10 tips for first-time car insurance buyers

Top 10 tips for first-time insurance buyers  

• Learn about the different types of auto insurance available, requirements etc. – If you have a loan or if you lease your car, you will need comprehensive and collision coverage to protect the value of your car in addition to bodily injury/property damage liability coverages. The cost of insurance can vary from company to company and as a first-time shopper for insurance, a licensed insurance professional can help guide you through the process of getting the right amount of coverage to fit your needs. Find out what liability coverage is and learn some basic insurance definitions that you may hear and read when purchasing a policy.

• Comprehensive coverage – Comprehensive coverage helps pay the cost of damage to your vehicle when it is not a result of a collision or wreck. Comprehensive covers losses such as vandalism, theft, damage from weather or colliding with an animal on the road. 

• Your insurance score rating – Research shows that credit-based insurance scores can predict the potential for an accident. Statistical analysis shows that those with a low insurance score are more likely to have a claim. Those with higher insurance scores tend to have fewer accidents. 

• Bundling with home or renters insurance discounts – If you insure your auto and home with the same insurance company, you may be eligible for a discount on both your auto and your homeowners or renters premiums. The savings can be significant, especially for a first-time buyer. At East Street, we offer the Multi-Line discount which can help you save 18% on your auto and 20% on your home policy, if we insure both.  

• Check your geographical location when estimating car insurance rates – The cost of insurance varies from city to city and even by zip code, so it is important that you use your actual garage location (generally where you keep your car at night) when getting a quote. Insurance companies look at things like traffic patterns, congestion, vehicle thefts, population density and even weather patterns to determine the cost of insurance in a particular area. 

• Quick and easy insurance coverage – By contacting an East Street Insurance agent for a free insurance quote, you can get a quick and easy quote for a policy that fits your insurance needs. This helps save you money and provides you with coverage that you need to protect you and your vehicles.  

• Customer service and support/helpline – With East Street Insurance, help is just a phone call away. Whether you need to make a payment, add a vehicle or report a claim, our insurance professionals are a phone call away, or you can login to your online account.  

• Insurance policy buying options – As a first-time buyer of insurance, you can purchase insurance online very conveniently at your own pace from the comfort of your home or visit with a licensed insurance professional that will help lead you through the process. These insurance buying options give you flexibility and freedom when choosing what and when to purchase auto insurance.  

• Avoid coverage you may not need – It can seem like a daunting task selecting specific coverages and limits, especially as a first-time insurance buyer. Speaking with an East Street Insurance agent can help you get the coverage that you need and avoid buying coverage that may not be needed for your particular insurance situation. You want to be careful not to be underinsured just to save a few dollars a month, but also, not being “over insured” to a point that it is costing you too much. 

• Ask or find additional discounts to save more – East Street offers multiple discounts, these can include a discount for having prior insurance without a lapse in coverage, using telematics to help improve your driving skills, a paperless discount and even a discount if you get a quote before your current policy ends.  

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