Easy Tips to Save Money on Orangeburg, SC Auto Insurance

Confused by the wide range of auto insurance companies in Orangeburg? Many other consumers are too. Consumers have so many choices that it can turn into a lot of work to find the perfect company for you.

Learn How to Lower your Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that help determine your auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates enables informed choices that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

Do you have a high stress job? – Occupations such as real estate brokers, social workers and dentists tend to have the highest average rates because of high stress and lots of time spent at work. Other occupations such as pilots, historians and the unemployed receive lower rates.
Don’t let your coverage lapse – Allowing your auto insurance policy to lapse will be a sure-fire way to pay more for auto insurance. Not only will rates go up, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance will get you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.You may have to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the South Carolina DMV.
Safer occupants lowers premiums – Cars with high safety ratings get lower rates. These vehicles reduce injuries and fewer injuries means lower claim amounts and lower rates for you.
Marriage brings a discount – Having a spouse helps lower the price on auto insurance. It usually means you are more mature than a single person and statistics show married couples file fewer claims.
Males pay more for insurance – Statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. However, this does not mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Men and women are in accidents at about the same rate, but the males have costlier accidents. They also have more aggressive citations such as reckless driving. Teenage male drivers are most likely to cause an accident and therefore have the most expensive auto insurance rates.
Do you know you’re credit rating? – Having a bad credit score is a big factor in calculating your auto insurance rates. Drivers with good credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than those with lower credit ratings. If your credit rating is low, you could save money insuring your by improving your rating.

Lower rates by qualifying for discounts

Companies do not list every discount very clearly, so we took the time to find some of the more common and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you’re just leaving money on the table.

Early Switch Discount – Some insurance companies reward drivers for signing up prior to your current policy expiration. It’s a savings of about 10%.
More Vehicles More Savings – Having multiple cars or trucks with the same company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
Anti-theft System – Anti-theft and alarm systems can help prevent theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
Drivers Ed for Students – Require your teen driver to enroll in driver’s education in school.
New Vehicle Savings – Adding a new car to your policy is cheaper since new cars are generally safer.

It’s important to note that many deductions do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies don’t profit that way.

To choose insurers who offer auto insurance discounts in South Carolina, click this link.

What happened to insurance agents?

Certain consumers would prefer to buy from a licensed agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help submit paperwork. The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is you can get the best rates but still work with a licensed agent.

After completing this quick form, the coverage information gets sent to insurance agents in Orangeburg who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. You never need to drive around due to the fact that quote results will go straight to your inbox. It doesn’t get any easier!

Picking an insurer should depend on more than just the premium amount. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
Is working in the agency their full-time job?
Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
Can they give you a list of client referrals?
What insurance companies do they work with?
Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?

Compare rates from both independent and captive car insurance agents

When looking for a good insurance agency, there are two types of insurance agents to choose from. Insurance agencies in Orangeburg can either be captive or independent. Either one can insure your vehicles, but it’s worth mentioning the difference between them since it may influence the selection process.

Captive Agents

These agents can only write with one company like Allstate, AAA, Liberty Mutual and State Farm. These agents are unable to place coverage with different providers so it’s a take it or leave it situation. They are very knowledgeable on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents. Consumers often choose to use a captive agent mainly due to the prominence of the brand and strong financial ratings.

Shown below is a short list of captive agencies in Orangeburg that are able to give rate quotes. insurance quote Orangeburg SC

Allstate Insurance – 1388 Broughton St – Orangeburg, SC 29115 – (803) 536-3190
State Farm Insurance – 2720 North Rd – Orangeburg, SC 29118 – (803) 535-0911

Independent Agencies or Brokers

These agents do not work for one specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with many different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If you are not satisfied with one company, the business is moved internally and that require little work on your part. When shopping rates, you should always include several independent insurance agents for the best price selection. They also have the ability to place coverage with smaller regional carriers which may provide better rates.

Shown below is a list of independent insurance agents in Orangeburg who can help you get price quote information.

Thomas M Richardson Agency Inc – 1628 Saint Matthews Rd – Orangeburg, SC 29118 – (803) 531-2004
Professional Insurance – 155 Wall St NE – Orangeburg, SC 29115 – (803) 531-1768
Hibbits Insurance Inc – 141 Centre St NE – Orangeburg, SC 29115 – (803) 534-1184
Lawson Agency – 900 Chestnut St NE – Orangeburg, SC 29115 – (803) 536-5451
Direct General Ins Agency – 911 Chestnut St – Orangeburg, SC 29115 – (803) 268-1271

To view a complete directory of insurance agents in Orangeburg, click here to link.

After receiving positive feedback in addition to an acceptable price estimate, most likely you have located an auto insurance agent that can properly service your auto insurance policy.

Save $416 a year. For real?

South Carolina consumers can’t ignore all the ads that promise big savings by companies like State Farm, GEICO and Progressive. They all have a common claim that you can save if you move to them.

How does each company make almost identical claims?

Different companies have a certain “appetite” for the driver that earns them a profit. An example of a preferred risk could be over the age of 40, has no tickets, and chooses high deductibles. A customer getting a price quote who matches those parameters will get very good rates and as a result will probably save when switching.

Drivers who don’t meet the requirements must pay higher premiums which leads to business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” not “people who quote” save that much. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings. This illustrates why it’s extremely important to compare many company’s rates. It’s not possible to predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

Situations that might require an agent

When choosing the best auto insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no one size fits all plan. Each situation is unique.

For example, these questions can aid in determining if your situation may require specific advice.

Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
Is South Carolina a no-fault state?
Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
Why is insurance for a teen driver so high in Orangeburg?
Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
Am I getting all the discounts available?
Does my vehicle qualify for pleasure use?
Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?

If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form. It’s fast, free and you can get the answers you need.

For more South Carolina auto insurance information

More detailed South Carolina auto insurance information is located at the South Carolina Department of Insurance website. South Carolina consumers can learn about insurance regulations, file complaints about a company, find out industry alerts, and read state legal mandates and laws.

Also read more on this site for rates in South Carolina and CarInsuranceDIY.com.

In Summary

Affordable auto insurance can be purchased on the web and with local Orangeburg insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some auto insurance companies do not offer online price quotes and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

We just presented many ways to reduce auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the best prices are with an unexpected company.

While you’re price shopping online, it’s a bad idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. In many cases, someone sacrificed liability coverage limits only to find out that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The ultimate goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.