Tips To Save You Money Archives - Massachusetts Auto Insurance

Ways to save money on Massachusetts auto insurance

We all want to save money, so maybe we should get right to it:

Ways to save money on Massachusetts auto insurance:

1.) Package Your Auto & Home Insurance through the same agency/company!

First of all, insurance companies that write in Massachusetts offer account discounts on both home and auto insurance. Discounts available are anywhere from 5% – 15% on the auto & between 10% – 20% on the home. So, make sure you shop your home and auto insurance at the same time.

2.) Utilize an Independent Insurance Agency!

Seems like most Massachusetts Insurance Agencies write business with between 5 – 7 insurance companies, therefore by utilizing an Independent Agency you will be using the most valuable tool in the insurance shopping tool box: competition! An Independent Insurance Agency is most familiar with the different discounts and programs that are available.

3.) Take advantage of available discounts!

This one is probably the trickiest one. Because different companies offer different discounts and knowing which ones are best for you, therefore an Independent Insurance Agent can provide you valuable assistance.

When reviewing different companies discounts, keep in mind that no matter how many discounts companies seem to give, because the bottom line, annual premium is the most important thing.

Discounts include:

Account discount on your auto if you have a home, apartment or condominium policy with the same company.
Improved excellent driver & excellent driver plus discounts (99 & 98 drivers).
Pay in full discounts.
Hybrid vehicle discount.
Advanced driver training discount.
Certain college (for example: Boston College & Merrimack College) and organization (for example: Mass Bar Association & Mass Medical Society) discounts.
Good student (“B”or better) and also student away at school discounts.

4.) Make certain that you have the best insurance program!

Discounts are good, but do not automatically bypass valuable, affordable insurance coverage programs due to ignorance, such as:

Disappearing Collision Deductible.
Accident and Moving Violation Forgiveness. Because being almost not at-fault in an accident doesn’t cut it!
Guaranteed Replacement Cost.
Emergency Road Travel Expenses.
Auto loan/Gap Coverage.
Combined bill options.
Electronic Funds Transfer billing option/ No service fees.

Finally, if you want to save money on Massachusetts auto insurance maybe put MassAutoQuote to work for you. Fill out a quote request and we’ll give you different coverage, premium, and company options.

So there we have it, MassAutoQuote‘s: Ways to save money on Massachusetts auto insurance.

MassAutoQuote offers free auto insurance quotes in Massachusetts only! Why? Because Massachusetts is the best!

Don’t Let Your MA Inspection Sticker Lapse

Don't Let Your MA Inspection Sticker Lapse

The cruelest of all surcharge points, from a Massachusetts auto insurance perspective, is the one for an ”expired inspection sticker” citation. Don’t let your MA inspection sticker lapse.

In Massachusetts, a ticket for an expired vehicle inspection sticker is the equivalent, in auto insurance citation points, of a moving violation.

According to the MA Division of Insurance, surcharge points are incurred if you:

cause an at-fault accident
are convicted of or pay a fine for a traffic law violation
are assigned to an alcohol education program

An expired inspection sticker is considered “pay(ing) a fine for a traffic law violation.”

A $40 ticket results increased insurance costs for 6 years! If you have/ had a perfect driving record, that can amount to about a 20% increase (!!) the first three years, diminishing the following three.

So here’s your warning:

Check your windshield and Don’t let your MA inspection sticker lapse!

MA Inspection Station locator link: Click Here.

Geico vs. Insurance Agent

Geico vs. Insurance Agent? Take the Agent.

Geico vs. Insurance Agent. Be careful you don’t click too soon.

Geico has funny commercials, a cute lizard, and they can, sometimes, have good rates.

From my independent, Massachusetts insurance agent perspective, however, that’s were the funny, cute, and good stuff ends.

We have a long time client that was hit head on by a vehicle insured with Geico.

The Geico vehicle was at-fault, allegedly skidding on black ice (our insured thinks the person was texting).

Geico appraised the vehicle (a 2005 Honda Accord LX with 141,000 miles) and deemed it to be a total loss.

The N.A.D.A. values for her vehicle are: $8,050 (retail) and $5,650 (trade).

GEICO offered her: $4,555 as settlement. Take it or leave it.

We had our client’s insurance carrier appraise the vehicle and they, in turn, offered her the full retail value: $8,050 (+ $503.12 … 6.25% sales tax).

