Are you overwhelmed by the number of car insurance choices in Jackson? Lot’s of other consumers are too. There are so many companies to choose from that it can turn into a real hassle to find the lowest price.
It’s a good habit to compare rates on a regular basis because rates tend to go up over time. If you had the best price on your last policy there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Starting right now, ignore everything you know about car insurance because you’re going to learn one of the quickest ways to find lower rates on car insurance.
How to Get Cheap Car Insurance in Jackson
There are a variety of methods to shop for car insurance, and some are easier and takes less work. You can waste hours driving to insurance agencies in Jackson, or you can stay home and use the web to get the quickest rates.
Many companies belong to an insurance system that allows shoppers to only type in their quote data once, and each company then gives them pricing based on that information. This prevents consumers from doing repetitive form submissions for each company you want a rate for.
To enter your information into the quoting system, click to open in new window.
The only downside to pricing coverage this way is that you can’t choose the insurers to get quotes from. So if you want to select from a list of companies to compare prices, we have a listing of low cost car insurance companies in Tennessee. View list of Tennessee insurance companies.
It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just make sure you use apples-to-apples coverages and limits for each comparison quote. If each company quotes differing limits it’s impossible to determine the lowest rate in Jackson. Quoting even small variations in coverage limits may cause a big price difference. And when comparison shopping, getting more free quotes gives you a better chance of getting lower pricing.
Ads can be misleading
Companies like State Farm, Allstate and Geico consistently run ads in print and on television. All the ads have a common claim that you can save if you change to them. How can each company claim to save you money? This is how they do it.
Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the type of customer that is profitable for them. An example of a driver they prefer could possibly be between 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and chooses high deductibles. Any driver that hits that “sweet spot” will qualify for the lowest rates and therefore will save a lot of money.
Potential customers who fall outside the requirements will have to pay higher prices which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “drivers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. This is how insurance companies can state the savings.
Because of the profiling, you absolutely need to compare as many rates as you can. It’s not possible to predict which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.
Don’t miss out on these ten money-saving discounts
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but there could be available discounts to cut the cost considerably. Certain discounts will be applied at the time of quoting, but some may not be applied and must be inquired about before being credited.
- 55 and Retired – Older drivers may be able to get better car insurance rates.
- Seat Belt Usage – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could save 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
- No Charge for an Accident – Certain companies will forgive one accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you haven’t had any claims for a certain period of time.
- Discount for New Cars – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can cost up to 25% less since new cars are generally safer.
- Multiple Cars – Buying coverage for all your vehicles with the same company can get a discount on all vehicles.
- Homeowners Savings – Owning a house in Jackson can help you save on car insurance because maintaining a house demonstrates responsibility.
- Organization Discounts – Affiliation with a qualifying organization could qualify you for a break when buying car insurance.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may reduce your total bill.
- College Student – Any of your kids who live away from home and do not have a car may be able to be covered for less.
- Sign Early and Save – Some insurance companies reward drivers for signing up prior to your current policy expiration. It can save you around 10%.
Keep in mind that some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. So even though they make it sound like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you won’t be that lucky. Any amount of discount will cut the amount you have to pay.
For a list of insurance companies offering car insurance discounts in Jackson, follow this link.
Do I need special coverages?
When buying coverage, there really is no single plan that fits everyone. Every insured’s situation is different.
Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover if your insurance needs might need an agent’s assistance.
- Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Jackson?
- Will I lose any money if I cancel my policy before it expires?
- Am I covered when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- What is covered by UM/UIM coverage?
- Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
- Does my vehicle need full coverage?
- When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form.
Car insurance coverages
Understanding the coverages of your car insurance policy helps when choosing the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be difficult to understand and coverage can change by endorsement.
Collision protection
This coverage covers damage to your vehicle resulting from colliding with an object or car. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision insurance covers things like hitting a parking meter, colliding with a tree and colliding with another moving vehicle. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also raise the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Medical expense coverage
Med pay and PIP coverage pay for immediate expenses like rehabilitation expenses, prosthetic devices and doctor visits. They can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover you and your occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal Injury Protection is not universally available and may carry a deductible
Uninsured or underinsured coverage
This coverage provides protection when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your vehicle.
Due to the fact that many Tennessee drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (Tennessee limits are 25/50/15), their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Normally these limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Comprehensive protection
Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims like rock chips in glass, hitting a deer, fire damage and damage from getting keyed. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Liability car insurance
Liability insurance provides protection from damages or injuries you inflict on other’s property or people. This coverage protects you against other people’s claims. Liability doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have limits of 100/300/100 which means a limit of $100,000 per injured person, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Occasionally you may see a combined single limit or CSL which limits claims to one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability coverage pays for things such as repair bills for other people’s vehicles, medical expenses, structural damage and bail bonds. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible. Tennessee requires drivers to carry at least 25,000/50,000/15,000 but you should think about purchasing better liability coverage.
Additional car insurance information is located on the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance website found here. Tennessee drivers can get help finding coverage, download brochures, view agent and company licensing information, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.
Other useful links include this page for Tennessee car insurance and this page of insurance agents in Jackson.
More comparisons equals lower rates
Low-cost car insurance is available online as well as from independent agents in Jackson, and you should be comparing both to have the best selection. Some companies don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.
Throughout this article, we presented some good ideas how you can reduce car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from the smaller companies.
When you buy insurance online, it’s not a good idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In many cases, someone sacrificed liability coverage limits only to regret at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best price.