10 Excellent Ways to Lower Auto Insurance Premium in Mobile

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy overpriced auto insurance? Believe me, there are many Mobile consumers feeling the pinch from expensive auto insurance.

With consumers having so many choices, it’s difficult to find the right provider.

Consumers should take time to check auto insurance prices before your policy renews because prices tend to go up over time. Just because you had the best deal two years ago you can probably find a lower rate today. So just block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you’re going to get a crash course in the easiest way to save money, get proper coverage and the best rates.

Many Things Influence your Rates

It’s important that you understand the factors that help determine your auto insurance rates. Understanding what controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get lower auto insurance prices.

The following are a partial list of the pieces used by your company to calculate your rates.

How your age affects price – Older insureds are more responsible, file fewer claims and are safer drivers. Teen drivers have a tendency to be careless and easily distracted when behind the wheel and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher.
Don’t let your coverage lapse – Having an insurance coverage lapse is a guaranteed way to bump up your auto insurance costs. Not only will rates go up, but not being able to provide proof of insurance might get you a license revocation or jail time.
Is your vehicle built for speed? – The make and model of the vehicle you are buying insurance for makes a big difference in determining your rates. The lowest rates are for small economy passenger vehicles, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
Equipment add-ons that lower auto insurance rates – Driving a car that has an advanced theft prevention system can help lower your rates. Anti-theft features such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder your car from being stolen.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you purchase, but a few must be requested specifically prior to getting the savings.

New Car Discount – Adding a new car to your policy is cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
Pay Upfront and Save – If you pay your bill all at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save up to 5%.
Sign Online – A handful of insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying a policy and signing up online.
Anti-lock Brake Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can reduce accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Discount for Life Insurance – Some companies give a discount if you purchase life insurance from them.
Claim Free – Good drivers with no accidents pay less as compared to accident-prone drivers.
Low Mileage – Low mileage vehicles can qualify you for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Federal Employees – Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% with select insurance companies.

Consumers should know that most credits do not apply the the whole policy. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies wouldn’t make money that way. Any amount of discount will help reduce your premiums.

To see a list of providers who offer auto insurance discounts in Alabama, follow this link.

Aren’t my neighborhood agents an option?

Some consumers would rather talk to a local agent and that is OK! One of the best bonuses of comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain better rates and still have an agent to talk to. And providing support for local businesses is important especially in Mobile.

To help locate an agent, after submitting this simple form, your insurance coverage information is submitted to participating agents in Mobile who will compete for your coverage. You won’t need to even leave your home because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. How’s that for easy! It’s the lowest rates and a licensed agent to work with. Car insurance in Mobile Alabama

Choose the right auto insurance agent

When finding local Mobile agents, you need to know there are two different agency structures that you can select. Agents can either be captive or independent (non-captive).

Independent Agents

These agents do not work for one specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with lots of companies depending on which coverage is best. If you are not satisfied with one company, your agent can switch companies without you having to go to a different agency. When comparison shopping, we recommend you contact at least one independent agent to have the most options to choose from.

The following is a short list of independent insurance agents in Mobile that are able to give competitive price quotes.

Owens Insurance – 1428 Hillcrest Rd – Mobile, AL 36695 – (251) 633-6363
Erdman-Vernado Insurance – 6920 Airport Blvd # 119 – Mobile, AL 36608 – (251) 342-0081
Mulroy Agency – 2754 Dauphin St – Mobile, AL 36606 – (251) 479-1500
Darling Agency Inc – 816 Azalea Rd – Mobile, AL 36693 – (251) 661-3098
Ashland General Agency – 1000 Hillcrest Rd # 200 – Mobile, AL 36695 – (251) 639-5102

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive insurance agents are contracted to one company such as Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They are unable to compare other company’s rates so keep that in mind. They are very knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.

The following are Mobile captive insurance agencies who can help you get price quote information.

State Farm Insurance – 7695 Cottage Hill Rd # A – Mobile, AL 36695 – (251) 633-0410
Farmers Insurance Group – 662 Spring Hill Ave – Mobile, AL 36602 – (251) 433-3111
Allstate Insurance – 327 S Sage Ave – Mobile, AL 36606 – (251) 476-2606
Liberty Mutual Insurance – 6417 Hillcrest Park Ct # I – Mobile, AL 36695 – (251) 634-9430

For a complete listing of captive agents in Mobile, please click here.

Choosing an insurance agency shouldn’t rely on just the price. These questions are important to ask:

Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in Alabama?
Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
Is working in the agency their full-time job?
Are claims handled at the agent’s location?

Once you have acceptable answers and an acceptable price quote, chances are good that you have found an insurance agency that meets your needs to provide auto insurance coverage.

Beware of misleading auto insurance ads

Companies like Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm consistently run television and radio advertisements. All the ads have a common claim that you can save if you change your coverage to them. But how can every company claim to save you money? This is how they do it.

Different companies can use profiling for the type of customer that is profitable for them. For instance, a profitable customer might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and drives newer vehicles. A driver who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.

Potential insureds who are not a match for the “perfect” profile will be charged a higher premium and this can result in business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “customers that switch” not “people who quote” save that much money. That’s why companies can state the savings.

That is why you need to compare as many rates as you can. Because you never know which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Additional information is available on the website for the Alabama Department of Insurance. Click here for link. Alabama consumers can find a variety of consumer forms, view a list of available companies, and download brochures.

Also read more on this page for auto insurance prices in Alabama and this page of Mobile insurance agents.

Quote often and quote early

You just read a lot of ways to compare auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even discover the best price on auto insurance is with a small mutual company. Some small companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than the large multi-state companies such as Progressive or GEICO.

When buying insurance coverage, it’s a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many cases where an insured dropped liability coverage limits and learned later that it was a big error on their part. The aim is to purchase plenty of coverage at the best price while still protecting your assets.