Professional Tricks to Lower Wilmington North Carolina Auto Insurance

Finding lower premiums on Wilmington auto insurance can be difficult for beginners to comparison shopping online. Consumers have so many companies to choose from that it can easily become a big hassle to locate the lowest price in Wilmington.

You should make it a habit to shop coverage around every six months because rates change frequently. Even if you think you had the best deal a few years ago you can probably find a lower rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to how to use online quotes to lower your rates without sacrificing coverage.

Finding the lowest cost protection in Wilmington can be fairly easy. Essentially every driver who carries auto insurance stands a good chance to be able to find lower rates. Nevertheless, North Carolina vehicle owners can benefit by having an understanding of how big insurance companies compete online and use this information to your advantage.

Compare Wilmington Auto Insurance Costs

Effectively comparing auto insurance prices can be challenging if you don’t understand the best way to get rate quotes. You could spend the better part of a day talking to insurance agencies in Wilmington, or you could save time and use online quotes for quick rates.

Most of the best insurance companies enroll in a system that enables customers to send in one quote, and each participating company returns a competitive quote determined by their information. This prevents consumers from doing quotation requests to each company.

To find out what other companies charge click here to open in new window.

The single downside to using this type of form is you cannot specify the insurers you want to price. So if you prefer to choose specific providers to request quotes from, we have assembled a list of companies who write auto insurance in North Carolina. Click to view list.

It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but ensure you are comparing identical coverage limits and deductibles for each price quote. If you have differing limits it will be very difficult to truly determine the lowest rate in Wilmington. Just a small difference in insurance coverages can result in a big premium difference. And when price shopping your coverage, quoting more helps you find the best price.

Are you getting all your discounts?

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but you can get discounts to reduce the price significantly. A few discounts will automatically apply at quote time, but less common discounts must be requested specifically in order for you to get them.

• Anti-theft System – Anti-theft and alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and will save you 10% or more.
• Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory air bags may earn rate discounts of 20% or more.
• Senior Citizens – If you’re over the age of 55, you can possibly qualify for a discount up to 10%.
• Accident Waiver – Certain companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don’t have any claims for a set time period.
• Early Switch Discount – A few companies offer discounts for switching to them prior to your current policy expiring. It’s a savings of about 10%.
• Discount for New Cars – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can save up to 30% since new cars are generally safer.
• Homeowners Pay Less – Being a homeowner can save you money because maintaining a house demonstrates responsibility.

Drivers should understand that most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So even though they make it sound like you could get a free auto insurance policy, it just doesn’t work that way. Any qualifying discounts will cut your overall premium however.

For a list of providers with discount auto insurance rates in Wilmington, click here.

What impacts Wilmington insurance rates?

It’s important that you understand some of the elements that play a part in calculating auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get better auto insurance rates.

• Your job and insurance rates – Jobs such as doctors, business owners and accountants have higher rates than average in part from high stress and lots of time spent at work. On the flip side, occupations such as scientists, athletes and the unemployed get better rates.
• Too many auto insurance claims drive up costs – Auto insurance companies in North Carolina award discounts to policyholders who do not file claims often. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can definitely plan on either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Car insurance is intended to be relied upon for larger claims.
• Where you live is a factor – Choosing to live in less populated areas is a positive aspect when buying auto insurance. Urban drivers have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Fewer people means reduced accidents.
• Is your vehicle built for speed? – The make and model of the car you drive makes a significant difference in your rates. The lowest base rates are for small economy passenger vehicles, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.

Do auto insurance companies bend the truth?

Auto insurance companies such as State Farm and Allstate consistently run television and radio advertisements. They all seem to make an identical promise about savings if you change to their company. But how can every company make the same claim?

All the different companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of customer that makes them money. A good example of a preferred risk could be between 25 and 40, has no driving citations, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who matches those parameters receives the best rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who don’t measure up to this ideal profile will be charged higher prices which usually ends up with business not being written. The ads state “customers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much money. That’s why insurance companies can confidently make those claims.

That is why you should get as many comparisons as possible. Because you never know which auto insurance company will have the lowest rates.

Smart consumers save more

Budget-conscious auto insurance can be sourced both online in addition to many Wilmington insurance agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some auto insurance companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and these smaller companies work with independent agents.

We’ve covered some good ideas how to save on auto insurance. The key concept to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Drivers may discover the most savings is with some of the lesser-known companies.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, don’t be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are a lot of situations where someone sacrificed liability coverage limits and learned later that it was a big mistake. Your strategy should be to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford.

Additional resources for North Carolina consumers

Much more information about auto insurance in North Carolina can be found on the North Carolina Department of Insurance website located here. Consumers can read consumer alerts, read state legal mandates and laws, and find out industry alerts.