It’s an obvious conclusion that auto insurance companies want to keep you from shopping around. Consumers who shop around annually will probably move their business because there is a good probability of finding a cheaper policy. A study showed that consumers who compared rates regularly saved approximately $3,500 over four years compared to drivers who never shopped around.
If finding the best rates on auto insurance in Nashville is your objective, then having some knowledge of how to quote prices and compare car insurance can help you succeed in finding affordable rates.
The recommended way to find affordable car insurance rates in Nashville is to compare prices annually from insurers in Tennessee. Rates can be compared by following these steps.
First, take a few minutes and learn about what coverages are included in your policy and the things you can control to keep rates down. Many rating criteria that drive up the price such as distracted driving and poor credit history can be remedied by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes. Keep reading for more ideas to help reduce prices and get bigger discounts that may have been overlooked.
Second, compare prices from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only give prices from a single company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can quote prices for a wide range of companies.
Third, compare the quotes to your current policy to determine if you can save on 2 insurance. If you find a better price and change companies, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
Fourth, provide adequate notice to your current company of your intention to cancel your current auto insurance policy. Submit payment and a completed application to your new agent or company. When you receive it, put the new proof of insurance paperwork along with the vehicle’s registration papers.
One thing to remember is that you’ll want to make sure you compare similar deductibles and liability limits on each quote request and and to look at every company you can. This guarantees a fair rate comparison and a good representation of prices.
If you have a current car insurance policy, you will be able to find the best rates using the tips covered below. These tips will help educate you on the best way to buy inexpensive car insurance and how you can save the most money. Although Tennessee vehicle owners do need to know the methods companies use to determine prices and take advantage of how the system works.
Decisions You Make Can Impact Your Insurance Rates
One of the most helpful ways to save on auto insurance is to to have a grasp of the different types of things that go into determining the rates you pay for auto insurance. If you have some idea of what impacts premium levels, this enables informed choices that can help you get lower premium levels. Multiple criteria are considered when pricing auto insurance. Some are obvious such as your driving history, although others are not as apparent such as your marital status or your vehicle rating.
The list below includes a partial list of the pieces used by companies to determine your prices.
- Tickets hurt – Your driving record can have a huge impact on auto insurance premiums. Even a single chargeable violation can increase the cost of insurance to the point where it’s not affordable. Drivers who don’t get tickets pay less for auto insurance as compared to those with violations. Drivers who have gotten serious violations like reckless driving or DUI might be required by their state to complete a SR-22 with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to legally drive a vehicle.
- Consolidate and save – Most larger insurance companies will give discounts to customers who consolidate policies with them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to 10 percent or more. Even if you’re getting this discount consumers should still compare other company rates to guarantee you are still saving the most.
- The higher your credit history the lower your costs – Your credit score can be a huge factor in calculating your auto insurance rates. Insureds with high credit ratings tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims than drivers with worse credit. If your credit rating could use some work, you could pay less to insure your Mazda 2 by taking the time to improve your credit score.
- Discounts for alarms and GPS tracking – Owning a car with advanced anti-theft systems can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Systems that thwart thieves such as vehicle immobilizer systems, OnStar, and tracking devices like LoJack all aid in stopping auto theft.
- Do you need those extra coverages? – There are quite a few additional extra coverages that can waste your money if you don’t pay attention. Coverage for things like roadside assistance, accidental death, and membership fees may be costing you every month. They may seem good initially, but your needs may have changed so remove them from your policy.
- Keep auto insurance claims to a minimum – Auto insurance companies in Tennessee award most affordable rates to insureds who are not frequent claim filers. If you file claims often, you can look forward to much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Auto insurance is intended for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Discounts for lower-cost auto insurance quotes
Car insurance companies do not advertise all their discounts very clearly, so below is a list both the well known and the harder-to-find credits that may apply to you.
- Discounts for Responsible Drivers – Insureds without accidents can save up to 40% or more on their Nashville car insurance quote than drivers with accidents.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can reduce accidents so you can save 10 percent or more.
- Sign Early and Save – A few auto insurance companies offer discounts for renewing your policy early. You could save around 10% when you buy Nashville car insurance online.
- Payment Method – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of making monthly payments you could save 5% or more.
- Air Bag Discount – Factory options such as air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can get savings of 20% or more.
- Drivers Ed for Students – Cut your cost by having your teen driver successfully complete driver’s ed class in high school.
- Claim Free – Insureds with no claims or accidents pay much less as opposed to frequent claim filers.
Discounts save money, but please remember that some of the credits will not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. Even though it appears adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies don’t profit that way.
Some of the insurance companies that may offer quotes with these money-saving discounts possibly include:
- GEICO
- Mercury Insurance
- Farmers Insurance
- Auto-Owners Insurance
- Liberty Mutual
- SAFECO
- Progressive
- USAA
Before buying, ask each company the best way to save money. A few discounts might not be offered everywhere. To choose providers that offer many of these discounts in Tennessee, click here to view.
The most affordable rates come from being thorough
Cheaper car insurance in Nashville is attainable both online and with local Nashville insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some companies may not provide internet price quotes and usually these smaller companies prefer to sell through independent agents.
Throughout this article, we presented some good ideas how you can compare Mazda 2 insurance auto insurance rates in Nashville. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the better your comparison will be. You may even be surprised to find that the best price on car insurance is with some of the smallest insurance companies. Smaller companies may have significantly lower premium rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like GEICO and State Farm.
Additional resources
- Older Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Much are Nashville Car Insurance Rates for Drivers Requiring a SR22? (FAQ)
- How Much is Nashville Auto Insurance for 18 Year Olds? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Immigrants in Nashville? (FAQ)
- Rearview cameras reduce backing crashes (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- How Does Hitting a Deer Impact Insurance Rates? (Allstate)