10 Excellent Ways to Slash Car Insurance Premium in Johnson City, TN

Sick and tired of not being able to afford to insure your vehicles every month? You are in the same boat as most other car owners in Tennessee.

Because there are so many options, it can be impossible to pick the most affordable company.

Shopping for affordable protection in Johnson City is easy if you know what you’re doing. Essentially every vehicle owner who shops for car insurance will more than likely be able to lower their premiums. But Tennessee vehicle owners must comprehend the way insurance companies sell insurance online and use this information to your advantage.

Lower your Johnson City Car Insurance Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that play a part in calculating the price you pay for car insurance. Understanding what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with big savings.

• Credit scores impact car insurance rates – Having a bad credit score is a large factor in your rate calculation. So if your credit history is lower than you’d like, you could save money insuring your by spending a little time repairing your credit. People with excellent credit tend to be more responsible as compared to drivers with poor credit.
• Optional equipment can affect rates – Choosing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can save you a little every year. Theft prevention features like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can thwart your vehicle from being stolen.
• Do you know your deductibles? – Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. Insurance for physical damage to your car, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, covers damage that occurs to your car. A few examples of covered claims would be colliding with a building, damage from fire, or theft. The more expense you have to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
• Performance makes a difference – The make and model of the car you are insuring makes a huge difference in the rate you pay. The lowest base rates are usually for small economy passenger cars, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
• Bad driving skills means higher rates – A bad driving record impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Drivers with clean records tend to pay less for car insurance than their less careful counterparts. Just one speeding ticket may increase your cost forty percent or more. If you have dangerous violations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may find they need to submit a SR-22 form with their state motor vehicle department in order to prevent a license revocation.
• Rate your vehicle for proper use – The more miles you rack up on your car every year the more you will pay for car insurance. Almost all companies rate vehicles based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles not used for work or commuting qualify for better rates than those used for commuting. Ask your agent if your car insurance policy properly reflects how each vehicle is driven.

Cut your premium with discounts

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but companies offer discounts that many people don’t even know exist. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time of purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be manually applied before they will apply.

• Drivers Education – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.
• Life Insurance – Companies who offer life insurance give lower rates if you buy life insurance from them.
• Payment Method – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
• Good Student Discount – This discount can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The good student discount can last up to age 25.
• Discount for New Cars – Insuring a new car can be considerably cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
• Discount for Swiching Early – A few companies offer discounts for switching to them prior to your current policy expiring. The savings is around 10%.
• Senior Discount – Older drivers can possibly qualify for better car insurance rates.
• No Charge for an Accident – Some insurance companies allow you one accident before your rates go up so long as you haven’t had any claims for a certain period of time.

Keep in mind that some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. Most only cut specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So even though they make it sound like you could get a free car insurance policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any qualifying discounts will help reduce the cost of coverage.

For a list of insurance companies offering car insurance discounts in Tennessee, follow this link.

What happened to insurance agents?

Some consumers prefer to sit down with an agent and that is just fine! One of the best bonuses of getting online price quotes is you can get lower rates but also keep your business local. Supporting local businesses is important especially in Johnson City.

By using this short form, the quote information is transmitted to companies in Johnson City who will battle for your business. You never need to visit any agencies since price quotes are sent directly to your email. How’s that for easy! It’s the lowest rates AND an agent nearby.

If you wish to view licensed agents in Johnson City, go to this page.

Choosing an insurance company requires more thought than just a cheap price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:

• Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
• Which company do they place the most coverage with?
• Are they full-time agents?
• Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
• Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?

Upon receiving good answers to your questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, most likely you have located an insurer that is a good match to provide car insurance coverage.

Situations that might require an agent

When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s needs are different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For example, these questions may help highlight whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.

• Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
• Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
• Who is covered by my policy?
• Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
• Does my insurance cover my expensive audio equipment?
• Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
• Is my custom paint covered by insurance?
• Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

Some additional reading

More information is available on the website for the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance through this link. Tennessee drivers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, discover disciplinary actions, and view a list of available companies.

More related Johnson City car insurance information:

• Never Buy Johnson City Tennessee Car Insurance Without Knowing These Money Saving Methods

Final thoughts

When shopping online for car insurance, you should never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, drivers have reduced full coverage and learned later that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The aim is to buy enough coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.

We just showed you some good ideas how you can compare car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. Consumers could even find that the biggest savings 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 State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.