No one gets a kick out of paying for auto insurance, particularly when their premiums are too high.
Unthinkable but true, most consumers in Massachusetts have bought auto insurance from the same company for a minimum of four years, and just under half have never compared rates to find cheap insurance. American drivers could pocket $850 a year by just shopping around, but they underestimate how much money they would save if they switched to a cheaper policy.
Steps to saving money on Chevy Venture insurance in Boston
The easiest way to find more affordable Chevy Venture insurance is to compare quotes once a year from insurers who sell insurance in Boston. You can compare rates by following these guidelines.
- Get an understanding of individual coverages and the measures you can control to prevent rate increases. Many policy risk factors that result in higher rates like speeding tickets, careless driving and a bad credit score can be rectified by making minor changes in your lifestyle. Keep reading for additional ideas to prevent expensive rate increases and earn a bigger discount.
- Request price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only quote rates from one company like GEICO and Allstate, while independent agencies can quote rates for a wide range of insurance providers.
- Compare the price quotes to your current policy and determine if there is any savings. If you can save some money and switch companies, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Provide notification to your current agent or company of your decision to cancel your existing policy. Submit payment and a completed application for the new policy. Be sure to safely store the certificate verifying coverage in your glove compartment.
An essential thing to point out is that you use identical coverage information on every price quote and and to compare every company you can. This enables a fair price comparison and maximum price selection.
You have so many insurers to choose from, and although it’s a good thing to be able to choose, more options can take longer to locate the cheapest rates for Chevy Venture insurance in Boston.
Consumers should take time to shop coverage around before your next renewal since prices are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Just because you had the best deal on Chevy Venture insurance in Boston six months ago you will most likely find a better premium rate today. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you’re about to find out the fastest way to eliminate unnecessary coverages and save money on Chevy Venture insurance in Boston.
All the larger auto insurance companies like State Farm, GEICO and Progressive allow consumers to get prices on their websites. Getting online quotes for Chevy Venture insurance in Boston is easy for anyone as you simply type in the coverages you want into the quote form. Behind the scenes, the quote system will order reports for credit and driving violations and returns a price quote based on many factors. Using the web to get quotes for Chevy Venture insurance in Boston makes it a lot easier to compare rates and it is imperative to do this in order to find the cheapest auto insurance rates.
If you want to fill out one form to compare multiple rates now, check out the auto insurance providers below. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you enter your coverages exactly as shown on your declarations page. This makes sure you’re receiving an apples-to-apples comparison for similar coverage.
The companies shown below can provide price quotes in Boston, MA. To get cheap auto insurance in Boston, MA, it’s a good idea that you visit two to three different companies in order to find the lowest rates.
Protect more than your vehicle
Even though it can be expensive, buying insurance may be required and benefits you in several ways.
- Just about all states have minimum liability requirements which means you are required to carry a specific level of liability insurance if you want to drive legally. In Massachusetts these limits are 20/40/5 which means you must have $20,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $40,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $5,000 of property damage coverage.
- If your Chevy has a loan, most banks will stipulate that you buy full coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you default on your policy, the lender will be forced to insure your Chevy at a significantly higher premium and require you to fork over the higher premium.
- Insurance preserves both your Chevy Venture and your personal assets. It will also cover medical transport and hospital expenses for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. Liability insurance also covers legal expenses if you cause an accident and are sued. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, your policy will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of insuring your car are definitely more than the cost, especially if you ever need it. According to a survey of 1,000 drivers, the average driver overpays as much as $750 every year so you should quote and compare rates every year to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Don’t neglect these nine discounts
Auto insurance is not cheap nor is it fun to buy but there could be available discounts that you may not even be aware of. Certain credits will be shown at the time of purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be requested specifically before you will receive the discount. If you don’t get every credit possible, it’s possible you qualify for a lower rate.
- Include Life Insurance and Save – Larger insurance companies have a break if you buy auto and life insurance together.
- Safe Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents may save up to 50% more than their less cautious counterparts.
