It’s an obvious assumption that car insurance companies don’t want their policyholders to compare prices. Consumers who compare rates once a year will presumably switch companies because there is a significant possibility of finding discount prices. Remarkably, a study showed that drivers who compared rates once a year saved over $850 each year compared to policyholders who never compared prices.
If finding the cheapest rates on Volkswagen Routan insurance is the reason you’re here, then having an understanding of the best way to compare insurance premiums can make it easier to shop your coverage around.
The preferred way to find affordable car insurance rates in Buffalo is to make a habit of comparing prices annually from different companies in New York. You can shop around by following these steps.
First, spend a few minutes and learn about coverages and the factors you can control to keep rates low. Many rating factors that cause high rates like accidents, careless driving, and a negative credit history can be controlled by making minor changes in your lifestyle. Keep reading for tips to help keep prices low and get discounts that may be overlooked.
Second, request rate estimates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can only provide price estimates from one company like GEICO and State Farm, while independent agencies can give you price quotes from multiple sources. Compare rates
Third, compare the quotes to your existing policy to determine if switching companies saves money. If you find a better price and decide to switch, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
The most important part of shopping around is to use the same deductibles and limits on every quote and and to get quotes from as many companies as you can. This ensures the most accurate price comparison and a complete rate analysis.
Finding affordable insurance coverage in Buffalo is not rocket science. If you already have coverage, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce premiums using the techniques presented in this article. Nevertheless, New York car owners must learn how insurance companies market insurance on the web because it varies considerably.
How to find affordable Volkswagen Routan insurance in Buffalo, NY
When comparison shopping, there are several ways of comparing rates from different companies. The best way to compare rates is to use the internet to compare rates.
Doing price comparisons online is so simple that it makes it a waste of time to spend your day driving to insurance agents’ offices. Comparing Volkswagen Routan insurance rate quotes online reduces the need to sit down with an agent unless your situation requires the professional advice of an agent trained in personal lines coverage. However, consumers can price shop your coverage online and have a local agent actually service the policy.
When comparison shopping, quoting more will improve the odds of getting a better price.
The companies shown below offer comparison quotes in New York. If you wish to find the cheapest car insurance in NY, we suggest you get rates from several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Volkswagen Routan insurance discounts in Buffalo
Some insurance providers don’t list every possible discount very well, so the below list has both well-publicized and also the lesser-known discounts that may be available. If you check and find you aren’t receiving every discount you deserve, you may be paying too high a price.
- Discount for Good Grades – Being a good student could provide a savings of up to 20% or more. This discount can apply until age 25.
- Seat Belt Discounts – Requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could save 15% off the medical payments premium.
- ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles are much safer to drive and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Discounts for Cautious Drivers – Insureds who avoid accidents can pay as much as 50% less compared to accident prone drivers.
- Accident Forgiveness Coverage – This isn’t a discount exactly, but some insurance companies permit an accident before your rates go up so long as you haven’t had any claims for a certain period of time.
- Life Insurance – Not every insurance company offers life insurance, but if they do you may earn a discounted rate on car insurance if you buy some life insurance too.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Low mileage vehicles could qualify for slightly better rates than normal.
- Anti-theft Discount – Cars optioned with advanced anti-theft systems can help prevent theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Discounts for New Vehicles – Adding a new car to your policy is cheaper since newer models are generally safer.
- Save over 55 – Drivers over the age of 55 may be able to get a small decrease in premiums.
You can save money using discounts, but some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Most cut specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it appears all those discounts means the company will pay you, you aren’t that lucky.
The illustration below shows the difference between Volkswagen Routan insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the policy rates. The costs are based on a female driver, no violations or accidents, New York state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with marriage, safe-driver, homeowner, multi-car, multi-policy, and claim-free discounts applied.
To locate insurers with the best discounts in New York, follow this link.
