Tightwads Guide for Saving on Snow Hill Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Believe me when I say many consumers are feeling buyer's remorse and feel like there's no way out.

Companies like GEICO and Progressive constantly blast consumers with ad campaigns and it is difficult to sift through the bull and take the time to shop coverage around.

It's important to do rate comparisons every six months because prices are constantly changing. Even if you got the best deal a couple years back there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Starting now, block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you're going to get a crash course in the only way to remove unneeded coverages and save money.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Snow Hill

Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get big savings.

The following are some of the factors companies use to determine your rates.

  • Cautious drivers pay less - Your driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Good drivers receive lower rates compared to drivers with tickets. Even one speeding ticket can increase rates forty percent or more. Drivers who get flagrant violations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may be required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to keep their license.
  • Do you know your deductibles? - Insurance for physical damage to your car, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, protects your car from damage. Examples of covered claims would be colliding with a building, vandalism, and burglary. Deductibles for physical damage are the amount of money you are required to spend before your auto insurance pays a claim. The more money you're willing to pay, the less your auto insurance will be.
  • More miles equals more premium - Driving more miles in a year the higher your rates will be. Most companies charge to insure your cars based on their usage. Cars and trucks not used for work or commuting can get a lower rate as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Ask your agent if your auto insurance coverage is rated on the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.
  • Do you have a high stress job? - Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for auto insurance? Occupations like doctors, business owners and dentists tend to pay the highest average rates attributed to high stress and lots of time spent at work. Other jobs such as actors, historians and performers have the lowest average rates.
  • Do men or women drive better? - Statistics demonstrate women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, this does not mean women are better drivers. They both cause accidents at about the same rate, but men have costlier accidents. Men also receive more costly citations like DUI and reckless driving. Young males are several times more likely to be in an accident and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.
  • One company can mean more discounts - Many insurers give discounts to insureds who buy several policies from them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can be five, ten or even twenty percent. Even with this discount, you may still want to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still find a better deal by splitting coverages up.

North Carolina auto insurance

How to Compare Auto Insurance in Snow Hill, North Carolina

All major auto insurance companies allow you to get pricing on the web. This process is pretty easy as you simply enter the coverages you want into the quote form. After the form is submitted, the system will obtain reports for credit and driving violations and returns a price quote. Online quotes makes comparing rates easy, but the process of having to visit each company's website and repetitively type in the same information is repetitive and time-consuming. Unfortunately, it is important to do this in order to find a lower rate.

The preferred way to lower your rates uses one form that analyzes rates from a bunch of companies at once. It's a real time-saver, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes quoting online much more enjoyable. Immediately after you send the form, it is rated and you can select your choice of the resulting price quotes.

If the quotes result in lower rates, you can click and sign and buy the new coverage. The entire process takes just a few minutes to complete and may save quite a bit of money.

To find out how much you're overpaying now, click here and submit the form. If you have a policy now, it's recommended you copy as shown on your current policy. This makes sure you will receive comparison quotes for the exact same coverage.

More discounts equal less premium

Car insurance can cost a lot, but you may find discounts to reduce the price significantly. Certain discounts will be applied when you get a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked about before you will receive the discount.

  • Discount for Good Grades - This discount can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
  • Multiple Vehicles - Having multiple vehicles with the same company could earn a price break for each car.
  • Save with a New Car - Insuring a new car can cost up to 25% less due to better safety requirements for new cars.
  • Accident Free - Drivers with accident-free driving histories can earn big discounts compared to accident-prone drivers.
  • No Charge for an Accident - A handful of insurance companies permit an accident before hitting you with a surcharge if you are claim-free for a particular time prior to the accident.

Keep in mind that most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. So when the math indicates having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it just doesn't work that way. But any discount will reduce your premiums.

To choose providers who offer auto insurance discounts in Snow Hill, click here to view.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Companies like State Farm and Allstate continually stream ads in print and on television. All the ads make an identical promise that you can save after switching to them. How can each company claim to save you money?

All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that makes them money. An example of a preferred risk might be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and therefore will save when they switch companies.

Drivers who do not match the requirements will be charged higher premiums and ends up with the customer not buying. The ads state "people who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save money. That's the way insurance companies can advertise the way they do.

That is why you need to get quotes from several different companies. It's impossible to know which auto insurance company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

More information is available on the website for the North Carolina Department of Insurance through this link. Visitors are able to file complaints about a company, report car insurance fraud, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and read industry bulletins.

Final considerations

We covered many tips how you can compare auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the lowest rates come from a company that doesn't do a lot of advertising. These smaller insurers can often insure niche markets at a lower cost as compared to the big name companies such as .

Affordable auto insurance can be purchased both online and with local Snow Hill insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some auto insurance companies do not offer online price quotes and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it's a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many cases where someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. Your goal should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.