Feel like you’re a prisoner to overpriced auto insurance? Trust us when we tell you you’re not the only one.
Big companies like State Farm, Farmers Insurance, Geico and Allstate all promote huge savings with fancy advertisements and it can be hard to avoid their marketing magic and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.
Policy discounts you shouldn’t miss
Auto insurance companies do not advertise every discount in a way that’s easy to find, so here is a list some of the more common as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.
- Auto/Life Discount – Some companies give better rates if you take out life insurance from them.
- Employee of Federal Government – Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off with select insurance companies.
- Theft Prevention System – Anti-theft and alarm systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
- Driver’s Ed – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully complete driver’s ed class if offered at their school.
- Multi-policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with one insurance company you may save 10% to 20% off each policy.
- Sign Online – Certain companies give back up to $50 simply for signing on their website.
Drivers should understand that most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it just doesn’t work that way.
To see a list of insurers with the best auto insurance discounts in Jacksonville, click here.
Automobile Insurance Quotes in Jacksonville
When shopping for auto insurance there are multiple ways of comparing price quotes from auto insurance companies in your area. The easiest way by far to compare insurance prices is to use the internet to compare rates. This can be accomplished using a couple different methods.
One of the best ways to compare a lot of rates at once is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This easy form keeps you from doing multiple quote forms for each company. A single, simple form will return price quotes instantly.
A different way to find lower rates requires a visit to each individual company website and complete a new quote form. For sake of this example, we’ll pretend you want to compare Allstate, Liberty Mutual and Progressive. To get each rate you have to spend time on each company’s site to input your insurance information, and that’s why the first method is more popular.
For a list of links to insurance companies in Jacksonville, click here.
However you get your quotes, compare exactly the same quote information for every quote you compare. If you enter different values for each quote then you won’t be able to truly determine the lowest rate in Jacksonville. Having just a slight variation in coverages can mean a large discrepancy in price. And when comparison shopping, comparing more company’s prices will enable you to find the best rates.
What impacts Jacksonville insurance rates?
Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that play a part in calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.
- Theft deterrents lower rates – Driving a car that has an advanced theft prevention system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft features such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder car theft.
- Keep rates low by being claim-free – If you file claims often, you can expect either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Insurance companies in North Carolina provide better rates to people who file claims infrequently. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
- Bump up deductibles to save – Insurance for physical damage to your car, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply would be a windshield shattered by a rock, collision with an animal, or theft. Your deductibles are how much you are required to spend before your auto insurance pays a claim. The more money you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.
- Better crash test results mean better rates – Vehicles with high crash test scores are cheaper to insure. The safest vehicles protect occupants better and better occupant protection means less money paid by your insurance company and lower rates for you.
- Performance level impacts rates – The performance level of the car you are buying insurance for makes a significant difference in how high your rates are. Economy passenger models usually have the lowest rates, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
Slick advertising tricks that work
Auto insurance providers like Allstate, Geico and Progressive constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. They all have a common claim of big savings if you switch your policy. But how can every company make the same claim?
All the different companies have a preferred profile for the driver they prefer to insure. For example, a driver they prefer might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, is a homeowner, and has excellent credit. A driver that hits that “sweet spot” will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Drivers who fall outside the “perfect” profile will be quoted higher rates which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state “drivers who switch” not “people who quote” save that much money. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently state the savings. This emphasizes why you absolutely need to get quotes from several different companies. It’s just too difficult to predict which auto insurance company will provide you with the cheapest rates.
Quote often and quote early
We covered a lot of techniques to get a better price on auto insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers could even find that the best prices are with an unexpected company. Regional companies often have lower prices on specific markets than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate, Geico and Progressive.
Lower-priced auto insurance can be bought online as well as from independent agents in Jacksonville, so you should be comparing quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. A few companies don’t offer you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.
For more reading
More detailed North Carolina auto insurance information can be found at the North Carolina Department of Insurance website. North Carolina drivers can read consumer alerts, find out which companies have the most complaints, and learn about insurance regulations.
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