Sick and tired of trying to scrape together enough money to insure your vehicles every month? Your situation is no different than many other Tennessee drivers. Companies like State Farm, Farmers Insurance, Geico and Allstate increase brand awareness with ad campaigns and it is challenging if not impossible to see through the cute green geckos and mayhem and do the work needed to find the best deal.
Comparison of Auto Insurance in Columbia, TN
Finding lower Columbia auto insurance rates is actually quite simple. The only thing you need to do is spend a little time to compare quotes from different insurance companies. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in just a few minutes using one of these methods.
- The first (and easiest) way to compare a lot of rates at once is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This form prevents you from having to do multiple quote forms for every auto insurance company. A single, simple form gets rate comparisons from auto insurance companies with the best prices.
- A different way to get comparison quotes consists of going to each company’s website to request a price quote. For sake of this example, let’s assume you want rates from Liberty Mutual, 21st Century and American Family. To find out each rate you need to visit each site to enter your coverage information, and that’s why the first method is more popular.
For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Columbia, click here.
Whichever method you choose, compare the exact same coverage limits on every quote. If you are comparing mixed coverages then you won’t be able to determine the lowest rate in Columbia.
These discounts can lower your rates
Companies offering auto insurance don’t always advertise every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we took the time to find some of the best known and the harder-to-find discounts you could be receiving. If you aren’t receiving every discount you deserve, you are throwing money away.
- Air Bag Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts may earn rate discounts of up to 25% or more.
- Seat Belt Usage – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt can save up to 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- No Charge for an Accident – Some insurance companies permit an accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don’t have any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
- Theft Prevention System – Vehicles with anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
- Military Discounts – Having a deployed family member could be rewarded with lower premiums.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Buying insurance for multiple cars or trucks with the same company could earn a price break for each car.
- Clubs and Organizations – Being a member of a civic or occupational organization may earn a discount on auto insurance.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can avoid accidents and will save you 10% or more.
- Safe Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents may save up to 50% more than their less cautious counterparts.
A little note about advertised discounts, some credits don’t apply the the whole policy. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when it seems like you could get a free auto insurance policy, you won’t be that lucky.
To choose providers with the best auto insurance discounts in Columbia, click here.
Make smart decisions and save
Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.
Listed below are some of the factors used by your company to calculate prices.
- Choose a safe vehicle and save – Cars with high safety ratings can get you lower premiums. Safer cars reduce injuries and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts and lower rates for you.
- Men are more aggressive – Statistics demonstrate women tend to be less risk to insure than men. Now that doesn’t mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Women and men cause accidents at about the same rate, but the male of the species tend to have more serious accidents. Men also tend to get more serious tickets such as reckless driving.
- Being married is a good thing – Being married helps lower the price on your auto insurance policy. It usually means you are more mature and statistics show drivers who are married are more cautious.
- Claim-free discounts can add up – Auto insurance companies in Tennessee provide lower rates to insureds who are claim-free. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can definitely plan on either higher rates or even cancellation. Your insurance policy is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Save $417 a year. For real?
Consumers constantly see and hear ads for car insurance savings from the likes of 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the companies have a common claim that you’ll save big after switching your coverage to them.
But how can every company make the same claim? It’s all in the numbers.
Different companies have a certain “appetite” for the right customer that is profitable for them. For example, a profitable customer might be profiled as between 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and drives newer vehicles. Any driver who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and therefore will save when switching.
Potential insureds who don’t measure up to these standards will be quoted a higher premium and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say “customers that switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much money. That’s why insurance companies can claim big savings. This emphasizes why you should compare many company’s rates. You cannot predict which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.
Keep this in mind
Cost effective auto insurance can be purchased from both online companies in addition to many Columbia insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to get a complete price analysis. There are still a few companies who do not provide the ability to get a quote online and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.
You just learned a lot of tips how to save on auto insurance. The key thing to remember is the more quotes you get, the better your comparison will be. Drivers may discover the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a small local company. Smaller companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate, Geico and Progressive.
Additional detailed information can be read at the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance website. Consumers can view a list of available companies, read industry bulletins, and download brochures.
These articles may also be worth reading.