to ensure rates are inline.
Best auto insurance company in Buffalo
Choosing a highly-rated insurance company is hard considering how many companies sell insurance in New York. The rank data in the next section can help you choose which providers you want to consider purchasing coverage from.
Top 10 Buffalo Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Service
- Mercury Insurance
- The Hartford
- American Family
- Progressive
- USAA
- Travelers
- State Farm
- GEICO
- Allstate
- Farmers Insurance
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
Keep this in mind when shopping around
When you buy Buffalo car insurance online, it’s a bad idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In too many instances, someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage to discover at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The ultimate goal is to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
People leave their current company for a variety of reasons including poor customer service, lack of trust in their agent, delays in responding to claim requests and even questionable increases in premium. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding a new company is less work than it seems.
Low-cost Fiat 500 insurance in Buffalo is definitely available on the web as well as from insurance agents, so get free Buffalo car insurance quotes from both of them in order to have the best price selection to choose from. A few companies do not provide rates over the internet and most of the time these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
Steps to finding low-cost rates for Fiat 500 insurance in Buffalo
It takes a few minutes, but the best way to quote cheaper auto insurance rates is to compare quotes once a year from insurers who sell auto insurance in Buffalo.
- Spend a few minutes and learn about how companies set rates and the changes you can make to keep rates down. Many rating factors that cause high rates such as traffic citations, accidents, and a less-than-favorable credit rating can be eliminated by paying attention to minor details.
- Compare price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can provide rates from a single company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agencies can provide prices for a wide range of insurance providers.
- Compare the new rate quotes to your existing rates to see if cheaper 500 coverage is available. If you find a better price, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
The most important part of this process is to make sure you’re comparing similar limits and deductibles on each quote request and and to get quotes from as many carriers as you can. This ensures a level playing field and the most accurate and complete price analysis.
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- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Teenage Females in Buffalo? (FAQ)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for a Learners Permit in Buffalo? (FAQ)
- Safe Vehicles for Teens (iihs.org)
- How Can I Save Money on Auto Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Alcohol Impaired Driving FAQ (iihs.org)
- Drunk Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)