Car Insurance in Greenville – 6 Discounts Drivers are Unaware of

No one likes paying for car insurance, in particular when the cost is too high. Insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Farmers Insurance all promote huge savings with ads and consumers find it hard to see through the cute green geckos and mayhem and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

Consumers need to take a look at other company’s rates yearly because insurance rates tend to go up over time. Even if you got the best price a couple years back you can probably find a better price now. So just forget all the misinformation about car insurance because you’re going to learn the only way to find better rates and still maintain coverage.

If you have a policy now or need a new policy, you can use these tips to find the best rates while maintaining coverages. Choosing the best insurance company for you in Greenville is not that difficult. North Carolina consumers just need to understand the proper methods to buy car insurance over the internet.

Pay less by taking advantage of these six discounts

Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but you can get discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time you complete a quote, but some may not be applied and must be specially asked for prior to receiving the credit. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you are throwing money away.

  • Paperless Signup – A handful of insurance companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy on their website.
  • Homeowners Savings – Simply owning a home can save you money because maintaining a house is proof that your finances are in order.
  • Anti-lock Brake Discount – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can reduce accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
  • College Student – Any of your kids who live away from home and don’t have a car may qualify for this discount.
  • New Car Discount – Adding a new car to your policy is cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
  • Use Seat Belts – Drivers who require all occupants to wear their seat belts can save 10% or more off your medical payments premium.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won’t be that lucky. But all discounts will reduce your overall premium however.

To see a list of insurers offering car insurance discounts in Greenville, click this link.

Price shop online but buy from a local Greenville agent

A small number of people would rather sit down with an agent. Insurance agents can answer important questions and help you file claims. One of the great benefits of comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain the best rates but also keep your business local. Supporting local insurance agencies is definitely important in Greenville.

Upon completion of this simple form, the quote information is submitted to insurance agents in Greenville who will compete for your business. There is no need to even leave your home because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. How cool is that?!

The different types of insurance agents

When finding a local agent, you must know there are a couple types of agencies that you can select. Agencies in Greenville are categorized either captive or independent. Both types can properly insure your vehicles, but it’s worth learning the difference between them because it can impact the selection process.

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent agencies are not required to write business for one company so they have the ability to put coverage with lots of companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To transfer your coverage to a different company, your agent can switch companies without you having to go to a different agency. When searching for an agent, we recommend you get quotes from several independent insurance agents to get the best comparison.

Below are Greenville independent agents that can give you price quotes.

Insurance Concepts – 600 Lynndale Ct – Greenville, NC 27858 – (252) 353-7441
Styons Agency – 2424 Charles Blvd – Greenville, NC 27858 – (252) 756-1400
Spencer Agency – 3107 S Evans St # 1 – Greenville, NC 27834 – (252) 355-1133
Cita Insurance – 1530 S Evans St – Greenville, NC 27834 – (252) 439-0875
Modlin Agency – 2408 Charles Blvd # 1 – Greenville, NC 27858 – (252) 355-7557
Greenville NC car insurance

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agents are contracted to one company like AAA, Allstate, State Farm, Farmers Insurance or Liberty Mutual. Captives cannot shop your coverage around so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. They are well schooled on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents.

Listed below are captive insurance agents in Greenville that can give you rate quotes.

Allstate Insurance Co – 2419 Charles Blvd – Greenville, NC 27858 – (252) 756-0185
State Farm Insurance – 3105 S Evans St # A – Greenville, NC 27834 – (252) 355-2461

For a full directory of car insurance agents in Greenville, please view this page.

Deciding on an insurance agent should depend on more than just the premium amount. These are valid questions to ask:

  • Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
  • Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
  • Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
  • Who are their largest clients?
  • If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?

After getting positive responses for all questions you ask and locked in a price quote, you’ve probably found an insurance agent that can adequately provide car insurance.

Coverage specifics

Learning about specific coverages of a car insurance policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. Car insurance terms can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. Listed below are the usual coverages found on most car insurance policies.

Comprehensive car insurance

Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims like theft, hitting a deer, damage from getting keyed, damage from a tornado or hurricane and rock chips in glass. The maximum payout your car insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Liability coverages

Liability coverage provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property by causing an accident. This insurance protects YOU against other people’s claims. It does not cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show policy limits of 25/50/25 which means $25,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property. Another option is a combined single limit or CSL which combines the three limits into one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability insurance covers claims such as pain and suffering, attorney fees, court costs, bail bonds and medical services. How much coverage you buy is a personal decision, but you should buy as much as you can afford. North Carolina requires drivers to carry at least 30,000/60,000/25,000 but you should think about purchasing more liability than the minimum.

Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection when other motorists 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.

Greenville NC car insurance quote

Since many North Carolina drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (which is 30/60/25), their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is very important. Usually these coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Auto collision coverage

This covers damage to your vehicle caused by collision with an object or car. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision insurance covers things like rolling your car, driving through your garage door, colliding with another moving vehicle, hitting a parking meter and sideswiping another vehicle. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. You can also increase the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Coverage for medical expenses

Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for short-term medical expenses for hospital visits, surgery, doctor visits and EMT expenses. They can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not available in all states and may carry a deductible

Additional car insurance information can be found on the website for the North Carolina Department of Insurance found here. North Carolina consumers can learn about specific coverages, file complaints about a company, and report car insurance fraud.

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Best coverage at the best price

When shopping online for car insurance, you should never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are too many instances where consumers will sacrifice liability coverage limits only to find out that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your goal should be to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.

Cheap car insurance can be sourced on the web as well as from independent agents in Greenville, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some companies don’t offer online quoting and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.