Free Guide to Searching Online for a North Charleston, SC Car Insurance Agent

To find an insurance agent in North Charleston, South Carolina, we recommend you begin your search by comparing prices online to save yourself time. Most likely you’re not only searching for a good professional insurance agent, but you also want to find the best rates possible.

With companies like Farmers, Allstate, and independent agents all competing for your business, consumers have a hard time knowing which car insurance agent will provide you with the cheapest rates and the best coverage. Fortunately, you can use insurance quotes online to build a list of agents from which to choose.

Situations that might require an agent

When it comes to choosing adequate coverage, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s situation is a little different so this has to be addressed. Here are some questions about coverages that might help in determining whether you may require specific advice.

Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
Does my vehicle qualify for pleasure use?
Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in North Charleston?
Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
Do no-fault laws apply in South Carolina?
When do I need to add a new car to my policy?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions then you might want to talk to an agent.

Online price comparisons from North Charleston agents

Educated insurance agents can help determine the best coverages and give you peace of mind. The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is you may find the lowest rates and still choose a local agent. And providing support for small agencies is important especially in North Charleston.

After completing this quick form, your coverage information is immediately sent to local insurance agents in North Charleston who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. There is no need to leave your house since price quotes are sent directly to your email. It doesn’t get any easier! You can find the lowest rates AND an agent nearby.

Independent or Captive: It’s your choice

When finding a good North Charleston insurance agent, you must know there are a couple different types of agents that you can select. North Charleston agents are either independent (non-captive) or captive.

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

These agents are not required to write business for one company so they can insure your vehicles with any number of different companies depending on which coverage is best. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move the coverage in-house and that require little work on your part. When comparing rates, you should always contact at a minimum one independent agency for the best price selection.

Shown below are independent agents in North Charleston willing to provide price quotes.

Insurance Agency Inc – 5081 Rivers Ave – North Charleston, SC 29406 – (843) 747-6358
Altman Agency – 4138 Rivers Ave – North Charleston, SC 29405 – (843) 747-6383
P C and L Agency – 3125 Ashley Phosphate Rd #115a – North Charleston, SC 29418 – (843) 552-3812
O’Laughlin Insurance – 4790 Trade St # D – North Charleston, SC 29418 – (843) 767-9685
Legacy Insurance Group Inc – 3236 Landmark Dr – North Charleston, SC 29418 – (843) 767-0100

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agencies write business for a single company and some examples include State Farm or Allstate. They are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captives are well schooled on their products and sales techniques which can be an advantage.

Below are North Charleston captive insurance agents willing to provide price quote information.

State Farm Insurance – 5150 Ashley Phosphate Rd – North Charleston, SC 29418 – (843) 552-9777
Allstate Insurance – 8410 Rivers Ave # J – North Charleston, SC 29406 – (843) 569-0537

To view a full list of captive agencies in North Charleston, visit this site.

Picking an insurance agency should depend on more than just the price. Some important questions to ask are:

Who are their largest clients?
Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
Does the agency support the community they serve?
Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
Which company do they place the most coverage with?

Once you have reasonable responses and a low price estimate, you have narrowed it down to an insurance agent that will service your policy.

Online companies can help you save

Car insurance agents are important to many people, but you can also buy South Carolina car insurance direct online. Even companies, such as State Farm, Allstate and Farmers, who sell through agents in North Charleston also let you buy direct online, and online price comparisons are easy and can also potentially find you lower rates.

If you’re concerned about having to choose coverages yourself, that is quite common when buying online the first time. All companies that allow you to purchase coverage all have client service departments to answer any questions you may have.

Is pricing better online? It’s difficult to provide an answer since there may be dozens of rate factors that impact your premium. It would make sense to think that buying directly from the company lowers rates due to not having any agent compensation. In many cases, advertising budgets are huge and that can cost more than having to pay agents.

Additional consumer information websites

Additional information can be read on the website for the South Carolina Department of Insurance located here. South Carolina consumers can file complaints about a company, report car insurance fraud, read state legal mandates and laws, and learn about insurance regulations.

The following articles may also be useful.

And the best car insurance company is…

Cheap car insurance is definitely available both online and also from your neighborhood North Charleston agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. A few companies may not provide online quoting and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

Drivers who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as not issuing a premium refund, policy cancellation, delays in responding to claim requests and questionable increases in premium. Regardless of your reason, switching car insurance companies is not as difficult as it may seem.