Tightwads Guide for Saving on Pinetops Car Insurance

I can't think of anyone who looks forward to paying for car insurance, especially when they are paying too much.

Big-name insurance companies like State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive constantly bombard you with TV and radio ads and consumers find it hard to sift through the bull and do the work needed to find the best deal.

It's important to shop coverage around periodically because rates are constantly changing. If you had the lowest price a year ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. There is a lot of bad advice regarding car insurance online but I'm going to show you some great ways to save money.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to cut costs considerably using these techniques. Choosing the best insurance company for you in Pinetops is easy if you know what you're doing. But North Carolina car owners do need to know how insurance companies determine prices because it can help you find the best coverage.

More discounts equal less premium

Companies do not list all their discounts in a way that's easy to find, so we researched some of the more common and the harder-to-find car insurance savings.

Bundle and Save - When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same insurance company you may earn at least 10% off all policies.
Passive Restraints and Air Bags - Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
Drivers Ed for Students - Have your child complete a driver education course in high school.
Lower Rates for Military - Having a deployed family member can result in better rates.
Drive Less and Save - Keeping the miles down could be rewarded with lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Homeowners Savings - Owning a house in Pinetops may trigger a car insurance policy discount because of the fact that having a home shows financial diligence.
Pay Upfront and Save - If you pay your bill all at once instead of paying each month you could save up to 5%.
Sign Online - A few companies will give a small break for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.
Defensive Driving Course - Successfully completing a driver safety course can save you 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.

Consumers should know that most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. Just because it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies don't profit that way.

To see a list of companies with the best car insurance discounts in Pinetops, follow this link.

Pinetops Car Insurance Comparisons

Most companies give coverage price quotes on their websites. The process is fairly simple as you just type in your personal and coverage information into the quote form. Once you submit the form, their rating system will obtain your credit score and driving record and returns a price based on these and other factors. Online quotes streamlines rate comparisons, but having to visit several different sites and fill out multiple forms can be a bit tiresome and repetitive. Unfortunately, it is important to have as many quotes as possible in order to get a lower rate.

The easy way to compare rates

The preferred way to compare rates utilizes a single form that obtains quotes from multiple companies. It's a real time-saver, reduces the work, and makes comparison shopping a little more enjoyable. After your information is entered, your coverage is rated and you are able to buy your choice of the price quotes you receive. If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, it's easy to complete the application and purchase coverage. This process can be completed in a matter of minutes and may result in a nice savings.

If you want to find out how much you're overpaying now, click here and submit your coverage information. If you have coverage now, it's recommended you type in the limits and deductibles identical to your current policy. This makes sure you are getting comparison quotes based on the exact same insurance coverage.

Tips to Get Lower Pinetops Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that come into play when calculating your car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

Your location is important - Living in small towns and rural areas can be a good thing when it comes to car insurance. Lower population means a lower chance of having an accident as well as less vandalism and auto theft. Urban drivers have to deal with much more traffic to deal with and much longer commute distances. More time on the road translates into higher accident risk.
High credit ratings translate to low rates - Credit rating is a huge factor in determining your rates. People with high credit scores tend to be more responsible than drivers with lower ratings. Therefore, if your credit rating can use some improvement, you could pay less to insure your by improving your credit score.
Claim-free discounts can add up - If you are a frequent claim filer, you can look forward to either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Car insurance companies in North Carolina provide cheaper rates to people who do not file claims often. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of larger claims.
Safer cars are cheaper to insure - Vehicles with high crash test scores are cheaper to insure. These vehicles protect occupants better and fewer injuries means less money paid by your insurance company and more competitive rates for policyholders.

It's not one size fits all

When choosing the best car insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a best way to insure your cars. Everyone's situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won't apply. Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight if you may require specific advice.

What are the best liability limits?
Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you don't have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Car insurance companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive regularly use ads in print and on television. They all seem to say the same thing that you'll save big if you move your coverage to them. How can each company make the same claim? This is how they do it.

Insurance companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of customer that is profitable for them. For instance, a desirable insured could be over the age of 50, a clean driving record, and has excellent credit. A customer who fits that profile will get very good rates and therefore will save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who do not match the requirements will have to pay higher prices which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads say "drivers who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that much money. That is how companies can make those claims. Because of the profiling, drivers must get a wide range of price quotes. Because you never know which company will have the lowest rates.

Do the work, save more money

While you're price shopping online, it's not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, someone dropped collision coverage and learned later they didn't purchase enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price.

We just showed you a lot of tips how to compare car insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the biggest savings come from a smaller regional carrier. These smaller insurers may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates as compared to the big name companies such as .

Additional North Carolina consumer information

More detailed North Carolina car insurance information is located at the North Carolina Department of Insurance website. Consumers can view agent and company licensing information, find out industry alerts, download brochures, and find disaster information.