Car Insurance in Phenix City Alabama – 5 Discounts You Might be Losing Out On

If price shopping car insurance online is new to you, you may be overwhelmed due to the large number of online companies competing for business in Phenix City.

It’s a good habit to compare rates quite often because rates are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Just because you found the lowest rates a few years ago there may be better deals available now. So just block out anything you think you know about car insurance because you’re about to learn the fastest way to lower your annual insurance bill.

Finding the best rates in Phenix City is not rocket science. In a nutshell, every driver who is required by state law to have car insurance should be able to reduce their rates. Although Alabama consumers must comprehend the methods companies use to price online insurance because it can help you find the best coverage.

Discounts are great for lower rates

Companies don’t always list every discount very well, so we researched both well-publicized and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using.

• Drive Less and Save – Keeping the miles down can earn lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
• 55 and Retired – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get reduced rates.
• More Vehicles More Savings – Having multiple cars or trucks on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
• Safety Course Discount – Completing a defensive driving course can save you 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
• Good Student Discount – Performing well in school can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.

Keep in mind that most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. So when it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way.

Free Quotes for Car Insurance in Phenix City, AL

Comparing car insurance rates can be exhausting if you aren’t aware of the most efficient way. You could waste time discussing policy coverages with local insurance agents in Phenix City, or you could use the internet to quickly compare rates.

The majority of car insurance companies are enrolled in a marketplace that enables customers to send in one quote, and at least one company can provide price quotes determined by their information. This saves time by eliminating quote requests to each individual car insurance company.

To participate in this free quote system, click here to open in new window.

The one disadvantage to comparing rates this way is you don’t know exactly which providers you will receive quotes from. So if you want to choose from a list of companies for rate comparison, we put together a list of companies who write car insurance in Alabama. View list of Alabama insurance companies.

However you get your quotes, be sure to compare exactly the same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote. If the quotes have differing limits then you won’t be able to decipher which rate is best in Phenix City. Quoting even small variations in coverage limits can make a big difference in price. And when quoting car insurance, remember that quoting more helps locate a lower rate.

Don’t be fooled by advertising claims

Companies like State Farm, GEICO and Progressive consistently run ads in print and on television. All the ads make an identical promise that you’ll save big if you change your policy. But how can every company say the same thing?

Different companies have a certain “appetite” for the driver that makes them money. An example of a preferred risk could be between the ages of 40 and 55, has no prior claims, and has a short commute. A customer who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will cut their rates substantially.

Consumers who don’t meet the requirements must pay higher prices and ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say “people who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save money. That is how insurance companies can confidently make those claims. This illustrates why it is so important to get as many quotes as possible. It’s just too difficult to predict which company will fit your personal profile best.

What car insurance coverages do you need?

Learning about specific coverages of car insurance can be of help when determining the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy.

Medical expense coverage

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for expenses for pain medications, prosthetic devices, EMT expenses and rehabilitation expenses. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Uninsured or underinsured coverage

This gives you protection when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Due to the fact that many Alabama drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (25/50/25 in Alabama), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage is very important.

Liability coverages

Liability coverage provides protection from damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property that is your fault. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. Your policy might show policy limits of 100/300/100 which means $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $100,000 paid for damaged property.

Liability insurance covers things such as funeral expenses, emergency aid, loss of income, medical expenses and structural damage. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford. Alabama requires drivers to carry at least 25,000/50,000/25,000 but you should think about purchasing higher limits.

Comprehensive protection

This covers damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against things such as rock chips in glass, damage from getting keyed, fire damage and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Collision coverage

This will pay to fix damage to your vehicle caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You will need to pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision insurance covers things such as colliding with a tree, hitting a parking meter, colliding with another moving vehicle, rolling your car and sustaining damage from a pot hole. This coverage can be expensive, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Shop smart and save

When shopping online for car insurance, it’s not a good idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are many occasions where someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

People switch companies for a number of reasons such as high prices, being labeled a high risk driver, not issuing a premium refund or even delays in paying claims. No matter why you want to switch, finding a new car insurance company can be easy and end up saving you some money.

The cheapest car insurance can be purchased from both online companies and with local Phenix City insurance agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance providers do not offer the ability to get a quote online and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.

Alabama insurance information

More tips and info about car insurance can be found at the Alabama Department of Insurance website. Consumers can file complaints about a company, learn about insurance regulations, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and find disaster information.