Tired of scraping the payment together to pay your car insurance bill each month? You are in the same boat as the majority of other car owners in Tennessee. Consumers have many car insurance companies to insure vehicles with, and although it’s a good thing to be able to choose, so many choices can make it hard to locate the cheapest rates.
How to Compare Oak Ridge Auto Insurance Costs
Most major insurance companies quote prices for coverage on the web. Getting online quotes is pretty easy as you simply type in the amount of coverage you want into a form. Behind the scenes, their system will obtain information on your driving record and credit history and returns pricing information based on these factors. Quoting online simplifies rate comparisons, but the process of having to visit many different websites and type in the same information is repetitive and time-consuming. But it’s very important to have as many quotes as possible in order to get better auto insurance pricing.
There is a better way!
The preferred way to lower your auto insurance bill utilizes a single form that gets prices from several companies at one time. It’s a real time-saver, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes comparison shopping a little more enjoyable. After your information is entered, it gets priced and you can select your choice of the returned quotes. If the quotes result in lower rates, you can click and sign and buy the new coverage. The entire process only takes a few minutes and you will find out if you’re overpaying now.
To quickly compare rates now, simply click here to open in new window and input your coverage information. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you copy coverages and limits just like they are on your policy. This guarantees you’re receiving an apples-to-apples comparison based on the exact same insurance coverage.
These discounts can lower your rates
Auto insurance companies don’t necessarily list all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the following is a list of some of the more common and the more hidden ways to save on auto insurance. If you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you’re paying more than you need to.
- No Charge for an Accident – A handful of insurance companies will allow you to have one accident before raising your premiums so long as you haven’t had any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
- Club Memberships – Being a member of certain professional organizations could qualify you for a break on your policy.
- Service Members Pay Less – Being deployed with a military unit can result in better rates.
- Drive Safe and Save – Drivers who avoid accidents can pay as much as 50% less than less cautious drivers.
- Drive Less and Save – Driving fewer miles can earn discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
- Passive Restraints – Vehicles with factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can receive discounts of more than 20%.
- Save with a New Car – Insuring a new car can cost up to 25% less since new cars are generally safer.
Consumers should know that some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don’t profit that way.
For a list of providers who offer auto insurance discounts in Tennessee, follow this link.
Learn How to Buy Auto Insurance Cheaper
It’s important that you understand the factors that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates enables informed choices that will entitle you to big savings.
- Where you reside plays a part – Living in a rural area is a positive aspect when insuring your vehicles. Drivers who live in large cities regularly have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Less people living in that area translates into fewer accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
- A lapse in coverage is a bad thing – Allowing your coverage to lapse will be a guaranteed way to bump up your auto insurance costs. And not only will insurance be more expensive, but not being able to provide proof of insurance may earn you a revoked license or a big fine.You may need to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the Tennessee motor vehicle department.
- Your stress level may be raising your rates – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for auto insurance? Jobs such as doctors, executives and stock brokers tend to pay the highest rates in part from job stress and lengthy work days. On the other hand, occupations like actors, students and homemakers have the lowest average rates.
- Car features impact rates – Choosing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can save you a little every year. Theft prevention features like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can thwart auto theft.
- Don’t buy coverages you don’t need – There are a lot of extra coverages that you can buy on your auto insurance policy. Insurance for roadside assistance, towing coverage and term life insurance are examples of these. These may sound like a good investment initially, but if they’re wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
- Drive less and save money – The more miles you rack up on your car in a year’s time the higher your rate. Most companies charge to insure your cars based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles used primarily for pleasure use get more affordable rates compared to those used for work or business. Double check that your auto insurance policy properly reflects how each vehicle is driven.
- Pay less if you’re married – Having a spouse can get you a discount on auto insurance. Having a spouse translates into being more mature than a single person it has been statistically shown that married couples file fewer claims.
Cheaper insurance is a realistic goal
Throughout this article, we presented many tips how you can shop for auto insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers may even find the lowest priced auto insurance comes from some of the smallest insurance companies. These companies may cover specific market segments cheaper compared to the large companies like Geico and State Farm.
While you’re price shopping online, it’s very important that you do not buy less coverage just to save a little money. In too many instances, someone dropped physical damage coverage only to regret that they should have had better coverage. Your strategy should be to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.
More tips and info about auto insurance is available at the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance website. Consumers can discover disciplinary actions, find disaster information, and download brochures.