Quote Prattville Alabama Car Insurance for the Lowest Rate With These Tips

Paying for high-priced car insurance can dwindle your personal savings and make it impossible to make ends meet. Shopping your coverage around is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to cut your insurance bill. Big companies like Allstate and Progressive all claim big savings with catchy ads and it is challenging if not impossible to ignore the flashy ads and do the work needed to find the best deal.

It’s a great practice to check car insurance prices periodically since insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the best price six months ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Forget all the misinformation about car insurance because you’re about to find out the only way to find the best coverage while lowering your premiums.

If you have a current car insurance policy or are shopping for new coverage, you can use these tips to find better prices and still get good coverage. Finding affordable coverage in Prattville is not rocket science. Alabama vehicle owners just need to know the most efficient way to get comparison rates online.

How to Buy Prattville Car Insurance Online

Getting better car insurance pricing is actually quite simple. Drivers just need to spend a little time to compare quotes provided by online insurance companies. This can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

The recommended way to find low rates is a comparison rater form click to view form in new window. This easy form saves time by eliminating boring form submissions to each individual car insurance company. Taking the time to complete one form will get you price quotes from all major companies.

A less efficient way to shop for car insurance online requires you to visit the website for every company you want to comare to request a price quote. For example, let’s assume you want comparison quotes from GEICO, Esurance and Allstate. To find out each rate you need to visit each site and enter your information, which is why the first method is quicker. To view a list of companies in Prattville, click here.

The most time-consuming method of comparing rate quotes is to spend time driving to different Prattville agent offices. The internet has reduced the need for local agents unless you want the professional advice of a local Prattville agent. You can, however, price shop online and still use a local agent and we’ll talk about that later.

Whichever method you choose, double check that you are using the exact same coverage information on every quote. If you compare different values for each quote you will not be able to make a fair comparison in Prattville.

Take advantage of discounts

Car insurance can cost a lot, but there could be available discounts to cut the cost considerably. Certain discounts will be applied when you complete an application, but some may not be applied and must be requested specifically prior to getting the savings. If you don’t get every credit available, you are paying more than you should be.

  • Good Student – This discount can earn a discount of 20% or more. Earning this discount can benefit you up until you turn 25.
  • Drive Safe and Save – Drivers who don’t get into accidents may save up to 50% more than their less cautious counterparts.
  • Accident Free – Claim-free drivers can earn big discounts when compared to drivers who are more careless.
  • Life Insurance Discount – Some companies give lower rates if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
  • Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Requiring all passengers to use their safety belts could save 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
  • Discount for Swiching Early – A few companies offer discounts for signing up prior to your current policy expiring. The savings is around 10%.
  • Senior Discount – Mature drivers may qualify for a discount up to 10%.
  • Student in College – Any of your kids who live away from home without a vehicle on campus can receive lower rates.
  • Own a Home – Being a homeowner can save you money because owning a home is proof that your finances are in order.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most discounts do not apply to the entire cost. Most cut specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. Even though it may seem like it’s possible to get free car insurance, it just doesn’t work that way. But all discounts will bring down the cost of coverage.save money image

To choose providers offering car insurance discounts in Alabama, click this link.

Neighborhood agents for car insurance

Some people prefer to sit down with an agent and that is a personal choice. Good agents can point out coverage gaps and give you peace of mind. The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain better rates but also keep your business local. Supporting local businesses is important especially in Prattville.

To find an agent, once you fill out this quick form, the coverage information is sent to companies in Prattville who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. You don’t have to visit any agencies due to the fact that quote results will go directly to your email. Now that’s easy!

Pick the best insurance agency in Prattville for you

When finding local Prattville agents, there are a couple of types of insurance agents to choose from. Agents are classified as either captive or independent (non-captive). Both write coverage properly, but it’s important to know the difference between them because it can influence the selection process.

Independent Agents

Independent agencies are not required to write business for one company but instead can place your coverage amongst many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To move your coverage to a new company, your agent can switch companies and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparing rates, you should always include price quotes from multiple independent agents to get the best comparison.

Shown below is a short list of independent agencies in Prattville who may be able to give you comparison quotes.

Davenport Agency – 1288 E Main St # B – Prattville, AL 36066 – (334) 358-1344
Acceptance Insurance Co – 694 Commerce St # A – Prattville, AL 36066 – (334) 358-5515
Donaldson Insurance Inc – 501 Greystone Way – Prattville, AL 36066 – (334) 365-8484

Captive Insurance Agents

These agents are contracted to one company such as State Farm, AAA and Liberty Mutual. They are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so always compare other rates. Captive agents are trained well on the products they sell which can be an advantage.

Below are captive agents in Prattville that are able to give price quote information.

Farmers Insurance Group – 1345 S Memorial Dr # A – Prattville, AL 36066 – (334) 361-8111
State Farm Insurance – 1807 Station Dr # A – Prattville, AL 36066 – (334) 365-5907

To view a full list of car insurance agents in Prattville, please click here.

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Selecting an insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just the price. Agents should be asked these questions:

  • Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
  • What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
  • Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
  • What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
  • Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
  • If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?

After getting positive responses to your questions and an affordable coverage quote, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that meets your needs to insure your vehicles.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that come into play when calculating car insurance rates. Understanding what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with better car insurance rates.

The list below includes some of the factors companies use to determine rates.

  • Rate your vehicle for proper use – The more miles you rack up on your car in a year’s time the more you will pay for car insurance. Almost all companies charge to insure your cars based on how the vehicle is used. Autos not used for work or commuting get more affordable rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Ask your agent if your car insurance policy is showing how each vehicle is driven.
  • Marriage pays dividends – Having a wife or husband can actually save you money on your policy. Marriage means you’re more mature than a single person it has been statistically shown that married couples file fewer claims.
  • Cautious drivers pay less – Even a single ticket may increase your cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers with clean records get better rates compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who get flagrant violations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with the DMV in their state in order to keep their license.
  • Consolidate policies to earn discounts – Many companies provide better rates to customers who have multiple policies with them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can add up to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. If you currently are using one company, it’s still a good idea to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal.
  • High credit ratings translate to low rates – Credit history is a big factor in calculating your car insurance rates. If your credit rating is not that good, you could pay less to insure your by improving your credit score. Consumers who have good credit tend to be less risk to insure as compared to drivers with lower credit scores.
  • Car features impact rates – Owning a car with an alarm 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.
  • Do you know your deductibles? – Insurance for physical damage to your car, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Examples of covered claims are colliding with a building, damage from fire, and rolling your vehicle. Physical damage deductibles are how much you are willing to pay out-of-pocket before your car insurance pays a claim. The more expense you’re willing to pay, the lower your rates will be.

Quote more, save more

In this article, we presented some good ideas how you can get a better price on car insurance. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may even discover the best price on car insurance is with a small mutual company. Some small companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate or State Farm.

While you’re price shopping online, it’s not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are many occasions where someone dropped physical damage coverage and discovered at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The ultimate goal is to get the best coverage possible at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.

Read more about Alabama car insurance

Additional information can be found on the website for the Alabama Department of Insurance. Click here for link. Consumers can view a list of available companies, read industry bulletins, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and view agent and company licensing information.