If you’ve never shopped for , it’s easy to be bewildered thanks to the huge assortment of online car insurance companies and websites that all promise the best rates.
If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using this strategy. The purpose of this article is to familiarize you with how to get online quotes. But Tennessee consumers need to learn how companies sell insurance online and apply this information to your search.
Lower rates by qualifying for discounts
Not many people think insurance is cheap, but you might be missing out on some discounts that can help lower your rates. Many of these discounts will be applied automatically when you quote, but some discounts are required to be specifically requested in order for you to get them.
- Accident Free – Drivers who don’t have accidents can save substantially as compared to accident-prone drivers.
- Student in College – Any of your kids who attend college more than 100 miles from home and won’t have access to an insured vehicle can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who require all occupants to buckle up before driving can save a little off the PIP or medical payment premium.
- Anti-theft System – Cars and trucks with anti-theft systems are stolen with less frequency and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Driver’s Education for Students – Cut your cost by having your teen driver participate in a local driver’s education class in school.
- Military Deployment Discount – Being deployed in the military could qualify you for better car insurance rates.
As a sidenote, some credits don’t apply the the whole policy. Most cut specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. Just because you may think having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, nobody gets a free ride.
Large car insurance companies and some of their more popular discounts are included below.
- Geico offers premium reductions for seat belt use, multi-policy, emergency military deployment, military active duty, and five-year accident-free.
- MetLife may offer discounts for defensive driver, claim-free, good student, good driver, and multi-policy.
- Progressive may have discounts that include good student, multi-policy, homeowner, online quote discount, multi-vehicle, and continuous coverage.
- Travelers offers discounts including IntelliDrive, home ownership, driver training, early quote, multi-car, good student, and hybrid/electric vehicle.
- SAFECO has savings for safe driver, teen safety rewards, anti-theft, bundle discounts, and drive less.
- AAA policyholders can earn discounts including good student, pay-in-full, anti-theft, education and occupation, AAA membership discount, and good driver.
Before buying, ask every company which discounts you may be entitled to. Discounts may not apply to policyholders everywhere. To choose providers with the best car insurance discounts in Portland, click here to view.
Big names are not always cheapest
Car insurance providers like Progressive, Allstate and Geico seem to constantly run television, radio, and online ads. They all seem to say the same thing about saving some big amount if you get a free and switch your coverage. How is it possible that every company can sell you cheaper insurance coverage? This is the way they can do it.
All the different companies provide the lowest rates for the type of driver that will most likely be profitable. A good example of a desirable insured might have to be married and over the age of 30, has a clean driving record, and does not commute to work. Any new insured who fits that profile receive the lowest rate quotes and have a good chance to save when they switch companies.
Consumers who do not fit the “perfect” profile will probably be forced to pay higher prices and the customer buying from a different company. If you listen to the ad wording, they say “drivers who switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save that much. That is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the way they do. This really drives home the point why you need to compare often. It is just not possible to predict which company will give you lower premium rates than your current company.
Additional resources for Tennessee consumers
More tips and info about car insurance can be read at the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance website. Tennessee consumers can find out industry alerts, find disaster information, and discover disciplinary actions.
The following information may also be useful.
Compare but don’t skimp
As you shop your coverage around, it’s a bad idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There have been many situations where drivers have reduced collision coverage and discovered at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your goal should be to get the best coverage possible at the lowest possible cost.
Consumers leave their current company for a number of reasons such as high prices, questionable increases in premium, not issuing a premium refund or extreme rates for teen drivers. No matter why you want to switch, finding the right car insurance provider is actually quite simple.
Discount car insurance can be purchased from both online companies in addition to local insurance agencies, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance companies may not have the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agencies.