Did budget coverage turn out to be high-priced auto insurance? You’re in good company because many Pinehurst consumers feel financially strained by their auto insurance policy. Insurance companies such as Progressive, Geico and Farmers Insurance all claim big savings with advertising and it can be hard to not get sucked in by the cute commercials and take the time to shop coverage around.
Get lower-cost rates by taking advantage of discounts
Companies offering auto insurance don’t always advertise the complete list of policy discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the next list breaks down a few of the more common and the harder-to-find discounts that may be available.
- Student Discounts – Being a good student could provide a savings of up to 20% or more. The good student discount can last well after school through age 25.
- Telematics Devices – Pinehurst drivers who agree to allow driving data collection to scrutinize driving habits by using a telematics device such as Allstate’s Drivewise and State Farm’s In-Drive system might see lower rates if their driving habits are good.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Low annual miles can qualify you for substantially lower premium rates.
- Auto/Home Discount – If you combine your auto and home policies and insure them both with the same insurance company you could save as much as 10 to 15 percent.
- Senior Citizen Discount – Drivers over the age of 55 are able to get reduced rates.
- Pinehurst Homeowners Discount – Being a homeowner can get you a discount because of the fact that having a home means you have a higher level of financial diligence.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Options like air bags could see savings of 25 to 30%.
- ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Cars and trucks equipped with ABS or steering control are safer to drive and will save you 10% or more.
- Driver Safety – Completing a class that teaches defensive driver techniques could possibly earn you a 5% discount and also improve your driving technique.
Remember that most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. Most only reduce individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Despite the fact that it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.
Large auto insurance companies and their possible discounts are:
- Farm Bureau has savings for multi-vehicle, renewal discount, 55 and retired, safe driver, multi-policy, good student, and driver training.
- State Farm discounts include anti-theft, student away at school, accident-free, driver’s education, and multiple policy.
- Progressive may include discounts for multi-vehicle, multi-policy, online signing, online quote discount, and continuous coverage.
- Allstate has discounts for EZ pay plan discount, anti-theft, utility vehicle, auto/life discount, passive restraint, multi-policy, and teenSMART discount.
- Nationwide offers discounts including family plan, defensive driving, anti-theft, good student, multi-policy, and Farm Bureau membership.
- MetLife offers premium reductions for good student, good driver, multi-policy, accident-free, claim-free, defensive driver
If you want , ask every insurance company which discounts you qualify for. Some discounts may not apply to policies in every state. To choose auto insurance companies who offer free auto insurance quotes in North Carolina, click this link.
How to buy Pinehurst auto insurance online
Reducing your insurance rates isn’t really that difficult. Consumers just need to take a couple of minutes comparing to discover which company has . Comparing prices online can be done using a couple different methods.
- Experts agree that the best way to get the best comparison quotes is to use a rate comparison form click to view form in new window. This quick form eliminates the need for multiple quote forms for every company. One form will get you rate comparisons from multiple companies.
- A more time consuming way to get quotes online is to take the time to go to each individual company website and fill out their own quote form. For example, let’s assume you want rates from Liberty Mutual, Allstate and Geico. In order to get each rate, you would have to spend time on each company’s site and enter your information, which is why the first method is quicker.
For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Pinehurst, click here.
- The final method of comparing rate quotes is to spend time driving to different agent offices. The internet eliminates this option unless you’re the type of person who wants the professional advice only provided by licensed agents. However, consumers can compare online quotes and still use a local agent.
Whichever way you choose to compare rates, try to keep nearly identical coverage limits and deductibles for every quote you compare. If your comparisons have different values for each quote it will be impossible to determine the lowest rate in Pinehurst.
How insurance providers determine prices
Many factors are used when pricing auto insurance. A few of the factors are predictable such as your driving record, but some are less obvious like your continuous coverage or how financially stable you are.
- Don’t buy extra coverages that may not be needed – Insurance policies have a lot of extra add-on coverages you can purchase on your policy. Add-on coverages like rental car coverage, accidental death, and extra life insurance coverage may not be needed and are just wasting money. They may sound like good ideas when discussing your needs, but now you might not need them so eliminate them to save money.
- Does insurance cost more for men? – Statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. It does not mean men are worse drivers. Females and males tend to get into at-fault accidents at a similar rate, but men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. They also have more aggressive citations such as DWI and reckless driving. Male drivers age 16 to 19 are the most expensive to insure and thus pay the highest rates.
