Decatur Auto Insurance For Less Than You’re Paying Now

Are you tired of paying out the nose to insure your vehicles every month? You’re in the same situation as many other drivers in Alabama. Numerous auto insurance companies battle for your hard-earned dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates and get the best coverage at the best rate

Consumers should take time to check auto insurance prices every six months because insurance rates change quite often. Just because you found the lowest price a year ago you will most likely find a better rate today. There is a lot of bad advice regarding auto insurance online, so I’m going to show you a bunch of ideas how to reduce your auto insurance bill.

If you have a policy now or are looking for a new policy, you can follow these tips to cut your premiums and possibly find even better coverage. Finding the best rates in Decatur is not rocket science. Alabama vehicle owners only need to know the most effective way to compare company rates on the web.

Comprehensive Auto Insurance Comparison in Decatur, AL

Most major insurance companies such as Allstate and Progressive quote prices online. Getting online quotes is quite easy as you just type in your required coverages into a form. After you complete the form, their rating system orders your driving and credit reports and generates pricing information based on many factors. This helps simplify price comparisons, but the work required to visit different websites and type in the same information is not the best way to spend an afternoon. Unfortunately, it is important to have as many quotes as possible if you want to find the lowest auto insurance rates.

The better way to compare rates

A quicker way to locate the lowest prices makes use of a single form to get prices from a lot of companies. The form is fast, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes comparison shopping much easier. After sending your information, it is quoted and you can choose any one of the quote results. If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you simply finish the application and purchase coverage. This process can be completed in less than 10 minutes and you’ll know if lower rates are available.

In order to compare pricing, simply click here to open in new window and fill out the form. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you duplicate the insurance coverages as close as possible to your current policy. This ensures you will have a fair comparison for similar insurance coverage.

Are auto insurance companies telling the truth?

Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements that promise big savings from the likes of Allstate and Progressive. All the companies say the same thing that you’ll save big after switching your coverage to them.

But how can every company make the same claim? It’s all in the numbers.

All the different companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of driver that makes them money. For example, a profitable customer might be between 25 and 40, has no tickets, and has great credit. A customer who matches those parameters will get very good rates and therefore will cut their rates substantially.

Potential customers who don’t qualify for the “perfect” profile will be quoted a more expensive rate and ends up with business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” not “people who quote” save that much. This is how insurance companies can advertise the savings. This emphasizes why drivers must get as many quotes as possible. It’s impossible to know which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

Cut your auto insurance rates with discounts

Companies offering auto insurance do not advertise every discount in a way that’s easy to find, so here is a list some of the best known and the more hidden auto insurance savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount available, you are throwing money away.

  • More Vehicles More Savings – Insuring multiple cars or trucks on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
  • Anti-lock Brake System – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can avoid accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
  • Accident Forgiveness – Some insurance companies will forgive one accident before your rates go up as long as you don’t have any claims for a certain period of time.
  • Early Switch Discount – Some companies give discounts for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiration. It’s a savings of about 10%.
  • Drive Safe and Save – Safe drivers may receive a discount up to 45% less than their less cautious counterparts.
  • Claim Free – Claim-free drivers can earn big discounts as compared to drivers who are more careless.
  • Multiple Policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with the same company you could get a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.
  • 55 and Retired – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you can possibly qualify for reduced rates.
  • Own a Home – Owning a house in Decatur may earn you a small savings because owning a home requires personal responsibility.

Drivers should understand that most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way.

Don’t I need to talk to an agent?

Some people would rather talk to a local agent and that is a personal choice. Agents can answer important questions and give you someone to call. One of the great benefits of comparing rates online is the fact that you can find better rates but also keep your business local.

After filling out this form (opens in new window), your coverage information is submitted to participating agents in Decatur who will battle to get your business. There is no reason to drive around due to the fact that quote results will go to your email. How’s that for easy!

Deciding on an insurer shouldn’t rely on just the price. Agents should be asked these questions:

  • Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
  • If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
  • Do they make recommendations based only on price?
  • If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
  • Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
  • How are claims handled?

What type of Decatur insurance agency is right for you?

When finding local Decatur agents, there are two types of insurance agents to choose from. Decatur agents are either independent or captive. Both do a good job, but it’s important to know how they are different because it can impact your selection of an agent.

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agents have only one company to place business with and examples are Liberty Mutual, Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. These agents are unable to shop your coverage around so keep that in mind. Captive agents are very knowledgeable in insurance sales which helps them compete with independent agents.

Shown below are Decatur captive insurance agents that can give you comparison quotes.

Allstate Insurance – 2701 Highway 31 S – Decatur, AL 35603 – (256) 351-7100
Farm Bureau Insurance – 1625 Wolverine Dr SE – Decatur, AL 35601 – (256) 584-9713
State Farm Insurance – 2614 Centron Dr SW – Decatur, AL 35603 – (256) 350-1032

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent agencies are not employed by any specific company but rather can write business with any number of different companies depending on which coverage is best. To transfer your coverage to a different company, the business is moved internally and you won’t have to switch agencies. When comparing rates, you should always contact multiple independent agents to get the best comparison.

Shown below are Decatur independent agents that are able to give comparison quotes.

Mardis Insurance Inc – 2215 Danville Rd SW # I – Decatur, AL 35601 – (256) 353-1000
Terry Gil Agency – 3524 Deere Rd SE – Decatur, AL 35603 – (256) 355-8500
Nabors Roel Insurance – 2412 Gordon Terry Pkwy – Decatur, AL 35601 – (256) 341-0619
WEBB Agency – 1904 Flint Rd SE – Decatur, AL 35601 – (256) 355-8234
Doug Hembree Agency – 2130 6th Ave SE # 301 – Decatur, AL 35601 – (256) 355-5678

For a complete listing of licensed insurance agents in Decatur, simply jump to this page.

Once you have received satisfactory answers to any questions you have as well as a affordable price, you’ve probably found an insurance agent that can service your policy.

More detailed Alabama auto insurance information is available at the Alabama Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to discover disciplinary actions, find out which companies have the most complaints, and read consumer alerts.

Cheaper insurance is a realistic goal

We’ve covered quite a bit of information on how to save on auto insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Drivers may discover the most savings is with an unexpected company. They may only write in your state and offer lower rates than their larger competitors like Progressive or GEICO.

When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s not a good idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are many occasions where consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage and learned later that they should have had better coverage. Your focus should be to find the BEST coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.