How to Know You're Spending Too Much for Auto Insurance in Morristown

Paying for high-priced auto insurance can take a big chunk out of your personal savings and make it impossible to make ends meet. Comparison shopping is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to slash your bill and have more diposable income. Because you have many companies to choose from, it's difficult to locate the most affordable provider.

It's important to check auto insurance prices quite often since insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best price a year ago a different company probably has better rates today. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because you're about to learn the tricks you need to know to buy cheaper auto insurance.

Take advantage of discounts

Companies don't always advertise all their discounts very well, so we took the time to find some of the best known and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using. If you don't get every credit you deserve, you are throwing money away.

College Student - Kids in college who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle may qualify for this discount.
Bundle and Save - If you have multiple policies with the same company you could get a discount of approximately 10% to 15%.
Military Rewards - Being on active duty in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
Good Student Discount - Performing well in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
New Vehicle Savings - Buying coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper due to better safety requirements for new cars.
Driver's Ed - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to complete a driver education course if it's offered in school.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won't be that lucky.

What determines how much you pay?

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that help determine auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with big savings.

Older drivers pay less - Teenage drivers in Tennessee are known to be more careless when driving so auto insurance rates are higher. If you've ever had to add a youthful driver to your policy can be quite pricey. More mature drivers are viewed as being more responsible, file fewer claims and receive fewer citations.
Where you live can impact rates - Residing in less populated areas can be a good thing when buying auto insurance. Drivers who live in large cities tend to have much more traffic and longer commute times. Lower population means fewer accidents.
High crash test scores lower rates - Vehicles with good safety scores can get you lower premiums. These vehicles result in less severe injuries and better occupant protection translates into savings for insurance companies passed on to you as lower rates.
Traffic citations inflate rates - Just one moving violation can increase rates by twenty percent. Good drivers tend to pay less for car insurance compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who have flagrant citations like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may need to file a SR-22 with the DMV in their state in order to keep their license.
Drive less and save money - Driving more miles in a year's time the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most companies price each vehicle's coverage based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars and trucks not used for work or commuting qualify for better rates than those used for commuting. Ask your agent if your auto insurance coverage properly reflects the proper vehicle usage.

How to know if you need help

When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no one size fits all plan. Every insured's situation is different so your insurance should reflect that These are some specific questions may help you determine whether your personal situation might need professional guidance.

Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Morristown?
Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
Should I buy only the required Tennessee minimum liability coverage?
Who is covered when they drive my vehicle?
Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?

If you're not sure about those questions then you might want to talk to an agent. If you don't have a local agent, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It's fast, doesn't cost anything and may give you better protection.

Are auto insurance companies telling the truth?

Tennessee drivers get pounded daily by advertisements for car insurance savings by companies like Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm. They all seem to make an identical promise about savings after switching to them.

But how can every company say the same thing? This is how they do it.

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For example, a desirable insured might be profiled as between 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and has excellent credit. A propective insured who meets those qualifications gets the lowest rates and most likely will save a lot of money.

Consumers who don't qualify for this ideal profile will have to pay higher prices and ends up with business not being written. The ads say "drivers who switch" not "people who quote" save money. This is how companies can truthfully make those claims. Because of the profiling, drivers should get a wide range of price quotes. It's not possible to predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

More sites with auto insurance information

Even more information can be found at the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance website. Tennessee drivers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, view agent and company licensing information, find disaster information, and file complaints about a company.

Also read more on this Car Insurance FAQ and this page of insurance agents in Morristown.

And the best car insurance company is...

While you're price shopping online, do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are many occasions where drivers have reduced physical damage coverage only to discover later they didn't purchase enough coverage. Your aim should be to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price.

Cheaper auto insurance can be purchased on the web and with local Morristown insurance agents, so compare prices from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.