What is the Average Cost of Car Insurance in Hartford?
Hartford, CT is the capital of Connecticut and is a moderately sized city with 124,000 residents that represent many ethnicities. The population has seen a slight decline in recent years, but no more than a single percentage point. The median age of 31 reflects one of the younger populations in the nation and may account for the negative growth rate, as younger people tend to be more nomadic than their elders.
Drivers in Hartford are faced with a few factors that may cause higher automobile insurance premiums. For one, a younger population results in higher insurance rates. Younger drivers are necessarily less experienced on the road and they may be more impulsive behind the wheel. Insurance companies thus look askance at youth, seeing it as a risk factor, and set higher rates as a result. The city also has higher rates of auto theft which negatively impacts each driver’s budget.
Theft rates in 2018 were rather high, resulting in Hartford’s rank of #158 in car thefts nationwide. These numbers reflect over 2,600 total car thefts. On the other hand, the city has a shorter commute than many towns in the Tri-State area. Drivers in Hartford commute only 22 minutes one-way for work. Since the area averages only one car per household, this may offset other factors that could result in increased auto policy premiums.
What is Required for Hartford Drivers?
Connecticut is not unique in requiring automobile insurance for every single car on its roads. The insurance regulations also set a minimum standard for coverage, which drivers are wise to heed. The state’s minimums fall in line with many other states in requiring that bodily injuries be covered to $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in case there are multiple injuries. Property damages are likewise covered to a minimum amount of $25,000. However, these minimums are only for victims in an accident. Connecticut also requires that drivers carry under/uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage, with minimums of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. This is to protect you if you are hit by a driver who does not have, or does not have enough, coverage.
The minimum policy type for a Connecticut driver is described as liability insurance. Drivers who only have this level of coverage are not protected if they happen to hit another car. Any damage to their own vehicle from such an accident will have to be repaired with out-of-pocket payments. This is why some drivers obtain higher levels of coverage.
More coverage can also be helpful when they are the victim of an accident. That is, the at-fault driver’s insurance can take as long as a few weeks or more to settle a claim. When a driver has a collision or comprehensive policy, their company can cover damages and then sort out the finances with the other driver’s company.
Most Expensive and Least Expensive Insurance Rates by Zip Code
Cheap Car Insurance in Hartford by Insurer
Shopping for car insurance is about more than just purchasing the cheapest possible policy. Though every driver is eager to lower their monthly expenditures, cheaper car insurance is not always the best insurance. When reviewing charts like the one here, consider investigating the companies to find which has the better customer service record and which offers the best insurance packages and discounts. For instance, homeowners may be able to bundle their home insurance with an auto, life, or even health policy. Such bundled policies may be more economical over the long-term.
Use this guide to compare auto insurance quotes from the best companies.
Low Cost Auto Insurance for Bad Credit in Hartford
Drivers with bad credit may be shocked to learn that their past finances can impact their auto policy premiums more than a spotless driving record. In Connecticut, drivers with debt problems may pay as much as $1,900 more than drivers with excellent credit. They even pay almost $600 more than drivers who have been arrested for DWI. However, these numbers reflect premiums for new customers. Sometimes insurance companies offer discounts for long-term customers with a solid payment history.
Want to know how your credit score affects your insurance rates, click here to learn more.
Difference Between Liability and Full Coverage
What is Liability Only Insurance Coverage?
Liability-only coverage means that you are only paying to cover the cost of damage that you do to other people and their property in the event you are at fault in an accident. It covers the costs of medical bills for people you injure or repair costs for property you damage.
It is a good idea to carry more liability insurance than these minimum amounts required by the state of {location-state} because you will be personally financially liable if you are in an accident and cause more damage to people or property than the state’s minimum required coverage levels.
What is Full Coverage?
Full coverage insurance not only covers the cost of the people and things you might harm when you are in an accident that is your fault. It also covers the cost of any repairs that your property or vehicle might need if you are in an accident that is your fault.
