Things You Must Know Before Buying Hinesville Georgia Auto Insurance Online

Finding the best price on Hinesville auto insurance can seem complicated if you are a beginner to quoting online. Don’t let that stop you because finding affordable coverage online is easier than you think.

How to Buy Hinesville Auto Insurance Online

All the larger auto insurance companies like State Farm, GEICO and Progressive give price estimates on their websites. Getting quotes is quite simple as you simply enter the coverages you want as requested by the quote form. Once entered, the system sends out for information on your driving record and credit history and generates a price.

This makes it a lot easier to compare rates but having to visit many different websites and complete many quote forms is repetitive and time-consuming. But it’s very important to do this in order to find the lowest auto insurance rates.

A more efficient way to get multiple rate quotes utilizes a single form to obtain quotes from many companies. This type of form saves time, reduces the work, and makes online shopping much more efficient. After your information is entered, it gets priced and you can choose any or none of the quotes that you receive. If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you can simply submit the application and purchase coverage. It takes 15 minutes at the most and can result in significant savings.

To use this form to compare rates, click here and fill out the form. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you replicate your coverages identical to your current policy. This ensures you will have rate quotes for similar insurance coverage.

Auto insurance myths debunked

Georgia consumers constantly see and hear ads for the lowest price auto insurance by State Farm, GEICO and Progressive. All the ads make an identical promise of big savings after switching to their company.

How can each company make almost identical claims? It’s all in the numbers.

Different companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that is profitable for them. An example of a driver they prefer might be profiled as between 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and has a short commute. Any driver who meets those qualifications will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who are not a match for the requirements must pay a more expensive rate and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ad wording is “drivers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that kind of money. This is how insurance companies can confidently make the claims of big savings. This illustrates why you absolutely need to get a wide range of price quotes. It’s just too difficult to predict the company that will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Factors that affect insurance rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

The list below includes a few of the “ingredients” that factor into premiums.

  • Protect your assets with liability insurance – Your policy’s liability coverage is the protection in the event that you are found to be at fault for personal injury or accident damage. It will provide for a legal defense up to the limits shown on your policy. Liability is cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not cut corners here.
  • Multi-policy discounts can save money – The majority of companies will award you with lower prices to insureds who buy several policies from them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even if you’re getting this discount you may still want to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal. Consumers may find better rates by insuring with multiple companies.
  • Too many auto insurance claims drive up costs – If you are a frequent claim filer, you can expect either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Auto insurance companies in Georgia give lower rates to policyholders who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
  • Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance – Cars with high safety ratings get lower rates. The safest vehicles protect occupants better and lower injury rates means less money paid by your insurance company and lower rates for you.
  • Performance level impacts rates – The performance level of the car you are insuring makes a huge difference in determining your rates. Lower performance four cylinder passenger models generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
  • High credit ratings translate to low rates – Having a bad credit history is a large factor in determining your rates. Therefore, if your credit rating is not that good, you could potentially save money when insuring your by repairing your credit. Drivers who have excellent credit tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers who have lower credit scores.
  • Older drivers pay less – Older drivers are viewed as being more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and receive fewer citations. Young drivers have a tendency to be more careless behind the wheel therefore auto insurance rates are much higher.
  • Rate your vehicle for proper use – The higher the mileage driven every year the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most companies charge to insure your cars based on their usage. Autos left parked in the garage get more affordable rates than those used for commuting. Make sure your auto insurance declarations sheet is showing the correct usage for each vehicle.

