A recent survey discovered that most consumers have bought car insurance from the same company for at least the last four years, and approximately 40% of consumers have never quoted rates to find affordable coverage. Many drivers in North Carolina could save an average of up to 10% each year by just comparing rate quotes, but most tend to underestimate the benefits if they bought a different policy.
The most effective way to get more affordable GMC Terrain insurance is to start comparing prices regularly from insurers that sell auto insurance in Charlotte. Rate comparisons can be done by completing these steps.
- Spend some time learning about how insurance works and the factors you can control to keep rates in check. Many risk factors that result in higher prices like careless driving and bad credit can be improved by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility. Read the full article for the details to help keep rates affordable and find discounts that you may qualify for.
- Request price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only provide price estimates from a single company like GEICO and State Farm, while independent agencies can quote prices for a wide range of insurance providers.
- Compare the quotes to your existing coverage and determine if cheaper Terrain coverage is available in Charlotte. If you can save some money and change companies, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Provide written notification to your current company to cancel your existing policy and submit payment and a completed application to the new company. Once the application is submitted, store the certificate verifying proof of insurance with your registration paperwork.
An important bit of advice to remember is to use the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on each quote request and and to get prices from as many companies as feasibly possible. Doing this guarantees a level playing field and the best rate selection.
Auto insurance providers offering low-cost rates in North Carolina
The companies shown below are ready to provide free rate quotes in Charlotte, NC. If multiple companies are listed, we recommend you compare several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
GMC Terrain detailed coverage information
The premium table displayed next covers estimates of insurance prices for GMC Terrain models. Learning how insurance prices are figured is important to be able to make smart choices when buying a policy.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terrain SLE 2WD | $184 | $380 | $240 | $14 | $72 | $890 | $74 |
| Terrain SLE AWD | $184 | $380 | $240 | $14 | $72 | $890 | $74 |
| Terrain SLT 2WD | $208 | $446 | $240 | $14 | $72 | $980 | $82 |
| Terrain SLT AWD | $208 | $446 | $240 | $14 | $72 | $980 | $82 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data assumes single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-vehicle, claim-free, safe-driver, and multi-policy. Price information does not factor in specific zip code location which can influence rates substantially.
Physical damage deductibles
One frequently asked question is which deductible level should you buy. The rates shown below outline the difference in cost between low and high comp and collision deductibles. The first rate estimation uses a $100 deductible for physical damage and the second price chart uses a $1,000 deductible.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terrain SLE 2WD | $214 | $386 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $913 | $76 |
| Terrain SLE AWD | $214 | $386 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $913 | $76 |
| Terrain SLT 2WD | $242 | $456 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $1,011 | $84 |
| Terrain SLT AWD | $242 | $456 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $1,011 | $84 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terrain SLE 2WD | $118 | $204 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $610 | $51 |
| Terrain SLE AWD | $118 | $204 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $610 | $51 |
| Terrain SLT 2WD | $134 | $240 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $662 | $55 |
| Terrain SLT AWD | $134 | $240 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $662 | $55 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Table data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, claim-free, and multi-policy. Rates do not factor in specific zip code location which can revise rates significantly.
Based on the above data, using a $100 deductible will cost you approximately $27 more each month or $324 for a full year averaged for all Terrain models than opting for the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would be required to pay $900 more to file a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you usually have at least 33 months between claim filings, you would probably save some money if you decide on a higher deductible.
How to determine if higher deductibles are a good idea
| Average monthly premium for $100 deductibles: | $80 |
| Average monthly premium for $1,000 deductibles (subtract): | – $53 |
| Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $27 |
| Difference between deductibles ($1,000 – $100): | $900 |
| Divide difference by monthly savings: | $900 / $27 |
| Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 33 months |
Insurance rates are higher with tickets and accidents
The information below highlights how speeding tickets and accidents drive up GMC Terrain insurance rates for different age groups of insureds. The costs are based on a single female driver, full coverage, $250 deductibles, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Components of Your GMC Terrain Insurance Premiums
Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that are used to determine auto insurance rates. If you have some idea of what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that could help you find cheaper rates. Lots of things are part of the calculation when pricing auto insurance. Some of the criteria are obvious like an MVR report, but other criteria are not quite as obvious such as whether you are married and annual miles driven.
