Smart shoppers know that car insurance companies don’t want you shop around. Drivers who shop for lower prices will, in all likelihood, move their business because of the good chance of finding a lower-priced company. A recent insurance study discovered that consumers who regularly compared rates saved as much as $72 a month as compared to drivers who never shopped around for better prices.
If finding the cheapest price for insurance in Buffalo is your objective, then having some knowledge of how to shop and compare coverages can help make the process easier and more efficient.
The preferred way to find discount Saturn Ion insurance in Buffalo is to annually compare prices from insurance carriers in New York. Drivers can shop around by following these steps.
- Step 1: Read about the different coverages in a policy and the steps you can take to prevent rate increases. Many policy risk factors that increase rates such as at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, and an imperfect credit history can be controlled by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility. Keep reading for more information to prevent expensive rate increases and find discounts that may have been missed.
- Step 2: Request rate estimates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can give quotes from a single company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can provide prices for a wide range of insurance providers.
- Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to the premium of your current policy and determine if cheaper Ion coverage is available in Buffalo. If you can save some money and change companies, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
One thing to remember is to try to use identical limits and deductibles on each quote and and to get price quotes from as many different companies as possible. Doing this provides a level playing field and and a good selection of different prices.
If you have insurance now or just want a better rate, you will benefit by learning to get lower rates and possibly find even better coverage. These tips will let you in on the best ways to compare prices and some money-saving tips. Drivers just need to understand the quickest method to compare rate quotes from many different companies online.
Lowering your Saturn Ion auto insurance rates doesn’t have to be difficult. You just have to invest a little time to compare rate quotes to find the company with the cheapest Saturn Ion rate quotes.
The companies shown below are our best choices to provide free rate quotes in Buffalo, NY. To get the best auto insurance in Buffalo, we recommend you compare several of them to get the lowest price.
Why auto insurance is not optional
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Saturn Ion in Buffalo, auto insurance is not optional due to several reasons.
- Most states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means state laws require specific minimum amounts of liability coverage if you want to drive legally. 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 loan, most banks will have a requirement that you carry insurance to protect their interest in the vehicle. If the policy lapses, the bank may insure your Saturn at a much higher rate and make you pay much more than you were paying before.
- Insurance safeguards both your Saturn Ion and your assets. Insurance will also pay for medical expenses for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability insurance will also pay attorney fees in the event you are sued. If you have damage to your Saturn as the result of the weather or an accident, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of having insurance definitely exceed the cost, especially if you ever need it. Unknowingly, the average driver is overpaying more than $855 a year so it’s recommended you shop around at every policy renewal to save money.
Lower Your Buffalo Insurance Rates
One of the most helpful ways to save on auto insurance is to to have a grasp of the rating factors that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. If you have some idea of what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get better auto insurance rates.
Shown below are a few of the things used by companies to determine your rate level.
- Male prices may be higher – Statistics have proven females are less aggressive when driving. However, don’t assume that men are WORSE drivers than women. They both are responsible for at-fault accidents in similar numbers, but men tend to have higher claims. Not only are claims higher, but men receive more major tickets such as reckless driving. Males from age 16 to 21 have the highest risk to insure and therefore have the most expensive auto insurance rates.
- Having a spouse brings a discount – Being married can get you a discount on your policy. Marriage means you’re more stable financially it has been statistically shown that married drivers tend to have fewer serious accidents.
- Reserve policy claims for larger damages – If you file a lot of claims you can definitely plan on either higher rates or even cancellation. Car insurance companies in New York award lower rates to policyholders that do not abuse their auto insurance. Your car insurance is designed for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
- More performance means higher premiums – The performance of the car or truck you own makes a significant difference in your auto insurance rates. Lower performance four cylinder passenger vehicles usually have the lowest premiums, but your final cost has many other factors.
- Can a thief steal your car? – Selecting a car model with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention features like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system help track and prevent vehicle theft.
- Companies want multiple policies – Most larger insurance companies afford a discount to clients who consolidate policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you already get this discount, you may still want to check prices from other companies to help ensure you have the lowest rates. Consumers may save money even if you have your coverage with different companies
Buffalo insurance discounts
Companies don’t necessarily list every discount very well, so the list below details a few of the more common and also the more inconspicuous discounts that you may qualify for.
- Buffalo Homeowners Pay Less – Owning a house in Buffalo can save you money because maintaining a house shows financial diligence.
- Multiple Vehicles – Insuring multiple cars or trucks with one company can get a discount for every vehicle.
- Drivers Education – Have your child enroll in driver’s education in high school.
- Discount for Good Grades – Getting good grades may save you up to 25%. Many companies even apply the discount to college students until age 25.
- Multi-policy Discount – When you have multiple policies with the same company you will save nearly 15% which can help you find low cost Saturn Ion insurance.
