7 Discounts Latta Consumers Forget when Buying Car Insurance

No one in their right mind looks forward to paying for car insurance, particularly when they are paying too much.

Companies like GEICO and Progressive continually hit you with fancy advertisements and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and do the work needed to find the best deal.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Companies offering auto insurance don't always advertise all available discounts in a way that's easy to find, so we researched both the well known and also the lesser-known car insurance savings.

  • Defensive Driving Course - Successfully completing a defensive driving course can save you 5% or more if you qualify.
  • Passive Restraints - Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts up to 30%.
  • Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver's education in high school.
  • Federal Employees - Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off depending on your company.
  • Auto/Home Discount - If you have multiple policies with one insurance company you may earn at least 10% off all policies.
  • Accident Free - Good drivers with no accidents pay much less when compared with drivers who are more careless.
  • Anti-lock Brake Discount - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes prevent accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.

Keep in mind that most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only cut specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates adding up those discounts means a free policy, it just doesn't work that way.

car insurance in Latta

Tailor your coverage to you

When it comes to buying the best car insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a "best" method to buy coverage. Your needs are not the same as everyone else's and a cookie cutter policy won't apply. For instance, these questions may help highlight whether you might need an agent's assistance.

  • Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
  • Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
  • Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
  • Do I have coverage for damage caused while driving under the influence?
  • What are the best liability limits?
  • Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to an 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.

How can 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm save drivers who switch?

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

Insurance companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For instance, a profitable customer might be between the ages of 30 and 50, a clean driving record, and has a high credit rating. Any new insured who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Drivers who are not a match for the requirements must pay higher premiums which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ad wording is "customers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save money. That is how insurance companies can state the savings. This illustrates why drivers should get a wide range of price quotes. It's just too difficult to predict which company will have the lowest rates.

Additional South Carolina consumer information

Additional detailed information is located at the South Carolina Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to discover disciplinary actions, find out industry alerts, download brochures, and view agent and company licensing information.

South Carolina car insurance

Shop smart and save

Affordable car insurance is possible both online and with local Latta insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

We just covered a lot of tips how to reduce car insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even discover the lowest rates come from a small mutual company. Regional companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than the large multi-state companies such as .