Easy Methods to Save Money on Four Oaks Auto Insurance

Finding lower rates for Four Oaks auto insurance is nearly impossible for consumers not familiar with shopping for insurance online. People have so many companies to choose from that it can easily become a lot of work to locate the lowest price in Four Oaks.

It's important to get comparison quotes once or twice a year because insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best deal a year ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. So just forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because you're about to learn the proper way to save on auto insurance.

Finding affordable coverage in Four Oaks is quite easy. If you currently have car insurance, you should be able to save some money using this information. Nevertheless, North Carolina drivers do need to know the way companies price insurance differently and take advantage of how the system works.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that can help you get better auto insurance rates.

The following are some of the factors that factor into your rates.

How many coverages with the same company - Many auto insurance companies give discounts to customers who have multiple policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, you still need to comparison shop to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still find better rates by buying auto insurance from a different company.
Theft deterrents lower rates - Driving a car with an alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Theft prevention features like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder your vehicle from being stolen.
Where you live is a factor - Being located in a small town has it's advantages when insuring your vehicles. Drivers in populated areas regularly have congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Less people living in that area means reduced accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
Do men or women drive better? - The statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. However, this does not mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Men and women have accidents at about the same rate, but men have costlier accidents. Men also have more aggressive citations such as DWI and reckless driving. Male drivers age 16 to 19 are most likely to cause an accident and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.
Safer cars are cheaper to insure - Safer cars tend to have better insurance rates. Safer cars have better occupant injury protection and lower injury rates translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and thus lower rates.
Do you have a high stress job? - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Occupations like doctors, executives and financial analysts are shown to have higher average rates because of job stress and long work hours. Conversely, occupations like farmers, engineers and performers pay the least.
Traffic violations increase rates - Your driving record has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Even a single speeding ticket may increase your cost forty percent or more. Drivers with clean records have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who get flagrant violations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to keep their license.

Compare the Market for Auto Insurance in Four Oaks

There are several ways you can shop for auto insurance but there is one way that is less labor-intensive and much quicker. You can spend your afternoon driving to agents in Four Oaks, or you could save time and use the internet to quickly compare rates.

Most of the larger companies participate in a marketplace that allows shoppers to submit one quote, and each participating company can give them a price based on that data. This system prevents you from having to do repetitive form submissions to each individual auto insurance company.

To submit your quote information now, click here to open in new window.

The only downside to doing it this way is you can't choose which providers you want to price. So if you want to select individual companies for rate comparison, we have a listing of auto insurance companies in North Carolina. Click to view list.

It's up to you how you get prices quotes, just double check that you are using identical information for each price quote. If you have higher or lower deductibles it's impossible to truly determine the lowest rate in Four Oaks. Having just a slight variation in coverage limits could mean much higher rates. It's important to know that having more price comparisons helps locate the best price.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Companies don't list every available discount very clearly, so here is a list both well-publicized as well as the least known ways to save on auto insurance.

Anti-theft System - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and will save you 10% or more.
Payment Method - If paying your policy premium upfront instead of making monthly payments you could save 5% or more.
Auto/Life Discount - Larger companies have a discount if you purchase life insurance from them.
Save over 55 - If you're over the age of 55, you may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
Military Discounts - Having a family member in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
No Claims - Claim-free drivers can earn big discounts compared to accident-prone drivers.
One Accident Forgiven - Certain companies will forgive one accident before hitting you with a surcharge if you are claim-free for a certain period of time.
Good Students Pay Less - This discount can save 20 to 25%. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.

Consumers should know that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. Some only reduce individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don't profit that way.

To choose providers who offer auto insurance discounts in North Carolina, click this link.

Is there truth in advertising?

Companies like Allstate and Progressive continually stream television and radio advertisements. All the ads make the same claim of big savings after switching your policy. How does each company make almost identical claims?

Different companies can use profiling for the right customer that makes them money. An example of a preferred risk could possibly be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no tickets, and has excellent credit. A driver who matches those parameters will get very good rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Drivers who don't measure up to these standards will be charged higher premiums which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. That's why insurance companies can confidently make those claims. That is why you need to compare many company's rates. It is impossible to predict the company that will have the lowest rates.

More tips and info about auto insurance is available at the North Carolina Department of Insurance website. North Carolina consumers can read consumer alerts, view a list of available companies, and view agent and company licensing information.

Final considerations

While you're price shopping online, it's very important that you do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to find out they didn't purchase enough coverage. The aim is to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

Insureds change insurance companies for a number of reasons such as policy non-renewal, unfair underwriting practices, delays in paying claims or even denial of a claim. Regardless of your reason, choosing a new insurance company is easier than you think.

Cost effective auto insurance can be purchased online in addition to many Four Oaks insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some companies do not provide online price quotes and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.