If you are new to online auto insurance, by this point your are probably overwhelmed thanks to the huge assortment of companies selling insurance in Ripley.
Six things that determine your premiums
One of the most helpful ways to save on auto insurance is to to have a grasp of a few of the rating criteria that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. If you know what determines base rates, this helps enable you to make changes that may result in lower rates.
- Drive a fast car and pay more – The performance level of the vehicle you are insuring makes a significant difference in your premium level. The most favorable rates will normally be found when insuring lower cost passenger vehicles, but your final cost has many other factors.
- Vocation stress can make you pay more – Did you know your job can affect your rates? Careers such as doctors, social workers and stock brokers usually pay the highest rates because of intense work requirements and extremely grueling work hours. Conversely, professions such as professors, historians and retirees receive lower rates.
- High credit history translates to low prices – A driver’s credit history will be a significant factor in determining premium rates. If your credit rating can use some improvement, you could save money insuring your vehicle by repairing your credit. People with good credit tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims than drivers who have poor credit.
- Alarm systems systems cut premiums – Selecting a car model with advanced anti-theft systems can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft devices such as vehicle immobilizer systems, OnStar, and tracking devices like LoJack help track and prevent your vehicle from being stolen.
- How’s your driving record? – Attentive drivers tend to pay less for car insurance than their less careful counterparts. Having just one speeding ticket could increase your next policy renewal by as much as twenty percent. Drivers who have serious violations such as DUI or reckless driving may find that they have to to complete a SR-22 with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to legally drive a vehicle.
- Lower rates come with age – Older, more experienced drivers are shown to be more cautious, cause fewer claims and accidents and receive fewer citations.Beginning drivers are known to be inattentive when driving so auto insurance rates are higher.
How to get free auto insurance quotes online
Getting low cost auto insurance pricing is a great way to save money. All you need to do is invest a few minutes to compare rate quotes from some recommended companies. You can get a good selection of rate quotes in several different ways.
If you’re in a hurry, the quickest way consumers can make multiple comparisons is to use a rate comparison form click to view form in new window. This easy form eliminates the need for separate quotes to each individual auto insurance company. One simple form gets insurance cost estimates from multiple low-cost companies. This is perfect if you don’t have a lot of time.
A more time consuming way to shop for auto insurance online consists of going to each company website and repeat the quote process again and again. For sake of this example, let’s assume you want to get rates from Allstate, Geico and Progressive. You would have to navigate to each company’s site to enter the same coverage data repeatedly, and that explains why we recommend the first method.
To view a list of companies in Ripley, click here.
Even if you have time, the least recommended method to find lower rates is physically going to all the different Ripley insurance agencies. Quoting and buying insurance online has made agencies unnecessary unless your situation requires the professional guidance that you can only get from talking to an agent. Although you can obtain prices from the web but still have the advice of a local agent.
It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just be sure to compare exactly the same coverage limits and deductibles for each comparison quote. If you have different deductibles it’s impossible to determine the best price in Ripley.
Tennessee auto insurance discounts
Some companies don’t necessarily list every possible discount in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list both the well known in addition to some of the lesser obvious discounts that you can inquire about if you .
- Military Deployment Discount – Having a deployed family member could qualify you for better prices.
- ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Cars equipped with ABS or steering control can reduce accidents so you can save 10 percent or more.
- Pay Early and Save – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of making monthly payments you may have a lower total premium amount.
- Defensive Driver Discounts – Taking part in a class that teaches driver safety techniques could cut 5% off your bill and also improve your driving technique.
- Student in College – College-age children living away from home attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle may be able to be covered for less.
- Mature Driver Discount – Seniors may receive a small discount on rates.
- Ripley Homeowners Discount – Just being a homeowner may earn you a small savings because maintaining a house demonstrates responsibility.
- Early Switch Discount – A few larger companies allow discounts for renewing your policy early. This can save 10% or more.
As a footnote on discounts, most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. Even though it may seem like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it’s just not the way it works.
A few of the larger companies and some of their more popular discounts can be found below.
- The Hartford may include discounts for anti-theft, air bag, defensive driver, vehicle fuel type, and good student.
- American Family offers discounts including bundled insurance, air bags, defensive driver, good driver, early bird, and good student.
- Progressive includes discounts for multi-vehicle, good student, homeowner, online quote discount, continuous coverage, multi-policy, and online signing.
- Travelers policyholders can earn discounts including IntelliDrive, multi-policy, driver training, good student, and early quote.
