It’s an obvious assumption that car insurance companies don’t want their customers to go rate shopping. Drivers who perform rate comparisons are highly likely to switch companies because there is a significant possibility of finding a lower rate. A recent survey found that drivers who regularly compared price quotes saved approximately $3,400 over four years compared to people who never shopped around for lower prices.
If finding the best rates on auto insurance in Buffalo is the reason for your visit, then understanding how to find and compare coverages can help make the process easier and more efficient.
To save the most money, the best way to get the cheapest car insurance rates is to compare quotes annually from companies who provide auto insurance in Buffalo. Rate comparisons can be done by completing these steps.
- Step 1: Spend some time learning about the coverage provided by your policy and the modifications you can make to keep rates down. Many things that result in higher prices such as traffic violations and a low credit rating can be controlled by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes. Later in this article we will cover additional tips to lower rates and get bigger discounts that may have been overlooked.
- Step 2: Request price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can give quotes from one company like GEICO and State Farm, while independent agencies can provide prices from multiple insurance companies.
- Step 3: Compare the new rates to the premium of your current policy to determine if you can save on BRZ insurance in Buffalo. If you find better rates and switch companies, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Step 4: Notify your agent or company to cancel your current auto insurance policy and submit a down payment along with a completed application for the new policy. Once received, place your new proof of insurance paperwork above your visor, in the console, or in the glove compartment.
The key thing to remember is to try to use the same deductibles and limits on each quote and and to get rate quotes from every company you can. Doing this guarantees the most accurate price comparison and a complete price analysis.
Cut Insurance Costs with These Tips
One of the most helpful ways to save on insurance is to to have a grasp of some of the elements that aid in calculating the level of your policy premiums. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels, this enables you to make decisions that can help you get lower insurance prices.
Shown below are some of the major factors used by your company to calculate rates.
- Your stress level may be raising your rates – Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Occupations such as real estate brokers, executives, and stock brokers tend to have higher premiums than the average policyholder due to intense work-related stress and extremely grueling work hours. Conversely, occupations such as professors, engineers and performers pay lower than average rates.
- Drive less and pay lower prices – The higher the mileage driven each year the higher the price you pay to insure it. A lot of companies calculate rates based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles used primarily for pleasure use get more affordable rates than those that get driven frequently. Having the wrong rating on your BRZ may be costing you higher rates. It’s always a good idea to double check that your declarations sheet is rated on the proper vehicle usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
- Low physical damage deductibles cost more – Insurance for physical damage to your car, also known as collision and other-than-collision, helps pay for damage to your vehicle. Some examples of covered claims are a dented fender, damage from fire, and damage from a fallen tree branch. The deductibles you choose tell how much you are willing to pay out-of-pocket before a claim is paid by your company. The more money the insured is willing to pay, the less your insurance will be.
- Is your vehicle built for speed? – The performance of the car you need to insure makes a significant difference in the rate you pay. The cheapest insurance rates are for lower cost passenger models, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
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Subaru BRZ statistical loss data – Insurance companies use past loss statistics for each vehicle to determine a rate that will be profitable for them. Vehicles that have higher prevalence or dollar amount of losses will have increased rates. The table shown below demonstrates the actual insurance loss data for Subaru BRZ vehicles.
For each policy coverage, the statistical loss for all vehicles, regardless of manufacturer or model, is considered to be 100. Values that are 100 or less indicate a favorable loss history, while values that are above 100 show a trend for more claims or a tendency for claims to be larger.
Subaru BRZ Insurance Loss Statistics Vehicle Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Subaru BRZ 156 78 150 87 88 76 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEStatistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
Many insurance companies provide insurance quotes on their websites. Getting online quotes for Subaru BRZ insurance in Buffalo doesn’t take much effort as you just type in the coverages you want into the form. After you complete the form, their rating system pulls information on your driving record and credit history and gives you a price quote. Being able to quote online for Subaru BRZ insurance in Buffalo simplifies rate comparisons, and it’s absolutely necessary to get many rate quotes if you want to get cheap rates.
If you want to use this form to compare rates, compare rate quotes from the providers shown below. To compare your current rates, we recommend you enter coverages and limits just like they are on your policy. This guarantees you will receive a fair comparison for the exact same coverage.
The providers in the list below have been selected to offer comparison quotes in New York. To locate cheap auto insurance in NY, it’s highly recommended you visit two to three different companies to find the most competitive car insurance rates.
Why you need car insurance
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Subaru BRZ in Buffalo, maintaining insurance is required in New York but it also protects you in many ways.
First, the majority of states have mandatory insurance requirements which means you are required to carry specific limits of liability coverage 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.
Second, if you have a lien on your BRZ, it’s guaranteed your bank will require you to buy insurance to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you let the policy lapse, the lender will be forced to insure your Subaru at an extremely high rate and force you to pay for the much more expensive policy.
Third, car insurance preserves not only your Subaru but also your assets. Insurance will also pay for medical transport and hospital expenses incurred in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, will also pay for a defense attorney if you are sued as the result of an accident. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of carrying enough insurance greatly outweigh the cost, especially when you need to use it. Today the average American driver overpays more than $700 annually so we recommend shopping around each time the policy renews to make sure the price is not too high.
