Have you finally had enough of sacrificing to insure your vehicles every month? You are no different than the majority of other vehicle owners in Tennessee. You have multiple auto insurance companies to insure vehicles with, and although it’s nice to have a choice, it can be more difficult to find the lowest rates.
Finding the lowest cost coverage in Elizabethton can be fairly easy. Basically, every vehicle owner who has to buy auto insurance will be able to save money. But Tennessee vehicle owners must learn the way insurance companies market on the web.
Earn discounts on Elizabethton auto insurance
Some companies do not advertise all possible discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we researched both well-publicized as well as the least known credits that you can use to lower your rates.
- Discounts for Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to use a seat belt can save a little off the PIP or medical payment premium.
- Senior Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you may receive better auto insurance rates.
- Own a Home – Owning a house in Elizabethton can help you save on auto insurance because it shows financial diligence.
- Early Renewal Discounts – Some companies provide a discount for renewing your policy early. This can save 10% or more.
- Professional Organizations – Affiliation with a professional or civic organization is a simple method to lower premiums when shopping for auto insurance.
You should keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. Even though it may seem like you could get a free auto insurance policy, nobody gets a free ride.
Companies and their possible discounts are shown below.
- Progressive may offer discounts for good student, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, online signing, and homeowner.
- MetLife discounts include claim-free, good driver, good student, accident-free, multi-policy, defensive driver
- Mercury Insurance has savings for multi-policy, ease of repair, professional/association, type of vehicle, anti-theft, and accident-free.
- Nationwide offers premium reductions for Farm Bureau membership, multi-policy, anti-theft, easy pay, accident-free, and family plan.
- Geico has discounts for multi-vehicle, multi-policy, anti-theft, military active duty, seat belt use, and daytime running lights.
- AAA offers discounts including multi-car, good student, good driver, AAA membership discount, anti-theft, and education and occupation.
It’s a good idea to ask every insurance company to give you their best rates. Depending on the company, some discounts might not apply everywhere. If you would like to view providers that have a full spectrum of discounts in Elizabethton, click here to view.
The best way we recommend to compare rate quotes takes advantage of the fact most of the larger companies actually pay money for the chance to give free rates quotes. To begin a comparison, all you need to do is give them some information such as any included safety features, distance driven, how much school you completed, and deductibles desired. That rating information gets transmitted to multiple companies and they provide comparison quotes quickly.
To get price quotes for your car now, click here and complete the quick form.
Why informed drivers pay lower rates in Elizabethton
Lots of factors are used when pricing auto insurance. Some are pretty understandable such as your driving history, although others are not as apparent such as your credit history or how safe your car is. Smart consumers have a good feel for a few of the rating criteria that come into play when calculating the level of your policy premiums. When you understand what controls the rates you pay, this allows you to make educated decisions that could result in lower premium levels.
- Occupation reflects on premiums – Occupations like doctors, architects and emergency personnel are shown to have the highest rates in part from high stress and long work hours. On the flip side, careers such as scientists, athletes and retirees get better rates.
- Driving citations drive up rates – Drivers who don’t get tickets have lower premiums than bad drivers. Having just one speeding ticket could increase your next policy renewal by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who get severe tickets such as DUI or reckless driving may need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to legally drive.
- Better rates with anti-theft devices – Choosing to buy a car with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Systems that thwart theives like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system can thwart auto theft.
- Men drivers tend to cost more – Over time, data shows that women are safer drivers than men. However, don’t assume that females are better at driving than males. Both sexes have accidents at about the same rate, but males tend to have more serious accidents. In addition to higher claims, males also receive more costly citations like DUI and reckless driving.
- Prevent auto insurance lapses – Driving your car without having proper coverage is illegal and auto insurance companies will penalize you for letting your insurance expire. In addition to paying higher rates, the inability to provide proof of insurance might get you a fine, jail time, or a revoked license. You could then be forced to file a SR-22 with the Tennessee motor vehicle department.
- Location can influence price – Residing in a small town can save you money when it comes to auto insurance. Fewer drivers and short commutes means a lower chance of having an accident as well as less vandalism and auto theft. People in densly populated areas have to deal with congested traffic and longer commute times. More time commuting statistically corresponds to a higher accident and claim rate.
- Getting married can lower premiums – Your spouse actually saves money on your policy. Having a spouse may mean you are more mature than a single person and statistics show married couples file fewer claims.
