Are you confused by the number of car insurance companies in Knoxville? Many other consumers are too. People have so many options that it can easily become a challenge to locate the lowest price.
You should take the time to do rate comparisons at least once a year because prices are variable and change quite frequently. Just because you found the lowest price last year there may be better deals available now. You can find a lot of wrong information about car insurance online but we’re going to give you the best ways to find affordable car insurance.
If you are paying for car insurance now, you will be able to lower your premiums substantially using these tips. Shopping for affordable protection in Knoxville can be fairly easy. But Tennessee consumers need to learn how the larger insurance companies determine prices and apply this information to your search.
Where Can I Get Cheap Knoxville Car Insurance?
Most companies such as Geico, State Farm and Progressive provide insurance quotes on the web. Getting quotes is fairly straightforward as you just enter the coverage amounts you desire into the quote form. Once entered, the system automatically orders your credit score and driving record and quotes a price based on these factors.
Online quotes streamlines rate comparisons, but the process of having to visit a lot of sites and fill out multiple forms can be a bit tiresome and repetitive. But it’s absolutely necessary to have as many quotes as possible in order to get the lowest possible prices on car insurance.
Quote rates the easy way
A quicker way to find lower prices is to use a quote form that obtains quotes from several different companies. It saves time, requires less work, and makes comparison shopping much more enjoyable. After your information is entered, it gets priced and you can choose any or none of the quotes returned. If the quotes result in lower rates, you can click and sign and buy the new coverage. This process just takes a couple of minutes and may save quite a bit of money.
In order to get comparison pricing now, click here to open in new window and fill out the form. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended that you enter the limits and deductibles just like they are on your policy. This helps ensure you are getting rate comparison quotes based on the exact same insurance coverage.
Are you getting all your discounts?
Companies offering auto insurance don’t always list every discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we researched both well-publicized and the more hidden discounts you could be receiving.
- Life Insurance Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give lower rates if you buy life insurance.
- E-sign – Some insurance companies may give you up to $50 simply for signing digitally online.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Vehicles with anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
- Club Memberships – Belonging to a qualifying organization could qualify you for a break when buying car insurance.
- Drivers Education – Have your child complete a driver education course if offered at their school.
- Save with a New Car – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can save up to 30% due to better safety requirements for new cars.
As a disclaimer on discounts, many deductions do not apply to the entire cost. Most only cut specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So even though they make it sound like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way.
To see a list of providers who offer car insurance discounts in Knoxville, click this link.
Are insurance agents a thing of the past?
Some consumers just want to visit with an insurance agent and there is nothing wrong with that. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is you can get the lowest rates but also keep your business local.
After completing this short form, the quote information is emailed to local insurance agents in Knoxville who will give you bids to get your business. There is no need to leave your computer as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. How cool is that?! You can find better rates AND a local agent.
Choosing an insurer requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. Some important questions to ask are:
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Tennessee?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- What insurance companies do they work with?
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
Compare rates from both independent and captive insurance agents
When looking for local Knoxville agents, you need to know there are two types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies in Knoxville are either independent or captive.
Captive Agents
Captive agents write business for a single company such as Farmers Insurance or State Farm. Captives cannot compare other company’s rates so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agencies are usually quite knowledgeable on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents. Consumers frequently buy from captive agents partially due to high brand loyalty and solid financial strength.
Below is a short list of captive agents in Knoxville willing to provide comparison quotes.
- Liberty Mutual Insurance – 2030 Falling Waters Rd # 100 – Knoxville, TN 37922 – (865) 539-0039
- State Farm Insurance – 8044 Ray Mears Blvd # 109 – Knoxville, TN 37919 – (865) 690-0802
- Farmers Insurance Group – 151 Sherway Rd # 9 – Knoxville, TN 37922 – (865) 694-8866
- Farm Bureau Insurance – 9309 S Northshore Dr – Knoxville, TN 37922 – (865) 769-7602
- Allstate Insurance Co – 620 N Campbell Station Rd # 24 – Knoxville, TN 37934 – (865) 675-0300
- Shelter Insurance – 8817 Kingston Pike – Knoxville, TN 37923 – (865) 687-7701
Independent Agents
Independent agencies are not employed by any specific company but instead can place your coverage with lots of companies depending on which coverage is best. To move your coverage to a new company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you won’t have to switch agencies. When comparison shopping, it’s a good idea to include multiple independent agents to ensure the widest selection of prices. Many write coverage with different regional companies which can be an advantage.
Listed below is a list of independent agencies in Knoxville willing to provide price quotes.
- George Ilic Agency – 6663 Maynardville Pike – Knoxville, TN 37918 – (865) 922-4663
- American National Insurance Co – 9111 Cross Park Dr # D277 – Knoxville, TN 37923 – (865) 470-4332
- Direct General Ins Agency – 4556 Chapman Hwy – Knoxville, TN 37920 – (865) 573-7111
- Farm Bureau Insurance – 9309 S Northshore Dr – Knoxville, TN 37922 – (865) 769-7602
- Acceptance Insurance Agency – 9240 Kingston Pike – Knoxville, TN 37922 – (865) 531-7030
For a complete listing of insurance agents in Knoxville, simply jump to this page.
After getting reasonable responses to these questions and an acceptable price quote, it’s possible that you found a car insurance agent that meets your needs to service your policy.
Learn How to Lower your Rates
It’s important that you understand the different types of things that come into play when calculating your car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get better car insurance rates.
- Marriage brings a discount – Getting married actually saves money when buying car insurance. It translates into being more mature and it’s proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
- Protect your assets with liability insurance – Liability insurance will protect you if you are found liable for damages from an accident. Liability insurance provides for a legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.
- Increase deductibles and save – Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money you are required to spend before a claim is paid by your company. Physical damage coverage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, protects your car from damage. Some examples of claims that would be covered are colliding with a building, damage caused by hail, and windstorm damage. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the less your car insurance will be.
- More performance means more cost – The performance of the vehicle you are buying insurance for makes a significant difference in determining your rates. Small economy passenger vehicles generally receive the lowest base rates, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
- Lower miles equals lower premium – The more you drive each year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Most companies rate vehicles based on their usage. Autos not used for work or commuting receive lower rates than those used for commuting. Ask your agent if your car insurance policy is rated on the correct driver usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
One last thing
While you’re price shopping online, it’s not a good idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There have been many situations where someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits and found out when filing a claim that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.
Cheaper car insurance is definitely available from both online companies and with local Knoxville insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers do not offer the ability to get a quote online and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.
In this article, we covered many ideas to get a better price on car insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Consumers may even find the biggest savings come from a small local company.
Tennessee insurance information
Even more information is located at the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance website. Tennessee consumers can file complaints about a company, get help finding coverage, download brochures, and find out which companies have the most complaints.