Consumer Tested Strategies to Save on Fayette Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy high-priced auto insurance? Trust us, there are lots of people in the same boat. Big companies like GEICO and Progressive increase brand awareness with ad campaigns and it can be hard to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

If you have a current auto insurance policy or are looking for a new policy, you can follow these tips to shop for the lowest rates and possibly find even better coverage. Finding affordable coverage in Fayette is quite easy. Alabama drivers only need an understanding of the best way to compare rates over the internet.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but companies offer discounts to reduce the price significantly. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you quote, but some must be specially asked for prior to getting the savings. If you aren't receiving every discount possible, you're paying more than you need to.

Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Fewer annual miles can qualify you for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Multiple Vehicles - Buying insurance for multiple vehicles on the same auto insurance policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
Discount for New Cars - Putting insurance coverage on a new car can be considerably cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
No Claims - Drivers with accident-free driving histories can earn big discounts when compared with bad drivers.
Memberships - Participating in a civic or occupational organization could qualify you for a break when buying auto insurance.
Federal Government Employee - Being employed by or retired from a federal job can save as much as 8% depending on your company.
Anti-theft Discount - Anti-theft and alarm systems help deter theft and will save you 10% or more.

It's important to understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like you can get free auto insurance, it doesn't quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will reduce the amount you have to pay.

To see a list of insurers who offer auto insurance discounts in Fayette, follow this link.

How to Compare Auto Insurance Quotes in Fayette, Alabama

Finding cheaper auto insurance prices is not a difficult process. Consumers just need to take the time comparing price quotes online with multiple companies. It is quite easy and can be accomplished using a couple different methods.

The best way consumers can analyze rates is a comparison rater form click here to open form in new window. This method eliminates the need for multiple quote forms for every auto insurance company. Filling out one form gets rate comparisons from multiple low-cost companies.
A more difficult way to shop for auto insurance online is spending the time to visit the website for every company you want to comare to complete their respective quote request forms. For instance, let's say you want to compare rates from , and . To get rate quotes you would need to go to every website and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is more popular. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Fayette, click here.
The least efficient method to get comparison rates is to spend your day driving to local Fayette insurance agencies. The ability to buy insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you require the professional guidance of a local Fayette agent. You can, however, obtain prices from the web but buy from a local insurance agent. We'll cover that shortly.

Whichever way you use, ensure you are comparing exactly the same information on every quote you get. If you use higher or lower deductibles it will be impossible to determine which rate is truly the best in Fayette.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

Safer cars cost less to insure - Cars with high safety ratings are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles have better occupant injury protection and lower injury rates means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Do you know your deductibles? - Your deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend before your auto insurance pays a claim. Physical damage coverage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, covers damage that occurs to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered could be colliding with a building, damage caused by hail, and burglary. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the less your auto insurance will be.
Pleasure use saves money - Driving more miles in a year the more you'll pay to insure your vehicle. The majority of insurers apply a rate determined by how the vehicle is used. Vehicles left parked in the garage can get a lower rate compared to those used for work or business. Make sure your auto insurance coverage is rated on the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.
Do you have a high stress job? - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Occupations such as doctors, architects and dentists are shown to have the highest average rates because of job stress and lengthy work days. Other occupations like actors, historians and performers pay the least.
Protect yourself with liability coverage - Liability coverage provides coverage if a court rules you are at fault for damages caused by your negligence. It provides legal defense coverage starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so buy as much as you can afford.
Too many auto insurance claims drive up costs - Auto insurance companies in Alabama provide cheaper rates to policyholders who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you file claims often, you can look forward to either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Auto insurance is designed for the large, substantial claims.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Alabama consumers can't get away from ads that promise big savings from companies such as 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the companies say the same thing of big savings after switching your policy.

How can each company make almost identical claims?

All companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer that is profitable for them. An example of a profitable customer could possibly be between the ages of 40 and 55, has no driving citations, and chooses high deductibles. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who don't qualify for the requirements must pay a higher premium which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. That's the way insurance companies can confidently state the savings.

This illustrates why drivers must compare as many rates as you can. It's impossible to know which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Best coverage at the best price

Low-cost auto insurance can be purchased online in addition to many Fayette insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When buying insurance coverage, it's a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are a lot of situations where someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.

Additional auto insurance information is available on the website for the Alabama Department of Insurance located here. Alabama consumers can find disaster information, report car insurance fraud, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and read industry bulletins.