Geico vs. Insurance Agent: $4,555 vs $8,050.

We recommended our client accept her company’s offer and let GEICO know she has decided to go first party through her own insurance company.

As I hung up the phone with our client, I thanked her for insuring with us.

Her response was: “Always.”

Having an independent agent as your advocate, whether deciding on coverage that’s right for you, or at claim time, can really make a difference.

That’s my biased, independent Massachusetts agent position.

Call or click us today for your free, no obligation Massachusetts auto insurance quote.

You will be glad you did.

MA Auto Insurance Quote

In order to make certain you are getting the best rates, it’s important to shop around and look for every discount available.

The first place to start when looking for the best auto premium is by packaging your auto insurance with the same company as your home insurance.

If you don’t own a home or condominium, it might be time to purchase apartment insurance coverage. If not for the only reason of taking advantage of an auto insurer’s “account discount.”

Other discounts to consider:

Did you drive less than 10,000 miles over the past 12 months?
Are you a good driver? Have you had any at-fault accidents or moving violations over the past 6 years?
Do you pay your bills in full?
Do you receive your bills and documents by e-mail?
Did you recently get married? Do you have the same company as your spouse?
Are any of your kids good students? Do they have a “B” or better average?
Are you a college graduate?

Frozen Pipes

Yes, MassAutoQuote.com is a website for Massachusetts auto insurance. In Massachusetts it has been very cold lately and, even though we’re an auto insurance quote website, many auto insurers also own homes!

With that, let’s talk about the dreaded: Frozen Pipes!

Frozen Pipes

Frozen water in pipes can cause water pressure buildup, which eventually will lead to pipes bursting at their weakest point, causing water damage to your home or business.

To keep water in pipes from freezing, take the following precautions:

Keep the temperature in your home or business above 65 degrees at all times.
Seal cracks and holes in outside walls and foundations near water pipes with caulking.
Keep cabinet doors open during cold spells to allow warm air to circulate around pipes, particularly in the kitchen and bathroom.

Insuring My Teen Driver

Ah yes, your teen is finally behind the wheel, which allows you to hang up your hat as the resident chauffeur. But in addition to that new found sense of freedom for both parent and teen, comes a new pinch in the pocketbook. Ouch.

It’s true, parents of teen drivers typically incur an increase in their car insurance premiums, but we have some tips to help offset the cost of having a young driver on your auto insurance policy.

Choosing a Vehicle for your Teen Driver-

One factor that can affect your rate significantly is whether your child will have their own car. There is a substantial savings in having a new teen driver share the family vehicle rather than giving them a car of their own. In addition to having one less vehicle to carry on your policy, sharing a car means they will spend less time driving because of limited access to a vehicle.

Should you choose to get your teen their own vehicle, the type of car you select can affect your premiums considerably. Your independent insurance agent can help you determine which models cost less to insure, but considering these factors may help you narrow down your choices:

Drive a used car. While a brand new car may seem the safest choice (if cost isn’t an issue), it is often the more expensive route when it comes to car insurance. If you do not need to insure the value of the vehicle (ie- no collision and no comprehensive coverage), you and your teen driver will save – most likely- over $1,000 annually.
Safety rankings count. Whether you are considering new or used, it is a good idea to check the safety ratings. Having your teen at the wheel of a safe car might affect your premium as well as your peace of mind.

Happy New Year Massachusetts!

Massautoquote.com celebrates our 16th year providing free, no obligation Massachusetts auto insurance quotes.

Some popular New Year’s resolutions include:

Get in Shape
Lose Weight
Quit
Spend More Time with Family & Friends
Smoking
Enjoy Life More
Quit Drinking
Get Out of Debt
Try Something New
Help Others

To this list, we recommend Massachusetts residents add: compare your insurance!

The biggest problem we see is:

Not enough coverage.

There has never been a better time to shop and compare different companies premium and coverage programs.

Click, call, fax or e-mail a copy of your auto insurance coverage page … we’d love to take a look.

Teen Drivers & MA Car Insurance

When teens are about to turn 16, chances are they’re dreaming of carefree days behind the wheel with the windows down and the wind in their hair. As the parent of a new teen driver, your dreams may be clouded with worry and higher insurance rates …

Talking to your insurance agent is a first step in dealing with both topics. Knowing that you have adequate car insurance coverage can offer peace of mind when you hand over the keys to your teenager. Your agent can help you design a policy that protects your family and meets your budget.

