It’s easy to assume that auto insurance companies don’t want policyholders to compare prices from other companies. People who shop around for a cheaper policy are very likely to buy a new policy because of the high probability of finding more affordable rates. A recent survey found that people who compared prices once a year saved an average of $3,500 over four years compared to policyholders who never shopped for cheaper rates.
If finding the lowest rates on Suzuki Equator insurance is your objective, learning the best ways to find and compare auto insurance can make the process less intimidating.
The recommended way to get budget car insurance rates is to start doing an annual price comparison from different companies who provide auto insurance in Boston. Drivers can shop around by completing these steps.
- Try to understand car insurance and the measures you can control to prevent rate increases. Many risk factors that cause rate increases such as speeding tickets, accidents and poor credit can be remedied by being financially responsible and driving safely.
- Quote rates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only provide price estimates from one company like GEICO and Allstate, while independent agents can provide rate quotes from multiple sources.
- Compare the new rate quotes to your existing rates to see if a cheaper price is available in Boston. If you find a lower rate, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
One thing to point out is that you’ll want to compare similar deductibles and liability limits on each quote request and and to compare as many auto insurance providers as possible. This enables an apples-to-apples comparison and plenty of rates choose from.
To find the best car insurance prices, there are several ways to compare rate quotes from local Boston car insurance companies. The quickest method to find the lowest Suzuki Equator rates consists of shopping online.
When quoting car insurance, remember that quoting more increases the chance that you will find a lower rate than you’re paying now. Some insurance companies are not set up to provide online rate quotes, so it’s necessary to compare prices from them as well.
The following companies can provide comparison quotes in Boston, MA. To find cheap auto insurance in Boston, MA, we suggest you get rate quotes from several of them in order to find the most affordable rates.
Insurance coverage analysis
The table shown next covers different insurance costs for Suzuki Equator models. Learning how auto insurance premiums are established is important to be able to make decisions on which insurance to purchase.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equator Ext Cab 2WD | $194 | $350 | $378 | $22 | $114 | $1,058 | $88 |
| Equator Ext Cab 2WD | $194 | $350 | $378 | $22 | $114 | $1,058 | $88 |
| Equator Ext Cab 2WD | $222 | $426 | $378 | $22 | $114 | $1,162 | $97 |
| Equator Ext Cab 2WD | $222 | $426 | $378 | $22 | $114 | $1,162 | $97 |
| Equator Ext Cab 4WD | $222 | $426 | $378 | $22 | $114 | $1,162 | $97 |
| Equator Crew Cab 4WD | $250 | $502 | $378 | $22 | $114 | $1,266 | $106 |
| Equator Crew Cab 4WD | $250 | $502 | $378 | $22 | $114 | $1,266 | $106 |
| Equator Crew Cab 4WD | $250 | $502 | $378 | $22 | $114 | $1,266 | $106 |
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Data assumes single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and Massachusetts minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, claim-free, multi-vehicle, and safe-driver. Price estimates do not factor in specific location which can revise insurance rates substantially.
Where to set your deductibles
One of the most common auto insurance questions is what deductibles to buy. The following tables can help you visualize how much more you’ll pay between low and high insurance deductibles. The first data table uses a $250 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second set of prices uses a $1,000 deductible.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equator Ext Cab 2WD | $224 | $358 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $1,061 | $88 |
| Equator Ext Cab 2WD | $224 | $358 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $1,061 | $88 |
| Equator Ext Cab 2WD | $258 | $436 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $1,173 | $98 |
| Equator Ext Cab 2WD | $258 | $436 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $1,173 | $98 |
| Equator Ext Cab 4WD | $258 | $436 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $1,173 | $98 |
| Equator Crew Cab 4WD | $292 | $512 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $1,283 | $107 |
| Equator Crew Cab 4WD | $292 | $512 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $1,283 | $107 |
| Equator Crew Cab 4WD | $292 | $512 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $1,283 | $107 |
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| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equator Ext Cab 2WD | $140 | $224 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $818 | $68 |
| Equator Ext Cab 2WD | $140 | $224 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $818 | $68 |
| Equator Ext Cab 2WD | $160 | $274 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $888 | $74 |
| Equator Ext Cab 2WD | $160 | $274 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $888 | $74 |
| Equator Ext Cab 4WD | $160 | $274 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $888 | $74 |
| Equator Crew Cab 4WD | $180 | $322 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $956 | $80 |
| Equator Crew Cab 4WD | $180 | $322 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $956 | $80 |
| Equator Crew Cab 4WD | $180 | $322 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $956 | $80 |
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Prices based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Massachusetts minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, safe-driver, and homeowner. Rate information does not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can revise price quotes noticeably.
