Learn How to Pay Less and Get More for Birmingham Alabama Car Insurance

Comparing Birmingham car insurance rates online might seem complicated at first if you are a beginner to online rate quotes. But relax because it’s actually quite easy.

Choosing the best insurance company for you in Birmingham is not that difficult. If you have car insurance now, you should be able to lower your premiums substantially using this strategy. But Alabama vehicle owners must comprehend how insurance companies compete online.

How to Compare Car Insurance Costs in Birmingham, Alabama

There are several ways to compare rate quotes from car insurance companies in your area. One of the best ways to compare insurance prices is to perform an online rate comparison. This can be accomplished in several different ways.

Probably the best way to get quotes is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This easy form eliminates the need for separate quote forms for every car insurance company. A single, simple form will get you price quotes . It’s the fastest way to compare.

A different way to get comparison quotes is spending the time to visit each company’s website and request a quote. For example, we’ll pretend you want to compare Progressive, Esurance and State Farm. To find out each rate you need to go to every website and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is quicker.

To view a list of companies in Birmingham, click here.

It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just make sure you use identical coverages on every quote. If each company quotes mixed coverages you will not be able to make a fair comparison in Birmingham. Just a small difference in limits may result in large price differences. And when quoting car insurance, remember that obtaining a wide range of quotes will enable you to find the best rates.

Birmingham Rates are Influenced by These Factors

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for car insurance. Knowing what influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in lower car insurance prices.

The following are some of the factors used by your company to calculate premiums.

• Don’t sacrifice liability coverage – Liability coverage will protect you if ever you are found liable for damages from an accident. It provides you with a defense in court which can be incredibly expensive. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so buy as much as you can afford.
• Little extras can really add up – There are a lot of extra coverages that you can buy on your car insurance policy. Things like roadside assistance, towing coverage and motor club memberships may be wasting your money. These coverages may sound good at first, but if you don’t need them remove them from your policy.
• Allowing your policy to lapse raises rates – Not having insurance is illegal and car insurance companies will penalize you for letting your insurance expire. Not only will you pay more, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance will get you a steep fine or even jail time.You may need to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with the Alabama DMV.
• Lower rates with optional equipment – Driving a car that has an advanced theft prevention system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft devices like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all hinder car theft.
• Tickets mean higher rates – Whether or not you get tickets has a huge affect on how much you pay. Only having one citation may increase your cost forty percent or more. Drivers with clean records receive lower rates than people who have multiple driving citations. Drivers with severe tickets like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions are required to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to drive a vehicle legally.
• Mature drivers pay less – More mature drivers are viewed as being more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and get fewer tickets. Youthful drivers are known to be less responsible when driving and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher.
• Rates may be higher depending on your occupation – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for car insurance? Jobs such as lawyers, business owners and accountants are shown to have higher rates than average in part from high stress and lots of time spent at work. On the flip side, occupations such as actors, athletes and performers pay the least.

You probably qualify for some discounts

Car insurance companies don’t always publicize all their discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we break down some of the best known and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using.

• Accident Waiver – Certain companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums if your claims history is clear for a particular time prior to the accident.
• Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems can avoid accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
• 55 and Retired – Older drivers may receive a discount up to 10%.
• Service Members Pay Less – Being on active duty in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
• Club Memberships – Belonging to certain professional organizations could trigger savings on your policy.
• Use Seat Belts – Drivers who require all occupants to buckle their seat belts could save 15% off your medical payments premium.
• Good Student – This discount can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you until age 25.
• Save with a New Car – Adding a new car to your policy can cost up to 25% less compared to insuring an older model.

Drivers should understand that most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because you may think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you’re out of luck.

To see a list of insurance companies with the best car insurance discounts in Alabama, click this link.

There’s no such thing as the perfect policy

When buying the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.

These are some specific questions might point out whether or not you would benefit from professional advice.

• Do I have coverage for damage caused while driving under the influence?
• Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
• Does having multiple vehicles earn me a discount?
• Should I buy additional glass protection?
• Should I buy more coverage than the required Alabama minimum liability coverage?
• Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
• When should I not file a claim?
• Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Alabama?
• What discounts do I qualify for?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.

Smart shoppers get results

Consumers who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including policy non-renewal, not issuing a premium refund, high rates after DUI convictions or being labeled a high risk driver. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding a new car insurance company is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.

Affordable car insurance can be sourced on the web and also from your neighborhood Birmingham agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some car insurance companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.

Throughout this article, we presented many ideas to get a better price on car insurance. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even discover the lowest priced car insurance comes from a lesser-known regional company.

Additional Alabama car insurance resources

Even more information can be found at the Alabama Department of Insurance website. Alabama consumers can find out industry alerts, read industry bulletins, find a variety of consumer forms, and discover disciplinary actions.