Proven Techniques for the Cheapest Alabama Car Insurance

Comparison shopping for car insurance is nearly impossible for consumers new to buying insurance online.

In a nutshell, everyone who is required by state law to have car insurance will be able to reduce their rates. Finding affordable protection is easy if you know what you’re doing. Alabama vehicle owners just need to understand the most effective way to compare rates on the web.

Comparison of Car Insurance

All the larger car insurance companies give coverage prices online. Getting quotes is fairly straightforward as you just enter your coverage preferences into the quote form. Once entered, the system pulls your driving record and credit report and generates a price.

This streamlines rate comparisons, but the time required to go to different websites and fill out multiple forms gets old quite quickly. But it is imperative to perform this step in order to get the lowest possible prices on car insurance.

There is a better way!

A more efficient way to locate the lowest prices utilizes a single form that obtains quotes from several different companies. It’s a real time-saver, requires less work, and makes online price comparison a lot less work. Once the form is submitted, your coverage is rated and you can select your choice of the quotes returned.

If the quotes result in lower rates, you simply finish the application and buy the policy. This process takes less than 15 minutes and could lower your rates considerably.

To fill out one form to compare multiple rates now, click here to open in a new tab and enter your information. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you duplicate your coverages as close as possible to your current policy. Doing this assures an apples-to-apples comparison for similar coverage.

Make smart decisions and save

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that help determine your car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that could result in lower car insurance prices.

• With age comes lower rates – Mature drivers are more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and are safer drivers. Young drivers are known to be careless and easily distracted in a vehicle and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher.
• Discounts for married couples – Having a spouse can get you a discount when buying car insurance. Having a spouse usually means you are more mature than a single person and it’s statistically proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
• Drive a safer car and pay less – Cars with high safety ratings are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles have better occupant injury protection and fewer injuries translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders.
• Discounts for multiple policies – Many companies will award you with lower prices to policyholders who have multiple policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. This can amount to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even though this discount sounds good, you may still want to compare other company rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still find better rates by buying insurance from more than one company.

More discounts equal less premium

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you can get discounts to reduce the price significantly. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you purchase, but some must be asked for before being credited. If you aren’t receiving every discount available, you are throwing money away.

• 55 and Retired – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
• Anti-theft Discount – Anti-theft and alarm systems help deter theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles on one policy could earn a price break for each car.
• Safe Drivers – Safe drivers can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accidents.
• Military Discounts – Having a deployed family member may qualify for rate reductions.
• Discount for Life Insurance – Select insurance companies reward you with better rates if you take out a life insurance policy as well.
• Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Fewer annual miles can earn lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
• Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
• Good Students Pay Less – Performing well in school can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears you can get free auto insurance, you’re out of luck. But all discounts will reduce the amount you have to pay.

Comparing rates from local agents

Certain consumers just want to buy from a licensed agent. Licensed agents are trained to spot insufficiencies and help file insurance claims. The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is the fact that you can find better rates but still work with a licensed agent. And providing support for small agencies is important particularly in smaller rural communities.

After filling out this simple form, the quote information is transmitted to local insurance agents who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no need to leave your house due to the fact that quote results will go directly to your email.

It’s not one size fits all

When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage, there really is not a “perfect” insurance plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.

For instance, these questions may help you determine whether or not your insurance needs might need professional guidance.

• I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
• Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
• Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
• Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
• What are the financial responsibility laws in Alabama?
• Am I getting all the discounts available?
• Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking with a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.

Much more information about car insurance in Alabama can be found on the Alabama Department of Insurance website through this link. Consumers can view agent and company licensing information, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, report car insurance fraud, and read consumer alerts. Also read more on BankRate.com’s Car Insurance: When not to Skimp and insurance agents in Alabama.

In the end, you save

Cheap car insurance can be bought from both online companies in addition to most Alabama insurance agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best prices to choose from. Local independent agents can write coverage with regional insurance providers who do not offer you the ability to get quotes online.

We just covered many ways to get a better price on . The most important thing to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the best price on car insurance is with a small mutual company.

Consumers change insurance companies for many reasons like delays in responding to claim requests, extreme rates for teen drivers, poor customer service and even an unsatisfactory settlement offer. Regardless of your reason, switching car insurance companies is not as hard as you think.