Consumer Tested Strategies to Save on Greenwood Auto Insurance

Scraping up a payment for overpriced auto insurance can take a big chunk out of your bank account and force you to make sacrifices. Doing a price comparison is a smart way to cut your insurance bill.

Big-name insurance companies like GEICO and Progressive all claim big savings with advertising and it can be hard to sift through the bull and find the best price available.

If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to cut costs considerably using this strategy. Finding the best rates in Greenwood is easy if you know what you're doing. But South Carolina vehicle owners do need to know the way insurance companies determine prices because it can help you find the best coverage.

These discounts can lower your rates

Car insurance companies don't list all available discounts in a way that's easy to find, so we researched some of the best known and also the lesser-known auto insurance savings.

Defensive Driving Course - Taking a course teaching defensive driving skills could cut 5% off your bill if you qualify.
Senior Discount - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you can possibly qualify for better auto insurance rates.
Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver's education in high school.
No Accidents - Drivers who don't have accidents pay much less when compared with drivers who are more careless.
Pay Upfront and Save - If you pay your bill all at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may reduce your total bill.
Own a Home - Owning a home in Greenwood may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because of the fact that having a home shows financial diligence.
Anti-theft System - Anti-theft and alarm systems help deter theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
Auto/Home Discount - If you have multiple policies with one insurance company you could get a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.
Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Keeping the miles down could be rewarded with lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.

Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like you could get a free auto insurance policy, companies don't profit that way.

Different people need different coverages

When it comes to buying the best auto insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else's so your insurance needs to address that. For instance, these questions may help you determine whether you would benefit from professional advice.

Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
Should I buy additional glass protection?
Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
What can I do if my company won't pay a claim?
Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?

If you don't know the answers to these questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Are you falling for claims of savings?

21st Century, Allstate and State Farm regularly use ads on television and other media. All the companies say the same thing that you'll save big if you move to their company. How can each company say the same thing? It's all in the numbers.

Different companies have a preferred profile for the driver that earns them a profit. For instance, a profitable customer might be profiled as a mature driver, insures multiple vehicles, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A propective insured who fits that profile gets the lowest rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Consumers who are not a match for the requirements must pay higher rates which usually ends up with business not being written. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much. This is how companies can advertise the way they do. This illustrates why you should get as many comparisons as possible. It's not possible to predict which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest rates.

More detailed South Carolina auto insurance information is located at the South Carolina Department of Insurance website. South Carolina drivers can discover disciplinary actions, learn about insurance regulations, download brochures, and read industry bulletins.

Shop smart and save

Discount auto insurance is possible on the web and also from your neighborhood Greenwood agents, and you need to price shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some auto insurance companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When shopping online for auto insurance, it's a bad idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are a lot of situations where drivers have reduced collision coverage and learned later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The proper strategy is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.