Nobody I know likes paying for car insurance, especially when the price is too high. Many insurers compete for your business, so it can be very hard to choose a provider and get the best coverage at the lowest cost out there.
You need to price shop coverage every six months since insurance rates are variable and change quite frequently. Even if you think you had the best price a year ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Forget all the misinformation about car insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the quickest way to find better coverage at a better price.
If you have a policy now or are just looking to switch companies, you will benefit by learning to find better prices and possibly find even better coverage. Buying car insurance in Apex is not that difficult. North Carolina drivers only need an understanding of how to get comparison quotes on the web.
Pay less by taking advantage of discounts
Car insurance companies don’t necessarily list every discount very clearly, so here is a list some of the more common as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving. If you’re not getting every credit possible, you are throwing money away.
- Auto/Life Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with lower rates if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
- Memberships – Affiliation with a professional or civic organization is a good way to get lower rates when buying car insurance.
- Safety Course Discount – Completing a defensive driving course could cut 5% off your bill if you qualify.
- Multi-policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with one company you will save at least 10% off all policies.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Vehicles with anti-theft systems can help prevent theft and will save you 10% or more.
A little note about advertised discounts, most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. Even though it may seem like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don’t profit that way.
For a list of insurance companies with discount car insurance rates in Apex, click here.
How insurance companies determine rates
Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that play a part in calculating car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.
- Multiple policies with one company can save – The majority of car insurance companies will give a discount to insureds who buy several policies from them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. This can amount to ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. Even with this discount, you still need to compare rates to ensure the best deal.
- More claims means more premium – Insurance companies in North Carolina give lower rates to insureds who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you file claims often, you can definitely plan on either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Car insurance is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- Your location affects your rates – Being located in a small town can be a good thing when buying car insurance. Fewer people translates into fewer accidents and a lower car theft rate. Drivers who live in large North Carolina cities tend to have much more traffic to deal with and longer commutes to work. Longer commute distances means more change of being in an accident.
- Battle of the sexes – Statistics demonstrate women are more cautious behind the wheel. Now that doesn’t mean women are BETTER drivers than men. Women and men have accidents in similar percentages, but men tend to have more serious accidents. Men also have more aggressive citations such as reckless driving.
Your insurance agent down the street
Some people would prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is a personal choice. Insurance agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help submit paperwork. One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is you can get lower rates but also keep your business local.
Once you complete this form (opens in new window), the quote information is immediately sent to insurance agents in Apex who will battle for your business. There is no need to drive around as quotes are delivered directly to your email. How’s that for easy!
Selecting a company needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in North Carolina?
- Does the agency support the community they serve?
- If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
- If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
To select a specific agent in Apex, visit this link.
Upon getting positive responses for all questions you ask and locked in a price quote, most likely you have located an insurer that can provide car insurance coverage.
Additional reading for car insurance information
Even more information is located at the North Carolina Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to view a list of available companies, view agent and company licensing information, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.
Other informative sites include QuoteClickInsure.com and this list of agents in Apex, NC.
In the end, you save
Cheap car insurance is definitely available online as well as from independent agents in Apex, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. A few companies don’t offer you the ability to get quotes online and these smaller companies work with independent agents.
We covered many tips how you can reduce car insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may even discover the lowest rates come from the smaller companies. These companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm and Allstate.
As you restructure your insurance plan, do not sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. Too many times, an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to regret that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price.