Proven Techniques to Save on Harrisburg Auto Insurance

Scraping up a payment for overpriced auto insurance can drain your savings account, especially in this economy. Doing a price comparison is a smart way to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket.

Because you have many insurance companies to choose from, it can be impossible to pick the right provider.

Buying the lowest cost coverage in Harrisburg is simple if you know the tricks. In a nutshell, anyone who is required by state law to have auto insurance stands a good chance to be able to lower their premiums. But North Carolina vehicle owners do need to know how the larger insurance companies sell insurance online and take advantage of how the system works.

How much can you save with discounts?

Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but companies offer discounts that you may not even be aware of. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time of purchase, but some must be specifically requested prior to receiving the credit.

  • Government Employees - Being employed by or retired from a federal job can save as much as 8% with a few auto insurance companies.
  • New Vehicle Savings - Adding a new car to your policy can be considerably cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
  • Early Signing - A few companies offer discounts for signing up before your current expiration date. This can save 10% or more.
  • Air Bag Discount - Cars that have air bags or automatic seat belts can receive discounts of more than 20%.
  • Driver's Ed - Have your child successfully complete driver's ed class in school.
  • Use Seat Belts - Drivers who require all occupants to buckle their seat belts could cut 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.
  • No Claims - Drivers who don't have accidents can earn big discounts when compared to bad drivers.
  • Paperwork-free - Certain companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up online.
  • Low Mileage Discounts - Driving fewer miles can qualify you for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.

Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don't profit that way. But all discounts will help reduce the amount you have to pay.

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

How to Buy Harrisburg Auto Insurance Online

Comparing auto insurance rates is a ton of work if you aren't aware of the most efficient way to do it. You can waste a lot of time driving to insurance agencies in Harrisburg, or you can utilize the internet for quick rates.

Many insurance companies participate in a marketplace that allows shoppers to only type in their quote data once, and each company returns a competitive quote based on the submitted data. This eliminates the need for repetitive form submissions for each company you want a rate for. To submit your quote information now, click to open in new window.

The only downside to getting quotes like this is buyers cannot specifically choose which carriers to get quotes from. So if you want to choose specific providers to request quotes from, we have a page of low cost auto insurance companies in North Carolina. Click here for list of insurance companies in North Carolina.

Whichever way you use, make darn sure you compare apples-to-apples coverages and limits for every quote you compare. If each company quotes different deductibles it will be next to impossible to determine the best price in Harrisburg. Just a small difference in insurance coverages could mean much higher rates. And when comparison shopping, having more price comparisons gives you a better chance of getting a lower rate.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that go into determining auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.

  • Your occupation can affect rates - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Careers like doctors, architects and stock brokers are shown to have the highest rates attributed to stressful work requirements and lengthy work days. On the other hand, occupations like pilots, students and homemakers pay the least.
  • Mature drivers pay less - Teenage drivers in North Carolina are statistically proven to be careless and easily distracted when driving so auto insurance rates are higher. Having to add a young driver onto your auto insurance can break the bank. More mature drivers are more cautious drivers, tend to file fewer claims and are safer drivers.
  • What type of vehicle do you drive? - The performance of the car you are buying insurance for makes a significant difference in determining your rates. The most favorable rates tend to be for lower performance four cylinder passenger vehicles, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
  • Clean credit earns discounts - Having a bad credit score is a large factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. If your credit is lower than you'd like, you could pay less to insure your by improving your rating. Consumers who have excellent credit tend to be less risk to insure as compared to drivers with poor credit.
  • Frequent auto insurance claims increase rates - Companies in North Carolina provide discounts to people who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you file claims often, you can look forward to either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for the bigger claims that can't be paid out-of-pocket.

How much car insurance do I need?

When choosing proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no one size fits all plan. Each situation is unique so your insurance needs to address that. For example, these questions may help you determine if your insurance needs will benefit from professional help.

  • Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
  • Should I file a claim if it's only slightly more than my deductible?
  • Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
  • Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
  • Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
  • Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
  • Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
  • Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?

If you don't know the answers to these questions then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

Save 15 percent in 15 minutes? Is it for real?

Auto insurance providers like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. They all say the same thing that you'll save big if you switch your policy. But how can every company say the same thing?

All companies have a preferred profile for the right customer that is profitable for them. An example of a driver they prefer might be profiled as between the ages of 40 and 55, insures multiple vehicles, and has excellent credit. A propective insured who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.

Potential customers who don't meet this ideal profile will be quoted higher prices which usually ends up with business not being written. The ad wording is "people who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. This is how companies can make those claims.

This emphasizes why drivers must get quotes from several different companies. It's not possible to predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

Shop smart and save

While you're price shopping online, don't be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to find out they didn't purchase enough coverage. Your strategy should be to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.

In this article, we covered many ways to compare auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a company that doesn't do a lot of advertising. These smaller insurers may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates compared to the large companies like .

Harrisburg auto insurance comparison

More sites with auto insurance information

Much more information about auto insurance in North Carolina is available on the website for the North Carolina Department of Insurance through this link. North Carolina drivers can read industry bulletins, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, learn about specific coverages, and find out industry alerts.

Additional helpful sites include this online resource for auto insurance quotes in North Carolina and this list of insurance agents in Harrisburg.