Tricks for Saving Money on Hendersonville, NC Car Insurance Rates

Wish you could get out of high-priced car insurance? Don’t feel bad because you are not the only one feeling buyer’s remorse. Big companies like State Farm, Geico and Farmers Insurance constantly blast consumers with catchy ads and consumers find it hard to see past the corporate glitz and do the work needed to find the best deal.

You should take the time to compare premium rates once or twice a year due to the fact that insurance rates are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Even if you think you had the lowest premium rates two years ago a different company probably has better prices today. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because you’re about to find out the proper way to buy cheaper car insurance.

If you currently have car insurance, you should be able to reduce your rates substantially using this information. Buying car insurance in Hendersonville is not rocket science. Nevertheless, North Carolina car owners must know the way insurance companies determine prices and use this information to your advantage.

Verify you’re receiving every discount

Companies offering auto insurance don’t always advertise every policy discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we researched a few of the more common and the harder-to-find credits that you can use to lower your rates.

  • Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars and trucks that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can stop better under adverse conditions so you can save 10 percent or more.
  • New Car Discount – Buying a new car model is cheaper since new model year vehicles have better safety ratings.
  • Senior Discount – Drivers over the age of 55 may be able to get reduced rates.
  • Discount for Swiching Early – A few insurance companies give discounts for switching policies before your current policy expires. The savings is around 10%.
  • Theft Deterent System – Cars optioned with advanced anti-theft systems can help prevent theft and that can save you a little bit as well.

A quick disclaimer, most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. Just because you may think having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, nobody gets a free ride.

If you would like to view companies with the best car insurance discounts in North Carolina, follow this link.

Eight decisions that affect insurance premiums

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that aid in calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. When you understand what determines base rates, this allows you to make educated decisions that could help you find lower car insurance prices.

Shown below are some of the major factors used by insurance companies to determine prices.

  • Discounts for married drivers – Having a spouse may cut your premiums when shopping for car insurance. It usually means you are more mature and insurance companies reward insureds because married drivers tend to have fewer serious accidents.
  • Choose high IIHS safety ratings and save – Cars with high safety ratings can get you lower premiums. The safest vehicles help reduce the chance of injuries in an accident and fewer serious injuries means lower claim amounts which can mean better rates for you.
  • Additional coverages that may be costing you – Insurance policies have a lot of extra bells and whistles that you can get tricked into buying if you aren’t diligent. Coverage for things like rental car reimbursement, towing coverage, and term life insurance are some examples. These may sound like a good investment at first, but your needs may have changed so remove them and pocket the money.
  • Save by driving less – The more you drive your car in a year’s time the higher the price you pay to insure it. Many insurance companies price each vehicle’s coverage partially by how you use the vehicle. Vehicles that sit idle most of the time qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. It’s a good idea to make sure your car insurance policy correctly shows the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.
  • Low credit history equals high costs – Having a bad credit rating is a large factor in your rate calculation. Insureds with excellent credit scores tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims than those with worse credit. If your credit history could use some work, you could pay less to insure your vehicle by repairing your credit.
  • Your liability coverage limits – Liability coverage will protect you in the event that you are responsible for damages from an accident. It provides you with a defense in court which can cost a lot. This coverage is very inexpensive compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
  • Low coverage deductibles can be expensive – Coverage for physical damage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, covers damage that occurs to your car. Examples of some claims that would be covered are collision with another vehicle, hail damage, and rolling your vehicle. Comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles define the amount you are willing to pay if a claim is determined to be covered. The more you choose to pay out-of-pocket, the bigger discount you will receive.
  • Job reflects on car insurance rates – Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Careers like military personnelpolice officers and financial analysts generally pay the highest rates because of high stress and incredibly demanding work hours. Other occupations such as professors, students and retirees have the lowest average rates.

Special considerations

When buying the right insurance coverage, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s situation is a little different so your insurance should reflect that For instance, these questions might point out if you could use an agent’s help.price insurance in North Carolina

  • Does my policy pay for OEM or aftermarket parts?
  • Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
  • Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
  • Why is insurance for a teen driver so high in Hendersonville?
  • Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
  • What if I don’t agree with a claim settlement offer?
  • Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
  • When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
  • When should I not file a claim?

If you can’t answer these questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

When should I have guidance from an agent?

Certain consumers prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is a smart decision The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is you can get the lowest rates and also buy local.

For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), the quote information is sent to companies in Hendersonville who will return price quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. It makes it easy because there is no need to leave your computer since price quotes are sent to your email. You can most likely find cheaper rates AND an agent nearby. If you wish to get a comparison quote from a specific company, you would need to jump over to their website to submit a rate quote request.

Finding the right company is decision based upon more than just a cheap price. Some important questions to ask are:

  • Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
  • Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
  • Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
  • Can you get a list of referrals?
  • Are they paid to recommend certain coverages?

Shown below are Hendersonville car insurance companies that may be willing to give price quotes.

RBC Liberty Insurance – 77 Newport Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28739 – (828) 324-7042
Farm Bureau Insurance – 810 Old Spartanburg Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792 – (828) 692-0278
State Farm Insurance – 211 Linda Vista Dr, Hendersonville, NC 28792 – (828) 693-6207
Allstate Insurance – 776 N Church St, Hendersonville, NC 28792 – (828) 697-0555
Apple Insurance – 117 W Barnwell St # 3, Hendersonville, NC 28792 – (828) 692-9006

After getting positive responses to your questions and a good coverage price, you may have just found an insurer that meets the requirements to provide car insurance coverage.

Slick advertising tricks that work

Companies like Geico, State Farm and Progressive endlessly run ads on television and other media. All the companies advertise the message about saving some big amount if you just switch your coverage. How do they all give you a lower rate? It’s all in the numbers.

Different companies provide the lowest rates for the driver that will most likely be profitable. One example of a desirable insured may need to be between the ages of 40 and 55, has had continuous coverage, and has great credit. Someone who meets those qualifications will qualify for the lowest auto insurance rates in Hendersonville and as a result will probably save some money.

Potential customers who don’t meet those criteria will be quoted higher prices and ends up with the customer not buying. The wording the ads use say “people that switch” but not “all drivers who get quotes” save that much when switching. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently make the claims of big savings. This illustrates why drivers should compare price quotes frequently. Because you cannot predict which car insurance company will give you lower prices than your current company.

More tips and info about car insurance can be read at the North Carolina Department of Insurance website. Consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, read consumer alerts, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

More related Hendersonville car insurance information:

Cheaper coverage is out there

While you’re price shopping online, don’t be tempted to buy poor coverage just to save money. Too many times, someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that they should have had better coverage. Your strategy should be to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.

Cheaper car insurance is available from both online companies and from local insurance agents, so get from both of them so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance providers do not offer rates over the internet and many times these small, regional companies sell through local independent agencies.

We just covered a lot of information how to shop for car insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the lowest rates come from some of the lesser-known companies. These smaller insurers often have lower auto insurance rates on specific markets compared to the large companies like Progressive or Geico.