- Farmers Insurance has savings for business and professional, distant student, teen driver, switch companies, alternative fuel, bundle discounts, and good student.
- USAA offers discounts for good student, driver training, annual mileage, family discount, military installation, multi-policy, and defensive driver.
- Liberty Mutual may have discounts that include hybrid vehicle, newly retired, teen driver discount, new vehicle discount, new graduate, preferred payment discount, and multi-policy.
Before buying, ask each company which discounts can lower your rates. Depending on the company, some discounts might not be available to policyholders in every state. To see a list of companies that offer discounts in Tennessee, click here to view.
Auto insurance quotes from local neighborhood Ripley car insurance agents
Certain consumers would rather sit down and talk to an agent and we recommend doing that Most agents can point out coverage gaps and help you file claims. The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is that drivers can save money and get the best rates and also buy local.
By using this quick form, your information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents that provide for your insurance coverage. You don’t have to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent directly to you. If you wish to compare prices for a specific company, you just need to jump over to their website and fill out their quote form.
Picking an company is decision based upon more than just a cheap price quote. These are some questions you should get answers to.
- How long has their agency been in business in Ripley?
- Do they have adequate Errors and Omissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
- Is the agent properly licensed in Tennessee?
- How will an accident affect your rates?
- How much experience to they have in personal lines coverages?
- Where are claims handled?
- How are they compensated?
- Do they reduce claim amounts on high mileage vehicles?
Choose the right auto insurance agent
If you want to buy auto insurance from a local Ripley insurance agent, it’s helpful to know the types of agencies and how they function. Auto insurance agents can be classified as either independent or captive. Both can provide auto insurance policies, but it is a good idea to know why they differ since it can impact your selection of an agent.
Captive Insurance Agencies
Agents that choose to be captive normally can only provide a single company’s rates and examples are Farmers Insurance and State Farm. Captive agents cannot provide rate quotes from other companies so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Captives are very knowledgeable on sales techniques which aids in selling service over price. Drivers often use the same agent primarily because of the brand name and strong financial ratings.
Below is a list of captive insurance agents in Ripley willing to provide price quotes.
- American Family Assoc – 6830 Conner Whitefield Rd – Ripley, TN 38063 – (731) 635-8286
- Farm Bureau Insurance – 127 Lafayette Ave – Ripley, TN 38063 – (731) 635-0961
- Shelter Insurance – 325 Cleveland St – Ripley, TN 38063 – (731) 635-4195
- State Farm Insurance – 114 N Jefferson St – Ripley, TN 38063 – (731) 635-1982
Independent Agencies or Brokers
These type of agents often have many company appointments and that allows them to write policies with many different companies and find you cheaper rates. If you want to switch companies, the business is moved internally and you won’t have to switch agencies. If you are comparing auto insurance prices, you should always compare prices from several independent insurance agents to ensure the widest selection of prices. Most have the option of insuring with smaller mutual companies which may have better rates.
The following is a short list of independent agents in Ripley willing to provide price quotes.
- MLK Auto Insurance – 237 Watkins St – Ripley, TN 38063 – (731) 635-3833
- Jerald Bridges Insurance – 129 S Main St – Ripley, TN 38063 – (731) 635-0209
To view additional licensed insurance agents in Ripley, visit this directory of Ripley Tennessee insurance agencies.
Don’t assume everyone needs the same auto insurance coverage
When it comes to choosing the best auto insurance coverage, there isn’t really a perfect coverage plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.
Here are some questions about coverages that might help in determining if your insurance needs will benefit from professional help.
- Who is covered by my policy?
- Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
- Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
- Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
- Should I buy additional glass protection?
- Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
- Do I have coverage when making deliveries for my home business?
- What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
- What are Tennessee no-fault laws?
- Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions then you might want to talk to an agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form. It’s fast, free and you can get the answers you need.
Additional detailed information is available at the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance website. Tennessee drivers can read consumer alerts, find out industry alerts, and download brochures.
Other useful links include Auto Insurance 101 and this page where you can research Ripley insurance agents.
Find cheaper rates by being thorough
People change insurance companies for many reasons like delays in paying claims, lack of trust in their agent, policy non-renewal or extreme rates for teen drivers. Regardless of your reason, finding a new company can be easier than you think.
When trying to cut insurance costs, don’t be tempted to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In too many instances, an insured dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits and found out when filing a claim that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The aim is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price, but do not skimp to save money.
You just learned a lot of tips how to lower your auto insurance prices. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the higher your chance of finding . You may even discover the lowest priced auto insurance comes from the least-expected company.