Auto insurance discounts are available to cut your rates
Companies offering auto insurance don’t always publicize the complete list of policy discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the below list has both the well known in addition to some of the lesser obvious auto insurance savings. If you do not double check each discount you qualify for, you are just wasting money.
- Seat Belt Discounts – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts can save a little on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- Passive Restraints – Options like air bags can receive discounts as much as 30%.
- Multi-car Discount – Having multiple cars or trucks on one policy can reduce rates for all insured vehicles.
- Distant Student – Any of your kids who live away from home at college and don’t have a car may qualify for this discount.
- Online Discount – Some auto insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying your policy digitally online.
- Federal Government Employee – Having worked for a branch of the government may qualify for a discount when you quote Buffalo auto insurance but check with your company.
Drivers should understand that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. If you do the math and it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.
If you would like to see a list of insurers that offer many of these discounts in Buffalo, click here to view.
Local Buffalo insurance agencies and insurance
Many drivers just want to go talk to an agent and doing that can be a smart decision The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is that you can obtain cheap insurance rates and still buy from a local agent.
After completing this quick form, your insurance data is emailed to companies in Buffalo who will give you bids for your coverage. You won’t need to contact an agency since price quotes are sent directly to your email. You can most likely find cheaper rates without requiring a lot of work. If you want to quote rates from a particular provider, you would need to find their quoting web page and fill out the quote form the provide.
Finding a good provider requires more thought than just a low price. Any good agent in Buffalo should know the answers to these questions.
- Are there any extra charges for paying monthly?
- What is the financial rating for the quoted company?
- Which companies can they place coverage with?
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
- Does the company have a local claim office in Buffalo?
- How often do they review coverages?
- Can glass claims be handled at your home?
If you want to use a reputable insurance agent or broker, you need to know there are two types of insurance agents and how they operate. Insurance agencies are classified as either independent or exclusive.
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Exclusive agencies can only provide pricing for a single company and some examples include State Farm or Allstate. Exclusive agents are unable to shop your coverage around so you need to shop around if the rates are high. Exclusive agents are very knowledgeable on what they offer which helps overcome the inability to quote other rates.
Shown below are exclusive insurance agents in Buffalo willing to provide comparison quotes.
Progressive Insurance – Buffalo Service Center
6699 Transit Road – Buffalo, NY 14221 – (716) 810-1500 – View Map
George Ihle III – State Farm Insurance Agent
7718 Buffalo Ave – Niagara Falls, NY 14304 – (716) 283-9100 – View Map
Marc Scherrer – State Farm Insurance Agent
2165 Sheridan Dr – Buffalo, NY 14223 – (716) 875-0524 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
These type of agents can quote rates with many companies so they can quote policies through many different insurance companies and find you the best rates. If they quote lower rates, they can switch companies in-house and you can keep the same agent.
When shopping rates, it’s recommended you get rate quotes from at a minimum one independent agency so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare.
Listed below are independent agents in Buffalo willing to provide rate quotes.
Consolidated Insurance Agents
3814 Seneca St – Buffalo, NY 14224 – (716) 674-1700 – View Map
Mesi Agency Inc
759 Dick Rd – Buffalo, NY 14225 – (716) 626-3355 – View Map
Nationwide Insurance: Debra R Hamsher
1101 Niagara Falls Blvd – Buffalo, NY 14226 – (716) 833-1900 – View Map
New York auto insurance companies ranked
Choosing a highly-rated car insurance provider is difficult considering how many different companies insure vehicles in New York. The company ratings shown below could help you analyze which coverage providers you want to consider when comparing rate quotes.
Top 10 Buffalo Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Satisfaction
- The Hartford – 93%
- The General – 91%
- Progressive – 90%
- 21st Century – 89%
- Erie Insurance – 88%
- USAA – 87%
- State Farm – 87%
- Travelers – 87%
- Mercury Insurance – 87%
- Safeco Insurance – 86%
What insurance coverages do I need?
When it comes to buying insurance from an agent or online, there really is no one-size-fits-all type of policy. Your needs are unique to you and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply.
For instance, these questions might help in determining if your situation would benefit from professional advice.
- What is glass protection for?
- At what point should I drop full coverage?
- Do I need replacement cost coverage?
- Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
- What policy terms are available?
- Are my friends covered when driving my car?
- Is my custom stereo system covered?
If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
Persistence is the key to cheap rates
When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s not a good idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many instances, an insured cut full coverage and discovered at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your focus should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best cost while not skimping on critical coverages.
Throughout this article, we presented many tips how you can lower your Subaru BRZ insurance premium rates in Buffalo. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get prices for, the better chance you’ll have of finding cheaper Buffalo auto insurance quotes. You may even find the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. Smaller companies often have lower prices on specific markets as compared to the big name companies such as Progressive or GEICO.
Additional auto insurance information is available at these links:
- Determining Auto Insurance Rates (GEICO)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers with Accidents in Buffalo? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Buffalo Auto Insurance for Nurses? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Buffalo Car Insurance for a Jeep Wrangler? (FAQ)
- How Much is Car Insurance for a Ford Explorer in Buffalo? (FAQ)
- How Much are Buffalo Auto Insurance Rates for Active Military? (FAQ)
- Auto Crash Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Prepare your Teens for Safe Driving (InsureUonline.org)
- How Much Auto Coverage do I Need? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Five Mistakes to Avoid (Insurance Information Institute)