Easy Methods to Pay Less on Florence Auto Insurance

Are you overwhelmed by the sheer number of auto insurance companies in Florence? You're not the only one! Consumers have so many options available that it can turn into a challenge to find lower rates.

What determines how much you pay?

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

The following are a few of the "ingredients" companies use to determine premiums.

Better crash test results mean better rates - Cars with high safety ratings get lower rates. Safe vehicles result in less severe injuries and lower injury rates means lower claim amounts and lower rates for you.
Do you need those extra coverages? - There are a ton of extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying on your auto insurance policy. Coverages like personal injury protection, accidental death and motor club memberships are some examples. These may sound like a good investment when you first buy your policy, but if you don't need them get rid of them and save.
Men pay higher rates - Statistics demonstrate that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, this does not mean women are better drivers. Women and men cause accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species have costlier accidents. Men also tend to get more serious tickets such as DWI and reckless driving. Youthful male drivers are most likely to cause an accident and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.
Traffic violations increase rates - Whether or not you get tickets impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Only having one moving violation can increase rates twenty percent or more. Good drivers have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers with flagrant tickets like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions are required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state DMV in order to keep their license.
Having a spouse can save you money - Having a spouse can get you a discount on auto insurance. Having a spouse is viewed as being more responsible and it's proven that being married results in fewer claims.
Big city or small town - Choosing to live in a rural area is a positive aspect when insuring your vehicles. Less people living in that area means fewer accidents. Drivers in populated Texas areas regularly have more traffic problems and longer commute times. Higher commute times translates into higher accident risk.
Liability coverage protects you - Liability coverage provides coverage if a court rules you are at fault for damages from an accident. Liability insurance provides for a legal defense starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not skimp.

Don't pay full price with these discounts

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but there are discounts available to cut the cost considerably. Most are applied at the time of purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked about prior to receiving the credit. If they aren't giving you every credit possible, you are paying more than you should be.

Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Fewer annual miles can earn a substantially lower rate.
Driver Safety - Completing a course in driver safety could possibly earn you a 5% discount if your company offers it.
Save over 55 - If you're over the age of 55, you may be able to get reduced rates.
Discount for Good Grades - This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
Passive Restraint Discount - Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can get savings of 20% or more.
No Charge for an Accident - A few companies will forgive one accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you haven't had any claims prior to the accident.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some credits don't apply the the whole policy. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like it's possible to get free car insurance, auto insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will cut your premiums.

To choose insurers who offer auto insurance discounts in Florence, click here.

The auto insurance bait and switch

Texas consumers can't ignore all the ads that promise big savings by companies like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the companies have a common claim about savings after switching to them.

How do they all make almost identical claims?

All companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that makes them money. For example, a profitable customer could possibly be over the age of 40, has no tickets, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A driver that hits that "sweet spot" gets the lowest rates and therefore will cut their rates substantially.

Potential customers who don't measure up to the "perfect" profile must pay higher prices and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" not "everyone that quotes" save money. That's the way companies can truthfully advertise the way they do.

This illustrates why you should quote coverage with many companies. It is impossible to predict which auto insurance company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Additional information can be found on the Texas Department of Insurance website located here. Texas consumers can find disaster information, discover disciplinary actions, and learn about insurance regulations.

A tidy conclusion

Cheap auto insurance can be bought online and with local Florence insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both so you have a total pricing picture. Some auto insurance companies do not offer online price quotes and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, you should never buy poor coverage just to save money. There are a lot of situations where an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that the savings was not a smart move. The proper strategy is to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.

In this article, we presented a lot of ways to save on auto insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the better your comparison will be. Drivers may discover the lowest premiums are with a small local company.