Car Insurance in Durham, NC – 9 Discounts You Might be Forgetting

Saving money on Durham car insurance can seem to be a challenge for consumers not familiar with comparing rates online. There are so many options that it can quickly become a real hassle to find the best price in Durham.

You should take the time to check car insurance prices periodically due to the fact that insurance rates are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Just because you found the best deal a year ago there may be better deals available now. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the easiest way to find great coverage at a great price.

If you have insurance now or are just looking to switch companies, you can learn to cut your premiums while maintaining coverages. The purpose of this article is to familiarize you with the best way to quote coverages and some tips to save money. North Carolina vehicle owners only need to know the proper way to compare company rates online.

Low Cost Durham Car Insurance

There are several ways you can shop for car insurance and some are more efficient than others. You could spend the better part of a day discussing policy coverages with insurance agencies in Durham, or you could use the web to get prices fast.

Many companies participate in a marketplace where prospective buyers enter their policy data once, and at least one company can provide price quotes based on that information. This eliminates the need for quotation requests to every company. To get comparison pricing now click here (opens in new window).

The only downside to using this type of form is that you can’t choose the insurers to get pricing from. If you would rather choose specific insurance companies to compare rates, we have a page of low cost car insurance companies in North Carolina. Click here for list of insurance companies in North Carolina.

Whichever way you use, be sure to compare exactly the same coverages for every quote you compare. If you use different values for each quote then you won’t be able to find the best deal in Durham.

Cut your car insurance rates with these nine discounts

Car insurance companies don’t list every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we break down some of the more common and also the lesser-known car insurance savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you’re paying more than you need to.

• Club Memberships – Affiliation with a civic or occupational organization could trigger savings on car insurance.
• Accident Waiver – A handful of insurance companies will forgive one accident without raising rates as long as you don’t have any claims for a certain period of time.
• Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems prevent accidents and will save you 10% or more.
• Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles with factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can receive discounts of more than 20%.
• Multi-car Discount – Insuring more than one vehicle with the same company can get a discount on all vehicles.
• Pay Upfront and Save – By paying your policy upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.
• Drive Safe and Save – Safe drivers can pay as much as 50% less than less cautious drivers.
• Bundle and Save – When you have multiple policies with the same company you will save up to 20% off your total premium.
• Save over 55 – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may qualify for reduced rates.

Keep in mind that some credits don’t apply to the entire cost. Most only reduce 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, you’re out of luck.

To choose insurers with the best car insurance discounts in Durham, click this link.

Local Durham agents and car insurance

Certain consumers just want to buy from a licensed agent and that is OK! Good agents can help determine the best coverages and help submit paperwork. The best thing about price shopping on the web is you may find the best rates but still work with a licensed agent.

To find an agent, once you fill out this short form, your information is instantly submitted to insurance agents in Durham who will compete for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. How cool is that?!

Selecting an provider needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:

• Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
• If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
• Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
• What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
• How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
• If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
• Are they full-time agents?
• Who is covered by the car insurance policy?

Two types of insurance agents

When searching for a good insurance agency, there are a couple of types of agencies that you can select. Agencies in Durham are either captive or independent (non-captive). While both can properly insure your vehicles, but it’s important to know how they differ since it may influence your selection of an agent.

Agency Captives

These agents work for only one company like AAA, Allstate, State Farm, Farmers Insurance or Liberty Mutual. Captives cannot give you multiple price quotes so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captive agencies are well schooled in insurance sales which can be an advantage. Consumers often buy from captive agents partially due to the brand legacy and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.

Below is a list of captive insurance agents in Durham who can help you get price quote information.

• Farm Bureau Insurance – 4516 N Roxboro St – Durham, NC 27704 – (919) 477-9861
• State Farm Insurance – 3823 Guess Rd # J – Durham, NC 27705 – (919) 477-7300
• Allstate Insurance – 14 Consultant Pl # 150 – Durham, NC 27707 – (919) 490-6667

Independent Agents

Independent insurance 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, they simply move the coverage in-house and you won’t have to switch agencies.

When searching for an agent, you should always get quotes from at least one independent agent to have the most options to choose from.Many can place coverage with smaller regional carriers which may provide better rates.

The following are independent agents in Durham willing to provide price quote information.

• Protective Agency – 1418 Avondale Dr # 11 – Durham, NC 27701 – (919) 688-8289
• Insurance Accounting and Systs – 3511 Shannon Rd – Durham, NC 27707 – (919) 489-0991
• Direct General Ins Agency – 1605 Maple Ave – Durham, NC 27701 – (919) 226-5887
• Frank Ascott Agency – 3690 Guess Rd – Durham, NC 27705 – (919) 471-0876
• Sizsiz Wong Insurance – 279 W NC Highway 54 – Durham, NC 27713 – (919) 544-7000

For a complete listing of insurance agents in Durham, visit this link.

Upon getting satisfactory answers to any questions you have and locked in a price quote, you may have just found an insurance agent that is a good match to service your policy.

What coverages do I need?

When it comes to buying adequate coverage, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Every insured’s situation is different.

Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight if you might need professional guidance.

• Is my vehicle covered for smoke damage?
• Is a new car covered when I drive it off the dealer lot?
• Are my friends covered when driving my vehicle?
• Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
• Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
• Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
• Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?

If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form. It’s fast, free and can help protect your family.

Additional detailed information is available at the North Carolina Department of Insurance website. North Carolina drivers can download brochures, learn about insurance regulations, and view agent and company licensing information.

Coverages available on your policy

Learning about specific coverages of car insurance can be of help when determining which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and coverage can change by endorsement.

Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers

Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (30/60/25), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is very important.

Collision insurance

This coverage pays for damage to your vehicle from colliding with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage protects against claims like sideswiping another vehicle, colliding with a tree and colliding with another moving vehicle. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Comprehensive car insurance

Comprehensive insurance covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against things such as hail damage, damage from getting keyed, hitting a deer and rock chips in glass. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Liability coverages

This provides protection from damages or injuries you inflict on other’s property or people that is your fault. It protects you from legal claims by others. It does not cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have liability limits of 50/100/50 that means you have $50,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property.

Liability coverage protects against things such as legal defense fees, emergency aid and court costs. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford. North Carolina requires minimum liability limits of 30,000/60,000/25,000 but you should consider buying better liability coverage.

Coverage for medical expenses

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for short-term medical expenses for things like prosthetic devices, EMT expenses, X-ray expenses and ambulance fees. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

One last thing about your coverage

In this article, we presented some good ideas how you can reduce car insurance prices online. It’s most important to understand that the more rate quotes you have, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may even discover the best price on car insurance is with a lesser-known regional company.

Consumers leave their current company for a variety of reasons including high prices, high rates after DUI convictions, not issuing a premium refund and even lack of trust in their agent. Regardless of your reason, choosing a new insurance company can be easier than you think.

As you shop your coverage around, make sure you don’t skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There have been many situations where someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The ultimate goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.