5 Must-Know Tips When Comparing Charleston Car Insurance

Are you tired of robbing Peter to pay Paul to insure your vehicles every month? You are in the same boat as many other South Carolina drivers.

Big companies like GEICO, Progressive and Allstate persitently shower you with advertising and it is difficult to ignore the promise of big savings and do the work needed to find the best deal.

If you are paying for car insurance now, you will most likely be able to cut costs considerably using this information. Finding the best rates in Charleston is not rocket science. Nevertheless, South Carolina vehicle owners must learn how the larger insurance companies market insurance on the web and apply this information to your search.

Finding Car Insurance Deals in Charleston, South Carolina

There are several ways to compare car insurance prices but there is one way that is less labor-intensive and much quicker. You can waste a lot of time discussing policy coverages with insurance companies in Charleston, or you could use online quotes to get prices fast.

Many of the larger companies enroll in a system that allows shoppers to enter their policy data once, and every company then gives them pricing. This saves time by eliminating quotation requests for each company.

To find out how much you’re overpaying now click to open in new window.

The one disadvantage to comparing rates this way is you are unable to specify which carriers to get pricing from. So if you want to choose from a list of companies to compare, we have a page of the cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina. Click here for list of insurance companies in South Carolina.

It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just make darn sure you compare apples-to-apples coverage limits and deductibles for every quote you compare. If you have mixed coverages it’s not possible to determine the lowest rate in Charleston. Having just a slight variation in coverage limits could mean much higher rates. It’s important to know that having more price comparisons will increase your chances of finding lower pricing.

Take advantage of discounts

Car insurance companies don’t always advertise all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so we researched some of the more common as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.

• Sign Online – Some insurance companies will give a small break for buying a policy and signing up on their website.
• Payment Method – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of making monthly payments you could save 5% or more.
• Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles with the same company could earn a price break for each car.
• Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than their less cautious counterparts.
• Seat Belt Usage – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts can save 10% or more off your medical payments premium.
• Memberships – Being a member of a civic or occupational organization could trigger savings when buying car insurance.
• Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Fewer annual miles could be rewarded with better rates on cars that stay parked.
• Passive Restraint Discount – Factory air bags can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
• Discount for New Cars – Adding a new car to your policy can be considerably cheaper compared to insuring an older model.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like it’s possible to get free car insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.

To see a list of insurance companies with discount car insurance rates in Charleston, click here to view.

How to know if you need help

When choosing the best car insurance coverage, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s needs are different so your insurance needs to address that. For instance, these questions may help you determine if you may require specific advice.

• When should I remove comp and collision on my vehicle?
• What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
• Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
• Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
• Who is covered by my policy?
• Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
• Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
• When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
• Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
• Should I sign the liability waiver when renting a car?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Additional detailed information is available at the South Carolina Department of Insurance website. Consumers can report car insurance fraud, read consumer alerts, learn about insurance regulations, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

The following information may also be useful.

• Things You Must Know Before Buying North Charleston South Carolina Car Insurance Online

Do the work, save more money

Cheaper car insurance is possible online and with local Charleston insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance providers do not offer the ability to get a quote online and these smaller companies work with independent agents.

We just covered quite a bit of information on how to shop for car insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more price quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even discover the best prices are with a smaller regional carrier. Regional companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas than their larger competitors like Progressive and GEICO.