If shopping for auto insurance online is new to you, you may be confused due to the large number of companies offering insurance in Cartersville.
You probably qualify for some discounts
Auto insurance companies don’t necessarily list every discount very well, so the following is a list of some of the more common and the more hidden auto insurance savings.
- Lower Rates for Military – Being deployed with a military unit could be rewarded with lower premiums.
- Safe Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than their less cautious counterparts.
- Auto/Home Discount – When you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you may save up to 20% off your total premium.
- Federal Employees – Simply working for the federal government can earn a discount up to 10% with certain companies.
- Memberships – Belonging to a qualifying organization could qualify you for a break when shopping for auto insurance.
- Discount for Swiching Early – Select companies give a discount for switching policies prior to your current policy expiring. The savings is around 10%.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies don’t profit that way.
For a list of companies with the best auto insurance discounts in Cartersville, follow this link.
Cartersville Rates are Influenced by These Factors
Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that help determine your auto insurance rates. Understanding what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in better auto insurance rates.
The following are a few of the “ingredients” used by your company to calculate premiums.
- Optional equipment can affect rates – Owning a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft features like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can help prevent your car from being stolen.
- Your age impacts your rates – Older drivers tend to be more responsible, file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel. Young drivers are statistically proven to be less responsible behind the wheel therefore auto insurance rates are much higher.
- Liability insurance protects assets – The liability section of your policy is the protection if ever a court rules you are at fault for personal injury or accident damage. It provides legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. This coverage is very inexpensive compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.
- Safe vehicles cost less to insure – Vehicles with good safety scores can get you lower premiums. Safer cars reduce injuries and any reduction in injury severity translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and thus lower rates.
- High credit ratings translate to low rates – A driver’s credit score is a big factor in determining your rates. Therefore, if your credit history is lower than you’d like, you could be paying less to insure your by repairing your credit. Drivers with good credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than those with poor credit.
- An active claims history can cost you – If you file claims often, you can look forward to either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Auto insurance companies in Georgia provide lower rates to people who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Your insurance policy is intended for larger claims.
- Do you work long hours in a high stress job? – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for auto insurance? Occupations such as lawyers, executives and dentists tend to pay the highest average rates because of high stress levels and long work hours. Other occupations like scientists, historians and homemakers have the lowest average rates.
There’s no such thing as the perfect policy
When it comes to choosing the best auto insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Every situation is different.
These are some specific questions can aid in determining whether you might need professional guidance.
- Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
- What are the financial responsibility laws in Georgia?
- Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
- Should I buy only the required Georgia minimum liability coverage?
- How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in Georgia?
- When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
- Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?
- When would I need rental car insurance?
- Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
- Does having multiple vehicles earn me a discount?
If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form.
Don’t believe everything you hear
Auto insurance providers like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm continually stream television and radio advertisements. They all make the same claim that you’ll save big after switching to their company. How can each company claim to save you money?
All companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that is profitable for them. For instance, a driver they prefer could possibly be between the ages of 30 and 50, is a homeowner, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A driver who matches those parameters will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Potential customers who fall outside the “perfect” profile must pay more money which leads to business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “people who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much money. This is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the way they do. This illustrates why you need to get as many comparisons as possible. It’s impossible to know which auto insurance company will fit your personal profile best.
Even more information can be read at the Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner website. Consumers can get help finding coverage, report car insurance fraud, and view agent and company licensing information.
More comparisons equals lower rates
The cheapest auto insurance can be sourced from both online companies and with local Cartersville insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies do not offer online price quotes and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.
When buying insurance coverage, never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In many instances, someone sacrificed collision coverage only to regret that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your focus should be to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.
Consumers who switch companies do it for many reasons like denial of a claim, unfair underwriting practices, not issuing a premium refund and even policy non-renewal. No matter why you want to switch, switching companies is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.