Easy Methods to Pay Less on Surfside Beach Auto Insurance

Shopping for affordable Surfside Beach auto insurance over the internet can seem to be rather challenging for consumers not familiar with comparison shopping online. When there are so many insurers to choose from, how can consumers effectively compare every company to locate the cheapest rates?

It's important to take a look at other company's rates on a regular basis since insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the best deal a few years ago you can probably find a better price now. So just ignore everything you know about auto insurance because it's time to teach you the only way to reduce your cost while increasing coverage.

If you have car insurance now, you will most likely be able to save some money using these techniques. This article will help educate you on how car insurance quotes work. Nevertheless, South Carolina vehicle owners do need to know the way companies sell online and take advantage of how the system works.

Surfside Beach Rates are Influenced by These Factors

Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that play a part in calculating auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates enables informed choices that may reward you with lower auto insurance prices.

Shown below are some of the factors auto insurance companies consider when setting rates.

  • With age comes lower rates - More mature drivers are viewed as being more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel. Teenage drivers have a tendency to get distracted easily when driving and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher.
  • Pay less after the wedding - Being married helps lower the price on your policy. It means you're more mature and responsible and it's proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
  • Protect your assets with liability insurance - Your policy's liability coverage is the protection if ever a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability insurance provides legal defense coverage starting from day one. This coverage is very inexpensive as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not cut corners here.
  • Never allow your policy to lapse - Driving your car without having proper coverage can get your license suspended and you will pay a penalty because you let your coverage lapse. And not only will insurance be more expensive, getting caught without coverage will get you a revoked license or a big fine.
  • Do you work long hours in a high stress job? - Jobs such as doctors, business owners and dentists tend to have the highest average rates because of job stress and lengthy work days. Other jobs such as pilots, historians and retirees receive lower rates.
  • Males pay more for insurance - Statistics have proven women are more cautious behind the wheel. Now that doesn't mean men are worse drivers. Women and men cause accidents at about the same rate, but the males tend to have more serious accidents. They also receive more costly citations like reckless driving and DUI.

Surfside Beach auto insurance comparison

More discounts equal less premium

Companies offering auto insurance don't list all their discounts in a way that's easy to find, so here is a list some of the best known as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.

  • College Student - Kids in college who live away from home and don't have a car may be able to be covered for less.
  • Sign Online - Certain companies give back up to $50 simply for signing digitally online.
  • Organization Discounts - Affiliation with a civic or occupational organization is a good way to get lower rates on auto insurance.
  • Seat Belts Save - Requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could save 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
  • Government Employees - Employees or retirees of the government can save as much as 8% with select insurance companies.
  • Senior Discount - If you're over the age of 55, you may receive better auto insurance rates.
  • Safety Course Discount - Completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.
  • Passive Restraint Discount - Factory air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.

Consumers should know that most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don't profit that way.

To choose companies with discount auto insurance rates in Surfside Beach, click here to view.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Auto insurance companies such as Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm consistently run ads in print and on television. They all seem to make an identical promise of big savings if you change to their company. How can each company say the same thing?

All companies have a preferred profile for the driver that makes them money. An example of a desirable insured might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A propective insured who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and therefore will save when they switch companies.

Consumers who do not match the requirements will have to pay higher prices and ends up with business not being written. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that much. This is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the way they do. Because of the profiling, you should get a wide range of price quotes. It's not possible to predict which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest rates.

For more South Carolina auto insurance information

More tips and info about auto insurance is available at the South Carolina Department of Insurance website. South Carolina drivers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, get help finding coverage, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

Do the work, save more money

When shopping online for auto insurance, it's a bad idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. There are many occasions where drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford.

Cost effective auto insurance can be sourced on the web and also from your neighborhood Surfside Beach agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some auto insurance companies may not provide online price quotes and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

People leave their current company for a number of reasons such as not issuing a premium refund, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, questionable increases in premium or even being labeled a high risk driver. It doesn't matter why you want to switch choosing a new insurance company is easier than you think.