Car insurance

[duragezic]

I need to get my own car insurance for the first time and wonder if anyone has any general tips or suggestions. Any types and amounts of coverage that is just a good idea or that I should make sure to get? Along the same lines, I don't want to get something that would be considered a ripoff (sort of like the addons and stuff Best Buy wants to sell you, if that analogy applies). I'd stay on my parents except that I am now in a different state and it seems that New York requires NYS insurance for any NY registered vehicle.

All I know of are the common ones advertised like Geico, Progressive, Allstate, Statefarm, and Esurance. Anyone have a particular good or bad experience?

On my parent's insurance, it is currently $645 per year for minimum liability + comprehensive. I got a quote for $1,112 from Esurance and $890 from Travelers.

I'm not sure how this ticket I got works. When I was 18 I got a speeding ticket. I thought the time has passed where it doesn't affect my insurance. And I will be getting a NYS drivers license soon as I can get to the DMV. Would it still follow me to NY?

 

[Kirby]

What kind of car do you have?

 

[Lola]

How old are you?

FYI, from all I have read and heard, NY is pretty pricing in general for auto insurance.

Some general guidelines I used to tell my customers when I worked for Allstate...
Talk to some local agents. You can get a feel very quickly when you sitting across from them if they are "honest" and want to genuinely help you with a quote.

A good agent will assess your needs, price point, assests (for liability, don't EVER skimp on this) and other coverages. (like if you have audio equipment or pricy rims/wheels, if you need rental coverage, etc)

I strongly believe it is good to go to local places and talk one on one instead of clicking and waiting for emails on websites. When you do find a good agent, you should be able to rely on them to review your policy annually, notify you of new policy options, etc.

Good luck.

 

[MrWizzard]

Best advice is to go talk to a agent, and be carefull of what people say on here. Each state has it's own rules on how insurance works.

 

[IronWing]

Originally posted by: nkgreen
What kind of car do you have?

This is key. For a young driver, having a beater that has air bags but doesn't require collision/comprehensive coverage is the best bet.

 

[duragezic]

Originally posted by: nkgreen
What kind of car do you have?

1993 Mazda 626 4cyl. Driver airbag only.

I was looking at getting a fairly basic liability coverage and probably comprehensive. I had the comp before due to the large amount of car-deer accidents (in one of them myself) in Michigan, and I thought it would probably be good to have it in NY as well.

Thanks for the advice Lola and others. That advice does sound good. I was hoping to do a lot of it online since it is difficult to get to these things while at work, and locally or not I'd still want to get multiple quotes. But it sounds like maybe I just need a half day or full day off to just go and do it.

edit: I think the one quote I had for $890/yr actually was liability, comprehensive, and collision, and I didn't want the collision. Of course I let my session time out but maybe with some more looking and no collision, maybe I won't have to pay that much more than on my parents.

 

[RKS]

I would highly recommend uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

 

[Bignate603]

It's cheaper to drive a beater and just stash away the cash to repair/replace your beater if you hit a deer. Get the liability you need (often it's not that much to get more than the state minimum) and save a couple grand to replace the car when something happens. Comprehensive doesn't pay for break downs and with a '93 it may happen at any time.

 

[duragezic]

Well I couldn't find my first choice from Google maps (though its area is so run down and full of empty businesses maybe that's good) then I didn't know the area too well other than I remembered one place I was heading towards so I went there (a State Farm).

Less than 30 minutes later and I'm paying only $830/yr for better coverage than the $645/yr on my parent's insurance! The actual coverage is about $730/yr and the other $100/yr is for renters insurance which turns out to be about $2-3 cheaper per month to have the car and renters insurance than just the car insurance. I was considering renters insurance a while back anyway and just never got around to looking into it.

I probably should have went to other places instead of taking the first one. But dammit I was missing enough work already and the price and agent were right.

So I'm glad that this turned out well. You are right about talking to someone in person. The agent seemed very nice and helpful and laid out everything clearly.

 

[duragezic]

Originally posted by: Bignate603
It's cheaper to drive a beater and just stash away the cash to repair/replace your beater if you hit a deer. Get the liability you need (often it's not that much to get more than the state minimum) and save a couple grand to replace the car when something happens. Comprehensive doesn't pay for break downs and with a '93 it may happen at any time.

Are you calling my ol' Mazda a beater?

Heh I agree 1993 and nearing 190,000 miles usually isn't pretty. These pics are from three years ago but about the same except a little bit of rust now and the roof paint or clear coat stuff is worse.

car-01
car-02
car-03
car-04

There is a a number of new parts in it over the years but it does run and drive as well as it looks for its age. But I totally agree, spending any more on insurance than what I am would be not be worth it.

I am saving for a new car it's just I have a hard time getting rid of something that basically works great! Plus it's my first. :heart: Look at those pictures, then tell me if any dealer could honestly give me less than $160 for it as a trade-in or private party for less than $600 (Edmund's estimates)!