How to Save on Honda CR-Z Insurance in Boston

A recent NerdWallet.com study revealed that most drivers have purchased from the same company for more than four years, and just under half have never compared rates from other carriers. With the average premium in Massachusetts being $1,400, drivers could save themselves roughly 45% a year just by getting comparison quotes, but most tend to underestimate how much savings they would realize if they replace their high priced policy.

The easiest way to save money on Honda CR-Z insurance is to start doing an annual price comparison from insurance carriers who provide auto insurance in Boston. You can compare rates by completing these steps.

Step 1: Try to comprehend how insurance works and the things you can change to prevent expensive coverage. Many policy risk factors that result in higher prices such as at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, and a negative credit score can be eliminated by making lifestyle changes or driving safer.

Step 2: Compare prices from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only quote rates from one company like Progressive or Allstate, while independent agencies can quote prices from multiple insurance companies.

Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to the price on your current policy and determine if cheaper CR-Z coverage is available. If you find a better price, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.

Step 4: Give notification to your current company of your decision to cancel your current coverage. Submit the signed application along with the required initial payment for your new policy. Once the application is submitted, put the proof of insurance paperwork in your glove compartment.

An important part of this process is that you’ll want to compare the same level of coverage on each quote and and to get prices from as many different companies as possible. This provides a fair rate comparison and a complete selection of prices.

Finding cheap insurance prices is actually quite simple. The only thing you need to do is spend a few minutes on the computer to compare rate quotes from different insurance companies.

Getting free quotes online is quite simple, and it makes it a waste of time to drive to different Boston agent offices. Quoting and buying Honda CR-Z insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you’re the type of person who wants the professional advice of an agent trained in personal lines coverage. Although you can get prices online but purchase the actual policy in an agency.

The auto insurance companies shown below are our best choices to provide comparison quotes in Boston, MA. To buy the best auto insurance in MA, we suggest you visit two to three different companies to find the lowest auto insurance rates.

Slash your auto insurance rates with discounts

Some insurers don’t necessarily list every discount they offer in an easy-to-find place, so we researched some of the best known and also the more inconspicuous credits available to lower your premiums when you buy Boston auto insurance online.

• Distant Student – Older children who live away from home at college and leave their car at home may be able to be covered for less.
• Pay Early and Save – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of monthly or quarterly installments you can avoid monthly service charges.
• Senior Citizen Rates – Drivers over the age of 55 can possibly qualify for a small discount on rates.
• Early Switch Discount – Some auto insurance companies reward drivers for buying a policy prior to the expiration date on your current CR-Z insurance policy. Ten percent is about the average savings.
• Student Driver Training – Have your child take driver’s ed class in school.
• Save with a New Car – Insuring a new CR-Z can cost up to 25% less because newer models are generally safer.
• Discount for Life Insurance – Some companies give a discount if you purchase life insurance from them.
• Anti-lock Brakes – Cars, trucks, and SUVs equipped with ABS or steering control are safer to drive and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.

You should keep in mind that many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So even though you would think it’s possible to get free car insurance, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.

Companies that may include these discounts include:

• State Farm
• GEICO
• Allstate
• SAFECO
• Farm Bureau
• Progressive
• AAA

When comparing rates, check with each company which credits you are entitled to. Depending on the company, some discounts may not apply to policies in Boston.

Informed Consumers Can Lower Insurance Rates

It’s important that you understand the rating factors that help calculate the price you pay for insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels, this helps enable you to make changes that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

The list below includes most of the major factors used by your company to calculate your rates.

