To save the most money, the best way to get the cheapest car insurance rates in Charlotte is to do a yearly price comparison from different companies in North Carolina. Prices can be compared by following these guidelines.
Step 1: Try to understand car insurance and the things you can change to keep rates down. Many things that result in higher rates like traffic violations, accidents, and a low credit rating can be amended by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes.
Step 2: Compare prices from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can only give prices from one company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agencies can quote rates from many different companies. Click to view companies
Step 3: Compare the new rates to the premium of your current policy to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find a lower rate and make a switch, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
Step 4: Provide written notification to your current company to cancel the current policy. Submit a completed policy application and payment to your new insurance company. Once received, place the new proof of insurance paperwork along with the vehicle’s registration papers.
One key aspect when comparing rates is to use identical coverage information on every quote request and and to get rates from as many different companies as possible. Doing this ensures a fair rate comparison and the best rate selection.
It’s safe to conclude that auto insurance companies want to keep you from comparing prices. Insureds who compare rates once a year will probably move their business because they stand a good chance of finding coverage at a more affordable price. A recent auto insurance study discovered that drivers who compared rates regularly saved about $860 a year compared to drivers who don’t regularly compare prices.
If finding the most affordable auto insurance is the reason you’re reading this, then having some knowledge of how to shop for coverage rates can make the process more efficient.
Cheapest companies for Mazda 2 insurance in North Carolina
The companies in the list below are ready to provide quotes in North Carolina. To find the best cheap car insurance in Charlotte, NC, we recommend you compare several of them to get the best price comparison.
Smart Buyers Can Cut Insurance Costs
Many factors are taken into consideration when you get your auto insurance bill. A few of the factors are predictable like an MVR report, but some are not as apparent like where you live or your financial responsibility.
The itemized list below are some of the most common factors used by insurance companies to determine your rate level.
- More performance means higher premiums – The make and model of the vehicle you drive makes a big difference in your auto insurance rates. The best insurance prices are usually found on smaller low performance passenger vehicles, but your final cost has many other factors.
- Insurance premiums and driver gender – Over the last 30 years, statistics show that females tend to be a little less risky than males. The data does not necessarily mean that women are better drivers. They both are in at-fault accidents at a similar rate, but men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. They also get higher numbers of serious violations such as reckless driving. Youthful male drivers cause the most accidents and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
- How your age affects prices – Older drivers are proven to be safer behind the wheel, cost insurance companies less in claims, and receive fewer citations. Teenage drivers are proven to be inattentive and easily distracted when driving with friends so insurance rates are higher.
- Rental and towing coverage may not be needed – There are a lot of add-on coverages that may not really be needed on your insurance policy. Coverages like personal injury protection, death and dismemberment, and Farm Bureau memberships are probably not needed. They may seem like a good idea when talking to your agent, but your needs may have changed so eliminate them to save money.
- Pleasure use saves money – The more you drive your Mazda each year the more you’ll pay to insure it. Most insurance companies apply a rate partially by how you use the vehicle. Cars and trucks that sit idle most of the time receive better premium rates than vehicles that have high annual mileage. An improperly rated 2 is throwing money out the window. Verify your insurance policy correctly shows the right rating data.
- Alarm systems save money – Selecting a car model with a theft deterrent system can help lower your premiums. Theft prevention features like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all help stop vehicle theft.
- Lower rates by increasing deductibles – Physical damage coverage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, insures against damage to your Mazda. Some coverage claims would be colliding with a building, flood damage, and damage from a fallen tree branch. Comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles state the amount of money you are required to spend out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. The more of the claim you’re willing to pay, the bigger discount you will receive.
- Avoid traffic tickets – Having a clean driving record has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Even one chargeable violation can increase the cost of insurance to the point where it’s not affordable. Careful drivers receive lower rates than people who have multiple driving citations. Drivers who get careless violations like DUI or willful reckless driving may need to submit a SR-22 form with their state in order to drive a vehicle legally.
Save a ton by receiving discounts
Car insurance is not cheap, but you might be missing out on some discounts that you may not even be aware of. Certain reductions will be credited at the time you complete a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be specifically requested prior to getting the savings.
- Distant Student Discount – College-age children who live away from home at college and don’t have a car could qualify for this discount.
- Low Mileage – Low annual miles may allow you to get slightly better car insurance rates than normal.
- No Charge for an Accident – Not really a discount, but a few companies such as GEICO, State Farm, and Progressive will turn a blind eye to one accident before raising your premiums with the catch being you have to be claim-free for a particular time prior to the accident.
- Switch and Save Discount – A few companies offer discounts for switching policies before your current expiration date. It could save around 10% when you buy Charlotte car insurance online.
- Safety Course Discount – Participating in a safe driver course is a good idea and can lower rates and make you a better driver.
- No Claim Discounts – Claim-free drivers can save substantially in comparison with accident-prone drivers.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Insuring multiple vehicles on a single policy can get a discount for every vehicle.
- Use Seat Belts – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to fasten their seat belts can save a little off PIP or medical payments premium.
