Feel like you’re a prisoner to overpriced car insurance? Believe me, you’re not the only one. With so many companies and agents to choose from, it can be diffult for consumers to choose the cheapest insurer.
Companies offer discounts so take them!
Companies offering auto insurance don’t always publicize every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so the following is a list of some of the more common and also the lesser-known ways to save on car insurance. If you aren’t receiving every discount you deserve, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Senior Citizens – Mature drivers may receive a small decrease in premiums.
- Early Signing – Some insurance companies reward drivers for signing up prior to your current policy expiring. This can save 10% or more.
- Braking Control Discount – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
- Clubs and Organizations – Affiliation with a qualifying organization is a good way to get lower rates when buying car insurance.
- Drivers Education – Have your child take driver’s ed class if offered at their school.
- Military Discounts – Being deployed with a military unit may qualify for rate reductions.
- Homeowners Discount – Simply owning a home may trigger a car insurance policy discount due to the fact that maintaining a home demonstrates responsibility.
- Payment Discounts – By paying your policy upfront rather than paying monthly you could save 5% or more.
- Student in College – Youth drivers who live away from home and do not have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. Even though it may seem like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
To see a list of companies offering car insurance discounts in South Carolina, click here.
Buy Cheaper Car Insurance with These Tips
Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that go into determining car insurance rates. Knowing what controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.
- Marriage brings a discount – Having a spouse can actually save you money on your policy. Having a spouse translates into being more mature than a single person and statistics show drivers who are married are more cautious.
- Battle of the sexes – Statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. That doesn’t necessarily mean that men are WORSE drivers than women. They both have accidents at about the same rate, but the men cause more damage. Men also statistically have more aggressive citations like reckless driving and DUI. Teenage male drivers are several times more likely to be in an accident and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
- Keep rates low by being claim-free – Companies in South Carolina award better rates to drivers who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can definitely plan on higher rates. Car insurance is designed for larger claims.
- Lower rates with optional equipment – Owning a car with a theft deterrent system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft devices like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can help prevent car theft.
- Bump up deductibles to save – Coverage for physical damage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, is used to repair damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply are a windshield shattered by a rock, collision with an animal, and rolling your vehicle. Physical damage deductibles are how much you are required to spend out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. The higher the amount you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the bigger discount you will receive.
- Safe vehicles cost less to insure – Safer cars get lower rates. Safer cars reduce injuries and better occupant protection translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and lower rates for you.
- Do you have a high stress job? – Did you know your car insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Jobs such as judges, executives and accountants have higher rates than average attributed to stressful work requirements and lots of time spent at work. On the flip side, occupations like actors, athletes and performers get better rates.
Online quotes with a local Florence insurance agent
A small number of people just want to buy from a local agent and that is just fine! Professional agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help in the event of a claim. The best thing about getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find the lowest rates but also keep your business local.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this short form, your information is transmitted to local insurance agents in Florence who will give you bids to get your business. You won’t need to even leave your home since price quotes are sent directly to your email. How’s that for easy!
Deciding on an insurance company shouldn’t rely on just a low price. Agents should be asked these questions:
- Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
- Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
- Is working in the agency their full-time job?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
- Can they give you a list of client referrals?
Two different types of insurance agencies
When finding a good Florence insurance agent, there are a couple of different types of agents that you can select. Agencies in Florence are classified as either captive or independent (non-captive). Both types can write coverage properly, but it’s important to know the difference between them because it can influence the selection process.
Agency Captives
This type of agents work for only one company and examples are American Family, State Farm and Allstate. These agents are unable to place coverage with different providers so keep that in mind. They receive extensive training in insurance sales which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
Listed below is a list of captive insurance agencies in Florence willing to provide price quote information.
Allstate Insurance – 2143 Hoffmeyer Rd # A – Florence, SC 29501 – (843) 662-7438
Farm Bureau Insurance – 102 E Redbud Ln – Florence, SC 29505 – (843) 669-3173
State Farm Insurance – 713 S Irby St – Florence, SC 29501 – (843) 662-8494
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agents do not work for one specific company but instead can place your coverage with multiple insurance companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparison shopping, you should always include price quotes from at least one independent agent to ensure the widest selection of prices.
Shown below is a short list of independent insurance agents in Florence that can give you rate quotes.
Frank Morning Insurance – 107 S Franklin Dr – Florence, SC 29501 – (843) 662-7113
Langley Agency – 1026 N Price Rd – Florence, SC 29506 – (843) 667-6003
Woodmen Of The World Insurance – 1337 S Irby St – Florence, SC 29505 – (843) 679-3535
Ed Smith Agency – 165 Warley St – Florence, SC 29501 – (843) 669-5091
Direct General Ins Agency – 1811 S Irby St – Florence, SC 29505 – (843) 629-8841
To view a complete directory of Florence insurance agents, visit this site.
Upon getting acceptable answers to your questions and an affordable coverage quote, you have narrowed it down to an insurance agency that meets your needs to insure your vehicles.
More tips and info about car insurance is available at the South Carolina Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to find disaster information, read industry bulletins, report car insurance fraud, and file complaints about a company.
More related Florence car insurance information:
Best coverage at the best price
We just presented many ideas to shop for car insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers may even find the biggest savings come from a lesser-known regional company. Smaller companies may cover specific market segments cheaper as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm or Progressive.
Budget-conscious car insurance can be bought both online in addition to many Florence insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. Some companies do not provide online price quotes and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.