Have you had enough of trying to scrape together enough money to buy car insurance? Your situation is no different than many other South Carolina drivers.
Many auto insurance companies compete for your insurance dollar, so it can be very hard to choose a provider and get the definite best rates possible.
Consumers need to shop coverage around before your policy renews because insurance rates tend to go up over time. Just because you had the lowest rates a couple years back other companies may now be cheaper. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you’re about to learn the best way to buy cheaper auto insurance.
Compare the Market for Auto Insurance in Aiken
Comparing auto insurance rates can be exhausting if you don’t understand the easiest way. You could waste time talking to local insurance agents in Aiken, or you can utilize online quotes to achieve your goal.
Most of the larger companies take part in a program where insurance shoppers submit one quote, and each participating company provides a quote. This saves time by eliminating quotation requests to each individual auto insurance company.
To compare rates using this form now click here to start a free quote.
The only downside to using this type of form is you are unable to specify which providers you want pricing from. So if you prefer to choose individual companies to receive pricing from, we have a page of low cost auto insurance companies in South Carolina. View list of South Carolina insurance companies.
However you get your quotes, ensure you’re using apples-to-apples coverage limits with every price quote. If your comparisons have different deductibles it will be very difficult to decipher which rate is best in Aiken. Just a small difference in insurance coverages may result in large price differences. And when comparison shopping, quoting more will improve the odds of getting better pricing.
Save big with these discounts
Car insurance can cost a lot, but there could be available discounts to help bring down the price. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time you complete a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be requested specifically before you will receive the discount.
- Memberships – Belonging to a civic or occupational organization could qualify you for a break on your policy.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles with factory air bags or automatic seat belts may earn rate discounts up to 30%.
- Payment Discounts – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save up to 5%.
- Safety Course Discount – Successfully completing a driver safety course could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
- Save with a New Car – Insuring a new car can cost up to 25% less due to better safety requirements for new cars.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Having multiple cars or trucks with the same company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Safe Driver Discount – Insureds without accidents can pay as much as 50% less than their less cautious counterparts.
- Military Discounts – Being on active duty in the military could mean lower rates.
- Accident Forgiveness – A handful of insurance companies will allow you to have one accident without raising rates if you are claim-free prior to the accident.
- Paperwork-free – A handful of insurance companies give back up to $50 just for signing your application on their website.
A little note about advertised discounts, some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way. Any amount of discount will cut your overall premium however.
To choose providers with the best auto insurance discounts in Aiken, click here.
Online quotes with a local Aiken insurance agent
Certain consumers just want to buy from a licensed agent and that is just fine! One of the best bonuses of getting online price quotes is that you can obtain the lowest rates but also keep your business local. And providing support for local businesses is important especially in Aiken.
Upon completion of this simple form, your insurance data is submitted to insurance agents in Aiken who will give you bids for your business. You won’t need to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent to your email. How cool is that?! You can find better rates AND an agent nearby.
Types of auto insurance agents in Aiken
When searching for local Aiken agents, there are a couple of types of insurance agents from which to choose. Aiken agents are categorized either independent (non-captive) or captive.
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent insurance agents are not employed by any specific company so they can insure your vehicles with multiple insurance companies depending on which coverage is best. To move your coverage to a new company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and that require little work on your part.
When comparing rates, it’s a good idea to contact several independent insurance agents for maximum quote selection.
Listed below are independent insurance agents in Aiken who can help you get rate quotes.
Direct General Ins Agency – 424 Hayne Ave SW – Aiken, SC 29801 – (803) 643-2759
Farm Bureau Insurance – 1184 E Pine Log Rd – Aiken, SC 29803 – (803) 648-5421
Keller Agency – 1204 Whiskey Rd # A – Aiken, SC 29803 – (803) 649-5148
Matt Nieman Insurance – 152 Laurens St NW – Aiken, SC 29801 – (803) 648-5034
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive agencies can only place business with one company such as AAA, Allstate, State Farm, Farmers Insurance or Liberty Mutual. Captives cannot place coverage with different providers so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captive agencies are usually quite knowledgeable on their company’s products which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
Listed below are captive agencies in Aiken willing to provide price quote information.
Farm Bureau Insurance – 1184 E Pine Log Rd – Aiken, SC 29803 – (803) 648-5421
Allstate Insurance – 1890 Huntsman Dr – Aiken, SC 29803 – (803) 642-6560
For a full directory of captive insurance agents in Aiken, click here to link.
Picking an auto insurance agent requires more thought than just a cheap price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
- Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
- How long has their agency been in business in Aiken?
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
After receiving positive responses to these questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, you may have just found an auto insurance agent that meets your needs to adequately provide auto insurance.
Additional information is located on the website for the South Carolina Department of Insurance through this link. South Carolina drivers can learn about specific coverages, read consumer alerts, file complaints about a company, and view agent and company licensing information.
A little work can save a LOT of money
In this article, we covered quite a bit of information on how to save on auto insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more times you quote, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Drivers may discover the lowest rates come from a small local company. These companies often have lower prices on specific markets than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate, Geico and Progressive.
Cheap auto insurance is possible from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Aiken, and you need to comparison shop both so you have a total pricing picture. Some companies don’t offer online price quotes and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
When trying to cut insurance costs, don’t be tempted to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There have been many cases where someone dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to find out they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your strategy should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.