Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates in New Haven?
Insurance rates vary significantly from city to city, even within the same state. The reason for this is due to how insurance companies assess risks. Two risks that can cause differences between cities is the average commute time and the incidences of auto theft.
The U.S. Census states the estimated population of New Haven, CT, was a little over 130,000 in 2018. For the working population age 16 and older, there’s an average commute time to work of about 23 minutes. That’s about the same as the national average of 27 minutes, which is good news for insurance rates in New Haven.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau tracks vehicle thefts around the country. It assigns a risk rating by metropolitan area and New Haven is listed in the New Haven-Milford area. The NICB ranked this area as number #87 for auto thefts. This is less than great news, as it puts this small area in the top 100 of all metropolitan areas in the country.
A high vehicle theft rate poses a considerable risk to insurers who do not want to pay out for a stolen vehicle. If they perceive a high chance of that happening, they will make you pay more for your insurance coverage to make up for the risk.
How Much Auto Insurance Coverage is Needed for New Haven Drivers?
Each state sets its own required minimum auto insurance coverage amounts. Connecticut only requires liability insurance, which covers bodily injury and property damage. Liability insurance will only cover the damages to other parties in an accident that is your fault; it offers you no coverage for your own injuries or damages.
The state requires you to have $25,000 coverage for property damage and $25,000 coverage per person, and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury coverage, according to the State of Connecticut Insurance Department. While these amounts may seem high, they often may not cover the actual costs of a severe accident.
Also, you have no coverage for yourself if you choose only minimum liability coverage. Unless you know you can afford your own medical care and repairs for your vehicle, you should consider adding other coverage to your policy such as collision, comprehensive, uninsured motorists, and underinsured motorists.
Most Expensive and Least Expensive Insurance Rates by Zip Code
Cheap Car Insurance in New Haven by Insurer
As you look over the different car insurance options, don’t be too quick to consider only the price. Insurance is about much more than what you pay for the premium. You want to make sure you get the best value for your money. With that in mind, consider the coverage amounts and how they fit your needs. Ensure that you get the amount of insurance that works for you, and then you can compare policies to get the best value.
Use this guide to compare the best auto insurance premiums by company.
Low Cost Auto Insurance for Bad Credit in New Haven
Car insurance companies look at many pieces of information when deciding what rate to offer you. In many states, this includes checking your credit score. If you have bad credit, then you can expect to pay higher insurance premiums. In Connecticut, companies can and will use your credit score to determine your insurance rates. Having bad credit can significantly increase your policy costs, which makes it even more important to request quotes to find the right coverage for you.
Use our bad credit guide to find companies that offer lower premiums for bad credit drivers.
What is the Difference Between Full Coverage and Liability?
What is Liability Only Insurance Coverage?
Liability insurance covers the possible cost of damage you cause to others while driving. This could mean the cost of medical care for those injured in an accident or repair costs of the damage you have caused to other vehicles.
With liability insurance, there are 3 key numbers: injury coverage per person, coverage for total injury per accident, and property damage coverage per accident. Each state has different requirements for car insurance minimums. In a policy that has coverage for 15/30/25 means $15,000 per injured person, with a maximum of $30,000 for all the people who are injured in an accident, and $25,000 in coverage for property damage.
What Full Coverage Covers
While liability insurance covers other people and vehicles in an accident where you were the one considered at fault, full coverage insurance can also cover you and your vehicle as well. Full coverage includes two different types of coverage combined into one insurance plan; comprehensive insurance and collision.
Comprehensive coverage is for the damage of other vehicles that are outside of driving situations such as weather damage, fire, or theft.
Collision coverage is basically to pay for damage that you caused while driving such as an accident with another vehicle, hitting an object, or driving off the road.
The difference between collision and comprehensive is, if a tree were to fall on your car and damage it, comprehensive insurance would cover it, however, if you were driving and hit a tree causing damage to your car, then it would be covered by collision.
What are the Major Differences Between Full Coverage and Liability?
Liability and Full coverage policies have many distinctions but the chief one is that under a liability policy your car is not covered. If you are in an accident and are found at-fault, your liability policy will cover the other driver and her passengers. A full coverage policy, on the other hand, covers damage done to your car as a result of a wide range of accidents, even if you are at-fault. These policies also differ when it comes to premium payments.
Average Annual Car Insurance Rates in Connecticut by City
Ways to Obtain a Lower Cost Auto Insurance Policy
The following auto insurance discounts can be used to help lower your premiums in New Haven:
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Raise your deductible
If you are willing to pay more money for a deductible, in the event of an accident, then you can lower your insurance rates substantially. You can lower your premium to around 10% just by raising your deductible to around $1,000.
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Drop Collision Coverage on Old Cars
Dropping collision coverage on older cars can really help save you a lot, especially for cars that are more than ten years old and only worth four or five thousand dollars. Think about it, if you have an accident while driving an older car, are you really going to pay to repair it or just buy a new car?
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Check Insurance Rates for Your Car’s Make and Model
The make and model of your car can make a big difference in how much you pay for auto insurance. Therefore, before purchasing a new car, be sure and check the insurance rates for it as some can be much higher than others.
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Shop Around to Check Rates from Numerous Insurance Companies
The chart in this article should be enough proof to know that there can be a big difference in what various insurance companies charge for auto insurance. That is why it is a good idea to check rates from a number of insurance companies before deciding which plan to choose.
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Drive Fewer Miles
One of the questions asked when applying for auto insurance rates, is how many miles you drive regularly. This is because the more miles you drive, the more risk you are to the insurance company and the higher your insurance cost will be. Try to drive fewer miles, if possible, to save more money on your premiums.
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Maintain a Good driving record
Being a safe driver can not only save your life, but it can also save you a lot of money, too. There is a big difference in how much people with accidents on their record have to pay, and what those without any accidents pay. Therefore, always drive safely.
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Live in a less populated area
Your location matters when it comes to auto insurance rates. If you live in a highly populated area, your rates will be higher than if you live in a lower-population area. The Jefferson and New Orleans areas have some of the highest rates in Louisiana, but if you live just 30 minutes outside of the city, you can expect your rates to go down.
Factors That Affect Your Car Insurance Premiums
There are quite a few factors included in determining your cost for auto insurance such as:
- Your location
- Age
- Number of violations you had in the past
- Gender
- Whether you are married or single
- Your credit score
- The plan you are seeking
- The deductible
- Daily miles you drive
- The make, model, and year of the vehicle to be insured
- Whether you live alone or with others
- Your occupation
Learn how driving violations can affect your car insurance rates.
Check Out Car Insurance Companies in New Haven and Reviews
Helpful New Haven, Connecticut Vehicle Resources:
Live Traffic and Accidents
https://www.localconditions.com/weather-new-haven-connecticut/06501/traffic.php
DMV (Find Locations, Vehicle Registration, Titles and Insurance Info)
https://portal.ct.gov/dmv