Do you get exhausted from robbing Peter to pay Paul to pay auto insurance each month? Your situation is no different than many other Tennessee drivers. Big-name insurance companies like State Farm, Allstate, Geico and Progressive constantly bombard you with TV and radio ads and it can be hard to see through the deception and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.
If you have a policy now or need new coverage, you can use these techniques to shop for the lowest rates while maintaining coverages. Buying car insurance in Atoka is not that difficult. Tennessee drivers just need to know the proper way to find the lowest price over the internet.
How your Atoka prices are determined
An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that go into determining your premiums. When consumers understand what determines premiums, this enables you to make decisions that could help you find lower rates.
- Low coverage deductibles mean high prices – Physical damage deductibles define how much the insured will be required to pay in the event of a claim. Protection for physical damage, aka comp and collision, insures against damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered are colliding with a stationary object, vandalism, and damage caused by road hazards. The higher the amount you’re willing to pay, the less money you will pay for auto insurance.
- Add-on coverages you don’t need – There are quite a few optional add-on coverages that you can buy when buying auto insurance. Coverage for things like rental car coverage, accidental death, and motor club memberships are examples of these. The coverages may be enticing when deciding what coverages you need, but if they’re wasting money eliminate them to save money.
- Drive less and pay lower prices – The more you drive your car in a year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Most insurance companies apply a rate based upon how the vehicle is primarily used. Vehicles used primarily for pleasure use cost less to insure compared to those used for work or business. It’s a smart idea to ensure your auto insurance policy correctly shows annual mileage, because it can save money.
- Tickets hurt – Being a careful driver impacts premiums far more than you think. Even one moving violation can increase the cost of insurance to the point where it’s not affordable. Drivers who don’t get tickets tend to pay less for car insurance compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who get severe violations like DUI, reckless driving or excessive speeding are required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state motor vehicle department in order to keep their license.
- Is you vocation costing you more? – Occupations such as real estate brokers, executives and financial analysts generally pay higher rates than average due to high stress and long work hours. Other occupations such as actors, historians and retirees have lower than average premiums.
Auto insurance quotes comparison
Most companies like Allstate and Progressive make it easy to get pricing on their websites. This process is fairly straightforward as you simply enter your coverage information on the page. Upon sending the form, the system sends out for your driving and credit reports and gives you a price quote based on these factors. Online price estimates makes it easy to compare insurance prices but having to visit a lot of sites and enter the same data into a form can be a bit tiresome and repetitive. Unfortunately, it is important to get many rate quotes in order to find the lowest possible prices on auto insurance.
There is an easier way to compare rates
A quicker way to compare rates uses one simple form that obtains quotes from more than one company. The form is fast, reduces the work, and makes price shopping online much simpler. Once the form is submitted, your coverage is rated and you can select any of the quote results. If the quotes result in lower rates, you simply finish the application and purchase coverage. This process only takes a few minutes and may result in a nice savings.
If you want to get comparison pricing now, click here to open in new window and begin entering your coverage information. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend that you enter your coverages exactly as they are listed on your policy. This makes sure you will have a fair comparison based on the exact same insurance coverage.
Switch companies and save? Really?
Tennessee drivers can’t get away from all the ads that claim the best prices by companies like Allstate and Progressive. All the companies convey the message that drivers can save some big amount after switching your coverage to them.
But how can every company charge you a lower premium? This is the trick they use.
Companies have an ideal profile for a prospective insured that will generate a profit. For example, this type of driver might have to be between 30 and 50, has a low-risk occupation, and drives less than 5,000 miles a year. A driver that matches those criteria will get the preferred car insurance rates and will cut their rates if they switch.
People who cannot meet these standards may be forced to pay more expensive rates and this results in the customer buying from someone else. If you listen to the ad wording, they say “customers that switch” not “all people who quote” save money. This is how companies can make the claims of big savings. Different companies use different criteria so you really need to quotes as often as possible. Because you cannot predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.
Get affordable Atoka auto insurance with discounts
Companies that sell car insurance don’t always list the complete list of policy discounts very clearly, so the list below details a few of the more common and the harder-to-find ways to save on auto insurance.
- Early Switch Discount – A few auto insurance companies offer discounts for signing up prior to the expiration date on your current policy. You could save around 10% when you .
- Online Discount – Some larger companies will give a small break on their website.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Not all insurance companies offer life insurance, but some may give you better prices if you take out some life insurance in addition to your auto policy.
- Discounts for Multiple Vehicles – Insuring all your vehicles with the same auto insurance company can get a discount for every vehicle.
- College Student Discount – Kids who are enrolled in a college that is more than 100 miles from home and leave their car at home could get you a discount.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – If you can afford to pay the entire bill rather than spreading payments over time you can avoid the installment charge.
- Drive Less and Save – Driving fewer miles could qualify for cheaper auto insurancerates.
- Senior Citizen Rates – If you’re over the age of 55, you can possibly qualify for a small decrease in premiums.
One last thing about discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. Despite the appearance that you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don’t profit that way.
Insurance companies that may offer these benefits include:
When quoting, ask each insurance company which discounts they offer. Depending on the company, some discounts might not apply in Atoka. To see providers with the best auto insurance discounts in Tennessee, click here.
Auto insurance is available from local agents
A small number of people would rather talk to an insurance agent and that can be a great decision Professional agents can make sure you are properly covered and help in the event of a claim. The biggest benefit of comparing rate quotes online is you can get cheap auto insurance quotes and still have an agent to talk to.
Once you complete this quick form, your coverage information is submitted to insurance agents in Atoka who can give free rate quotes for your auto insurance coverage. There is no need to contact any agents due to the fact that quote results will go directly to you. If you wish to get a rate quote from a specific insurance company, just search and find their rate quote page and fill out their quote form.
Selecting a insurance company is decision based upon more than just a cheap price. Agents should be asked these questions:
- What discounts might you be missing?
- Do they see any coverage gaps in your plan?
- Are they primarily personal or commercial lines agents?
- If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
If you would like help to view a list of agents in Atoka to contact, see this directory of Atoka Tennessee auto insurance agents.
Auto insurance can be complex
When buying coverage, there isn’t really a single plan that fits everyone. Every situation is different so your insurance needs to address that. For instance, these questions can aid in determining if your situation might need an agent’s assistance.
- Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
- How do I file an SR-22 for a DUI in Tennessee?
- Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
- Is my teen driver covered when they drive my company car?
- Does liability extend to a camper or trailer?
- Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
- I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
- How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in Tennessee?
If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.
More detailed Tennessee auto insurance information is available at the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance website. Consumers can view agent and company licensing information, download brochures, read state legal mandates and laws, and find a variety of consumer forms.
Other informative sites include III.org’s auto insurance page and this page where you can research Atoka insurance agents.
Keep this in mind
When trying to cut insurance costs, never skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, consumers will sacrifice comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. The ultimate goal is to find the BEST coverage at the best cost but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
We covered many tips how you can compare auto insurance rates online. The most important thing to understand is the more companies you get car insurance rates for, the better your chances of lowering your car insurance rates. Consumers could even find that the best price on auto insurance is with some of the lesser-known companies. These smaller insurers may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm and Allstate.