Beginners to price shopping auto insurance online might discover buying is more work than they thought.
It is always a good idea to compare rates every six months because insurance prices change quite often. Just because you found the best rates on your last policy other companies may now be cheaper. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because we’re going to demonstrate the tricks you need to know to reduce your cost while improving coverage.
Cutting your Charlotte car insurance rates is a great way to save money. All you need to do is spend a few minutes on the computer to get quotes to find out which insurance company has . It’s really simple and can be done in a couple of different ways.
- Hands down the most simple method to get quotes is a comparison rater form (click to open form in new window). This method eliminates the need for repetitive form entry to each individual car insurance company. Taking the time to complete one form compares rates direct from many companies. Recommended for those who want to invest the least amount of time.
- A more difficult way to find more affordable insurance is going to the website for each individual company and fill out their own quote form. For example, we’ll pretend you want comparison quotes from USAA, State Farm and Farmers. You would be required to visit each site to enter your coverage information, which is why first method is reommended. For a list of companies in Charlotte, click here.
Whichever way you use, make absolute certain that you use identical coverage limits and deductibles for every quote you compare. If your comparisons have different data it’s not possible to make a fair rate comparison in Charlotte.
Informed consumers save more
When buying car insurance it’s important to understand some of the factors that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. When you understand what determines base rates, this allows you to make educated decisions that may result in cheaper rates. Many different elements are taken into consideration when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are pretty understandable such as traffic violations, but some are less apparent such as your credit history or your vehicle rating.
The items below are most of the major factors used by your company to calculate your rates.
- Do you have enough liability insurance? – The liability section of your policy will afford coverage when a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Your liability coverage provides legal defense coverage which can cost thousands of dollars. This coverage is very inexpensive compared to other policy coverages, so drivers should make sure they buy enough to cover all assets.
- Teen drivers are expensive to insure – Inexperience drivers are proven to get distracted easily when behind the wheel so they pay higher car insurance rates. Mature drivers are more responsible, are lower risk to insure .
- Does insurance cost less for females? – Statistics have proven women tend to be less risk to insure than men. That doesn’t necessarily mean that females are better at driving than males. Males and females are in at-fault accidents in similar numbers, but the men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Not only are claims higher, but men receive more costly citations like DUI and reckless driving. Young men ages 16 to 20 tend to get in the most accidents and are penalized with high car insurance rates.
- Multiple policies with one company – Most insurance companies provide lower prices to buyers that have more than one policy in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even if you qualify for this discount already, it’s always a smart idea to compare other company rates to help guarantee you have the best rates. You may still be able to save more without the discount by buying car insurance from a different company.
- Theft deterrents save – Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can help lower your premiums. Anti-theft features such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all help stop your vehicle from being stolen.
Get cheaper Michigan car insurance rates with discounts
Car insurance is not inexpensive, but you might be missing out on some discounts to help bring down the price. Certain reductions will be credited when you quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked for before you get the savings.
- Student Driver Training – Cut your cost by having your teen driver enroll and complete driver’s education if it’s offered in school.
- New Car Discount – Buying insurance coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper because newer models are generally safer.
- Good Student – Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you well after school through age 25.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Cars, trucks, and SUVs that have steering control and anti-lock brakes have fewer accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- 55 and Retired – Drivers that qualify as senior citizens are able to get a slight reduction on a .
- Waiver for an Accident – This one isn’t a discount, but a handful of insurance companies will let one accident slide before they charge you more for coverage if you are claim-free prior to being involved in the accident.
Discounts save money, but please remember that some of the credits will not apply the the whole policy. Most only cut specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. If you do the math and it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won’t be that lucky.
Companies and some of their more popular discounts are detailed below.
- State Farm may have discounts that include good student, passive restraint, safe vehicle, accident-free, multiple autos, and driver’s education.
- Farmers Insurance may include discounts for homeowner, electronic funds transfer, bundle discounts, pay in full, and mature driver.
- Progressive policyholders can earn discounts including online signing, multi-vehicle, online quote discount, multi-policy, and good student.
- Geico offers discounts including air bags, seat belt use, multi-policy, defensive driver, and federal employee.
- Auto-Owners Insurance offers discounts for group or association, paid in full, multi-policy, safe driver, anti-theft, and paperless.
- The Hartford has savings for bundle, defensive driver, vehicle fuel type, anti-theft, and driver training.
- Farm Bureau includes discounts for youthful driver, safe driver, good student, 55 and retired, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle.
- USAA may offer discounts for defensive driver, good student, family discount, loyalty savings, and multi-policy.
When getting , it’s a good idea to every prospective company what discounts are available to you. Some of the discounts discussed earlier may not apply to policyholders in your area. If you would like to choose from a list of insurance companies that offer many of these discounts in Charlotte, click here.
Tailor your car insurance coverage to you
When choosing adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no best way to insure your cars. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.
For example, these questions could help you determine whether you would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
- Are all vehicle passengers covered by medical payments coverage?
- Do I get a pro-rated refund if I cancel my policy early?
- How many claims can I have before being cancelled?
- Is my vehicle covered for smoke damage?
- Does my policy pay for OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
- Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
- Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?
- How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in Michigan?
If you’re not sure about those questions, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and may give you better protection.
In the end, you save
Consumers who switch companies do it for many reasons like denial of a claim, high rates after DUI convictions, an unsatisfactory settlement offer and poor customer service. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding a new car insurance company is less work than it seems.
Cheaper car insurance is possible online and from local insurance agents, and you should compare rates from both to get a complete price analysis. Some car insurance companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and these small insurance companies only sell coverage through independent agents.
When searching for , it’s not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are many occasions where drivers have reduced physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your strategy should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.
For more reading
Additional information can be read on the found here. Visitors are able to find out which companies have the most complaints, file complaints about a company, and download brochures.
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