Pay more for higher performance vehicles – The performance of the car or truck you need to insure makes a big difference in how high your rates are. Lower performance four cylinder passenger cars usually have the lowest rates, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
The next chart is based on a married male driver age 30, full coverage with $100 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. It compares GMC Terrain policy rates compared to other vehicles that have a range of performances.
Gals tend to cost less – Statistics demonstrate that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. This data doesn’t prove that males are worse at driving than females. Both sexes have fender benders in similar numbers, but the men cause more damage. Men also statistically receive more major tickets such as DWI and reckless driving. Males from age 16 to 21 are the most expensive to insure and therefore pay the highest rates.
The diagram below illustrates the comparison of GMC Terrain insurance premiums for male and female drivers. The prices are based on no claims or driving violations, full coverage, $1,000 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are factored in.
Alarms and GPS tracking lower rates – Owning a car with an alarm system can save you a little every year. Advanced theft deterrents such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all help stop auto theft.
Your stress level may be raising your rates – Jobs like fire fighters, executives, and medical professionals tend to have the highest rates in part from stressful work requirements and lengthy work days. Other careers like farmers, athletes and the unemployed generally pay rates lower than average.
Never let your auto insurance policy lapse – Not having insurance is a big no-no and auto insurance companies will penalize you for letting your insurance lapse. And not only will your rates increase, getting caught without coverage can result in fines or a revoked license. You will then be forced to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with the North Carolina motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
Better auto insurance rates on safer cars – Vehicles with good safety scores tend to have lower insurance rates. Vehicles engineered for safety result in less severe injuries and better occupant protection means lower claim amounts and thus lower rates.
GMC Terrain insurance loss probability – Insurance companies study historical loss data when they calculate premium rates for each model. Models that statistically have higher claim amounts or frequency will have higher premium rates. The table below outlines the compiled insurance loss statistics for GMC Terrain vehicles.
For each insurance policy coverage type, the claim probability for all vehicles, as a total average, equals 100. Numbers shown that are under 100 represent a good loss history, while numbers that are greater than 100 indicate frequent claims or statistically larger claims.
| Vehicle Make and Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMC Terrain 4dr 2WD | 89 | 83 | 81 | 96 | 92 | 86 |
| GMC Terrain 4dr 4WD | 89 | 86 | 85 | 83 | 82 | 74 |
Statistics Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Companies offer many types of discounts on GMC Terrain insurance in Charlotte
Buying insurance is not cheap, but there could be significant discounts to reduce the price significantly. Most are applied when you get a quote, but some discounts are required to be requested specifically in order for you to get them.
- Include Life Insurance and Save – Larger insurance companies have better insurance rates if you take out some life insurance in addition to your auto policy.
- Multi-car Discount – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles with one company can get a discount for every vehicle.
- Multiple Policy Discount – When you combine your homeowners and auto insurance and place coverage with the same company you could get a discount of up to 20% and get you low cost GMC Terrain insurance.
- Theft Deterrent – Vehicles that have factory anti-theft systems help deter theft and can earn a small discount on your policy.
- No Claim Discounts – Charlotte drivers who stay claim-free pay much less in comparison to accident-prone drivers.
- Memberships – Being in certain professional organizations could trigger savings on insurance.
We need to note that some of the credits will not apply to the whole policy. Most only cut individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. Even though it may seem like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it doesn’t quite work that way. But all discounts will help reduce your insurance premiums.
The chart below illustrates the comparison of GMC Terrain annual premium costs with and without some available policy discounts. The premium estimates are based on a male driver, no violations or claims, North Carolina state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, claim-free, safe-driver, marriage, multi-policy, and multi-car discounts applied.
If you would like to choose from a list of insurers that offer discounts in Charlotte, click here to view.
