Expert Advice on Lower Valdosta, GA Auto Insurance

Beginners to shopping for insurance online will discover shopping for the lowest-priced Valdosta auto insurance to be a formidable task.

Do you qualify for a discount?

Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but there could be available discounts to help offset the cost. Certain discounts will be applied when you quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked for prior to getting the savings.

• Seat Belts Save – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts can save up to 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
• Discount for Swiching Early – Some companies give discounts for switching policies prior to your current policy expiration. The savings is around 10%.
• Drive Safe and Save – Safe drivers may save up to 50% more than less cautious drivers.
• Defensive Driver – Taking a course in driver safety can save you 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
• Auto/Life Discount – Some companies give a discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
• Homeowners Discount – Being a homeowner can help you save on auto insurance because owning a home shows financial diligence.
• Bundle and Save – When you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you may earn 10% to 20% off each policy.

Consumers should know that most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way. But any discount will bring down the cost of coverage.

For a list of companies offering auto insurance discounts in Georgia, click this link.

How to Compare Valdosta Auto Insurance Rates

The are a couple different ways of comparing rates from different in Valdostainsurance companies. The simplest method to compare insurance prices is to get quotes online. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

1. The single most time-saving way consumers can make multiple comparisons is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This form prevents you from having to do separate quotation requests for each company you want a rate for. Taking the time to complete one form gets you price quotes from auto insurance companies with the best prices. It’s definitely the quickest method.
2. A different way to find lower rates is spending the time to visit each company’s website to complete a price quote. For instance, we’ll assume you want comparison quotes from State Farm, Progressive and GEICO. To find out each rate you need to visit each site to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is more popular. For a list of links to insurance companies in Valdosta, click here.

It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just double check that you are using the exact same coverage limits and deductibles with each company. If you compare differing limits it will be impossible to truly determine the lowest rate in Valdosta. Quoting even small variations in insurance coverages can mean a large discrepancy in price. And when comparison shopping, quoting more helps locate better pricing.

Tips to Get Lower Valdosta Rates

It’s important that you understand the factors that go into determining the rates you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in better auto insurance rates.

• Safer cars cost less to insure – Safer cars tend to have better insurance rates. The safest vehicles have better occupant injury protection and fewer injuries translates into savings for insurance companies and more competitive rates for policyholders.
• Older drivers save more – Teenage drivers in Georgia are statistically proven to get distracted easily in a vehicle so they pay higher auto insurance rates. Mature drivers are more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and receive fewer citations.
• Men are more aggressive – Statistics have proven women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, don’t assume that women are BETTER drivers than men. Men and women tend to get into accidents at a similar rate, but the male of the species cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also tend to have more aggressive citations such as DWI and reckless driving.
• Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? – Many auto insurance companies will award you with lower prices to people who consolidate policies with them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can add up to ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. Even if you’re getting this discount it’s still a good idea to comparison shop to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still find a better deal by insuring with multiple companies.
• Better credit means lower rates – Your credit score is a important factor in calculating your auto insurance rates. If your credit is lower than you’d like, you could pay less to insure your by repairing your credit. Drivers who have high credit scores tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than those with poor credit.
• Performance influences rates – The performance of the car you are insuring makes a significant difference in the rate you pay. The most favorable rates are for lower performance four cylinder passenger models, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.

What coverages do I need?

When choosing the right insurance coverage, there isn’t really a single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s situation is unique.

Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining whether your personal situation might need an agent’s assistance.

• How can I get high-risk coverage after a DUI?
• Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
• Is my business laptop covered if it gets stolen from my vehicle?
• Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in Georgia?
• I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
• Do I have coverage when making deliveries for my home business?
• When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
• Is my vehicle covered for smoke damage?
• When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
• Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?

If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Auto insurance providers like Allstate and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads in print and on television. They all say the same thing about savings if you switch to them. How does each company make the same claim? This is how they do it.

All the different companies can use profiling for the driver that is profitable for them. For example, a profitable customer could possibly be between 25 and 40, is a homeowner, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A propective insured who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.

Consumers who don’t qualify for the requirements must pay higher rates and this can result in the customer not buying. The ads say “people who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save money. That is how insurance companies can state the savings.

This illustrates why drivers must get as many comparisons as possible. It’s just too difficult to predict which company will fit your personal profile best.

Summing up your auto insurance search

We covered some good ideas how to save on auto insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may even find the biggest savings come from the smaller companies.

Drivers leave their current company for any number of reasons including denial of a claim, high rates after DUI convictions, lack of trust in their agent and unfair underwriting practices. No matter why you want to switch, finding a new company can be pretty painless.

When trying to cut insurance costs, don’t be tempted to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many cases where someone dropped collision coverage only to regret that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The ultimate goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price while still protecting your assets.

Much more information about auto insurance in Georgia is available on the Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner website through this link. Visitors are able to learn about specific coverages, read industry bulletins, report car insurance fraud, and find out industry alerts.