There are two main types of coverage beyond liability coverage:
Collision – This type of insurance covers the cost of repairs to your vehicle or your property that you might damage in an accident in which you are at fault.
Comprehensive – This type of insurance covers the repair costs for your vehicle when one of those unusual things happen that are outside of your control, like weather-related damage to your vehicle, theft, vandalism, and deer stepping in front of your vehicle as you drive.
Key Differences Between Full Coverage and Liability Only
So, liability-only insurance coverage will pay for what you did to the neighbor’s bumper when you backed into it while rushing to work. It will pay for the hospital visit by a bicyclist you hit who has a broken leg. Liability-only only insurance will pay for the utility panel you hit at the RV resort when you had trouble backing in.
Collision will pay for any damage you did to your own vehicle when you backed into that utility panel at the RV resort. Comprehensive will pay for the damage your vehicle suffered when a tree fell on it in intense rains that weakened the soil.
The difference between liability and full coverage insurance policies is that liability only covers other people and their vehicle if an accident should occur where you are at fault, but, with a full coverage insurance plan, you and your vehicle would also be covered along with other’s and their vehicle as well.
Another difference between the two is that a deductible is associated with full-coverage insurance, but not with liability. There is also a difference in price, where full coverage will cost more than liability insurance.
Average Annual Car Insurance Rates in Connecticut by City
Additional cities in Connecticut you can check out.
Waterbury, CT
Ways to Lower Your Insurance Premiums
The following auto insurance discounts can be used to help lower your premiums in Hartford:
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Avoid Accidents:
When your record is clear of at-fault accidents, insurers see you as a better financial risk. Thus, your premiums will be lower.
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Don’t Speed:
If you have one or more speeding tickets, your insurance rates will be higher. This is because high speeds are associated with accidents, and if you speed you are more likely to be deemed at-fault in an accident.
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Shop Around:
There are at least twenty auto insurance companies currently active in Hartford. Their premium rates are spread over a wide range, so be sure to compare prices and make sure you get the best, and most affordable, policy for you.
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Comprehensive Insurance Packages:
Insurance companies like when you use them for more than simple auto insurance. Thus, they frequently offer packages that include homeowner’s insurance, or other policies, on the same account. When you opt for one of these comprehensive policies, the company is often able to lower your automobile premium as part of the deal.
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Multiple Vehicles:
Similar to purchasing a comprehensive insurance package, combining multiple vehicles on the same policy results in lower premiums. Consider this a bulk purchase for your auto insurance.
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Military and Student Discounts:
Sometimes insurance companies have special discounts for certain demographics, like active military or students.
Are you looking for car insurance discounts? Learn more here.
Here are Some of the Typical Factors that Affect Your Hartford CT Car Insurance Premiums
Your car insurance rates can change over time. One of the most reliable factors that will impact your premiums is your age. The older you are, the lower your insurance premiums should be. You may also find your rates vary depending on the car you drive. Sports cars or jeeps may incur higher premiums, while SUVs and sedans are cheaper to insure.
Rates are also impacted by your gender and age, though young women will have lower rates than their same-aged male friends. Actuarial tables show that young drivers are more prone to speeding, alcohol infractions, and accidents than older people, as are young males rather than females.
You can also reduce your regular premium payments by opting for a higher deductible on your collision and comprehensive coverage packages. You can also opt to pay your premium in a larger, single payment every six months rather than spreading the premium out over monthly payments.
Use this guide to find low cost rates with accidents from the top insurance companies.
Check Out Car Insurance Companies in Hartford and Reviews
Helpful Hartford, Connecticut Vehicle Resources:
Live Traffic and Accidents
https://portal.ct.gov/Services/Driving-and-Transportation/Getting-Around/Traffic
DMV (Find Locations, Vehicle Registration, Titles and Insurance Info)
https://portal.ct.gov/dmv