Methods for Paying Less for Phenix City, AL Auto Insurance Rates
Having to pay for overpriced auto insurance can drain your personal savings and force you to prioritize other expenses. Doing a price comparison is a smart way to make sure you’re not throwing money away.
Big companies like State Farm, Farmers Insurance, GEICO and Allstate increase brand awareness with fancy advertisements and it is difficult to sift through the bull and take the time to shop coverage around.
If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will most likely be able to reduce your rates substantially using these methods. Finding the best rates in Phenix City is not rocket science. But Alabama vehicle owners must learn how insurance companies determine prices.
Verify you’re getting all your discounts
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but there are discounts available that you may not even be aware of. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked for in order for you to get them.
- Accident Forgiveness – Some insurance companies will forgive one accident without raising rates so long as you haven’t had any claims prior to the accident.
- Resident Student – Youth drivers who are attending college and do not have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Factory air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
- Braking Control Discount – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems prevent accidents and will save you 10% or more.
- Military Discounts – Having a deployed family member can result in better rates.
Keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. Even though it may seem like all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies wouldn’t make money that way. But any discount will cut your premiums.
How to Compare Auto Insurance in Phenix City
There are several ways of comparing rates and find the best price. One of the best ways to find the cheapest insurance rates is to use the internet to compare rates. This is very easy and can be done using a couple different methods.
- One of the simplest ways consumers can analyze rates would be an industry-wide quote request form like this one (opens in new window). This easy form eliminates the need for separate quotation requests for every auto insurance company. A single form gets rate comparisons direct from many companies.
- A more difficult way to shop for auto insurance online requires visiting the website of each company and fill out their own quote form. For instance, let’s say you want rates from Auto-Owners, Farmers and GEICO. To find out each rate you need to spend time on each company’s site to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is more popular. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Phenix City, click here.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just make sure you use the exact same quote information with every price quote. If you compare different values for each quote it will be next to impossible to determine the lowest rate in Phenix City. Just a small difference in coverage limits may result in large price differences. Just keep in mind that obtaining a wide range of quotes provides better odds of finding the best price.
When should I talk to an agent?
When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s situation is unique so this has to be addressed. For example, these questions might help in determining if your situation will benefit from professional help.
- Is Alabama a no-fault state?
- Is there coverage for injuries to my pets?
- When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
- Does coverage extend to a rental car in a foreign country?
- When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
- Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
- Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
- Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
- Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
- Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
One last thing about your coverage
We covered many tips how you can save on auto insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. Drivers may discover the best prices are with a lesser-known regional company. They may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.
As you prepare to switch companies, never reduce needed coverages to save money. In many cases, an accident victim reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits and discovered at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. The aim is to get the best coverage possible at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.