- Professional Organizations – Having an affiliation with a qualifying organization is a simple method to lower premiums when shopping for car insurance.
- Pay Upfront and Save – If you pay your bill all at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may reduce your total bill.
Keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it’s just not the way it works.
Companies and the discounts they provide can be read below.
- Progressive may have discounts that include homeowner, online signing, multi-vehicle, online quote discount, good student, continuous coverage, and multi-policy.
- AAA has savings for good driver, good student, AAA membership discount, education and occupation, anti-theft, and multi-policy.
- Farmers Insurance offers premium reductions for teen driver, early shopping, pay in full, mature driver, alternative fuel, and youthful driver.
- GEICO may include discounts for multi-policy, military active duty, five-year accident-free, multi-vehicle, daytime running lights, seat belt use, and driver training.
- Esurance discounts include renters, defensive driver, multi-policy, emergency road assistance, and homeowner.
- SAFECO policyholders can earn discounts including accident prevention training, drive less, teen safety rewards, bundle discounts, anti-lock brakes, anti-theft, and multi-car.
- State Farm includes discounts for Drive Safe & Save, good student, good driver, anti-theft, and accident-free.
Before buying, ask every prospective company the best way to save money. Some credits might not be offered in every state. To choose companies that offer multiple discounts in North Carolina, click here to view.
You may need advice from a local insurance agent
Many people still prefer to have an agent’s advice and doing so can bring peace of mind Experienced insurance agents are very good at helping people manage risk and will help you if you have claims. One of the great benefits of price shopping on the web is that drivers can save money and get the lowest rates but also keep your business local. Putting coverage with local agents is still important in Charlotte.
Upon completion of this simple form, your insurance data is immediately sent to local insurance agents who will give you quotes to get your business. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to find an agent due to the fact that quote results will go immediately to you. If you need to compare prices from one company in particular, you would need to find their quoting web page to submit a rate quote request.
If you are wanting to find a local Charlotte insurance agency, it’s important to understand the types of agencies and how they can quote your rates. Auto insurance agents are either exclusive agents or independent agents. Either type can do a good job, but it is important to understand the difference in how they write coverage because it can impact buying decisions.
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Independent insurance agents are not required to write business for one company so they can insure your vehicles through lots of different companies and potentially find a lower price. If they find a lower price, an independent agent can move your coverage and that require little work on your part. When comparison shopping, we recommend you get insurance quotes from several independent insurance agents in order to have the best price comparison.
Listed below are Charlotte independent insurance agents that may be able to provide comparison quotes.
Swimmer Insurance Agency
725 Providence Rd #100 – Charlotte, NC 28207 – (704) 333-6694 – View Map
Nationwide Insurance – William Laurie Agency
8820 University E Dr Ste B – Charlotte, NC 28213 – (704) 945-2331 – View Map
Honeycutt Insurance Agency
3121 Springbank Ln F – Charlotte, NC 28226 – (704) 752-8233 – View Map
Exclusive Agents
These type of agents have only one company to place business with like American Family, State Farm, and Allstate. Exclusive agents cannot place coverage with different providers so keep that in mind. Exclusive insurance agents are very knowledgeable on their company’s products which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
Listed below are exclusive agents in Charlotte who can help you get price quotes.
Alex Williamson – State Farm Insurance Agent
4108 Park Rd #106 – Charlotte, NC 28209 – (704) 525-9995 – View Map
Roger Craig – State Farm Insurance Agent
1427 Emerywood Dr – Charlotte, NC 28210 – (704) 553-2327 – View Map
Daniela Hernandez – State Farm Insurance Agent
5811 Fairview Rd Ste 102 – Charlotte, NC 28209 – (704) 733-9022 – View Map
Selecting an auto insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just the quoted price. Get answers to these questions too.
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
- Will you work with the agent or an assistant?
- How experienced are they in personal risk management?
- Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
- Is auto insurance their primary focus in Charlotte?
Quote. Compare. Save.
As you quote Charlotte car insurance, it’s very important that you do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage to discover at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your objective should be to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate and still be able to protect your assets.
You just learned many tips how you can save on Mazda 2 insurance in Charlotte. It’s most important to understand that the more companies you get auto insurance rates for, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from some of the lesser-known companies. They may have significantly lower auto insurance rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like Progressive and GEICO.
Cheap Mazda 2 insurance in Charlotte can be bought online as well as from independent agents in Charlotte, so you need to shop Charlotte car insurance with both to have the best chance of lowering rates. A few companies may not provide online price quotes and most of the time these smaller companies provide coverage only through independent agencies.
For more information, take a look at the following helpful articles:
- New vehicle ratings focus on headlights (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers with Good Credit in Charlotte? (FAQ)
- How Much are Charlotte Auto Insurance Rates for Uber Drivers? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Teenagers in Charlotte? (FAQ)
- When is the Right Time to Switch Car Insurance Companies? (Allstate)
- Smart Auto Insurance Tips (Insurance Information Institute)
- Higher speed limits cause more fatalities (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Auto Insurance FAQ (Farmers Insurance)