Quote Durham Auto Insurance Prices With These Tricks

Finding affordable Durham auto insurance is challenging for people who are new to buying insurance online. People have so many options that it can turn into a ton of work to find the best price in Durham.

It's important to compare prices before your policy renews since insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the best deal six months ago you may be paying too much now. Starting right now, forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because it's time to teach you the proper way to find lower rates on auto insurance.

Comparison of Auto Insurance in Durham

Most major insurance companies like GEICO, State Farm and Progressive allow you to get price estimates on their websites. Getting online quotes is quite simple as you just type in as detailed in the form. Behind the scenes, their system will obtain your driving record and credit report and gives you a price quote based on many factors.

Quoting online streamlines rate comparisons, but the process of having to visit different websites and fill out multiple forms gets old quite quickly. But it's very important to compare as many rates as possible in order to find the best price on auto insurance.

There is a better way!

A less time-consuming method to lower your auto insurance bill requires only one form that obtains quotes from many companies. The form is fast, requires less work, and makes online price comparison much easier to do. Once the form is submitted, it is rated and you can select any one of the returned quotes.

If you find a better price you can click and sign and purchase the new policy. The entire process only takes a few minutes and could lower your rates considerably.

To quickly find out if lower rates are available, click here to open in new window and complete the simple form. If you have a policy now, it's recommended you type in the limits and deductibles exactly as shown on your declarations page. This way, you're receiving a price comparison based on similar coverages.

California auto insurance quotes

How to Lower your Auto Insurance Rates

It's important that you understand some of the elements that help determine auto insurance rates. Knowing what influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

  • Please use or commuting - Driving more miles every year the more you will pay for auto insurance. Almost all companies price each vehicle's coverage based on their usage. Vehicles used primarily for pleasure use can get a lower rate than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Double check that your auto insurance coverage shows the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.
  • Occupation reflects on rates - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Jobs such as doctors, architects and financial analysts have higher average rates due to high stress and long work days. Conversely, occupations such as farmers, engineers and performers get better rates.
  • Your spouse saves you money - Being married can get you a discount when buying auto insurance. It translates into being more mature and statistics show drivers who are married are more cautious.
  • Bump up deductibles to save - Coverage for physical damage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, is used to repair damage to your car. A few examples of covered claims are collision with another vehicle, damage from fire, and rolling your vehicle. Your deductibles are how much you are required to spend if you file a covered claim. The more money you have to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
  • A clean driving record saves money - Your driving citation history has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Just one speeding ticket can bump up the cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who don't get tickets get better rates compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who have flagrant citations such as DUI or reckless driving may need to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to keep their license.
  • Do you know you're credit rating? - Credit history is a big factor in your rate calculation. If your credit is not that good, you could be paying less to insure your by spending a little time repairing your credit. People with good credit tend to be more responsible than those with lower credit scores.
  • Extra coverages can waste money - There are a ton of extra bells and whistles that you can buy if you aren't careful. Coverages for rental car reimbursement, towing coverage and additional equipment coverage are examples of these. These coverages may sound good initially, but now you might not need them so eliminate them to save money.
  • Claim-free discounts can add up - Car insurance companies in California provide lower rates to drivers who do not file claims often. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can look forward to either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Your insurance policy is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.

Are you getting all your discounts?

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not know about. A few discounts will automatically apply when you complete an application, but some must be requested specifically before they will apply. If you're not getting every credit available, you're just leaving money on the table.

  • New Vehicle Savings - Insuring a new car can save up to 30% because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
  • Claim Free - Claim-free drivers can earn big discounts as compared to frequent claim filers.
  • Sign Online - A few companies give back up to $50 just for signing your application over the internet.
  • Homeowners Pay Less - Owning a house in Durham may trigger a auto insurance policy discount due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
  • Good Students Pay Less - Getting good grades can earn a discount of 20% or more. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.

It's important to note that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So even though they make it sound like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you're out of luck. But any discount will bring down the cost of coverage.

For a list of companies who offer auto insurance discounts in California, follow this link.

More information is available on the California Department of Insurance website found here. California drivers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, read industry bulletins, and get help finding coverage.

In the end, you save

As you restructure your insurance plan, never reduce needed coverages to save money. In many instances, an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that they should have had better coverage. The ultimate goal is to get the best coverage possible at the best price.

Consumers change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including delays in paying claims, high rates after DUI convictions, an unsatisfactory settlement offer and lack of trust in their agent. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding a new auto insurance company is not as hard as you think.

Lower-priced auto insurance can be sourced on the web as well as from independent agents in Durham, so compare prices from both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies don't offer online quoting and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.