Top 9 Ways to Save Money on Car Insurance in Locust

Expensive car insurance can take a big chunk out of your savings account and force you to make sacrifices. Comparison shopping is a smart way to cut your insurance bill.

You have so many to buy insurance from, and though it is a good thing to be able to choose, lots of choices makes it harder to compare rates.

It's important to shop coverage around yearly since rates are constantly changing. Even if you think you had the best rates last year you can probably find a better price now. There is a lot of bad information regarding car insurance online but I'm going to show you some great ways to quit paying high car insurance rates.

Save big with these nine discounts

Companies that sell car insurance do not list all their discounts very clearly, so the following is a list of some of the more common and also the lesser-known car insurance savings.

College Student - Children living away from home attending college and don't have a car may qualify for this discount.
Discount for Life Insurance - Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
Drive Less and Save - Low mileage vehicles could qualify for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Accident Waiver - Certain companies allow you one accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don't have any claims prior to the accident.
Anti-theft Discount - Anti-theft and alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
Own a Home - Owning a house in Locust may trigger a car insurance policy discount because maintaining a house demonstrates responsibility.
Safety Course Discount - Completing a driver safety course could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.
Anti-lock Brake Discount - Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can avoid accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
New Car Discount - Buying coverage on a new vehicle can cost up to 25% less since new cars are generally safer.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like it's possible to get free car insurance, car insurance companies aren't that generous.

To choose companies with discount car insurance rates in North Carolina, follow this link.

Car insurance ads bend the truth

Car insurance companies such as Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm consistently run ads on TV and radio. They all seem to say the same thing about savings if you change your coverage to them. How does each company make the same claim? It's all in the numbers.

All companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that makes them money. A good example of a desirable insured could be over the age of 50, has no prior claims, and has great credit. Any new insured who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and most likely will save when switching.

Consumers who fall outside these standards will have to pay higher prices which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads state "customers who switch" not "people who quote" save that much money. This is how companies can truthfully advertise the savings. Because of the profiling, you should get quotes from several different companies. It's just too difficult to predict which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

But I don't know anything about car insurance

When buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn't really a "perfect" insurance plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else's and a cookie cutter policy won't apply. These are some specific questions can help discover if your situation may require specific advice.

Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?
Is my vehicle covered for flood damage?
Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?
Does my personal auto insurance policy cover using my vehicle for business use?
Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Even more information can be read at the North Carolina Department of Insurance website. Consumers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, discover disciplinary actions, and learn about insurance regulations.

Final considerations

As you prepare to switch companies, never buy poor coverage just to save money. There are many occasions where consumers will sacrifice collision coverage and discovered at claim time that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your aim should be to get the best coverage possible at the best price.

Cheap car insurance is attainable from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Locust, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. There are still a few companies who don't offer online price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.