Auto Insurance in Athens – 5 Discounts to Lower Rates

Finding affordable Athens auto insurance is hard for consumers new to comparison shopping online. There are so many options that it can turn into a real challenge to locate the lowest price in Athens.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but there could be available discounts to help offset the cost. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time of quoting, but a few must be specifically requested before you will receive the discount. If you don’t get every credit you qualify for, you’re just leaving money on the table.

• No Claims – Good drivers with no accidents can earn big discounts compared to bad drivers.
• Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt can save 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
• Clubs and Organizations – Belonging to a professional or civic organization could qualify you for a break when shopping for auto insurance.
• Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles with anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• Early Switch Discount – Some insurance companies reward drivers for buying a policy before your current policy expires. It’s a savings of about 10%.

It’s important to note that some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because you may think adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way. But all discounts will bring down the amount you have to pay.

For a list of insurance companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Alabama, click here.

Price shop online but buy from a local Athens agent

A small number of people would prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is a personal choice. Good agents can answer important questions and help submit paperwork. The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is you may find the lowest rates and still have an agent to talk to. And providing support for local insurance agencies is important especially in Athens.

To help locate an agent, after submitting this quick form, your coverage information is submitted to local insurance agents who will compete to get your business. You won’t need to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. Now that’s easy!

To select a specific agent in Athens, go to this page.

Deciding on an insurer needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:

• Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
• Can glass repairs be made at your home?
• Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
• What insurance companies do they work with?
• Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
• Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
• How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
• Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?

Once you have received answers to your satisfaction for all questions you ask and an acceptable price quote, you have narrowed it down to an provider that will insure your vehicles.

Can you really save $481 a year?

Alabama drivers can’t get away from ads for car insurance savings by companies like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. They all make the same claim about savings after switching to them.

How can each company say the same thing?

All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that earns them a profit. An example of a preferred risk might be profiled as a mature driver, has no tickets, and drives newer vehicles. Any driver who fits that profile will get very good rates and most likely will save when switching.

Drivers who are not a match for these standards will be quoted a more expensive rate which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state “customers who switch” not “people who quote” save that much money. That’s the way insurance companies can advertise the way they do.

This emphasizes why you absolutely need to get as many quotes as possible. It is impossible to predict which auto insurance company will have the lowest rates.

Auto insurance coverage considerations

Having a good grasp of a auto insurance policy aids in choosing which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be difficult to understand and coverage can change by endorsement.

Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.

Since many Alabama drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (which is 25/50/25), their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Usually your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages do not exceed the liability coverage limits.

Insurance for medical payments

Med pay and PIP coverage pay for bills for things like X-ray expenses, pain medications, ambulance fees and nursing services. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)

Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive can pay for things like a broken windshield, theft, vandalism and hitting a bird. The maximum payout your auto insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Coverage for collisions

Collision coverage covers damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with an object or car. You first must pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision coverage protects against things such as rolling your car, colliding with a tree, crashing into a building and sustaining damage from a pot hole. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Liability

Liability insurance can cover injuries or damage you cause to other people or property in an accident. This coverage protects you against claims from other people, and does not provide coverage for damage to your own property or vehicle.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see limits of 25/50/25 which means a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and property damage coverage for $25,000. Occasionally you may see a combined limit which combines the three limits into one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability coverage protects against claims such as funeral expenses, attorney fees, loss of income, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and emergency aid. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying higher limits if possible. Alabama requires drivers to carry at least 25,000/50,000/25,000 but you should think about purchasing higher limits.

Much more information about auto insurance in Alabama can be read on the Alabama Department of Insurance website located here. Alabama consumers can learn about specific coverages, read state legal mandates and laws, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.

The following articles may also be useful.

• How to Get a Great Insurance Agent in Athens
• Top 10 Ways You Can Buy Car Insurance for Less in Athens

A tidy conclusion

Throughout this article, we presented a lot of tips how to shop for auto insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Drivers may discover the best price on auto insurance is with some of the lesser-known companies.

When trying to cut insurance costs, you should never buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many instances, someone dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. The ultimate goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford.

Low-cost auto insurance is definitely available online and with local Athens insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance providers do not offer the ability to get a quote online and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.