Overpriced car insurance can empty your bank account and force you to prioritize other expenses. Comparison shopping is a great way to lower your monthly bill.
With consumers having so many companies to choose from, it can be diffult for consumers to find the most cost effective insurer.
You should take the time to get comparison quotes quite often since rates change quite often. Even if you think you had the best price two years ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. You’ll find quite a bit of inaccurate information about car insurance online, so we’re going to give you the best ways to find affordable car insurance.
How to Compare Car Insurance Quotes in Greenwood, South Carolina
There are several ways to compare rate quotes from car insurance companies in your area. By far the easiest way to find the cheapest insurance rates is to use the internet to compare rates. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in several different ways.
- The single most time-saving way consumers can make multiple comparisons is a comparison rater form click here to open form in new window. This easy form prevents you from having to do repetitive form submissions for each company. One quote request will return quotes .
- A slightly less efficient method to shop for car insurance online is going to each company website and fill out their own quote form. For examples sake, we’ll pretend you want rates from Auto-Owners, Safeco and Farmers. To get rate quotes you would need to go to every website and enter your policy data, which is why most consumers use the first method. For a list of links to insurance companies in Greenwood, click here.
- The hardest way of comparing rate quotes is to drive around to and from local Greenwood insurance agencies. Shopping for car insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you want the professional guidance of a local Greenwood agent. However, consumers can obtain prices from the web and get advice from an agent in your area and you’ll learn how to do that later.
Whichever method you choose, be sure to compare the exact same quote information with every price quote. If each company quotes different liability limits then you won’t be able to find the best deal in Greenwood. Having just a slight variation in coverages may cause a big price difference. It’s important to know that obtaining a wide range of quotes will enable you to find the best rates.
Can switching companies really save?
Progressive, Geico, Allstate and State Farm regularly use ads in print and on television. All the companies have a common claim about savings if you move your coverage to them. But how can every company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.
All companies have a preferred profile for the right customer they prefer to insure. For example, a profitable customer could possibly be over the age of 50, has no tickets, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. Any new insured who fits that profile will get very good rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.
Potential insureds who don’t meet the requirements will have to pay higher prices and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say “drivers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. That’s why companies can advertise the savings.
Because of the profiling, it is so important to get as many quotes as possible. It’s just too difficult to predict the company that will provide you with the cheapest rates.<img class="alignright" style="padding-top:15px;" src="https://www.carinsurancediy.com/wp-content/uploads/ci175-83.jpg" alt="South Carolina car insurance prices”/>
Lower the Price of Insurance with These Tips
It’s important that you understand the factors that help determine the price you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with lower car insurance prices.
- More claims means more premium – Insurance companies in South Carolina provide better rates to insureds who do not file claims often. If you frequently file small claims, you can look forward to either higher rates or even cancellation. Insurance coverage is intended to be relied upon for larger claims.
- Never allow your policy to lapse – Allowing your coverage to lapse is a fast way to bump up your car insurance costs. And not only will insurance be more expensive, failure to provide proof of insurance might get you a license revocation or jail time.You may need to file a SR-22 with the South Carolina motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
- Rates may be lower depending on your job – Careers like real estate brokers, executives and accountants are shown to have higher rates than average in part from high stress and lots of time spent at work. On the flip side, occupations such as scientists, athletes and the unemployed pay the least.
- Safer cars cost less to insure – Vehicles with high crash test scores can get you lower premiums. The safest vehicles result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
- What type of vehicle do you drive? – The type of vehicle you own makes a substantial difference in how high your rates are. The cheapest insurance rates are for economy passenger cars, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
Lots of discounts mean lots of savings
Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not even be aware of. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you complete an application, but some may not be applied and must be requested specifically before they will apply.
- Early Signing – Select companies give a discount for switching to them before your current policy expires. This can save 10% or more.
- Payment Discounts – If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying monthly you could save up to 5%.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Some companies give better rates if you take out auto and life insurance together.
- Multi-car Discount – Buying insurance for more than one vehicle on the same car insurance policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Senior Citizens – If you’re over the age of 55, you may qualify for reduced rates.
- Service Members Pay Less – Having a family member in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won’t be that lucky. But any discount will cut your premiums.
For a list of insurance companies with the best car insurance discounts in Greenwood, click here.
Your coverage should be tailored to you
When it comes to buying coverage for your vehicles, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Each situation is unique so this has to be addressed. These are some specific questions could help you determine if your situation might need professional guidance.
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
- Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
- When should I remove comp and collision on my vehicle?
- Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
- What are the best liability limits?
- Am I covered when driving a rental car?
- Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
- What is covered by UM/UIM coverage?
- Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier
But I prefer to buy car insurance from an agent
Some people just want to buy from a licensed agent and that is a personal choice. One of the great benefits of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find better rates but also keep your business local. And supporting small agencies is definitely important in Greenwood.
Upon completion of this simple form, your insurance coverage information is sent to companies in Greenwood who will return price quotes for your coverage. You don’t have to leave your house since price quotes are sent to your email. It doesn’t get any easier! Get lower rates and work with a local agent.
If you wish to view a list of agents in Greenwood to contact, please go to this site.
Choosing an provider should depend on more than just the bottom line cost. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
- Can they give you a list of client referrals?
- Will your rates increase after a single accident?
Upon getting satisfactory answers to all your questions and a low price estimate, you may have just found an insurance company that will insure your vehicles.
Keep this in mind
We just showed you a lot of ways to reduce car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the most savings is with a small mutual company. They may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm and Allstate.
Affordable car insurance is definitely available online and with local Greenwood insurance agents, so compare prices from both to have the best selection. Some car insurance companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.
More information can be found on the website for the South Carolina Department of Insurance found here. South Carolina drivers can read industry bulletins, view agent and company licensing information, and download brochures.