Although underwriters of Syracuse car insurance adhere to the laws and regulations set forth by the New York State Insurance Department when they determine your rates, they also factor in local issues such as accident rates, commute times, and car insurance fraud in your area.

Your Syracuse car insurance rates will vary depending on where you live in Onondaga County due to the heterogeneous mix of economic groups, population density, and other seemingly unrelated factors.

Syracuse Car Insurance Rates

The more likely you are to file a car insurance claim, the higher your car insurance rates in Syracuse, NY will be. Your credit score can affect your car insurance rates because it reflects how responsible you are regarding paying your bills on time and managing your debt. Insurers feel you are less of a risk if you have a good credit rating. Although most insurers in Syracuse and throughout New York employ credit scores to determine your rates, there is an ethical debate about whether doing so is discriminatory.

You can help lower your Syracuse car insurance rates by improving your credit score. First, you will need to obtain copies of your credit report from one of the three credit bureaus to which creditors and banks report your financial activities: Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. Repairing errors and keeping up with your bills can improve your credit score and help lower your car insurance rates.

With the average commute time in Syracuse at 17 minutes, traffic congestion accounts for a higher than average traffic accident rate. As an alternative to driving, many commuters rely on one of the four public transit systems serving Syracuse. The top rated Centro Coordinated Transportation Service, Call-A-Bus provides easy access, with no more than a half-mile walk to the nearest route. By limiting the miles you drive, you can qualify for a car insurance discount.

No-Fault Syracuse Car Insurance

Car insurance coverage in Syracuse is known as “no-fault” or “Personal Injury Protection” and is usually limited to the payment of medical bills and lost income. New York’s version of “no-fault” insurance includes coverage for pedestrians and bicyclists who are hit by a car. This form of insurance does not require assigning blame for the accident. If the cost of medical treatment exceeds the limits of the policy, the victim can sue the driver for the balance of the bill.

Those who favor the “no-fault” system uphold the opinion that since car accidents are inevitable, assigning blame is pointless. Opponents assert that those who are reckless are not adequately punished to fit their offenses. The “no-fault” system is also blamed for facilitating insurance fraud rings which involve dishonest doctors, medical clinics and others, which file millions of dollars worth of claims for treatments for non-existent or exaggerated injuries. The impact of fraud on your Syracuse car insurance rates amounts to an extra $300 per year.

Syracuse Car Insurance Quotes

You chose your car based on a variety of factors including; how you will use it, its fuel economy, safety features, and appearance. In today’s economic climate, another factor should also be considered when buying a car: the cost of car insurance. The difference in the price of Syracuse car insurance quotes between a sports coupe and a family sedan can amount to hundreds of dollars per year; a meaningful amount if fuel costs continue to rise.

Nobody can blame you for choosing to drive to work rather than to take public transit or to walk. There are other ways to save fuel and money commuting to work that include driving the speed limit rather than your usual 10 miles per hour faster, slowly accelerating from the stop sign rather than speeding away, anticipating the red light ahead and slowly approach it in time for the green. These are “hypermiling” tips which can add up to 30% more miles per gallon to your fuel economy.

Not only will you save money on gas, but these modifications to your driving can help prevent car accidents; you are more attentive to traffic around you, going a little slower helps you drive more defensively. This can also qualify you for a “Safe Driver” car insurance discount. By planning ahead to drive slower, you will arrive at your destination more relaxed and refreshed.

With all of the diverse factors affecting your car insurance rates in Syracuse it becomes more important than ever to choose your insurer and policy carefully. Shopping for Syracuse NY car insurance rate quotes online has become the easiest and most efficient way to save money. Using the secure forms available on most insurance web sites can allow you to compare side-by-side all of the parameters you want, to choose the right plan.

Simply enter your zip code in above to start finding free Syracuse auto insurance quotes online today!