Are you confused by the dozens of car insurance options in Anniston? Lot’s of other consumers are too. People have so many options available that it can turn into more work than you anticipated to find the lowest price.
You need to do rate comparisons yearly since insurance rates are usually higher with each renewal. Just because you had the best deal two years ago you may be paying too much now. Starting now, forget all the misinformation about car insurance because you’re about to learn the only way to save on car insurance.
Understand what determines the rate you pay
Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that play a part in calculating the price you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.
Shown below are a few of the “ingredients” used by your company to calculate prices.
- Sex matters – Statistics have proven that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, don’t assume that men are worse drivers. Men and women have accidents in similar numbers, but the men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also statistically get more serious tickets like DUI and reckless driving.
- Mature drivers pay less – Mature drivers are more responsible, file fewer claims and get fewer tickets. Teenage drivers have a tendency to be less responsible in a vehicle therefore car insurance rates are much higher.
- Higher deductibles cost less – Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. Physical damage insurance, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Examples of covered claims would be colliding with a building, damage from fire, or theft. The more you’re willing to pay, the less your car insurance will be.
- Liability coverage is cheap – Liability coverage will protect you when you are found liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability insurance provides for a legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. Liability insurance is quite affordable when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not cut corners here.
- More performance means more cost – The make and model of the vehicle you own makes a significant difference in the rate you pay. The most favorable rates are usually for small economy passenger cars, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
Compare Anniston Car Insurance Costs
There are several ways of comparing rates from car insurance companies in your area. By far the easiest way to compare insurance prices consists of obtaining rate quotes online. This can be done using a couple different methods.
- The first (and easiest) way to get quotes is a comparison rater form click here to open form in new window. This form saves time by eliminating separate quotation requests for every car insurance company. One simple form will get you price quotes instantly. It’s definitely the quickest method.
- A slightly less efficient method to obtain and compare quotes online is spending the time to visit each company’s website and fill out their own quote form. For examples sake, let’s assume you want to compare State Farm, Liberty Mutual and Geico. You would have to spend time on each company’s site and enter your information, which is why most consumers use the first method. To view a list of companies in Anniston, click here.
- The most time-consuming method to compare rates is to waste gas driving to and from local insurance agencies. The internet eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you prefer the personal advice only provided by licensed agents. You can, however, obtain prices from the web and still use a local agent and we’ll cover that in a bit.
It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but make absolute certain that you use apples-to-apples deductibles and coverage limits for every company. If each company quotes mixed coverages it’s impossible to make a fair comparison in Anniston. Just a small difference in limits can result in a big premium difference. And when quoting car insurance, remember that getting more free quotes will enable you to find the best offered rates.
Save 15 percent in 15 minutes? Is it for real?
Car insurance companies such as State Farm and Allstate continually stream ads on television and other media. They all seem to make the same claim of big savings after switching your policy. How can each company make the same claim?
All the different companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For instance, a desirable insured could be over the age of 50, has no prior claims, and chooses high deductibles. Any new insured that hits that “sweet spot” will get the preferred rates and as a result will probably save a lot of money.
Potential customers who don’t qualify for this ideal profile will be quoted higher premiums and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state “customers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much money. This is how insurance companies can claim big savings.
This emphasizes why you should compare many company’s rates. It’s not possible to predict which car insurance company will have the lowest rates.
Cut your car insurance rates with discounts
The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but there could be available discounts to help offset the cost. Some trigger automatically at the time of purchase, but a few need to be asked for before you get the savings.
- Save with a New Car – Insuring a new car can be considerably cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
- Use Seat Belts – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could cut 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
- Good Students Pay Less – This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
- Accident Waiver – A few companies will allow you to have one accident without raising rates as long as you don’t have any claims for a set time period.
- Accident Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay much less when compared with accident-prone drivers.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. Just because it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any qualifying discounts will help reduce the cost of coverage.
Won’t my local insurance agent miss me?
A small number of people would prefer to talk to a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is the fact that you can find the best rates but still work with a licensed agent. Buying from small agencies is definitely important in Anniston.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this short form, your coverage information gets sent to companies in Anniston who will return price quotes for your business. There is no reason to drive around as quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. How cool is that?! You can find the lowest rates and a licensed agent to work with.
Pick the best auto insurance agent in Anniston for you
When researching an insurance agent, you must know there are a couple different types of agents to choose from. Agencies in Anniston can either be captive or independent (non-captive).
Independent Agents
Independent insurance agents are not employed by any specific company so they can insure your vehicles with many different companies and potentially find a lower price. To transfer your coverage to a different company, the business is moved internally and that require little work on your part. When searching for an agent, you should always get quotes from at least one independent agent for maximum quote selection.Most can insure with smaller regional carriers which can save you money.
Below are independent insurance agents in Anniston that may be able to provide price quote information.
- Woodmen Of The World Insurance – 4220 Bynum Leatherwood Rd – Anniston, AL 36201 – (256) 237-6008
- Prudential Insurance Co – 311 E 11th St – Anniston, AL 36207 – (256) 237-7211
- Black’s Agency – 226 S Quintard Ave # A – Anniston, AL 36201 – (256) 237-9497
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive insurance agents write business for a single company like Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. These agents are unable to compare other company’s rates so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captive agents receive extensive training in insurance sales which helps them compete with independent agents. Consumers often buy from captive agents mostly because of high brand loyalty and solid financial strength.
Listed below is a short list of captive insurance agencies in Anniston that are able to give price quote information.
- Allstate Insurance – 1027 S Quintard Ave – Anniston, AL 36201 – (256) 236-1600
- Farm Bureau – 2750 Pelham Rd S – Anniston, AL 36206 – (256) 435-9478
- State Farm Insurance – 1130 Quintard Ave – Anniston, AL 36201 – (256) 237-5911
- Farmers Insurance Group – 112 E 7th St – Anniston, AL 36201 – (256) 236-6565
To view a full list of captive agencies in Anniston, visit this site.
Picking an insurance agent requires more thought than just the price. Agents should be asked these questions:
- What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
- How long has their agency been open in Anniston?
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
Upon getting good answers to any questions you have and a low price estimate, chances are good that you have found an insurance agency that will service your policy.
Everyone needs different coverages
When buying the right insurance coverage, there is no cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s situation is unique.
For instance, these questions can help discover whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.
- Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
- What is the minimum liability in Alabama?
- Does my policy pay for OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
- Does liability extend to a camper or trailer?
- Does my vehicle need full coverage?
- Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
- Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
- Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form.
More information is located on the Alabama Department of Insurance website through this link. Visitors are able to file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, read consumer alerts, view agent and company licensing information, and learn about specific coverages.
Smart shoppers get results
As you restructure your insurance plan, never skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, someone sacrificed full coverage to discover at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your strategy should be to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.
Drivers switch companies for a number of reasons such as high rates after DUI convictions, policy cancellation, not issuing a premium refund or even an unsatisfactory settlement offer. Whatever your reason, finding a new company can be easy and end up saving you some money.
Cheaper car insurance can be found from both online companies and with local Anniston insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who do not offer online quoting and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.