Based on this data, we can arrive at the conclusion that using a $250 deductible will cost in the ballpark of $24 more each month or $288 each year than selecting the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would pay $750 more to file a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you average at least 31 months between claim filings, you would probably come out ahead if you decide on a higher deductible.
How to determine when to raise deductibles
| Average monthly premium for $250 deductibles: | $99 |
| Average monthly premium for $1,000 deductibles (subtract): | – $75 |
| Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $24 |
| Difference between deductibles ($1,000 – $250): | $750 |
| Divide difference by monthly savings: | $750 / $24 |
| Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 31 months |
An important thing to remember is that higher deductibles means you will have to cover more of the damage yourself when you do file a claim. You should have some extra funds in the event you need to pay the higher deductible in order to repair your vehicle.
Safe drivers pay cheaper rates
The diagram below illustrates how violations and accidents can drive up Suzuki Equator insurance prices for different age groups. The price estimates are based on a married male driver, full physical damage coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Full coverage versus liability-only
The example below compares Suzuki Equator premium costs when comparing full coverage to liability only. The price estimates are based on no claims or violations, $500 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Guidelines for eliminating full coverage
There is no set guideline for excluding physical damage insurance, but there is a general guideline. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than 10% of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then it might be time to buy liability only.
For example, let’s pretend your Suzuki Equator replacement value is $4,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most you would get paid by your company is $3,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If you are paying over $300 a year to have full coverage, then you might consider buying liability only.
There are a few situations where dropping physical damage coverage is not a good plan. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you must maintain physical damage coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should keep full coverage.
Save money with these rate reducing discounts
Some companies do not advertise all available discounts very well, so we researched some of the more common and also the more inconspicuous discounts that you can inquire about if you buy Boston auto insurance online. If you do not check that you are getting every discount available, you could be paying more than you need to.
- Drivers Ed for Students – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll and complete driver’s education in high school.
- Mature Driver Discount – Drivers over the age of 55 can possibly qualify for a discount up to 10%.
- E-sign – Some car insurance companies may give you up to $50 just for signing your application over the internet.
- Defensive Driver – Passing a driver safety course could possibly earn you a 5% discount if you qualify.
- Telematics Data Discounts – Drivers who elect to allow driving data collection to track vehicle usage by using a telematics device such as Allstate’s Drivewise and State Farm’s In-Drive system may get a rate reduction as long as the data is positive.
Discounts reduce rates, but you should keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. Just because you may think all the discounts add up to a free policy, you aren’t that lucky. But any discount should help reduce the cost of your policy.
The information below visualizes the comparison of Suzuki Equator insurance rates with and without some available policy discounts. The price estimates are based on a female driver, no accidents or driving violations, Massachusetts 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 homeowner, multi-car, claim-free, marriage, safe-driver, and multi-policy discounts applied.
Larger car insurance companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are shown below.
- Farm Bureau may offer discounts for safe driver, driver training, multi-vehicle, 55 and retired, good student, youthful driver, and renewal discount.
- Liberty Mutual offers discounts including multi-car, new graduate, safety features, hybrid vehicle, teen driver discount, newly married, and preferred payment discount.
- State Farm offers premium reductions for student away at school, accident-free, passive restraint, multiple autos, safe vehicle, multiple policy, and Drive Safe & Save.
- Auto-Owners Insurance may have discounts that include air bags, anti-theft, teen driver, group or association, multi-policy, paperless, and mature driver.
- GEICO has discounts for seat belt use, multi-policy, anti-lock brakes, federal employee, membership and employees, anti-theft, and air bags.
- SAFECO may include discounts for bundle discounts, accident prevention training, anti-theft, teen safety rewards, and multi-car.
If you are trying to find cheaper Boston auto insurance quotes, ask each company or agent how many discounts you can get. All car insurance discounts may not apply in Boston.
Why you need quality insurance for your vehicle
Even though it can be expensive, insurance may be required and benefits you in several ways.
- Just about all states have mandatory insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific limits of liability protection if you don’t want to risk a ticket. 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 you bought your vehicle with a loan, almost all lenders will stipulate that you have comprehensive coverage to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Suzuki at a much higher rate and force you to pay for the expensive policy.
- Insurance preserves both your Suzuki and your assets. It will also provide coverage for hospital and medical expenses for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also pays for attorney fees and expenses if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of buying enough insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, especially if you ever need it. But the average American driver is overpaying over $820 a year so smart consumers compare quotes at every renewal to help ensure money is not being wasted.