• Careless driving leads to higher rates – How you drive has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Only having one speeding ticket or other violation can bump up the cost forty percent or more. Drivers with clean records get better rates than their less careful counterparts. Drivers who have gotten multiple violations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may find they need to submit a SR-22 form with their state motor vehicle department in order to continue driving.
• Raise coverage deductibles and save – Physical damage protection, also called ‘full coverage’, is used to repair damage to your Honda. Some coverage claims would be a broken windshield, damage caused by hail, and damage caused by flying debris. Physical damage deductibles define how much you are required to spend out-of-pocket before your insurance pays a claim. The more money you pay before a claim is paid (deductible), the lower your rates will be.
• Reduce premiums by driving safer vehicles – Cars with high safety ratings tend to have lower insurance rates. Highly rated vehicles have better occupant injury protection and reduced instances of injuries translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders. If your Honda CR-Z is rated at least an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website it may cost less to insure.
• The type of vehicle you drive affects your costs – The performance of the car you are insuring makes a significant difference in how high your rates are. The best insurance prices tend to be for lower cost passenger models, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
• Gender and car insurance premiums – Statistics show females are less aggressive when driving. However, don’t assume that males are worse at driving than females. Females and males cause at-fault accidents at about the same rate, but guys get into accidents with more damage. Men also tend to get higher numbers of serious violations like driving under the influence (DUI). Young men ages 16 to 20 are most likely to cause an accident and are penalized with high insurance rates.
• Teenage drivers cost more – Teen drivers in Massachusetts are statistically shown to be more careless when at the wheel of a vehicle therefore insurance rates are much higher. If you’ve ever had to add a inexperienced driver to your insurance policy can break the bank. Mature drivers are proven to be safer behind the wheel, cost insurance companies less in claims, and tend to be get fewer driving tickets.

• Loss probability for a Honda CR-Z – Companies use past loss statistics for each vehicle when they set coverage costs for each model. Vehicles that tend to have higher frequency or amount of claims will have a higher premium rate. The table shown below demonstrates the loss history for Honda CR-Z vehicles.

  For each policy coverage type, the loss probability for all vehicles, regardless of make, model or trim level, is considered to be 100. Numbers shown that are under 100 imply a favorable loss record, while percentage values above 100 indicate more frequent claims or tendency to have higher losses.

  
  

  Honda CR-Z Insurance Claim Statistics

  Make and Model	Collision	Property Damage	Comp	Personal Injury	Medical Payment	Bodily Injury
  Honda CR-Z Hybrid	106	87	83	98

  BETTER

  AVERAGE

  WORSE

  Empty fields indicate not enough data collected
  Statistics Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years

Comparing rates from local Boston car insurance agents

A small number of people still like to sit down and talk to an agent and that is recommended in a lot of cases Professional insurance agents are very good at helping people manage risk and help file insurance claims. One of the best bonuses of comparing insurance online is that drivers can save money and get cheap rate quotes but still work with a licensed agent.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, the quote information is sent to participating agents in Boston that give free quotes for your business. You don’t have to contact an agency because prices are sent instantly to you. In the event you want to get a rate quote from a particular provider, don’t hesitate to go to their quote page and submit a quote form there.

Choosing the best insurance company is decision based upon more than just the price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

• Where would glass claims be handled in Boston?
• Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
• What discounts might you be missing?
• Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
• When do they do policy reviews?
• How many years have they been established?

When researching a good Boston insurance agent, there are two types of insurance agents and how they work. Insurance agents in Boston can be categorized as either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive. Both types can provide insurance policies, but it’s worth learning the subtle differences because it can influence which type of agent you select.

Exclusive Insurance Agents

Agents of this type have only one company to place business with and some examples include Allstate, State Farm and Farmers Insurance. Exclusive agents are unable to provide other company’s prices so they have to upsell other benefits. Exclusive agencies are trained well on the products they sell which can be an advantage.

The following is a list of exclusive insurance agencies in Boston that are able to give comparison quotes.

View more agents

Independent Insurance Agents

Agents that elect to be independent do not have single company limitations and that enables them to quote your coverage through lots of different companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If your premiums go up, your agent can just switch to a different company which makes it simple for you.

When searching for an agent, you will want to get insurance quotes from a few independent agents in order to compare the most rates.

Shown below are Boston independent insurance agents who can help you get price quotes.

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Cheaper auto insurance is a realistic goal

Lower-priced Honda CR-Z insurance in Boston is attainable on the web and from local agencies, so you need to shop Boston auto insurance with both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance providers don’t offer price quotes online and most of the time these regional carriers sell through independent insurance agents.

While you’re price shopping online, never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There have been many situations where an accident victim reduced full coverage only to regret they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your goal should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.

Additional auto insurance information is available on the following sites:

• Anti-Lock Brake FAQ (iihs.org)
• Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for Immigrants in Boston? (FAQ)
• What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers Over Age 50 in Boston? (FAQ)
• Warning systems don’t curb driver distraction (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
• Red Light Cameras (State Farm)