Is Your Birmingham Auto Insurance Breaking the Bank?

Are you sick and tired of scraping the payment together to buy car insurance? Your situation is no different than many other Alabama drivers. There is such a variety of auto insurance companies to purchase coverage from, and though it is a good thing to have a choice, it can be more difficult to adequately compare rates.

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

Most major insurance companies such as Allstate and Progressive allow you to get prices for coverage on the web. Getting quotes is quite easy as you just enter your personal and coverage information into the quote form. When complete, their system collects your driving and credit reports and generates pricing information. Online quotes makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the time required to go to different websites and fill out multiple forms is monotonous and tiresome. But it is imperative to have as many quotes as possible in order to find a lower rate.

There is an easier way!

A more efficient way to compare rates is to use a quote form to return rates from several different companies. It’s a real time-saver, reduces the work, and makes online quotes a lot less work. Immediately after you send the form, your coverage is rated and you are able to buy any one of the price quotes you receive. If you find a better price you can click and sign and purchase the new policy. It can be completed in less than 10 minutes and you will know how your current rates stack up.

If you want to find out if lower rates are available, click here and submit the form. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you complete the form with your coverages as shown on your current policy. This ensures you’re receiving rate quotes using the same coverage and limits.

Lower rates by qualifying for discounts

Car insurance companies don’t list all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so here is a list some of the more common and the more hidden discounts you could be receiving. If you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you are throwing money away.

  • Senior Discount – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may qualify for a small decrease in premiums.
  • Good Student – Getting good grades can save 20 to 25%. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
  • Sign Early and Save – A few companies offer discounts for switching to them before your current expiration date. It can save you around 10%.
  • Drivers Education – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver’s ed class in school.
  • Homeowners Savings – Simply owning a home can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
  • Accident Forgiveness – Certain companies will forgive one accident before your rates go up so long as you haven’t had any claims for a set time period.
  • Claim Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories can earn big discounts as compared to accident-prone drivers.
  • Payment Method – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of paying each month you can actually save on your bill.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. Even though it may seem like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way.

For a list of insurance companies offering auto insurance discounts in Birmingham, follow this link.

Is my situation unique?

When choosing the best auto insurance coverage, there really is no one size fits all plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different so your insurance should reflect that For instance, these questions may help you determine if you might need professional guidance.

  • Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
  • Are rental cars covered under my policy?
  • Is my business laptop covered if it gets stolen from my vehicle?
  • Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
  • Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
  • Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
  • When do I need to add a new car to my policy?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.

Consumer auto insurance information in Alabama

Additional detailed information is available at the Alabama Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to discover disciplinary actions, get help finding coverage, and find out which companies have the most complaints.