No one likes having to buy auto insurance, especially knowing their premiums are too high.
Many car insurance companies vie for your insurance dollar, so it can be very hard to choose a insurance company to find the absolute best rate
It’s smart to do rate comparisons periodically because prices are constantly changing. Even if you got the lowest rates two years ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Starting right now, ignore everything you know about auto insurance because I’m going to teach you the tricks you need to know to save money, get proper coverage and the best rates.
If you currently have a car insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using these methods. Choosing the best insurance company for you in Jonesboro is quite easy. But Arkansas car owners must understand the way companies compete online and use this information to your advantage.
Do you qualify for these seven discounts?
Car insurance companies don’t list all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of some of the more common and also the lesser-known auto insurance savings.
- Military Discounts – Being on active duty in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
- Memberships – Belonging to a civic or occupational organization could trigger savings on your policy.
- One Accident Forgiven – Some insurance companies will forgive one accident without raising rates as long as you don’t have any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
- Student in College – Children who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle can receive lower rates.
- Discount for Swiching Early – Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching policies before your current expiration date. The savings is around 10%.
- Homeowners Pay Less – Owning a house in Jonesboro can help you save on auto insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
- Paperless Signup – Some insurance companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy online.
A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. Even though it may seem like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way.
To choose companies with the best auto insurance discounts in Jonesboro, click this link.
Insurance agents can help
When it comes to choosing coverage for your vehicles, there really is no “best” method to buy coverage. Each situation is unique so your insurance needs to address that. These are some specific questions may help highlight whether or not you would benefit from professional advice.
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
- How high should my medical payments coverage be?
- What can I do if my company won’t pay a claim?
- Does liability extend to a camper or trailer?
- How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in Arkansas?
- Does my vehicle qualify for pleasure use?
- Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
- Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
If you can’t answer these questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
Your insurance agent down the street
Some people would rather talk to a local agent. One of the great benefits of comparing rates online is you may find better rates but still work with a licensed agent.
After completing this quick form, your coverage information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents who will battle for your business. You never need to drive around since price quotes are sent directly to your email. You can find better rates AND an agent nearby.
Deciding on an provider shouldn’t rely on just a low price. These questions are important to ask:
- How long has their agency been in business in Jonesboro?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- How often do they review policy coverages?
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
Two different types of insurance agents
When searching for a reliable agent, there are a couple of different types of agents to choose from. Insurance agencies in Jonesboro are either captive or independent.
Captive Agents
This type of agents can only write with one company and examples are Farmers Insurance or State Farm. Captives cannot place coverage with different providers so always compare other rates. These agents are very knowledgeable in insurance sales which helps them compete with independent agents.
Listed below is a short list of captive insurance agencies in Jonesboro that can give you comparison quotes.
Shelter Insurance – 2307 Race St – Jonesboro, AR 72401 – (870) 931-7400
Farm Bureau Insurance – 2731 E Highland Dr – Jonesboro, AR 72401 – (870) 935-5533
Farmers Insurance Group – 2012 Pine Valley Ln – Jonesboro, AR 72404 – (870) 932-7337
State Farm Insurance – 900 Southwest Dr # B – Jonesboro, AR 72401 – (870) 932-4244
Allstate Insurance – 2005 E Highland Dr # 212 – Jonesboro, AR 72401 – (870) 932-7762
Independent Agents
These agents do not work for one specific company but rather can write business with multiple insurance companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, an independent agent can move your coverage without you having to go to a different agency.
When searching for an agent, you should always include price quotes from multiple independent agents for the best price selection.
The following is a short list of independent agents in Jonesboro that are able to give comparison quotes.
Direct General Ins Agency – 2717 S Caraway Rd – Jonesboro, AR 72401 – (870) 972-1188
Turner Agency Inc – 2000 Fox Meadow Ln – Jonesboro, AR 72404 – (870) 932-1300
Griffey Insurance – 1407 Marketplace Dr # 8 – Jonesboro, AR 72401 – (870) 935-9514
Senior Care Insurance Svc – 123 County Road 457 – Jonesboro, AR 72404 – (870) 935-9191
For a full directory of insurance agents in Jonesboro, view this link.
After getting answers to your satisfaction for all questions you ask and a good coverage price, most likely you have located an insurance agency that is a good match to properly insure your vehicles. Keep in mind you can always terminate coverage for any reason so don’t feel that you are obligated to the auto insurance policy for the full term.
The fine print in auto insurance ads
Auto insurance companies such as Allstate and Progressive consistently run ads on TV and radio. They all seem to have a common claim about savings if you change to them. But how can every company make the same claim?
Different companies have a certain “appetite” for the right customer they prefer to insure. For example, a driver they prefer could be between 30 and 50, a clean driving record, and has great credit. A driver who meets those qualifications receives the best rates and therefore will save quite a bit of money when switching.
Consumers who do not match this ideal profile will be quoted higher premiums and ends up with the customer not buying. The ad wording is “drivers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save money. That is how companies can claim big savings. This emphasizes why you should get as many comparisons as possible. It is impossible to predict which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.
Additional detailed information is available at the Arkansas Insurance Department website. Visitors are able to learn about insurance regulations, download brochures, find disaster information, and file complaints about a company.
Information about specific coverages
Knowing the specifics of a auto insurance policy can help you determine which coverages you need for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and coverage can change by endorsement. Shown next are typical coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.
Auto liability insurance – This coverage provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property by causing an accident. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have values of 100/300/100 that means you have a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery.
Liability coverage protects against claims such as loss of income, medical expenses, structural damage and funeral expenses. How much liability coverage do you need? That is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible. Arkansas requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/25,000 but you should consider buying more liability than the minimum.
Medical expense coverage – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for bills like surgery, ambulance fees and chiropractic care. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. They cover all vehicle occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Uninsured or underinsured coverage – This coverage gives you protection when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your vehicle.
Since many Arkansas drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (Arkansas limits are 25/50/25), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family.
Comprehensive protection – This will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things like damage from flooding, vandalism, rock chips in glass and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum amount a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.
Collision coverage – Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision insurance covers things such as hitting a mailbox, sustaining damage from a pot hole, colliding with a tree and sideswiping another vehicle. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. You can also bump up the deductible to bring the cost down.
What is YOUR best insurance company?
Discount auto insurance is attainable both online and also from your neighborhood Jonesboro agents, so compare prices from both to have the best selection. Some insurance providers may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
When buying insurance coverage, it’s not a good idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are many occasions where drivers have reduced full coverage and discovered at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your goal should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.
In this article, we covered a lot of information how to compare auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even discover the lowest rates come from some of the lesser-known companies. These companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates than their larger competitors like Geico and State Farm.