- Single drivers take more risk – Your spouse can actually save you money when shopping for auto insurance. Having a significant other usually means you are less irresponsible and insurance companies reward insureds because drivers who are married are more cautious.
- Frequent claims will increase rates – Insurance companies in North Carolina generally give better rates to policyholders who file claims infrequently. If you’re an insured who likes to file claims you can definitely plan on either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Your insurance policy is designed for claims that you cannot pay yourself.
- Liability protection is important – Liability insurance is the coverage that protects you in the event that you are determined to be liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability insurance provides you with a defense in court to defend your case. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to comp and collision, so do not skimp.
Compare rate quotes but buy from a local Pinehurst insurance agent
Certain consumers just want to get advice from a local agent and we recommend doing that Professional insurance agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and will help you if you have claims. One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is that you can find cheaper premium rates and still have a local agent.
After filling out this quick form, your insurance coverage information gets sent to local insurance agents in Pinehurst who will give competitive quotes for your business. There is no reason to leave your house since price quotes are sent straight to your inbox. If you want to get a price quote for a specific company, feel free to jump over to their website to submit a rate quote request.
Finding the right insurance company is decision based upon more than just a cheap quote. These are some questions your agent should answer.
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in North Carolina?
- Are they actively involved in the community?
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
- Do you qualify for any additional discounts?
- How many companies do they write for?
- Are they full-time agents?
Do you need an independent or captive car insurance agent?
If you’re trying to find a reputable agency, there are a couple of different agency structures and how they differ in how they quote coverages. Agencies in Pinehurst are categorized either independent agents or captive agents depending on their employer. Either one can handle auto insurance, but it is a good idea to know the subtle differences because it can factor into which type of agent you select.
Captive Auto Insurance Agents
Captive agencies can only provide pricing for a single company like Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. Captive agencies are unable to compare other company’s rates so they really need to provide good service. Captive agents are usually well trained on what they offer which can be an advantage.
Shown below are Pinehurst captive agencies who can help you get price quotes.
State Farm Insurance – 6 Regional Dr – Pinehurst, NC 28374 – (910) 235-9132
Allstate Insurance – 295 Olmsted Blvd # 3 – Pinehurst, NC 28374 – (910) 295-1885
Independent Insurance Agents
Agents that elect to be independent are not limited to a single company so they can write business through lots of different companies and get you the best rates possible. If they quote lower rates, an independent agent can move your coverage and you don’t have to find a new agent. If you need cheaper auto insurance rates, you absolutely need to get some free quotes from a couple of independent agencies so that you can do a thorough price comparison.
The following is a short list of independent insurance agents in Pinehurst who can help you get comparison quotes.
B B and T Insurance Svc – 140 Applecross Rd – Pinehurst, NC 28374 – (910) 693-2610
To view more Pinehurst insurance agents, please view this page of Pinehurst, NC auto insurance agencies.
After you get reasonable responses as well as offering an affordable quote, you may have found an auto insurance agent that is professional and can service your policy.
Big brands don’t always mean big savings
North Carolina drivers can’t avoid all the ads that promise big savings for switching by companies like Progressive, Allstate and Geico. They all seem to have a common claim that drivers will save a bundle if you just switch to their company.
How do they all make the same claim? This is the way they can do it.
Auto insurance companies quote their best rates for the type of driver that earns them the highest profit. A good example of a profitable risk profile might be over the age of 45, has a clear driving record, and drives a vehicle with a low ISO rating. Any driver who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save if they switch.
Potential insureds who cannot meet the ideal profile must pay higher premiums which translates to the customer not buying. The trick is to say “people that switch” not “everybody who quotes” will save that much if they switch. That’s the way companies can make claims like that. This really illustrates why drivers must quote coverage with many companies. It is impossible to predict which auto insurance company will have the lowest car insurance rates for your situation.
In conclusion
You just read many ideas to lower your auto insurance prices. It’s most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even discover the most savings is with the least-expected company. Some small companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than their larger competitors like Progressive or Geico.
When buying insurance coverage, don’t be tempted to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. Too many times, consumers will sacrifice liability limits or collision coverage to discover at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The aim is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best cost, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Some additional reading
More tips and info about auto insurance can be found at the North Carolina Department of Insurance website. Consumers can find disaster information, read consumer alerts, and download brochures.