- Use one insurance company and save – Many insurers apply lower prices to people that buy multiple policies, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you’re getting this discount you may still want to check prices from other companies to help ensure you have the lowest rates.
Do I need a local insurance agent?
Some people still like to sit down and talk to an agent and doing that can be a smart decision The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is you may find cheap rate quotes and also buy local. And supporting local insurance agencies is especially important in Elizabethton.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this simple form, your insurance coverage information gets sent to local insurance agents who can give free rate quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You won’t need to drive around since rate quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. Get lower rates without requiring a lot of work. If you have a need to get a rate quote from a specific insurance company, feel free to visit that company’s website and give them your coverage information.
If you are searching for a local Elizabethton insurance agency, it helps to know the two types of agencies and how they are slightly different. Insurance agencies in Elizabethton can be categorized as either captive or independent (non-captive).
Independent Auto Insurance Agencies or Brokers
Independent agencies can sell policies from many different companies and that gives them the ability to insure with an assortment of companies and find the cheapest auto insurance rates. If prices rise, your agent can just switch to a different company and the insured can keep the same agent.
If you need cheaper auto insurance rates, you will want to include a few independent agents for maximum quote selection.
Shown below are Elizabethton independent insurance agencies who can help you get free rate quotes.
Troutman Insurance – 448 E Elk Ave – Elizabethton, TN 37643 – (423) 543-8997
Bill Yates Agency – 1970 W Elk Ave # A1 – Elizabethton, TN 37643 – (423) 542-6122
Direct General Ins Agency – 205 W Elk Ave – Elizabethton, TN 37643 – (423) 542-4400
Dale Williams Insurance – 126 S Main St – Elizabethton, TN 37643 – (423) 543-6123
Captive Agents
Agents of this type can only place business with one company and examples are Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. Captive agents are unable to shop your coverage around so they really need to provide good service. Captive insurance agents are usually quite knowledgeable on what they offer which helps them sell on service rather than price.
The following are Elizabethton captive agents that are able to give price quote information.
Farm Bureau Insurance – 301 N Lynn Ave – Elizabethton, TN 37643 – (423) 543-2288
Allstate Insurance Co – 100 E Elk Ave # B – Elizabethton, TN 37643 – (423) 543-7700
State Farm Insurance – 183 Hudson Dr – Elizabethton, TN 37643 – (423) 543-6719
To locate agencies near you, please visit this list of Elizabethton, TN auto insurance providers.
Finding the right insurance agent requires you to look at more than just the quoted price. Get answers to these questions too.
- Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
- How are they compensated?
- Does the quote include credit and driving reports?
- By raising physical damage deductibles, how much would you save?
- Do they have 24-hour customer assistance?
- Where would glass claims be handled in Elizabethton?
- Do they have a Better Business Bureau rating in Elizabethton?
Big brands don’t always mean big savings
Big name companies like State Farm, Allstate and Geico regularly use television, radio, and online ads. They all seem to say the same thing about savings if you move your auto insurance policy to them. How is it plausible that every one can say the same thing?
Insurance companies provide the lowest rates for the driver that will not have excessive claims. An example of a driver they prefer could be over the age of 45, carries high limits, and does not commute to work. Someone that meets those criteria will get very good Elizabethton car insurance rates and will pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Insureds who fall outside these stringent criteria will be quoted higher premiums and this results in the customer not purchasing. If you pay attention, the ads say “drivers who switch” not “all people who quote” save money. This is how insurance companies can make those claims.
This emphasizes why drivers should do a quote comparison often. You cannot predict which auto insurance company will fit you best based on your risk profile.
Don’t give up on cheaper rates
When trying to cut insurance costs, you should never skimp on coverage in order to save money. In too many instances, drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The ultimate goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at the best possible price and still be able to protect your assets.
Some insurance companies don’t offer online quoting and these small, regional companies prefer to sell through local independent agents. Cheaper auto insurance is definitely available from both online companies as well as from insurance agents, so you need to compare both to have the best rate selection.
We’ve covered many tips how you can reduce auto insurance prices online. It’s most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the higher your chance of finding . Consumers may even find the most savings is with an unexpected company. Some small companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than their larger competitors like State Farm, Geico and Nationwide.
Some additional reading
Additional information is located on the located here. Visitors are able to find a variety of consumer forms, report car insurance fraud, and find out industry alerts.