Tightwads Guide to Saving on Belmont Auto Insurance

Having to pay for overpriced auto insurance can overdraw your bank account and force you to make sacrifices. Comparison shopping is a smart way to help make ends meet. Because you have many companies to choose from, it's nearly impossible to pick the lowest price insurance company.

This information will help you learn how to effectively get price quotes and some tips to save money. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using these methods. North Carolina consumers only need to know how to get comparison quotes online.

Take advantage of discounts

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but discounts can save money and there are some available to help offset the cost. Most are applied when you quote, but a few need to be asked for before you get the savings. If you don't get every credit you deserve, you're paying more than you need to.

Pay Upfront and Save - If you pay your bill all at once instead of paying each month you could save up to 5%.
Save over 55 - Mature drivers can possibly qualify for a small decrease in premiums.
Lower Rates for Military - Having a deployed family member can result in better rates.
Theft Prevention Discount - Anti-theft and alarm systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
Memberships - Participating in a professional or civic organization could qualify you for a break when shopping for auto insurance.
More Vehicles More Savings - Insuring multiple cars or trucks on the same auto insurance policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
Discount for Life Insurance - Companies who offer life insurance give a break if you buy life insurance.

A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will help reduce your overall premium however.

To see a list of insurance companies with the best auto insurance discounts in North Carolina, follow this link.

Free Quotes for Auto Insurance in Belmont, North Carolina

Finding cheaper auto insurance prices isn't really that difficult. Just take the time comparing rates online from several insurance companies. This can be accomplished using a couple different methods.

The best way to compare a lot of rates at once is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This method prevents you from having to do separate quotation requests for each company you want a rate for. One form will return price quotes from auto insurance companies with the best prices.
A more difficult way to compare rate quotes consists of visiting the website of each company to complete their respective quote request forms. For instance, let's say you want comparison quotes from , and . To get each rate you have to go to every website to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in Belmont, click here.
The least efficient way of comparing rate quotes to local Belmont insurance agencies. Shopping for auto insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you require the trained guidance that only a license agent can provide. You can, however, obtain prices from the web and still use a local agent. We'll cover that shortly.

Whichever way you use, make darn sure you compare apples-to-apples deductibles and coverage limits on every quote you get. If your comparisons have different values for each quote it's not possible to determine which rate is truly the best in Belmont.

How to Lower your Auto Insurance Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.

The list below includes a few of the "ingredients" used by your company to calculate prices.

Lower rates with optional equipment - Purchasing a vehicle with an alarm system can help lower your rates. Anti-theft devices like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM's OnStar system all aid in stopping your car from being stolen.
Sex matters - Statistics have proven women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, don't assume that women are BETTER drivers than men. Both sexes tend to get into accidents in similar percentages, but the men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also statistically get cited for more serious violations such as DWI and reckless driving.
Multiple policies with one company can save - The majority of companies provide better rates to customers who carry more than one policy, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you're getting this discount you still need to compare rates to verify if the discount is saving money.
Increase deductibles and save - Your deductibles define the amount you are required to spend out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. Coverage for physical damage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, is used to repair damage to your car. A few examples of covered claims could be running into the backend of another car, vandalism, and burglary. The higher the amount you have to pay, the bigger discount you will receive.
Rate your vehicle for proper use - The more you drive in a year's time the higher your rate. Almost all companies apply a rate based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles used primarily for pleasure use qualify for better rates than those used for commuting. Double check that your auto insurance policy properly reflects the correct driver usage.

How to know if you need help

When choosing the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance needs to address that. These are some specific questions may help you determine whether your personal situation could use an agent's help.

What can I do if my company won't pay a claim?
Should I buy additional glass protection?
Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
Are rental cars covered under my policy?
Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?
Is my vehicle covered for flood damage?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.

Are auto insurance companies telling the truth?

North Carolina consumers can't get away from ads for car insurance savings from the likes of State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. They all say the same thing about savings if you move your coverage to them.

But how can every company make almost identical claims?

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that is profitable for them. For example, a driver they prefer could possibly be over the age of 40, insures multiple vehicles, and drives newer vehicles. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile receives the best rates and most likely will save a lot of money.

Drivers who don't qualify for this ideal profile will be quoted a higher premium which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save that much money. This is how companies can truthfully claim big savings.

This emphasizes why drivers must get as many comparisons as possible. It's impossible to know which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

And the best car insurance company is...

When trying to cut insurance costs, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where drivers have reduced physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that it was a big mistake. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.

The cheapest auto insurance is possible online as well as from independent agents in Belmont, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best selection. A few companies don't offer the ability to get a quote online and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.

More sites with auto insurance information

Additional information can be found on the website for the North Carolina Department of Insurance located here. North Carolina consumers can view a list of available companies, learn about insurance regulations, read consumer alerts, and report car insurance fraud.

Additional helpful sites include this page for auto insurance prices in North Carolina and this list of insurance agents in Belmont, NC.