How to find a good Massachusetts car insurance company
Picking a highly-rated car insurance provider is difficult considering how many companies there are to choose from in Boston. The ranking data shown next could help you pick which auto insurance companies to look at buying from.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The General | 96 | 100 | 92 | 91% | A- | 95 |
| Mercury Insurance | 87 | 96 | 100 | 87% | A+ | 93.4 |
| Titan Insurance | 87 | 96 | 94 | 93% | A+ | 92.9 |
| The Hartford | 88 | 96 | 91 | 93% | A+ | 92.6 |
| Progressive | 84 | 94 | 99 | 90% | A+ | 92.4 |
| Travelers | 84 | 93 | 100 | 87% | A++ | 92.3 |
| State Farm | 84 | 93 | 95 | 87% | A++ | 91 |
| Farmers Insurance | 87 | 92 | 90 | 85% | A | 90.6 |
| Safeco Insurance | 85 | 91 | 87 | 86% | A | 88.4 |
| USAA | 71 | 93 | 98 | 87% | A++ | 88 |
| GEICO | 73 | 93 | 95 | 85% | A++ | 87.1 |
| 21st Century | 85 | 85 | 91 | 89% | A | 86.9 |
| Liberty Mutual | 72 | 91 | 97 | 83% | A | 86.4 |
| AAA Insurance | 85 | 85 | 88 | 86% | A | 85.8 |
| Nationwide | 71 | 90 | 93 | 83% | A+ | 84.9 |
| Allstate | 69 | 92 | 92 | 83% | A+ | 84.4 |
| American Family | 77 | 96 | 80 | 85% | A | 83.8 |
| Esurance | 70 | 80 | 89 | 77% | A+ | 79.2 |
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Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
How do I know if I need professional advice?
When it comes to choosing coverage online or from an agent for your vehicles, there is no best way to insure your cars. You are unique.
Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover whether or not you may require specific advice.
- Will damage be repaired with OEM parts?
- Is pet coverage available?
- Should I buy full coverage?
- If I use my vehicle for business use is it covered?
- Can good grades get a discount?
- What does roadside assistance cover?
- Am I covered if I have no license?
If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form.
What if I want to buy from local Boston auto insurance agents?
Certain consumers would prefer to get professional advice from a licensed agent and that can be a great decision The best thing about comparing car insurance online is you may find cheap car insurance rates but also keep your business local.
After filling out this simple form, the quote information is emailed to participating agents in Boston that give free quotes for your coverage. It makes it easy because there is no need to contact any insurance agencies as quotes are delivered to your email. You can find the lowest rates without a big time investment. If you want to quote rates from a particular provider, you can always jump over to their website and fill out the quote form the provide.
Choosing an provider should depend on more than just the premium amount. These are some questions you should get answers to.
- What companies can they write with?
- How would your car be valued if totaled?
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
- Are all drivers listed on the coverage quote?
- Is the agency covered by Errors and Omissions coverage?
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
Do you need an independent or exclusive car insurance agent?
When searching for a local Boston insurance agent, you need to know there are two different agency structures and how they are distinctly different. Agencies in Boston are either exclusive agents or independent agents.
Exclusive Car Insurance Agencies
These type of agents are contracted to one company such as Farmers Insurance and State Farm. Exclusive agencies are unable to compare rates from other companies so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive insurance agents are very knowledgeable in insurance sales and that enables them to sell even at higher rates. Consumers frequently use the same exclusive agent mainly due to the brand name instead of buying on price only.
Listed below is a short list of exclusive agents in Boston willing to provide price quotes.
- AAA Boston
125 High St – Boston, MA 02110 – (617) 443-9300 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: Abner Joseph
571 Dudley St Ste A – Boston, MA 02125 – (617) 442-9490 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
These type of agents often have affiliation with several companies so they have the ability to put coverage with any number of different companies and get you the best rates possible. If prices rise, your policy is moved internally and you don’t have to find a new agent. If you are comparing rate quotes, we recommend you include price quotes from at least one independent agent so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare. Most also have access to less well-known companies that may have much lower rates than larger companies.
Below are independent insurance agencies in Boston who can help you get price quotes.
- Thomas J. Bennett Insurance Agency
480 Washington St – Dorchester Center, MA 02124 – (617) 825-9676 – View Map - Chan Insurance Agency, Inc.
220 Harrison Ave – Boston, MA 02111 – (617) 451-6733 – View Map - One Call Insurance
121 Tremont St – Boston, MA 02135 – (617) 782-2255 – View Map