Tightwads Tips for Saving on Greenwood Auto Insurance

Overpriced auto insurance can drain your bank account and force you to make sacrifices. Shopping your coverage around is free and is an excellent way to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket. You have so many to pick from, and although it's a good thing to have a choice, lots of choices makes it harder to compare rates.

Where Can I Get Cheap Greenwood Auto Insurance?

Getting better auto insurance pricing is surprisingly easy. Just invest a little time to get quotes online with multiple companies. This can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

The first (and easiest) way to find low rates is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This form eliminates the need for a different quote to each individual auto insurance company. A single, simple form will return price quotes .

A less efficient way to compare rate quotes consists of visiting the website for every company you want to comare and fill out their own quote form. For sake of this example, let's say you want comparison quotes from , and . To find out each rate you need to spend time on each company's site to enter your coverage information, and that's why the first method is more popular.

To view a list of companies in Greenwood, click here.

The hardest way of comparing rate quotes to and from local Greenwood insurance agencies. Shopping for auto insurance online makes this process obsolete unless you have a need for the professional advice only provided by licensed Greenwood agents. Drivers can compare the best prices online and still use a local agent and we'll touch on that later.

It doesn't matter which method you choose, just make sure you use identical deductibles and coverage limits for every quote you compare. If you enter different values for each quote it will be very difficult to determine the best price in Greenwood.

auto insurance in Greenwood

Tips to Get Lower Greenwood Rates

It's important that you understand the rating factors that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. Knowing what influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in big savings.

The list below includes a few of the "ingredients" used by your company to calculate premiums.

  • Don't buy coverages you don't need - There are a lot of add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you aren't careful. Coverages for roadside assistance, accidental death and additional equipment coverage may be wasting your money. These coverages may sound good when talking to your agent, but now you might not need them so eliminate them to save money.
  • Lower miles equals lower premium - The more you drive in a year's time the more you'll pay to insure your vehicle. Almost all companies price each vehicle's coverage based on their usage. Autos not used for work or commuting qualify for better rates than those used for commuting. Ask your agent if your auto insurance policy shows the correct driver usage.
  • Your car's features help determine rates - Purchasing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft devices such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM's OnStar system all aid in stopping your vehicle from being stolen.
  • Traffic citations inflate rates - Only having one moving violation can bump up the cost forty percent or more. Drivers who don't get tickets tend to pay less for car insurance than people who have multiple driving citations. Drivers with severe tickets like DUI or reckless driving are required to file a SR-22 with the DMV in their state in order to drive a vehicle legally.
  • High credit ratings translate to low rates - A driver's credit rating is a huge factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. People with excellent credit tend to be more responsible as compared to drivers with lower credit scores. So if your credit can use some improvement, you could be paying less to insure your by spending a little time repairing your credit.

Take advantage of discounts

Car insurance companies do not advertise all available discounts very clearly, so we break down some of the best known and the harder-to-find ways to save on auto insurance. If you're not getting every credit you deserve, you're just leaving money on the table.

  • Defensive Driving Course - Taking part in a course teaching defensive driving skills could cut 5% off your bill depending on where you live.
  • New Vehicle Savings - Insuring a new car can save up to 30% due to better safety requirements for new cars.
  • Pay Upfront and Save - If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying monthly you could save up to 5%.
  • Drivers Education - Require your teen driver to enroll in driver's education in high school.
  • Passive Restraints and Air Bags - Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts may earn rate discounts up to 30%.

Keep in mind that many deductions do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it just doesn't work that way.

For a list of insurers with the best auto insurance discounts in Florida, click this link.

How to know if you need help

When it comes to choosing adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn't really a one size fits all plan. Everyone's situation is unique so this has to be addressed. These are some specific questions can help discover whether your personal situation could use an agent's help.

  • Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
  • Who is covered when they drive my vehicle?
  • Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
  • Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
  • Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
  • Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
  • Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?

If it's difficult to answer those questions, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It's fast, free and may give you better protection.

Additional detailed information can be found at the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation website. Florida drivers can discover disciplinary actions, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, view a list of available companies, and file complaints about a company.

Other useful links include this resource for Florida auto insurance prices and this link which helps you find a Greenwood agent.

Florida auto insurance quotes

In the end, you save

Affordable auto insurance is possible on the web as well as from independent agents in Greenwood, and you need to comparison shop both so you have a total pricing picture. Some auto insurance companies don't offer online quoting and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, make sure you don't reduce needed coverages to save money. There are a lot of situations where consumers will sacrifice uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that the savings was not a smart move. The proper strategy is to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.