Anyone knows that auto insurance companies want to keep you from shopping around. People who rate shop once a year are highly likely to switch car insurance companies because they have good chances of finding coverage at a more affordable price. A recent car insurance study discovered that people who routinely shopped around saved approximately $850 each year compared to drivers who never shopped around.
If finding budget-friendly auto insurance in Charlotte is the reason for your visit, learning how to find and compare insurance rates can make it easier to find better rates.
The best way we recommend to find lower priced car insurance rates is to begin comparing prices regularly from different companies that insure vehicles in Charlotte. Rate comparisons can be done by following these steps.
- Step 1: Take a few minutes and learn about how insurance companies determine prices and the factors you can control to keep rates down. Many things that drive up the price such as multiple speeding tickets and poor credit history can be eliminated by making lifestyle changes or driving safer. This article provides more ideas to keep prices down and find discounts that you may qualify for.
- Step 2: Quote rates from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive and direct companies can only provide price estimates from a single company like GEICO and Allstate, while independent agencies can provide price quotes from multiple insurance companies.
- Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your existing coverage and see if you can save money. If you find a better price and decide to switch, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
The most important part of shopping around is to use similar deductibles and liability limits on every quote request and and to get rates from as many auto insurance providers as possible. This provides an accurate price comparison and a complete rate analysis.
If you have insurance now, you will definitely be able to cut your premiums using the ideas covered in this article. These techniques will familiarize you with how to compare rates easily and how to save the most money. Although North Carolina car owners do need to learn how the larger insurance companies market insurance on the web and take advantage of how the system works.
Companies offering Lexus RX 400h insurance in North Carolina
The companies shown below are ready to provide free rate quotes in North Carolina. If you want to find the cheapest auto insurance in NC, we recommend you click on several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Verify you’re receiving every discount
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but there may be some discounts that you may not even know about. Many discounts should be triggered when you complete an application, but less common discounts must be manually applied in order for you to get them.
- Telematics Discount – Policyholders that allow companies to scrutinize where and when they drive remotely like Allstate’s Drivewise might get better premium rates as long as they are good drivers.
- Responsible Driver Discount – Accident-free drivers can save up to 40% or more on their Charlotte auto insurance quote than drivers with accidents.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Insuring multiple cars or trucks on the same insurance policy qualifies for this discount.
- College Student – Kids who are enrolled in higher education away from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle could qualify for this discount.
- Driver Safety – Taking part in a course that instructs on driving safety could save 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
- Lower Rates for Military – Having a deployed family member could trigger a small discount.
It’s important to understand that most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though you would think you can get free auto insurance, it’s just not the way it works.
Car insurance companies that may have most of the discounts above may include but are not limited to:
Before you buy a policy, ask each company which discounts they offer. Depending on the company, some discounts may not be available in every state. To see insurance companies that offer discounts in Charlotte, click this link.
Insurance agencies can find coverage gaps
Certain consumers prefer to visit with an insurance agent and that is not a bad decision One of the benefits of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find cheaper auto insurance rates and still have a local agent.
By using this simple form, your information gets sent to participating agents in Charlotte that can give you free Charlotte auto insurance quotes for your car insurance coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to contact any insurance agencies since price quotes are sent to you directly. It’s the lowest rates without a big time investment. If you have a need to get a price quote for a specific company, you can always visit that company’s website and give them your coverage information.
Finding the right insurer is decision based upon more than just the price. A good agent in Charlotte will have answers to these questions.
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
- What insurance companies do they work with in Charlotte?
When finding a reliable insurance agency, you need to know there are two different agency structures and how they can service your needs differently. Agencies in Charlotte are considered either exclusive or independent agents depending on their company appointments.
Exclusive Car Insurance Agents
Agents of this type normally can only provide a single company’s rates like State Farm, Allstate and AAA. They generally cannot shop your coverage around so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Exclusive agents receive a lot of sales training on their company’s products and that allows them to sell at a higher price point. Consumers sometimes purchase coverage from exclusives partially due to the brand and solid financial strength.
