Finding lower rates for Hinesville auto insurance is challenging for consumers new to buying insurance online. Consumers have so many options available that it can be a big hassle to compare prices in Hinesville.
If you are insured now or need new coverage, you can use these tips to reduce the price you pay while maintaining coverages. This information will familiarize you with how car insurance quotes work. Georgia drivers just need to know how to compare price quotes on the web.
Understand what determines the rate you pay
Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get lower auto insurance prices.
The list below includes a partial list of the pieces companies use to determine your rates.
- Having a spouse can save you money – Being married helps lower the price on your policy. Having a significant other is viewed as being more mature it has been statistically shown that being married results in fewer claims.
- Do you know your deductibles? – Insurance for physical damage to your car, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Examples of covered claims are a windshield shattered by a rock, damage from fire, and windstorm damage. Physical damage deductibles are how much you are required to spend before your auto insurance pays a claim. The more money you’re willing to pay, the lower your rates will be.
- Liability coverage is cheap – Liability coverage will protect you if ever a court rules you are at fault for personal injury or accident damage. It provides for a legal defense starting from day one. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not cut corners here.
- Please use or commuting – The more miles you rack up on your car in a year the more you will pay for auto insurance. The majority of insurers rate vehicles based on their usage. Autos left parked in the garage get more affordable rates than those used for commuting. Make sure your auto insurance policy shows how each vehicle is driven.
- Safer cars cost less to insure – Vehicles with high crash test scores get lower rates. These vehicles result in less severe injuries and lower injury rates means less money paid by your insurance company and more competitive rates for policyholders.
- Do you have a high stress job? – Careers like lawyers, social workers and financial analysts tend to have higher average rates because of high stress and lots of time spent at work. Conversely, occupations like pilots, engineers and the unemployed receive lower rates.
- Where you live – Choosing to live in a rural area is a positive aspect when buying auto insurance. Lower population means a lower chance of having an accident and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. Drivers in populated Georgia areas tend to have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Longer commute distances can result in more accidents.
- Traffic citations inflate rates – Your driving citation history has a big impact on rates. Drivers with clean records receive lower rates than people who have multiple driving citations. Only having one citation may increase your cost forty percent or more. Drivers who have severe citations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may need to file a SR-22 with their state motor vehicle department in order to drive a vehicle legally.
How to Compare Hinesville Auto Insurance Costs
Finding cheaper auto insurance prices is a fairly straight forward process. You just need to take a few minutes to get quotes online with multiple companies. This can be done using a couple different methods.
The fastest way to find low rates is an all-inclusive rate comparison click here to open form in new window. This form prevents you from having to do separate forms for each company you want a rate for. Taking the time to complete one form gets you coverage quotes from auto insurance companies with the best prices. This is by far the quickest method.
Another way to analyze rates is spending the time to visit the website for every company you want to comare to complete their respective quote request forms. For example, let’s assume you want rates from Liberty Mutual, Progressive and Allstate. To find out each rate you need to go to every website to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is quicker.
To view a list of companies in Hinesville, click here.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just be sure to compare the exact same coverage limits for each price quote. If the quotes have unequal deductibles or liability limits it will be very difficult to truly determine the lowest rate in Hinesville.
How can State Farm, Geico and Progressive save drivers who switch?
Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for car insurance savings by companies like State Farm, Geico and Progressive. They all make an identical promise that you’ll save big if you move to them.
How can each company make the same claim?
Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the type of customer they prefer to insure. For instance, a preferred risk could possibly be between 25 and 40, has no driving citations, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote that hits that “sweet spot” is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.
Drivers who do not match the “perfect” profile will be charged more money which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ad wording is “people who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save money. That’s the way insurance companies can advertise the savings. That is why you should get quotes from several different companies. It is impossible to predict which company will fit your personal profile best.
Do you qualify for discounts?
Companies do not list all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of both well-publicized and also the lesser-known savings tricks you should be using. If they aren’t giving you every credit you qualify for, you’re paying more than you need to.
- Early Switch Discount – A few companies offer discounts for signing up before your current policy expires. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- Drivers Education – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver’s education if it’s offered in school.
- Use Seat Belts – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt can save 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
- Driver Safety – Completing a course in driver safety could possibly earn you a 5% discount if your company offers it.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying monthly you can actually save on your bill.
Consumers should know that many deductions do not apply to the entire cost. Most only reduce individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
Don’t assume everyone needs the same coverage
When choosing proper insurance coverage, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s needs are different.
For instance, these questions can help discover if your situation might need an agent’s assistance.
- Is borrowed equipment or tools covered if stolen or damaged?
- How many claims can I have before being cancelled?
- Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
- Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
- Am I covered when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- Is my vehicle covered for flood damage?
- When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
- Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
- Does my policy pay for OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
If you’re not sure about those questions, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form. It only takes a few minutes and may give you better protection.
Additional detailed information is available at the Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner website. Consumers can read state legal mandates and laws, read consumer alerts, find out industry alerts, and get help finding coverage.
Other useful links include these car insurance answers and this list of agents in Hinesville, GA.
Final considerations
As you shop your coverage around, it’s a bad idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In too many instances, an accident victim reduced collision coverage and learned later that the savings was not a smart move. Your focus should be to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.
Cost effective auto insurance is definitely available online and also from your neighborhood Hinesville agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best selection. Some auto insurance companies may not provide online price quotes and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.
People switch companies for many reasons like delays in paying claims, high prices, high rates after DUI convictions or even unfair underwriting practices. No matter why you want to switch, finding a new auto insurance company can be easy and end up saving you some money.