The best way we recommend to quote cheaper auto insurance rates in Boston is to start doing an annual price comparison from insurance carriers that insure vehicles in Massachusetts. You can compare prices by following these steps.
- Gain an understanding of how auto insurance works and the measures you can control to keep rates low. Many risk factors that result in higher prices like accidents, traffic violations, and a not-so-good credit score can be controlled by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
- Obtain price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only provide price estimates from a single company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can quote rates from multiple insurance companies.
- Compare the new rate quotes to the premium of your current policy to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find a lower rate, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
- Give proper notification to your current agent or company of your decision to cancel your current policy. Submit a down payment along with a signed application to the new insurer. Once the application is submitted, keep your new certificate verifying coverage somewhere easily accessible.
The critical component of shopping around is that you use the same amount of coverage on each quote and and to look at as many car insurance companies as possible. Doing this helps ensure an apples-to-apples comparison and a complete price analysis.
Unfortunately, a large majority of car insurance policyholders in Massachusetts kept their coverage with the same car insurance company for more than four years, and almost half have never even compared rates from other companies. The average driver in the U.S. could save about $860 a year by just shopping around, but they don’t believe the benefits if they swap their current policy for a cheaper one.
Finding a better price on insurance can be surprisingly simple. The only thing you need to do is invest a few minutes comparing free Boston car insurance quotes from different insurance companies.
Comparing price quotes online is fast and free, and it makes it a waste of time to call or drive to local Boston insurance agencies. Quoting and buying Audi S8 insurance online eliminates the middleman unless you prefer the trained advice of a licensed agent. You can, however, price shop your coverage online but have a local agent actually write the policy.
The companies shown below offer price quotes in Massachusetts. If multiple companies are listed, we recommend you visit two to three different companies to get the most affordable price.
Eight factors that determine insurance prices
Many factors are considered when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are pretty understandable like a motor vehicle report, although some other factors are less obvious like where you live and annual miles driven. One of the most helpful ways to save on auto insurance is to to have a grasp of some of the factors that go into determining the rates you pay for auto insurance. If you have a feel for what determines premiums, this helps enable you to make changes that could help you find big savings.
Does car insurance cost less for females? – Statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. Now that doesn’t mean women are better drivers. They both have accidents in similar percentages, but guys have costlier accidents. They also get ticketed for serious violations like driving under the influence (DUI). Male teenagers are the most expensive to insure and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.
Urban areas may pay more – Having an address in a small town can be a good thing when trying to find low car insurance rates. City drivers have traffic congestion and longer commutes to work. Fewer drivers on the road corresponds to lower accident rates.
Why do you need liability insurance? – Your policy’s liability coverage is the protection in the event that you are found to be at fault for causing personal injury or damage in an accident. It will provide legal defense up to the limits shown on your policy. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to physical damage coverage, so drivers should make sure they buy enough to cover all assets.
Claim-free discounts can add up – Car insurance companies in Massachusetts provide lower rates to policyholders who do not file claims often. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can definitely plan on either higher rates or even cancellation. Your insurance policy is designed for the large, substantial claims.
Does your job raise your prices? – Careers such as military generals, airline pilots, and emergency personnel generally have the highest rates in part from intense work-related stress and extremely grueling work hours. On the other hand, occupations like farmers, engineers and performers pay the least.
Annual miles is a factor – The more you drive your Audi in a year the more you’ll pay to insure it. The majority of insurers rate vehicles based upon how the vehicle is primarily used. Vehicles that do not get driven very much get more affordable rates compared to those used for work or business. An improperly rated S8 can cost quite a bit. Make sure your declarations sheet is rated on the proper vehicle usage.
Eliminate incidental coverages – Policies have extra bells and whistles that you can buy but may not be useful. Insurance for things like roadside assistance, better glass coverage, and extra equipment coverage are probably not needed. They may seem like a good idea when discussing your needs, but your needs may have changed so consider taking them off your policy.
Alarms and GPS tracking lower premiums – Buying a car that has a built-in theft deterrent system can save you some money. Theft prevention features like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems help track and prevent vehicle theft.
Claims statistics for an Audi S8 – Insurers use past insurance losses to calculate a rate that will offset any claims. Models that tend to have higher loss trends will have increased rates.
The table below illustrates the insurance loss data used by companies for Audi S8 vehicles. For each coverage category, the loss probability for all vehicles averaged together is equal to 100. Percentage values below 100 suggest a positive loss record, while percentage values above 100 indicate more frequent claims or statistically larger losses.
Vehicle Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Audi S8 4dr 4WD | 288 | 266 |
Empty fields indicate not enough data collected
Data Source: iihs.org (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) for 2013-2015 Model Years
Car insurance does more than just protect your car
Even though it can be expensive, car insurance is required in Massachusetts but also provides important benefits.
- Almost all states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means the state requires a specific level of liability in order to drive the car 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 you bought your Audi S8 with a loan, most lenders will require that you buy insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Audi at a more expensive rate and force you to pay a much higher amount than you were paying before.
- Car insurance protects both your Audi S8 and your assets. Insurance will also pay for medical bills for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. Liability coverage also pays for attorney fees and expenses in the event you are sued. If your Audi gets damaged, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will pay to have it repaired.
The benefits of having car insurance more than cancel out the cost, especially for larger claims. According to a survey of 1,000 drivers, the average driver is currently overpaying as much as $820 a year so it’s very important to do a rate comparison every year to ensure rates are competitive.