Rates and statistics
The premium information displayed next covers different policy rates for Volkswagen Routan models. Learning a little about how insurance rates are established can be useful when making smart choices when comparing insurance quotes.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Routan S 2WD | $108 | $184 | $254 | $16 | $76 | $638 | $53 |
Routan SE 2WD | $122 | $224 | $254 | $16 | $76 | $692 | $58 |
Routan SEL 2WD | $122 | $264 | $254 | $16 | $76 | $732 | $61 |
Routan SEL Premium 6 Cyl 2WD | $136 | $264 | $254 | $16 | $76 | $746 | $62 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Table data assumes single male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and New York minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-policy, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, and homeowner. Price information does not factor in specific zip code location which can increase or decrease premium rates noticeably.
The example below demonstrates how choosing different deductibles and can raise or lower Volkswagen Routan yearly insurance costs for different age groups of insureds. The information is based on a single male driver, full coverage, and no other discounts are factored in.
How accidents and tickets impact rates in Buffalo
The diagram below shows how speeding tickets and accidents increase Volkswagen Routan insurance prices for each different age group. The premiums assume a married male driver, comp and collision included, $500 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.
Comparison of insurance rates by gender
The illustration below shows the comparison of Volkswagen Routan insurance rates for male and female drivers. The premium estimates are based on a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, full coverage, $250 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Comparison of full coverage and liability-only policies
The example below illustrates the comparison of Volkswagen Routan auto insurance rates with full coverage and liability only. The premiums assume no claims or violations, $250 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no additional discounts are factored in.
When to buy liability coverage only
There is no written rule to stop buying comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is more than 10% of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
For example, let’s say your Volkswagen Routan settlement value is $3,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most your company will settle for is $2,000 after paying your deductible. If it’s costing in excess of $200 a year for physical damage coverage, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
There are some circumstances where dropping full coverage is not in your best interest. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you have to carry full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest in the vehicle. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should maintain full coverage.
How do Car Insurance Companies Determine Volkswagen Routan Insurance Prices?
Lots of things are part of the equation when premium rates are determined. Some are obvious such as traffic violations, but some are more obscure like your vehicle usage or how safe your car is. Smart consumers have a good feel for a few of the rating criteria that go into determining your policy premiums. When you understand what influences your rates, this enables informed choices that will entitle you to lower premium levels.
- Get hitched and pay lower premiums – Your spouse may earn you lower rates when shopping for auto insurance. Having a significant other demonstrates that you tend to be more mature and it’s statistically proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
- Save by driving vehicles with better crash test results – Safe vehicles are cheaper to insure. Highly rated vehicles have better occupant injury protection and lower injury rates translates into savings for insurance companies passed on to you as lower rates. If your Volkswagen has at least an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website you may qualify for a discount.
- High physical damage deductibles cost less – Coverage for physical damage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, is used to repair damage to your vehicle. Examples of covered claims are collision with another vehicle, hail damage, or theft. Comp and collision deductibles tell how much you are required to pay if a claim is determined to be covered. The more of the claim you choose to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.
- Frequent policy claims increase rates – If you file claims often, you can pretty much guarantee either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Car insurance companies in New York give the lowest premiums to insureds that do not abuse their auto insurance. Auto insurance is meant to be used in the event of major claims that would cause financial hardship.
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Premiums drop with age – Teen drivers in New York tend to be careless and easily distracted when driving with friends so auto insurance rates are higher. Mature drivers are shown to be more cautious, statistically cause fewer accidents, and usually have better credit.
The chart below uses these assumptions: single driver, full coverage with $100 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.
- Costs increase with policy add-ons – There are many add-on coverages that may not really be needed when buying auto insurance. Insurance for things like personal injury protection, accidental death, and term life insurance are probably not needed. They may sound like good ideas initially, but your needs may have changed so get rid of them and save.
Shop online but buy locally
Certain consumers prefer to talk to a local agent and that can be a great decision An additional benefit of comparing auto insurance online is that you can find cheaper rates and still choose a local agent.
