9 Tips Proven to Save on Auto Insurance Costs in Johnson City

I can’t think of a single person who likes paying for auto insurance, especially knowing they are paying too much.

Numerous auto insurance companies battle for your hard-earned dollar, and because of this it can be hard to compare insurance companies and uncover the absolute best price available.

Pay less by taking advantage of these nine discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don’t necessarily list all their discounts very clearly, so here is a list both the well known as well as the least known ways to save on auto insurance.

  • Life Insurance Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with a break if you buy life insurance.
  • Good Student – A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply up until you turn 25.
  • Paperwork-free – A handful of insurance companies may give you up to $50 just for signing your application online.
  • Accident Forgiveness – A handful of insurance companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don’t have any claims for a certain period of time.
  • Passive Restraints – Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts up to 30%.
  • Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems can help prevent theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
  • Clubs and Organizations – Belonging to a professional or civic organization is a good way to get lower rates when shopping for auto insurance.
  • Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than less cautious drivers.
  • Drivers Education – Have your child complete a driver education course if it’s offered in school.

Drivers should understand that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it doesn’t quite work that way.

For a list of providers offering auto insurance discounts in Tennessee, follow this link.

How to Compare Johnson City Auto Insurance Rates

Most companies give insurance quotes on the web. Obtaining pricing is pretty painless as you simply type in your personal and coverage information as detailed in the form. When complete, their system automatically orders credit information and your driving record and generates pricing information based on these factors. This makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the process of having to visit each company’s website and repetitively fill out multiple forms is not the best way to spend an afternoon. But it’s absolutely necessary to compare as many rates as possible in order to find the best price on auto insurance.

The easiest way to find cheaper rates uses one simple form that gets prices from multiple companies. This type of form saves time, reduces the work, and makes rate comparisons much simpler. As soon as the form is sent, your coverage is rated with multiple companies and you can pick any or none of the quotes returned. If you find a better price it’s easy to complete the application and purchase the new policy. The whole process only takes a few minutes and may result in a nice savings.

To find out how much you can save on auto insurance, simply click here to open in new window and submit your coverage information. To compare your current rates, we recommend you complete the form with the insurance coverages as shown on your current policy. This ensures you will have a price comparison for the exact same coverage.

Car insurance is unique, just like you

When it comes to buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s situation is a little different so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions might point out if your situation would benefit from an agent’s advice.

  • Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
  • How much liability coverage do I need in Tennessee?
  • Does having multiple vehicles earn me a discount?
  • Do no-fault laws apply in Tennessee?
  • What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
  • Am I covered when using my vehicle for business?

If you can’t answer these questions, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Compare online but buy from a local Johnson City agent

A small number of people prefer to sit down with an agent. One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is you may find the lowest rates but still work with a licensed agent.

By using this quick form, the coverage information is immediately sent to companies in Johnson City who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. There is no need to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent to the email address you provide. It doesn’t get any easier! It’s the lowest rates AND an agent nearby.Johnson City TN car insurance

Choosing an insurance company shouldn’t rely on just a low price. These are valid questions to ask:

  • Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
  • How are they compensated?
  • Do they make recommendations based only on price?
  • How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
  • Is working in the agency their full-time job?
  • Can glass repairs be made at your home?
  • What insurance company do they write the most business with?
  • If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?

Listed below are Johnson City insurers willing to provide price quotes.

State Farm Insurance – 701 N State Of Franklin Rd, Johnson City, TN 37604 – (423) 926-7193
Farm Bureau Insurance – 2809 E Oakland Ave, Johnson City, TN 37601 – (423) 283-4780
Farmers Insurance Group – 208 Sunset Dr # 349, Johnson City, TN 37604 – (423) 232-6800
Westmoreland Insurance – 2514 Wesley St # 101, Johnson City, TN 37601 – (423) 610-1212
Direct General Ins Agency – 3020 Bristol Hwy, Johnson City, TN 37601 – (423) 282-8877
Gregory Hall Insurance – 801 Sunset Dr # A # 1, Johnson City, TN 37604 – (423) 926-7722
Allstate Insurance Co – 3302 W Market St # 8, Johnson City, TN 37604 – (423) 928-1950

Upon getting positive feedback to your questions and a low price estimate, you’ve probably found an insurer that will properly insure your vehicles.

Specific coverage details

Having a good grasp of auto insurance can be of help when determining which coverages you need for your vehicles. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement. Shown next are typical coverage types found on the average auto insurance policy.

Medical payments coverage and PIP – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for short-term medical expenses like nursing services, chiropractic care and doctor visits. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover all vehicle occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Coverage for liability – Liability coverage protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on a person or their property by causing an accident. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others, and doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have policy limits of 50/100/50 that translate to $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $100,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property.

Liability can pay for things such as court costs, repair costs for stationary objects, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and medical services. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford. Tennessee state minimum liability requirements are 25,000/50,000/15,000 but drivers should carry more liability than the minimum.

Collision coverage – This will pay to fix damage to your vehicle from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage protects against claims like backing into a parked car, driving through your garage door, crashing into a building, damaging your car on a curb and sideswiping another vehicle. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible to bring the cost down.

Comprehensive coverage – This covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive can pay for claims such as falling objects, damage from getting keyed, fire damage and theft. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage – Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.

Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (25/50/15), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family.

More effort can pay off

We just covered some good ideas how to get a better price on auto insurance. The key concept to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Drivers may discover the most savings is with the least-expected company. Some small companies may cover specific market segments cheaper compared to the large companies like Allstate or State Farm.

Cheaper auto insurance can be bought online as well as from independent agents in Johnson City, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who don’t offer online quoting and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

More tips and info about auto insurance is available at the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance website. Tennessee drivers can get help finding coverage, file complaints about a company, and learn about insurance regulations.