Cary, NC Auto Insurance Savings the Insurance Companies Don’t Want You to Know About

Overpriced auto insurance can drain your bank account and force you to prioritize other expenses. Shopping your coverage around is free and is an excellent way to tighten up your finances.

Because there are so many companies to choose from, it’s difficult to pick the cheapest provider.

You need to shop coverage around periodically since insurance rates change regularly. If you had the best deal on your last policy you can probably find a better price now. So forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because it’s time to teach you the fastest way to save money, get proper coverage and the best rates.

Smart Buyers can Save Money

It’s important that you understand the rating factors that help determine auto insurance rates. Knowing what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in big savings.

The following are a partial list of the pieces used by your company to calculate premiums.

• Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance – Safer cars tend to have better insurance rates. These vehicles protect occupants better and lower injury rates means lower claim amounts and lower rates for you.
• More miles equals more premium – Driving more miles in a year’s time the more you will pay for auto insurance. Almost all companies charge to insure your cars based on their usage. Cars used primarily for pleasure use can get a lower rate as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Double check that your auto insurance coverage properly reflects the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.
• How many coverages with the same company – Most insurance companies will give a discount to insureds who consolidate policies with them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to 10 percent or more. Even though this discount sounds good, you may still want to compare other company rates to ensure the best deal.
• Don’t get talked into coverage you don’t need – There are a lot of add-on coverages that can waste your money on your policy. Coverages for rental car reimbursement, accident forgiveness and term life insurance are examples of these. They may seem good when you first buy your policy, but if they’re wasting money eliminate them to save money.
• With age comes lower rates – Older drivers are viewed as being more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and tend to be better behind the wheel. Young drivers tend to get distracted easily behind the wheel therefore auto insurance rates are much higher.
• Car features impact rates – Purchasing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft devices like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all aid in stopping car theft.
• Keep rates low by being claim-free – If you are a frequent claim filer, you can pretty much guarantee either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Car insurance companies in North Carolina provide cheaper rates to policyholders who file claims infrequently. Auto insurance is intended for the large, substantial claims.

Don’t miss out on these money-saving discounts

Car insurance can cost a lot, but discounts can save money and there are some available to help bring down the price. Some trigger automatically when you purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be inquired about before you get the savings.

• Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can avoid accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
• Own a Home – Owning a house in Cary may earn you a small savings because of the fact that having a home requires personal responsibility.
• New Vehicle Savings – Adding a new car to your policy can be considerably cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
• Auto/Home Discount – When you combine your home and auto insurance with one company you will save up to 20% off your total premium.
• Driver’s Ed – Cut your cost by having your teen driver enroll in driver’s education if offered at their school.

A little note about advertised discounts, some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. Just because you may think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies wouldn’t make money that way. But any discount will help reduce the amount you have to pay.

For a list of companies who offer auto insurance discounts in North Carolina, click here.

Can’t I compare rates from local Cary agents?

Some people would rather buy from a local agent and that is a personal choice. The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is that you can obtain the lowest rates and still choose a local agent. And supporting small agencies is especially important in Cary.

To help locate an agent, after submitting this short form, the coverage information is transmitted to participating agents in Cary who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. You don’t have to leave your computer since price quotes are sent immediately to your email address. How cool is that?! You can find the lowest rates and a licensed agent to work with.

Shown below is a list of insurance companies in Cary who can help you get comparison quotes.

Carter Glass Insurance – 1969 High House Rd, Cary, NC 27519 – (919) 462-6299
State Farm Insurance – 1513 Walnut St # 101, Cary, NC 27518 – (919) 469-2479
Nationwide Insurance – 315 S Academy St, Cary, NC 27511 – (919) 469-0375
Hargis Agency – 247 Grande Heights Dr, Cary, NC 27513 – (919) 481-3071
U U Net For Allstate Insurance – 218 Towne Village Dr, Cary, NC 27513 – (919) 469-6587

Deciding on an insurer requires more thought than just the price. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:

• Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
• Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
• Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in North Carolina?
• What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
• What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
• Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
• Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?

Once you have positive responses to these questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, most likely you have located an insurance company that will provide auto insurance coverage.

Can you really save that much by switching?

Companies like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm constantly bombard you with ads on television and other media. All the ads make the same claim that you can save if you switch your coverage to them. How does each company say the same thing?

All companies can use profiling for the type of customer that earns them a profit. For instance, a preferred risk could possibly be over the age of 40, is a homeowner, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A customer who matches those parameters will get very good rates and as a result will probably save a lot of money.

Potential insureds who don’t meet these standards must pay a higher premium which leads to business not being written. Company advertisements say “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much money. That’s why companies can truthfully claim big savings.

This illustrates why it’s extremely important to quote coverage with many companies. It’s impossible to know which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Much more information about auto insurance in North Carolina is located on the website for the North Carolina Department of Insurance through this link. North Carolina drivers can find a variety of consumer forms, learn about specific coverages, get help finding coverage, and find disaster information.

Final considerations

The cheapest auto insurance is available from both online companies in addition to many Cary insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who do not provide online quoting and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.

While you’re price shopping online, never skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many cases, consumers will sacrifice collision coverage only to regret that the savings was not a smart move. Your goal should be to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.