When to Add Your Teen Driver to Your Car Insurance

Every driver must be insured, even while they are driving with their learner’s permit. And in most cases, it’s more cost-efficient to add your child to your policy rather than buy a separate policy. Usually the new teenage driver will need to be designated as the primary driver on one of the family vehicles. If you are buying a new car as the number of drivers in your family increases, have your teen drive one of the older ones since newer cars cost more to insure anyway.

What Teen Drivers Mean for Your Insurance Rates

Typically adding a new teen driver will increase your car insurance premium somewhat since teen drivers add more risk. It’s common knowledge that teen drivers cause more accidents and tend to be more easily distracted behind the wheel. Since insurance companies need to protect against those risks, it usually costs more to insure new teen drivers. But while your rates are likely to increase, there are ways to make your car insurance more affordable.

Several Ways To Save

While the thought of having a new teen driver may send your blood pressure skyward, there are several ways to lower the cost of insuring them.

Raise your deductible. It’s an effective way to offset the cost of insuring a teen driver, but be aware that teens have more accidents, so you may not want to take on more risk than you can handle.

Share the family car. Having your teen drive one of your existing family vehicles may limit their driving time, which reduces your risk in the eyes of the insurance company. If you buy a car just for your teen, that unlimited access may mean more time behind the wheel.

Choose a new car wisely. If you need to buy a car for your new driver, you may want to research which ones cost less to insure. Your insurance agent can help.

Get good grades. Many insurance companies view responsible students as responsible drivers and reward the family with lower insurance rates.

Look for safe driver programs. Ask your insurance agent about safe driving programs. They often require the participants to sign contracts indicating they will not participate in risky behavior such as drinking and driving. They are a way to reduce your insurance premiums and also teach your child safe driving habits that could potentially save their lives.

Don’t Skimp on Coverage to Save a Few Dollars

Shaving a little off your liability coverage may seem like a way to compensate for a higher premium, but ultimately it may not be the best choice. In the event of a serious accident, skimping on your liability coverage would leave you footing the bill for anything beyond your liability limits, which could potentially put your financial security at risk.

In fact, teen car crashes are more likely to result in high-judgment lawsuits, so many insurers recommend adding an umbrella policy when insuring a new teen driver. Umbrella policies offer protection above and beyond the standard limits of your primary policies. And because umbrella policies are designed for those ‘perfect storm’ instances, they are relatively inexpensive.

MassAutoQuote Can Help

Having a new teen driver in the house can be a stressful time, but it doesn’t have to be. Contact your independent insurance agent when your teen is about to get behind the wheel. We’ll help you find out how to get affordable, dependable coverage so you’re prepared when you hand over the car keys to your child. Call, click, or stop by MassAutoQuote.com.

MA Auto Insurance: Student Away at School Discount

Most auto insurance carriers consider you eligible for a student-driver away discount if your child attends boarding school or college at least 100 miles from home and does not have regular access to a vehicle. Some may also require the student to be under 23 years of age …

Student-Driver Away Discount – Do You Qualify?

Student-Driver Away Discounts help you save while they learn

Your child is away at school for the year and not using the family car regularly, so you may think it’s time to drop them from your auto insurance policy. That is certainly an option when your child leaves home, but the student-driver away discounts can be a better fit for your family than taking your child off the plan entirely.

Let’s see if you qualify for student-driver away discounts, why the discount is worth it and how much you’ll save.

Who Is a Student-Driver Away Discount For?

Why You Should Get a Student-Driver Away Discount

While it sounds tempting to remove your child from your auto insurance plan while they are at school, there are significant reasons to consider the student-driver away discount instead:

Driving During Breaks: Your child will likely come home from school to visit, and while they’re back, they might borrow the family car. Having your child on your policy means they are automatically covered in the unlikely event of a car accident.
Financial Responsibility: If you still declare your child as a dependent, then you assume financial responsibility for them. This means that, legally, you are their financial provider, no matter how much pocket money they have on the side. This is important because if your uninsured child drives a vehicle and gets into an accident, you are financially responsible for that accident, even though you weren’t involved. Medical and legal costs can be substantially more than paying for a student-driver away discount.
Better Future Rates: Auto insurance companies often give discounts to new clients who were previously dependents on their parents’ policy. Other carriers sometimes charge new clients a higher fee for joining as a young driver without that experience. Keeping your student on your auto insurance plan now can give them a foot up later.

