Paying for high-priced auto insurance can empty your bank account and make it hard to pay other bills. Shopping your coverage around is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to slash your bill and have more diposable income.
With so many companies and agents to choose from, it can be hard to pick the most cost effective provider.
You should make it a habit to do rate comparisons quite often because rates are constantly changing. Even if you think you had the lowest rates a year ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding auto insurance online, so we’re going to give you some good information on how to stop overpaying for insurance.
Choosing the best insurance company for you in Thomasville is easy if you know what you’re doing. Basically, every driver who is shopping for auto insurance will most likely be able to find lower rates. Although North Carolina car owners do need to know how insurance companies market on the web because it can help you find the best coverage.
Save Money with These Tips
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that help determine auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that could result in lower auto insurance prices.
- Type of vehicle determines base rates – The make and model of the vehicle you own makes a huge difference in your rates. The lowest rates tend to be for small economy passenger cars, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
- Don’t let your coverage lapse – Not having insurance is a misdemeanor and you will pay a penalty because you let your coverage have a gap. And not only will insurance be more expensive, but not being able to provide proof of insurance will get you a license revocation or jail time.You may then be required to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with the North Carolina motor vehicle department.
- Rural vs Urban Areas – Living in a rural area has it’s advantages when talking about auto insurance. Drivers who live in large cities have congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Lower population means a lower chance of having an accident as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
- Frequent auto insurance claims increase rates – If you file claims often, you can definitely plan on higher rates. Car insurance companies in North Carolina provide cheaper rates to insureds who file claims infrequently. Insurance coverage is meant to be used in the event of major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- Drive a safer car and pay less – Vehicles with good safety scores can get you lower premiums. Safer cars reduce injuries and any reduction in injury severity means less money paid by your insurance company and more competitive rates for policyholders.
- Clean credit earns discounts – Credit score is a important factor in your rate calculation. So if your credit score is lower than you’d like, you could pay less to insure your by spending a little time repairing your credit. Drivers with high credit scores tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers who have poor credit.
- Your stress level may be raising your rates – Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Careers like real estate brokers, architects and financial analysts have higher average rates because of high stress levels and long work hours. Conversely, professions such as pilots, engineers and homemakers get better rates.
Cut your auto insurance rates with discounts
Companies that sell car insurance don’t necessarily list all their discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of some of the best known as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.
- Early Switch Discount – Select companies give a discount for switching policies prior to your current policy expiration. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- Seat Belt Usage – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts can save up to 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
- No Claims – Claim-free drivers pay less compared to bad drivers.
- E-sign – Certain companies will give a small break simply for signing online.
- Save with a New Car – Adding a new car to your policy is cheaper due to better safety requirements for new cars.
- Good Students Pay Less – Performing well in school can save 20 to 25%. This discount can apply up to age 25.
- Defensive Driving Course – Taking part in a defensive driving course could save 5% or more depending on where you live.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can get savings of 20% or more.
- Bundle and Save – If you insure your home and vehicles with one insurance company you will save up to 20% off your total premium.
- Braking Control Discount – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can reduce accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like you can get free auto insurance, you won’t be that lucky.
Can’t I compare rates from local Thomasville agents?
Some consumers prefer to visit with an insurance agent. The best thing about getting online price quotes is you can get the lowest rates but still work with a licensed agent.
By using this form (opens in new window), your information is sent to local insurance agents who will compete for your coverage. You won’t need to even leave your home due to the fact that quote results will go directly to your email. Now that’s easy! It’s the lowest rates AND a local agent.
Selecting an insurance company shouldn’t rely on just the bottom line cost. Here are some questions to ask:
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
- Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
- If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
The difference between Thomasville insurance agents
If you’re trying to find a good insurance agency, you need to know there are two different agency structures from which to choose. Thomasville agents are categorized either captive or independent (non-captive).
Captive Agents
Captive agencies can only place business with one company like AAA, Allstate and State Farm. These agents are unable to place coverage with different providers so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agencies receive extensive training on their products and sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
The following are Thomasville captive agencies who can help you get price quotes.
Allstate Insurance – 1033 Randolph St # 14 – Thomasville, NC 27360 – (336) 476-8800
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Independent agencies do not work for one specific company so they can insure your vehicles with many different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To transfer your coverage to a different company, the business is moved internally and you won’t have to switch agencies. When comparison shopping, you should always include at a minimum one independent agency to have the most options to choose from.
Below are Thomasville independent insurance agencies willing to provide price quote information.
Hite Agency – 1033 Randolph St # 14 – Thomasville, NC 27360 – (336) 476-8800
Royal S Jarvis Agency – 2 Salem St # 313 – Thomasville, NC 27360 – (336) 472-3317
Agri-Business Insurance – 346 Tob Hilton Rd – Thomasville, NC 27360 – (336) 475-6099
Wilson Insurance Assoc – 202 National Hwy – Thomasville, NC 27360 – (336) 475-2128
To view a complete directory of Thomasville insurance agents, visit this site.
Once you have received positive responses to your questions and an acceptable price quote, you may have just found an auto insurance agent that can provide auto insurance coverage.
Drivers who switch save $415 a year? Really?
Auto insurance companies such as State Farm, Geico and Progressive regularly use ads in print and on television. They all seem to say the same thing of big savings if you move to them. How does each company make almost identical claims? It’s all in the numbers.
Different companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that makes them money. A good example of a driver they prefer could be between 25 and 40, owns a home, and chooses high deductibles. Any driver that hits that “sweet spot” is entitled to the best price and therefore will save when switching.
Potential customers who do not match this ideal profile must pay more money which leads to business not being written. Company advertisements say “people who switch” not “people who quote” save that kind of money. This is how companies can make those claims. This illustrates why it’s extremely important to get a wide range of price quotes. It’s just too difficult to predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.
Learn more about North Carolina auto insurance
Additional detailed information is located at the North Carolina Department of Insurance website. Consumers can report car insurance fraud, file complaints about a company, read consumer alerts, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.
Other informative sites include this resource for North Carolina auto insurance prices and this page where you can research Thomasville insurance agents.
More comparisons equals lower rates
Cheaper auto insurance is possible online as well as from independent agents in Thomasville, so compare prices from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance companies don’t offer online quoting and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.
When shopping online for auto insurance, don’t be tempted to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In many cases, an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage to discover at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your strategy should be to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price.