9 Guaranteed Tricks to Cut Car Insurance Costs in Oak Ridge

Overpriced car insurance can take a big chunk out of your checking account and put the squeeze on your family's finances. Shopping your coverage around is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket.

Companies like State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive persitently shower you with TV and radio ads and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

It's important to compare rates yearly since rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the best price a year ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you're about to find out the quickest way to find great coverage at a great price.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Companies offering auto insurance do not advertise every available discount in a way that's easy to find, so we took the time to find some of the more common and the more hidden savings tricks you should be using.

  • Good Student Discount - A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply up until you turn 25.
  • Life Insurance - Some companies give better rates if you take out a life insurance policy as well.
  • Memberships - Belonging to a civic or occupational organization is a good way to get lower rates on your policy.
  • Service Members Pay Less - Being on active duty in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
  • Anti-lock Brake System - Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can avoid accidents and will save you 10% or more.
  • Pay Now and Pay Less - If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of paying each month you may reduce your total bill.
  • Safety Course Discount - Completing a driver safety course could cut 5% off your bill and easily recoup the cost of the course.
  • Air Bag Discount - Vehicles with factory air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts up to 30%.
  • Resident Student - Kids in college who attend school more than 100 miles from home and don't have a car can receive lower rates.

Keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn't work that way.

To see a list of providers with discount car insurance rates in Oak Ridge, click here to view.

North Carolina car insurance

How to Get Cheap Car Insurance in Oak Ridge, NC

The are a couple different ways to compare rate quotes from local Oak Ridge car insurance companies. The best method to compare insurance prices is to get quotes online. This can be done using a couple different methods.

  • The best way to find the lowest comparison rates is a comparison rater form (click to open form in new window). This easy form keeps you from doing repetitive form submissions for every car insurance company. A single, simple form gets you price quotes from multiple companies.
  • A different way to shop for car insurance online requires a trip to each company website and fill out their own quote form. For example, we'll pretend you want comparison quotes from , and . To get rate quotes you would need to visit each site to input your insurance information, which is why most consumers use the first method.

    For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Oak Ridge, click here.
  • The least recommended way of getting rate comparisons to different Oak Ridge agent offices. Buying insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you prefer the professional advice of a local Oak Ridge agent. However, consumers can obtain prices from the web but buy from a local insurance agent and we'll cover that in a bit.

It's up to you which method you use, but make sure you use exactly the same quote information for each comparison quote. If you have mixed coverages it will be next to impossible to determine the lowest rate in Oak Ridge. Quoting even small variations in limits may result in a large different in cost. And when comparing car insurance rates, know that getting more free quotes will increase your chances of finding a better price.

Insurance agents can help

When choosing the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a "perfect" insurance plan. Each situation is unique so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions can help discover whether your personal situation could use an agent's help.

  • Should I buy only the required North Carolina minimum liability coverage?
  • What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?
  • Am I getting all the discounts available?
  • Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
  • Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
  • What can I do if my company won't pay a claim?
  • Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?

If you're not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you don't have a local agent, complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Companies like State Farm and Allstate consistently run television and radio advertisements. All the ads make an identical promise that you can save if you change to their company. How can each company make the same claim?

All companies have a preferred profile for the driver that is profitable for them. For example, a preferred risk could be over the age of 40, has no prior claims, and has excellent credit. Any new insured who meets those qualifications will get very good rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Consumers who don't qualify for the requirements will be charged higher prices and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads say "people who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much. This is how insurance companies can make those claims. That is why drivers must get a wide range of price quotes. It's just too difficult to predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

You just learned some good ideas how you can compare car insurance prices online. It's most important to understand that the more you quote, the better your comparison will be. You may even discover the lowest premiums are with a company that doesn't do a lot of advertising. These smaller insurers can often insure niche markets at a lower cost compared to the large companies like .

While you're price shopping online, it's not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many cases where consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time they didn't purchase enough coverage. Your goal should be to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.

Affordable car insurance can be sourced from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Oak Ridge agents, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.

North Carolina car insurance quotes

Additional detailed information can be found at the North Carolina Department of Insurance website. Consumers can file complaints about a company, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find out which companies have the most complaints, and view a list of available companies.