For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, the quote information is immediately sent to agents in your area who will return price quotes for your coverage. You never need to even leave your home since price quotes are sent directly to you. Get lower rates without requiring a lot of work. If you wish to get a comparison quote from a specific insurance company, just jump over to their website to submit a rate quote request.
Finding a good insurer is decision based upon more than just the quoted price. These questions are important to ask:
- Do they write coverage based solely on cost?
- Is the agent properly licensed in New York?
- Do you need full coverage on every vehicle?
- Are there any extra charges for paying monthly?
- Do they have adequate Errors and Omissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
- Are they giving you every discount you deserve?
Pick the best auto insurance agent in Buffalo for you
When searching for a reputable agency, there are two types of agencies and how they function. Agents are classified as either exclusive or independent (non-exclusive).
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Agents of this type can usually just insure with one company and examples are Allstate, AAA, Farmers Insurance, and State Farm. These agents are not able to compare rates from other companies so always compare other rates. They are highly trained on the products they sell which aids in selling service over price.
Shown below is a short list of exclusive agencies in Buffalo that are able to give price quotes.
Lou Santiago – State Farm Insurance Agent
557 Niagara St – Buffalo, NY 14201 – (716) 883-5500 – View Map
Dan Schmidt – State Farm Insurance Agent
615 Elmwood Ave – Buffalo, NY 14222 – (716) 783-9460 – View Map
George Ihle III – State Farm Insurance Agent
7718 Buffalo Ave – Niagara Falls, NY 14304 – (716) 283-9100 – View Map
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Independent agents do not have single company limitations so as a result can place your coverage with multiple insurance companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If they find a cheaper price, they can switch companies in-house and you don’t have to do anything. If you are comparing rate quotes, you should always include price quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to have the best price comparison.
Listed below are Buffalo independent insurance agencies who can help you get comparison quotes.
Mesi Agency Inc
759 Dick Rd – Buffalo, NY 14225 – (716) 626-3355 – View Map
United Insurance Agency, Inc.
90 Bryant Woods S – Buffalo, NY 14228 – (716) 632-6118 – View Map
Paul Wolf Agency Inc
2686 Elmwood Ave – Buffalo, NY 14217 – (716) 835-9653 – View Map
There’s no such thing as the perfect car insurance policy
When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a best way to insure your cars. You are unique.
For example, these questions may help you determine whether you might need an agent’s assistance.
- Do I need rental car coverage?
- How does medical payments coverage work?
- Are rock chip repairs covered?
- Does my policy cover me if I wreck while driving under the influence?
- Can I get by with minimal medical coverage if I have good health insurance?
- Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
- How can I get high-risk coverage after a DUI?
If you can’t answer these questions then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.
Shop around and save
As you quote Buffalo auto insurance, do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. In too many instances, someone dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to regret that it was a big error on their part. Your aim should be to find the BEST coverage for the lowest cost while not skimping on critical coverages.
Insureds leave their current company for a variety of reasons including unfair underwriting practices, delays in responding to claim requests, extreme rates for teen drivers or even high rates after DUI convictions. Regardless of your reason, finding a new car insurance company is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.
A few companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and these smaller companies sell through local independent agents. The cheapest Volkswagen Routan insurance in Buffalo can be purchased both online and from local agencies, and you need to price shop both so you have a total pricing picture.
Much more information about car insurance in New York is available at these links:
- Bodily Injury Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
- Who Has the Cheapest Buffalo Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers Under 25? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Rates for 17 Year Olds in Buffalo? (FAQ)
- How Much are Buffalo Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers Over Age 60? (FAQ)
- How Much is Car Insurance for a Ford Explorer in Buffalo? (FAQ)
- How Much are Buffalo Car Insurance Rates for a Honda Accord? (FAQ)
- Neck Injury FAQ (iihs.org)
- Coverage Information (Progressive Insurance)
- Older Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Credit Impacts Car Insurance Rates (State Farm)