Below are exclusive insurance agents in Charlotte who may provide you with comparison quotes.
- State Farm: Happy Mullen
2201 South Blvd #420 – Charlotte, NC 28203 – (704) 362-0800 – View Map - GEICO Insurance Agent
4651 South Blvd Suite B – Charlotte, NC 28209 – (704) 523-2886 – View Map - Matt “Woody” Woodford – State Farm Insurance Agent
501 S Sharon Amity Rd #200 – Charlotte, NC 28211 – (704) 971-3030 – View Map
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Agents in the independent channel are not locked into one company and that allows them to write policies through many different car insurance companies and get you the best rates possible. If your agent finds better pricing, your agent can switch companies and the insured can keep the same agent. When comparing car insurance prices, you will definitely want to compare quotes from a few independent agents to get the most accurate price comparison. Most have the option of insuring with less well-known companies that many times have cheaper rates.
The following is a list of independent agencies in Charlotte that can give you price quote information.
- O H Walker Insurance Agency Inc
2210 Crownpoint Executive Dr – Charlotte, NC 28227 – (704) 814-4343 – View Map - Allwood Insurance
3611 Mt Holly-Huntersville Rd #205 – Charlotte, NC 28216 – (704) 395-1239 – View Map - Nationwide Insurance: Michael Bare Agency
2300 Sardis Rd N a – Charlotte, NC 28227 – (704) 248-8000 – View Map
Educate yourself about auto insurance coverages
Knowing the specifics of auto insurance helps when choosing appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Comprehensive coverages
Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You need to pay your deductible first then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive insurance covers things such as fire damage, hail damage and hitting a deer. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider dropping full coverage.
Uninsured and underinsured coverage
Your UM/UIM coverage provides protection when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family and damage to your Lexus RX 400h.
Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (North Carolina limits are 30/60/25), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.
Collision protection
This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision insurance covers things like scraping a guard rail, backing into a parked car and crashing into a building. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible on your RX 400h to get cheaper collision coverage.
Coverage for medical payments
Med pay and PIP coverage provide coverage for expenses such as dental work, prosthetic devices and nursing services. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Liability coverages
Liability coverage provides protection from damage or injury you incur to other’s property or people by causing an accident. It protects YOU from legal claims by others. Liability doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have values of 30/60/25 which means a limit of $30,000 per injured person, a limit of $60,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability insurance covers things like repair costs for stationary objects, court costs, bail bonds and medical services. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford. North Carolina requires drivers to carry at least 30/60/25 but it’s recommended drivers buy better liability coverage.
The illustration below demonstrates why buying minimum limits may not be high enough to cover claims.
Cover all your bases
We just presented a lot of tips how to reduce Lexus RX 400h insurance car insurance rates online in Charlotte. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your premium rates. You may even discover the lowest car insurance rates are with some of the smallest insurance companies.
People switch companies for a number of reasons such as policy cancellation, delays in paying claims, lack of trust in their agent and even unfair underwriting practices. Regardless of your reason, choosing a new insurance company is easier than you think.
Budget-friendly insurance in Charlotte can be bought from both online companies and from local agencies, so you need to quote Charlotte auto insurance with both in order to have the best chance of saving money. There are still a few companies who may not have rate quotes online and these regional insurance providers prefer to sell through local independent agents.
Other learning opportunities
- Auto Insurance Learning Center (State Farm)
- How Much are Charlotte Car Insurance Quotes for a Chevrolet Silverado? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Hybrid Vehicles in Charlotte? (FAQ)
- Which Company has the Cheapest Auto Insurance in Charlotte, NC? (FAQ)
- How Much are Charlotte Car Insurance Quotes for Government Employees? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates for a Jeep Grand Cherokee in Charlotte? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Teenagers in Charlotte? (FAQ)
- How to shop for a safer car (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- A Tree Fell on Your Car: Now What? (Allstate)
- Teen Driving Statistics (iihs.org)
- Vehicle Insurance in the U.S. (Wikipedia)