Consumers who are new to the process of shopping for insurance online will find buying affordable New Bern car insurance quite challenging.
Consumers need to price shop coverage on a regular basis because rates are constantly changing. Just because you had the best price on your last policy there is a good chance you can find better rates now. You can find a lot of wrong information about car insurance online, so with this article, you’re going to get a lot of great tips on how to buy car insurance cheaper.
This information will tell you how car insurance quotes work. If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to save some money using these methods. But North Carolina car owners should learn the way companies price insurance differently.
Verify you’re getting all your discounts
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but there could be available discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Some trigger automatically when you purchase, but a few need to be requested specifically prior to receiving the credit.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Requiring all passengers to use their safety belts could save 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
- Auto/Home Discount – If you have multiple policies with the same company you may save approximately 10% to 15%.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than less cautious drivers.
- Life Insurance – Select insurance companies reward you with better rates if you take out life insurance.
- Federal Government Employee – Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off with certain companies.
- No Claims – Drivers with accident-free driving histories can save substantially when compared to bad drivers.
- Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles with the same company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Senior Discount – Older drivers may qualify for better car insurance rates.
- Resident Student – Any of your kids who are attending college and don’t have a car may qualify for this discount.
Keep in mind that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way. But any discount will bring down the amount you have to pay.
To choose providers offering car insurance discounts in North Carolina, click here to view.
How to Compare New Bern Car Insurance Costs
There are a variety of methods you can shop for car insurance and some are more efficient than others. You could spend the better part of a day discussing policy coverages with insurance companies in New Bern, or you could save time and use the web to accomplish the same thing much quicker.
Many companies participate in an industry program that allows shoppers to submit their information once, and each participating company returns a rated price determined by their information. This system prevents you from having to do quotation requests to each individual car insurance company. To participate in this free quote system, click to open in new window.
The one disadvantage to using this type of form is that consumers can’t choose which companies you want pricing from. If you wish to select specific providers to receive pricing from, we have assembled a list of the cheapest car insurance companies in North Carolina. Click here for list of insurance companies in North Carolina.
It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just be sure to compare exactly the same coverage limits on every quote you get. If you enter unequal deductibles or liability limits you will not be able to determine which rate is truly the best in New Bern. Just a small difference in coverages may cause a big price difference. And when comparing car insurance rates, know that having more price comparisons helps you find a lower rate.
How do I know if I need professional advice?
When it comes to buying adequate coverage, there is no one size fits all plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.
For instance, these questions could help you determine whether you could use an agent’s help.
- How much underlying liability do I need for an umbrella policy?
- Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
- Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
- Do all my vehicles need collision coverage?
- Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
- When would I need additional glass coverage?
- Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
- How can I get high-risk coverage after a DUI?
- Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
- Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?
If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form.
What if I want to buy from a local New Bern agent?
Some consumers prefer to buy from a local agent and that is OK! The best thing about comparing rates online is you may find better rates but still work with a licensed agent. Buying from small agencies is important particularly in New Bern.
After completing this short form, your information is instantly submitted to companies in New Bern who will battle for your coverage. You don’t have to visit any agencies as quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. Now that’s easy! It’s the lowest rates without the usual hassles of price shopping.
Choose an insurance agent wisely
When researching a good insurance agency, there are two different agency structures that you can select. Agencies in New Bern are categorized either independent (non-captive) or captive.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent insurance agents are not employed by any specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with many different companies depending on which coverage is best. To move your coverage to a new company, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparison shopping, we recommend you include price quotes from multiple independent agents to get the best comparison.Most can insure with different regional companies which may provide better rates.
Shown below are independent agents in New Bern that may be able to provide price quote information.
- Robinson and Stith Insurance Inc – 206 Craven St – New Bern, NC 28560 – (252) 633-1174
- Ipock Insurance Inc – 2800 Neuse Blvd # A – New Bern, NC 28562 – (252) 638-8511
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive agents work for only one company such as Allstate, AAA, Liberty Mutual and State Farm. They are unable to compare other company’s rates so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captive agents receive extensive training in insurance sales which helps them compete with independent agents. Consumers sometimes buy insurance from these agents mostly because of loyalty to the company and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
The following are captive insurance agencies in New Bern willing to provide rate quotes.
- Farm Bureau Insurance – 902 Washington Post Rd – New Bern, NC 28560 – (252) 637-6125
- Allstate Insurance Co – 1423 S Glenburnie Rd – New Bern, NC 28562 – (252) 638-2835
To view a complete directory of New Bern captive insurance agencies, please go to this site.
Choosing an insurance agent should depend on more than just a low price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
Upon getting satisfactory answers to any questions you have and an acceptable price quote, you may have just found an insurance agency that can service your policy.
Drivers who switch save $459 a year? Really?
Progressive, Geico, Allstate and State Farm continually stream ads on television and other media. All the companies make the same claim that you can save after switching your policy. How does each company claim to save you money? It’s all in the numbers.
All the different companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of driver that makes them money. An example of a desirable insured might be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no tickets, and drives newer vehicles. Any new insured that hits that “sweet spot” receives the best rates and most likely will save when switching.
Potential customers who don’t qualify for the “perfect” profile will have to pay higher rates which leads to business going elsewhere. The ads say “customers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that kind of money. This is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the way they do.
Because of the profiling, you need to compare as many rates as you can. It is impossible to predict the company that will have the lowest rates.
Learn about car insurance coverages
Understanding the coverages of your car insurance policy helps when choosing which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for injuries to you and your family and damage to your vehicle.
Since many North Carolina drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (which is 30/60/25), their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage should not be overlooked. Usually these limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Liability insurance – This coverage will cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property by causing an accident. It protects YOU from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for your own vehicle damage or injuries.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You might see values of 100/300/100 which stand for a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Some companies may use one number which is a combined single limit that pays claims from the same limit without having the split limit caps.
Liability insurance covers claims like structural damage, court costs, attorney fees and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a personal decision, but buy higher limits if possible. North Carolina state law requires minimum liability limits of 30,000/60,000/25,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy more liability than the minimum.
Collision coverage – Collision coverage pays for damage to your vehicle from colliding with another car or object. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against things like crashing into a ditch, sideswiping another vehicle and hitting a mailbox. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Insurance for medical payments – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for immediate expenses for things like dental work, pain medications, hospital visits and surgery. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not universally available and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision) – This coverage covers damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like damage from a tornado or hurricane, hitting a deer, theft and rock chips in glass. The most a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Online plus local equals savings
People who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as delays in paying claims, policy cancellation, being labeled a high risk driver and poor customer service. Regardless of your reason, choosing a new insurance company can be easier than you think.
We just covered a lot of tips how to lower your car insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get rates for, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the lowest priced car insurance comes from a small local company.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s a bad idea to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are many occasions where consumers will sacrifice comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to discover later they didn’t have enough coverage. The aim is to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.
Additional car insurance information can be found on the North Carolina Department of Insurance website through this link. Consumers can get help finding coverage, find disaster information, learn about specific coverages, and discover disciplinary actions.
Other useful links include this link for North Carolina coverage information and this link which helps you find a New Bern agent.