- Telematics Data – Drivers who elect to allow data collection to monitor driving manner by using a small device installed in their vehicle such as In-Drive from State Farm or Allstate’s Drivewise system could save a few bucks if they are good drivers.
- Low Miles Discount – Low annual miles could be rewarded with better premium rates on cars that stay parked.
- Passenger Safety Discount – Cars that have air bags or motorized seat belts could see savings as much as 30%.
- ABS Brakes – Cars and trucks with ABS and/or traction control are safer to drive and will save you 10% or more on Venture insurance in Boston.
- Claim-Free Discount – Insureds who avoid accidents and claims pay much less in comparison with insureds who have frequent claims or accidents.
- Paperless Signup – Some larger companies provide a small discount for buying a policy and signing up over the internet.
- Home Ownership Discount – Just owning your own home can save a few bucks since home ownership requires personal responsibility.
Policy discounts save money, but most of the big mark downs will not be given to the whole policy. Some only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business. But all discounts should help lower the cost of coverage.
Popular auto insurance companies and their offered discounts are included below.
- American Family includes discounts for early bird, air bags, bundled insurance, Steer into Savings, accident-free, and multi-vehicle.
- Farm Bureau has discounts for driver training, youthful driver, multi-vehicle, renewal discount, safe driver, and 55 and retired.
- State Farm has savings for Steer Clear safe driver discount, Drive Safe & Save, safe vehicle, multiple policy, and student away at school.
- Travelers policyholders can earn discounts including payment discounts, home ownership, continuous insurance, student away at school, multi-car, and new car.
- The Hartford may have discounts that include vehicle fuel type, good student, anti-theft, driver training, and defensive driver.
- GEICO offers premium reductions for anti-theft, federal employee, emergency military deployment, driver training, and defensive driver.
- Progressive may offer discounts for online quote discount, online signing, continuous coverage, good student, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and homeowner.
If you are trying to find inexpensive Boston car insurance quotes, ask all companies you are considering to apply every possible discount. Some discounts listed above may not apply to policies in Boston. To find insurers who offer discounts in Massachusetts, click here.
Compare prices but buy from a neighborhood Boston auto insurance agent
Some people would prefer to sit down with an agent and we recommend doing that One of the great benefits of price shopping on the web is that drivers can save money and get cheap insurance quotes and still choose a local agent.
Upon completion of this short form, the coverage information is submitted to agents in your area that can give you free Boston car insurance quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You never need to do any legwork because quoted prices will be sent to you directly. You can find lower rates AND an agent nearby. If you want to quote rates from a specific insurance provider, you would need to find their quoting web page and complete a quote there.
Choosing the best insurance company should depend on more than just a cheap price quote. These are some valid questions you should ask.
- Are they paid to recommend certain coverages?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
- Can you get a list of referrals?
- Will you work with the agent or an assistant?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
- Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?
- Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
Car insurance agents in Boston come in two varieties
If you need to find a good Boston insurance agent, it’s helpful to know the different types of agencies that you can select. Insurance agents can be classified as either exclusive agents or independent agents.
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Exclusive agents have only one company to place business with and examples are State Farm or Allstate. They generally cannot shop your coverage around so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Exclusive agencies are well schooled on their company’s products and that can be a competitive advantage.
Listed below are exclusive insurance agencies in Boston that can give you price quote information.
Allstate Insurance: Abner Joseph
571 Dudley St Ste A – Boston, MA 02125 – (617) 442-9490 – View Map
AAA Boston
125 High St – Boston, MA 02110 – (617) 443-9300 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agencies
Independent agents are appointed with more than one company so as a result can place your coverage through many different insurance companies and find the cheapest insurance rates. If you want to switch companies, the agent simply finds a different carrier which is easy for the insured.
If you are trying to find cheaper rates, you absolutely need to include at a minimum one independent agency for the best price selection.
The following is a short list of independent agencies in Boston that can give you comparison quotes.