- Air Bags and Passive Restraints – Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts of 25 to 30%.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – By paying your entire bill at once as opposed to paying monthly you may reduce your total bill.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Insurance companies who offer life insurance give lower premium rates if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Driving less may enable drivers to earn lower premium rates due to less chance of an accident.
Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. If you do the math and it seems like you could get a free insurance policy, that’s just not realistic.
Larger insurance companies and some of their more popular discounts are outlined below.
- American Family discounts include multi-vehicle, bundled insurance, accident-free, TimeAway discount, and defensive driver.
- State Farm offers discounts including defensive driving training, safe vehicle, Steer Clear safe driver discount, good student, anti-theft, and accident-free.
- 21st Century includes discounts for automatic seat belts, 55 and older, early bird, theft prevention, defensive driver, air bags, and driver training.
- Travelers has discounts for new car, continuous insurance, student away at school, multi-policy, and driver training.
- GEICO offers premium reductions for air bags, daytime running lights, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and military active duty.
Check with all the companies how you can save money. Depending on the company, some discounts might not be offered in your area. To choose companies offering insurance discounts in Buffalo, click this link.
When to have guidance from an insurance agency
A lot of people still like to buy from a local agent and often times that is recommended Licensed agents can point out coverage gaps and help in the event of a claim. A nice benefit of comparing rate quotes online is that you can obtain cheaper car insurance rates but still work with a licensed agent.
By using this quick form, your insurance coverage information is emailed to local insurance agents who will give you bids and help you find cheaper coverage. There is no need to do any legwork due to the fact that quote results will go immediately to you. If for some reason you want to get a price quote from a particular provider, you just need to search and find their rate quote page to submit a rate quote request.
Selecting a insurer shouldn’t rely on just a cheap quote. The following questions are important to ask.
- Are they involved in claim handling?
- Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
- Will your rates increase after a single accident?
- Does the quote include credit and driving reports?
- How many years have they been established?
- Does their agency support local causes in Buffalo?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
- Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
Best car insurance agent in Buffalo
If you are wanting to find local Buffalo agents, it helps to know the two different types of agents from which to choose. Agencies in Buffalo can either be exclusive or independent agents depending on their company appointments. Both types can provide auto insurance policies, but it’s important to know how they differ since it may influence which agent you choose.
Exclusive Agents
Agents of this type can usually just insure with one company such as AAA, Allstate, State Farm, or Farmers Insurance. Exclusive agencies are unable to compare other company’s rates so they have no alternatives for high prices. Exclusive agents are very knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques which can be an advantage. Consumers frequently buy from the same agent for years partially due to the brand legacy and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Below is a list of exclusive agents in Buffalo that can give you rate quotes.
- Lou Santiago – State Farm Insurance Agent
557 Niagara St – Buffalo, NY 14201 – (716) 883-5500 – View Map - Farmers Insurance – Toni Du Bois
2460 Main St – Buffalo, NY 14214 – (716) 931-5200 – View Map - State Farm: Dan Hawrylczak
1335 Hertel Ave – Buffalo, NY 14216 – (716) 873-3771 – View Map
Independent Agents
These agents do not have single company limitations and that allows them to write policies with multiple insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If your premiums go up, they can switch companies in-house and you don’t have to do anything.
When comparing auto insurance prices, we recommend you get insurance quotes from independent agents to get the most accurate price comparison. A lot of them also have access to companies that do not advertise much that may have much lower rates than larger companies.
Below are Buffalo independent agents that can give you comparison quotes.
- Centinello Insurance
1274 Bailey Ave # 1 – Buffalo, NY 14206 – (716) 893-4332 – View Map - MandT Insurance Agency Inc.
285 Delaware Ave – Buffalo, NY 14202 – (716) 853-7960 – View Map - Jacob Hauck Agency Inc
801 Main St – Buffalo, NY 14203 – (716) 853-3820 – View Map
Once you have answers to your satisfaction to these questions as well as an affordable premium quote, most likely you have located a car insurance agent that is reliable enough to properly service your auto insurance policy.
Smart shoppers get results
Cheap Saturn Ion insurance in Buffalo is available both online and from local agencies, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies don’t offer internet price quotes and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through independent agents.
We’ve covered many ideas to find cheap Saturn Ion insurance in Buffalo. The most important thing to understand is the more companies you get car insurance rates for, the better likelihood of getting cheaper Buffalo auto insurance quotes. You may even be surprised to find that the lowest rates are with a small local company.
When buying insurance coverage, don’t be tempted to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are a lot of situations where an insured dropped full coverage to discover at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your goal should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate, but do not skimp to save money.
Additional learning opportunities
- Understanding Your Insurance Deductible (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Much are Buffalo Car Insurance Quotes for Welfare Recipients? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Low Mileage Drivers in Buffalo? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Single Moms in Buffalo? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Lyft Drivers in Buffalo? (FAQ)
- Avoiding Deer Collisions (Insurance Information Institute)
- No-Fault Auto Insurance Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)