Finding lower rates for Valdosta auto insurance is nearly impossible for beginners to comparison shopping online. People have so many companies to choose from that it can turn into a lot of work to locate the lowest price in Valdosta.
You need to price shop coverage periodically because prices change quite often. Just because you found the best deal a year ago you may be paying too much now. Starting right now, forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because you’re about to learn how to use online quotes to save on auto insurance.
How much can you save with discounts?
Car insurance is not cheap, but there are discounts available to help bring down the price. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time of quoting, but some must be specifically requested prior to receiving the credit. If you’re not getting every credit possible, you’re paying more than you need to.
- Student Driver Training – Have your child enroll in driver’s education if it’s offered in school.
- Save with a New Car – Adding a new car to your policy can save up to 30% due to better safety requirements for new cars.
- One Accident Forgiven – A handful of insurance companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don’t have any claims prior to the accident.
- Discount for Swiching Early – Some companies give discounts for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiring. The savings is around 10%.
- Life Insurance Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with a break if you buy life insurance from them.
- Bundle and Save – When you combine your home and auto insurance with one insurance company you could get a discount of at least 10% off all policies.
- Anti-theft System – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems help deter theft and will save you 10% or more.
A little note about advertised discounts, many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you’re out of luck. Any qualifying discounts will reduce your overall premium however.
To choose companies offering auto insurance discounts in Valdosta, click here.
What determines how much you pay?
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that go into determining auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.
Listed below are some of the items auto insurance companies consider when setting rates.
- Do you work long hours in a high stress job? – Occupations like real estate brokers, architects and stock brokers have the highest rates due to job stress and lengthy work days. On the other hand, occupations like actors, students and the unemployed get better rates.
- Low deductibles can be expensive – Physical damage insurance, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply are colliding with a building, vandalism, and windstorm damage. Your deductibles are how much you are willing to pay out-of-pocket before a claim is paid by your company. The more you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.
- Liability coverage is cheap – Your policy’s liability coverage is the coverage that protects you if a court rules you are at fault for damages from an accident. Liability insurance provides you with a defense in court which can be incredibly expensive. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so drivers should carry high limits.
- Discounts for multiple policies – Most insurers will award you with lower prices to customers who have multiple policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, it’s still a good idea to shop around to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
- Safer cars cost less to insure – Cars with high safety ratings tend to have better insurance rates. The safest vehicles result in less severe injuries and better occupant protection translates into savings for insurance companies and more competitive rates for policyholders.
- Theft deterrents lower rates – Purchasing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft features such as GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all aid in stopping auto theft.
- Add-on coverages can add up – There are quite a few add-on coverages that can waste your money on your auto insurance policy. Things like personal injury protection, accident forgiveness and additional equipment coverage may be wasting your money. These coverages may sound good at first, but now you might not need them so remove them from your policy.
What is the best insurance coverage?
When choosing proper insurance coverage, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Every insured’s situation is different.
For instance, these questions may help you determine if your insurance needs would benefit from professional advice.
- When would I need rental car insurance?
- Do I need added coverage for expensive stereo equipment?
- Is Georgia a no-fault state?
- Should I buy more coverage than the required Georgia minimum liability coverage?
- Can I afford to pay high deductible claims out of pocket?
- How many claims can I have before being cancelled?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form. It’s fast, free and can provide invaluable advice.
What about using a local agent?
A small number of people prefer to sit down with an agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help file insurance claims. The best thing about comparing rates online is that you can obtain the best rates but still work with a licensed agent. Buying from small agencies is especially important in Valdosta.
After filling out this simple form, your insurance coverage information is instantly submitted to participating agents in Valdosta who will return price quotes for your business. There is no need to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. How cool is that?!
Different types of car insurance agents in Valdosta
If you’re trying to find local Valdosta agents, you need to know there are two types of agencies that you can select. Insurance agencies in Valdosta are classified as either independent or captive. While both can do a good job, but it’s good to learn the difference between them because it can impact the selection process.
Independent Insurance Agents
These agents are not employed by any specific company but instead can place your coverage amongst many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To move your coverage to a new company, the business is moved internally and that require little work on your part. When comparison shopping, it’s recommended you contact several independent insurance agents to ensure the widest selection of prices. Most have the option of insuring with smaller companies who may have lower rates.
Listed below is a list of independent insurance agencies in Valdosta that may be able to provide pricing information.
- Davis Garvin Agency Inc – 2200 N Patterson St – Valdosta, GA 31602 – (229) 293-9181
- Direct General Ins Agency – 400 W Central Ave – Valdosta, GA 31601 – (229) 241-1314
- Turner Insurance Svc LLC – 2218 N Patterson St – Valdosta, GA 31602 – (229) 247-1616
- Geico Insurance – 2901 Bemiss Rd – Valdosta, GA 31602 – (229) 242-3000
- Davis-Garvin Agency Inc – 1030 Cherokee St – Valdosta, GA 31602 – (229) 293-9181
Agency Captives
These agents write business for a single company and examples are Allstate, State Farm and Farmers Insurance. They are unable to compare other company’s rates so keep that in mind. They receive extensive training on the products they sell which helps them compete with independent agents. Consumers frequently buy insurance from these agents mostly because of high brand loyalty and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Below is a list of captive insurance agents in Valdosta that are able to give comparison quotes.
- State Farm Insurance – 3565 Northcrossing Cir – Valdosta, GA 31602 – (229) 247-7127
- Allstate Insurance – 1004 N Patterson St – Valdosta, GA 31601 – (229) 241-7950
For a full directory of captive insurance agents in Valdosta, simply jump to this page.
Deciding on an insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price. These are valid questions to ask:
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
- Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
- How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in Georgia?
Upon getting positive feedback to any questions you have and a low price estimate, chances are good that you have found an insurance agent that will insure your vehicles.
Are auto insurance companies telling the truth?
Georgia drivers get pounded daily by advertisements that promise big savings from the likes of State Farm and Allstate. All the ads make the same claim about savings after switching your coverage to them.
How do they all say the same thing?
All companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer that makes them money. An example of a driver they prefer could possibly be a mature driver, insures multiple vehicles, and has a short commute. A propective insured who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and most likely will pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Potential insureds who do not match this ideal profile will have to pay more money which leads to business not being written. The ads say “customers that switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much. That’s why companies can make the claims of big savings.
Because of the profiling, drivers must get as many comparisons as possible. You cannot predict which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.
Additional auto insurance information can be read on the Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner website found here. Georgia drivers can get help finding coverage, file complaints about a company, and view a list of available companies.
Other informative sites include QuoteClickInsure.com and this page of insurance agents in Valdosta.
Final considerations
When buying insurance coverage, make sure you don’t buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many cases where an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage to discover at claim time that it was a big error on their part. The ultimate goal is to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price.
You just read many ways to lower your auto insurance rates. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Drivers may discover the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a smaller regional carrier.
Consumers change insurance companies for many reasons like lack of trust in their agent, policy cancellation, an unsatisfactory settlement offer and even poor customer service. Regardless of your reason, switching companies can be less work than you think.