Take discounts and save

Companies that sell car insurance don’t list all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so we researched some of the more common and also the lesser-known auto insurance savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount available, you’re just leaving money on the table.auto insurance image

  • Early Signing – Some insurance companies reward drivers for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiring. This can save 10% or more.
  • Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Drivers who require all occupants to use their safety belts could cut 10% or more off your medical payments premium.
  • Pay Upfront and Save – By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
  • Drive Safe and Save – Drivers who don’t get into accidents may save up to 50% more than drivers with accident claims.
  • Student in College – Kids in college who are attending college and do not have a car may be able to be covered for less.
  • Military Rewards – Having a family member in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
  • Employee of Federal Government – Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off with select insurance companies.
  • Low Mileage Discounts – Low mileage vehicles can qualify you for a substantially lower rate.
  • Multiple Vehicles – Having multiple vehicles on the same auto insurance policy qualifies for this discount.

It’s important to understand that most discount credits are not given the the whole policy. Most cut specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because you may think it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies don’t profit that way.

To see a list of insurance companies offering auto insurance discounts in Hinesville, click here.

Will just any policy work for me?

When buying adequate coverage, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Every situation is different.

Here are some questions about coverages that might help in determining whether you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

  • Should I buy more coverage than the required Georgia minimum liability coverage?
  • Am I covered if I crash into my own garage door?
  • Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
  • If my vehicle is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
  • Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
  • Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?

If you’re not sure about those questions, you may need to chat with an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and may give you better protection.

Are insurance agents obsolete?

Some consumers would rather buy from a local agent and that is OK! Good agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help in the event of a claim. The best thing about price shopping on the web is you can get the best rates but still work with a licensed agent.

By using this short form, the coverage information is transmitted to participating agents in Hinesville who will give you bids to get your business. You won’t need to drive around as quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. How’s that for easy!

Selecting an insurance company needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:

  • Is assistance available after office hours?
  • If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
  • Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
  • If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
  • Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
  • Can glass repairs be made at your home?

Types of insurance agents

When researching local Hinesville agents, you need to know there are two types of agencies from which to choose. Agents can either be captive or independent. Both do a good job, but it’s good to learn the difference between them since it may influence the type of agent you choose

Agency Captives

Captive insurance agents work for only one company and some examples include State Farm, Allstate and AAA. They generally cannot shop your coverage around so they have to upsell other benefits. They receive extensive training on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents. Some people will only buy from captive agents mostly because of high brand loyalty and strong financial ratings.

Shown below are captive agents in Hinesville who can help you get price quotes.

  • Allstate Insurance – 556 W Oglethorpe Hwy – Hinesville, GA 31313 – (912) 368-0432
  • State Farm Insurance – 101 W Oglethorpe Hwy – Hinesville, GA 31313 – (912) 368-0073
  • Farm Bureau Insurance – 562 Elma G Miles Pkwy – Hinesville, GA 31313 – (912) 368-3370
Independent Agents

Independent agents do not work for one specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with many different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If you are not satisfied with one company, your agent can switch companies and you won’t have to switch agencies. When comparing rates, we recommend you include at a minimum one independent agency to get the best comparison. They often place coverage with lesser-known insurance companies which can be an advantage.

The following are independent agencies in Hinesville that are able to give price quote information.

Georgia insurance cheap

  • Holtzman Insurance – 792 Elma G Miles Pkwy – Hinesville, GA 31313 – (912) 877-5454
  • Barlow Insurance – 552 W Oglethorpe Hwy # 110 – Hinesville, GA 31313 – (912) 877-2260

To view a full list of Hinesville insurance agents, go to this page.

Once you have satisfactory answers for all questions you ask and an acceptable price quote, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that meets your needs to insure your vehicles.

One last thing about your coverage

Affordable auto insurance is attainable online and with local Hinesville insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance providers do not offer online price quotes and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.

When buying insurance coverage, don’t be tempted to reduce needed coverages to save money. There are too many instances where an insured dropped collision coverage only to discover later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your strategy should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate.

Consumers who switch companies do it for many reasons like extreme rates for teen drivers, delays in responding to claim requests, unfair underwriting practices or even denial of a claim. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding a great new company is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.

Additional detailed information can be found at the Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner website. Georgia consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find out industry alerts, and report car insurance fraud.