Buying auto insurance from Charlotte insurance agents
A small number of people would rather get professional advice from a licensed agent and doing that can be a smart decision Insurance agents can point out coverage gaps and will help you if you have claims. The biggest benefit of comparing rate quotes online is you can get cheap rate quotes and still choose a local agent. Supporting local insurance agencies is important particularly in Charlotte.
Upon completion of this form (opens in new window), your information gets sent to local insurance agents in Charlotte who can give free rate quotes for your auto insurance coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to search for any insurance agencies since rate quotes are delivered to you directly. If you have a need to get a comparison quote for a specific company, just navigate to their website and submit a quote form there.
If you need to find a reliable insurance agent, you should know the different agency structures that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Insurance agencies in Charlotte can either be exclusive agents or independent agents. Either one can properly insure your vehicles, but it’s worth learning the difference in the companies they write for since it could factor into buying decisions.
Independent Auto Insurance Agencies or Brokers
Agents that elect to be independent can quote rates with many companies so they have the ability to put coverage through many different auto insurance companies and find the cheapest rate. If they find a lower price, your agent can just switch to a different company and you don’t have to switch agencies. If you are trying to find cheaper rates, we recommend you check rates from several independent insurance agents so that you can do a thorough price comparison. Many independent agencies also insure through less well-known companies that may have much lower rates than larger companies.
The following are Charlotte independent insurance agents that can possibly get you price quote information.
- Nationwide Insurance: Michael Bare Agency
2300 Sardis Rd N a – Charlotte, NC 28227 – (704) 248-8000 – View Map - Honeycutt Insurance Agency
3121 Springbank Ln F – Charlotte, NC 28226 – (704) 752-8233 – View Map - Charlotte Insurance
5113 Piper Station Dr #207 – Charlotte, NC 28277 – (704) 536-0995 – View Map
Exclusive Auto Insurance Agencies
These type of agents can usually just insure with one company and examples are American Family, State Farm, and AAA. Exclusive agents cannot provide other company’s prices so you might not find the best rates. These agents receive a lot of sales training on sales techniques which can be an advantage. Drivers often use the same exclusive agent mostly because of the brand name and strong financial ratings.
Listed below is a short list of exclusive agents in Charlotte willing to provide comparison quotes.
- Jeff Genant – State Farm Insurance Agent
15105 John J Delaney Dr – Charlotte, NC 28277 – (704) 594-3000 – View Map - Roger Craig – State Farm Insurance Agent
1427 Emerywood Dr – Charlotte, NC 28210 – (704) 553-2327 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: John Rose
6853 Fairview Rd c – Charlotte, NC 28210 – (704) 366-7779 – View Map
Finding the right car insurance agent is decision based upon more than just the premium amount. Here are some questions to ask:
- Will they make sure you get an adequate claim settlement?
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
- How long has their agency been open in Charlotte?
- Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
- If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
- Can glass claims be handled at your home?
Once you have acceptable answers to your questions and an affordable coverage quote, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that is a good match to service your policy. Just understand that you can terminate coverage whenever you choose to so never feel you’re contractually obligated to your new company with no way to switch.
Persistent drivers can save
We just presented some good ideas how to compare GMC Terrain insurance rates in Charlotte. The most important thing to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. Drivers may even discover the most savings is with an unexpected company.
Affordable GMC Terrain insurance in Charlotte is available both online as well as from insurance agents, and you should compare rates from both to have the best selection. Some insurance companies do not provide online rate quotes and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through independent insurance agents.
Drivers leave their current company for a variety of reasons including policy cancellation, unfair underwriting practices, policy non-renewal and being labeled a high risk driver. It doesn’t matter what your reason, switching auto insurance companies can be easier than you think.
More detailed auto insurance information is located in the articles below:
- State Laws for Cellphones and Texting (iihs.org)
- Who Has Cheap Charlotte Auto Insurance Rates for a Ford F-150? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Rates for Real Estate Agents in Charlotte? (FAQ)
- Car Insurance: When not to Skimp (BankRate.com)
- Insurance Losses by Make and Model (iihs.org)
- Help Your Teen Be a Better Driver (State Farm)