How Can You Validate Your Child for a Student-Driver Away Discount?

Most auto insurance carriers will require verification that your child is at school. Providing your carrier with the correct validation for a student-driver away discount can be very easy. Here are some common ways to prove eligibility:

School Address: Providing the address of your child’s boarding school or college to your insurance agent is usually enough verification for some carriers.
Current Class Schedule: Providing your child’s class schedule shows that your student is currently enrolled in school.

How Much Money Will You Save?

Student-driver away discount rates can depend on which carrier you have. In most cases, you will save between 10 percent and 30 percent on your auto insurance. Though it might seem like a hassle to keep your child on your policy when they do not drive frequently, it may be smart over the long run.

Secure Your Student-Driver Away Discount Today

With a student-driver away discount, you won’t break the bank, and you’ll help your child start on the path to their own insurance policy one day. As your independent auto insurance agent, we take it upon ourselves to make sure that you and your family can drive safely with the peace of mind that you’re getting the best rates possible. Contact us today to find out if you qualify for a student-driver away discount, as well as other auto insurance discounts.

Do I Need Collision Coverage on my MA Auto Insurance Policy?

Most of us have, at one time or another, looked at a bill for our car insurance premium and wondered, “Do I really need all the auto insurance I’m buying?” Some coverage is “nice” to have and other coverage we “need” to have.

Where is collision coverage on that scale? …

Collision Coverage Protects the Value of Your Car When Damaged in an Accident

Most of us have, at one time or another, looked at a bill for our car insurance premium and wondered, “Do I really need all the auto insurance I’m buying?”

Some coverage is “nice” to have and other coverage we “need” to have.

Where is collision coverage on that scale?

Imagine you’re in a car accident, sitting in the driver’s seat in total surprise and shock. Once you have determined that everyone involved is safe, your attention will shift to the damage to your vehicle. If you carry collision coverage, you have already taken important steps toward getting your car fixed.

What Is Collision Coverage?

In plain terms, collision coverage pays to fix what happens to your car when it hits another vehicle or when another car hits you. Your car is far more likely to be damaged in a “collision” than from all other incidents combined. If you have noticed the increase in inattentive drivers on the road, you can readily understand that being in an accident is sometimes simply a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Collision coverage pays regardless of fault.

Your car insurance will pay (less your deductible) to repair or replace your car even if you are the one at fault in an accident. But be aware that your policy probably excludes some causes of damage, for example, if you are racing or if you intentionally run into someone.

If another driver is responsible for an accident, whose car insurance pays? You collision coverage will pay to fix your car and then try to recover the costs from the other driver’s liability insurance, thus saving you the trouble of trying to recover from the responsible party. If your insurance company recovers the full amount of damages, your deductible may be reimbursed as well. Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your vehicle even if another driver causes the accident, flees the scene and cannot be found.
Optional extensions to collision coverage may be available. Besides basic collision coverage, there is other coverage you can add, such as Towing and Labor and Rental Reimbursement. These “extras” are relatively inexpensive, and can be helpful with the arrangements you may have to make after an accident.

Why Do I Need Collision Insurance?

If you financed the purchase of your auto, you likely are required to carry collision coverage. The lender holds title to the vehicle and will normally require that “full” insurance (including collision coverage) remains in place as long as the loan is outstanding. Once the vehicle is paid off, or if you paid cash for it, you have the title and can decide for yourself whether to carry collision coverage on your auto policy.

Even if a lender is not requiring collision coverage, the insurance provides important protection on a vital asset — your vehicle — that can be very expensive to repair or replace. Most of us rely heavily on our cars during our daily lives. You should ask yourself how you will get around if your car is damaged. What if it is totaled? Can you afford to buy a new car? If you are considering removing collision coverage, you should, at the very least, make sure that you have alternate transportation readily available.

Protect Yourself and Your Car

Everyone who operates a vehicle has a serious risk of being involved in an accident. It is important to realize that the odds of being in an accident depend not just on your driving skills, but other drivers as well. If the damage from an accident would cause you financial problems, consider including collision coverage on your auto insurance policy. As your online, MA independent insurance agent, we can help you decide on the car insurance you need to protect you and your vehicle.

MassAutoQuote: Call, click or stop by today to discuss your collision coverage options and to design the best protection for you.