Kaplansky Insurance
114 Harvard St – Brookline, MA 02446 – (617) 738-5400 – View Map
American Agency Systems Insurance
156 Porter St – Boston, MA 02128 – (617) 418-5089 – View Map
Saratoga Insurance
452 Bennington St – Boston, MA 02128 – (617) 567-1100 – View Map
Upon getting answers to your satisfaction to all your questions and a low price estimate, most likely you have located an insurance agency that meets your needs to properly service your insurance policy. Just understand that you can cancel a policy at any time so don’t feel you are locked into any specific company for the entire policy term.
Tailor your insurance coverage to you
When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really isn’t a “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s situation is unique.
Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine whether you might need professional guidance.
- Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
- What is motorclub and do I need it?
- How much liability coverage do I need in Massachusetts?
- What is the rate difference between pleasure use and commuting?
- What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
- Does rental coverage apply when I am renting a car?
- Can my babysitter drive my car?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form.
Insurance coverage specifics
Having a good grasp of insurance aids in choosing which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for immediate expenses like doctor visits, pain medications and hospital visits. They can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)
This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your Chevy Venture.
Due to the fact that many Massachusetts drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (20/40/5 in Massachusetts), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea.
Liability
Liability coverage provides protection from damage or injury you incur to other people or property by causing an accident. It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show values of 20/40/5 which means a limit of $20,000 per injured person, a limit of $40,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $5,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability coverage protects against things like loss of income, emergency aid, medical services and structural damage. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible. Massachusetts state law requires minimum liability limits of 20/40/5 but you should consider buying more liability than the minimum.
The next chart shows why the minimum limit may not be enough.
Comprehensive insurance
Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive insurance covers things like damage from a tornado or hurricane, vandalism and a broken windshield. The maximum amount your insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Collision protection
This pays for damage to your Venture caused by collision with an object or car. You have to pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision can pay for claims like hitting a mailbox, scraping a guard rail, colliding with a tree and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible on your Venture to save money on collision insurance.
Compare. Compare. Compare.
Cheap Chevy Venture insurance in Boston can be purchased both online in addition to local insurance agencies, so you need to shop Boston car insurance with both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance companies do not offer price quotes online and usually these regional carriers only sell coverage through local independent agencies.
Consumers change insurance companies for a number of reasons such as policy cancellation, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, policy non-renewal and even not issuing a premium refund. Whatever your reason, finding a new insurance company is easier than you think.
As you restructure your insurance plan, don’t be tempted to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There have been many cases where someone sacrificed full coverage only to regret at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your goal is to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.
How to buy affordable Chevy Venture insurance in Boston
The easiest way to find affordable quotes for auto insurance rates in Boston is to compare prices at least once a year from insurers in Massachusetts.
Step 1: Spend a few minutes and learn about how insurance works and the modifications you can make to keep rates down. Many policy risk factors that drive up the price like speeding tickets, careless driving and an unfavorable credit rating can be controlled by making lifestyle changes or driving safer.
Step 2: Get rate quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only provide price estimates from a single company like GEICO and Allstate, while independent agents can provide rate quotes for many different companies.
Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to the premium of your current policy to see if cheaper Venture coverage is available in Boston. If you find a lower rate quote and make a switch, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
Step 4: Provide written notification to your current company of your intent to cancel your current policy and submit a completed application and payment to your new insurance company. Once the application is submitted, store the certificate of insurance in an easily accessible location in your vehicle.
An important bit of advice to remember is to try to compare the same deductibles and limits on each quote request and to quote with all possible companies. This guarantees an accurate price comparison and many rates to choose from.
Additional information is located at the links below
- Frontal Crash Tests (iihs.org)
- Who Has the Cheapest Boston Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers Over Age 60? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for a Ford F-150 in Boston? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for Immigrants in Boston? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Low Mileage Drivers in Boston? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Rates for Business Use in Boston? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Active Military in Boston? (FAQ)
- Understanding Car Crashes Video (iihs.org)
- Five Tips to Save on Auto Insurance (Insurance Information Institute)