Vehicle owners not familiar with comparison shopping online may discover purchasing inexpensive Acura ILX insurance in Charlotte is harder than it should be.
It’s safe to assume that insurance companies don’t want you comparing rates. Drivers who shop around for the cheapest rate are highly likely to buy a different policy because of the high probability of finding a more affordable policy premium. A recent survey found that people who made a habit of comparing rates saved $865 annually compared to policyholders who never shopped around.
If finding the lowest rates on Acura ILX insurance is the reason you’re reading this, then learning a little about the best ways to shop for auto insurance can make it easier to shop your coverage around.
It’s smart to shop coverage around before your next renewal because prices change frequently. Just because you had the lowest quotes on Acura ILX insurance in Charlotte a couple years back other companies may now be cheaper. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about insurance because you’re about to learn the tricks you need to know to remove unneeded coverages and save money.
Locating the best insurance company for you in Charlotte is quite easy if you know the best way to do it. Virtually every car owner who shops around for auto insurance will most likely get a lower-priced policy. But North Carolina vehicle owners do need to know the methods companies use to market insurance on the web and use it to your advantage.
Find Acura ILX Insurance at a Discount
A large part of saving on auto insurance is knowing the factors that help determine your policy premiums. When consumers understand what controls the rates you pay, this enables you to make decisions that could help you find lower premium levels. Lots of things are part of the calculation when you get a price on insurance. A few of the factors are predictable such as your driving record, but other factors are less obvious such as your marital status or how safe your car is.
The itemized list below are a few of the “ingredients” used by companies to determine your premiums.
Cautious drivers pay less – Even one speeding ticket or other violation can increase the cost of insurance by as much as twenty percent. Careful drivers pay lower auto insurance prices as compared to those with violations. Drivers who have received severe violations like DUI or reckless driving might be required by their state to file a SR-22 with the DMV in their state in order to legally drive a vehicle.
Gaps in coverage mean higher prices – Driving without insurance is not a good idea and as a result your rates will increase for letting your insurance lapse for non-payment. And not only will insurance be more expensive, being ticketed for driving with no insurance may earn you a steep fine or even jail time. You may have to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with the North Carolina motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
Pay more for higher performance vehicles – The make and model of the car, truck or SUV you need insurance for makes a significant difference in your car insurance bill. Low performance passenger cars generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
Low stress occupation equals lower premiums – Jobs like real estate brokers, air traffic controllers, and emergency personnel have the highest average rates attributed to intense work requirements and long work hours. Other professions such as actors, historians and the unemployed pay lower than average rates.
Credit rating impacts premium premiums – Having a bad credit history factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. Therefore, if your credit rating can use some improvement, you could save money insuring your Acura ILX by taking the time to improve your credit score. Drivers with high credit ratings tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims than drivers with lower credit scores.
Prevent theft and save – Buying a car with an alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft features like OnStar, LoJack tracking, and tamper alarms can thwart car theft and help bring rates down.
Acura ILX claim data – Insurers take into consideration historical loss data for every vehicle to help calculate premium rates. Vehicles that have higher frequency or amount of claims will have higher rates. The table below illustrates the collected loss data for Acura ILX vehicles.
For each coverage type, the claim probability for all vehicles, without regard to make or model, is set at 100. Numbers under 100 suggest a positive loss record, while values that are above 100 indicate more frequent losses or statistically larger claims.
| Vehicle Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acura ILX | 96 | 94 | 83 | 112 | 111 | 97 |
Data Source: iihs.org (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) for 2013-2015 Model Years
Save a ton by receiving discounts
Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but you may be missing some discounts to reduce the price significantly. Many of these discounts will be applied automatically at the time you complete a quote, but a few must be requested specifically before you will receive the discount.
- Federal Employees – Simply working for the federal government could cut as much as 10% off depending on your car insurance provider.
- Theft Deterrent System – Cars optioned with advanced anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently so companies will give you a small discount.
- Multiple Cars – Buying insurance for several vehicles with one company can get a discount on all vehicles.
- Military Deployment Discount – Having a deployed family member could trigger a small discount.
- Braking Control Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can stop better under adverse conditions so companies give up to a 10% discount.
- Discount for Good Grades – Excelling in school can earn a discount of 20% or more. Earning this discount can benefit you until age 25.
Just know that some credits don’t apply to the whole policy. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. Just because you may think adding up those discounts means a free policy, you aren’t that lucky.
To see insurers that offer the discounts shown above in North Carolina, click here to view.
Cheaper insurance is a realistic goal
We just presented many tips how you can find lower-cost Acura ILX insurance in Charlotte. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. Drivers may even discover the biggest savings come from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. Regional companies may only write in your state and offer lower car insurance rates than their larger competitors like Allstate or State Farm.
More affordable insurance in Charlotte is attainable from both online companies in addition to many Charlotte insurance agents, so you need to shop Charlotte auto insurance with both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance providers do not offer rate quotes online and these small insurance companies work with independent agencies.
Steps to buying cheaper Acura ILX insurance in Charlotte
If you want to find the absolute lowest rates, then the best way to get more affordable Acura ILX insurance is to annually compare prices from providers in Charlotte. Price quotes can be compared by following these steps.
- First, get a basic knowledge of the different coverages in a policy and the things you can change to keep rates low. Many factors that cause high rates such as careless driving and a poor credit rating can be controlled by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.
- Second, request rate estimates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can provide rates from a single company like Progressive or Allstate, while agents who are independent can provide rate quotes from multiple insurance companies.
- Third, compare the price quotes to your existing policy and see if you can save money. If you find a lower rate quote, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
- Fourth, notify your agent or company to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit payment and a signed application to your new insurance company. Don’t forget to keep the new certificate verifying proof of insurance above your visor, in the console, or in the glove compartment.
A valuable tip to remember is that you’ll want to make sure you compare similar coverage information on each quote and to quote with as many different insurance providers as possible. Doing this helps ensure a level playing field and a thorough price selection.
For more information, feel free to visit the following helpful articles:
- No-Fault Auto Insurance Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap Charlotte Car Insurance for Unemployed Drivers? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Quotes for Used Cars in Charlotte? (FAQ)
- How Much are Charlotte Auto Insurance Rates for Uber Drivers? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Rates for Good Drivers in Charlotte? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Charlotte Car Insurance for Drivers Over Age 60? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for Drivers with Bad Credit in Charlotte? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Teachers in Charlotte? (FAQ)
- New Honda safety features benefit drivers of all ages (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Booster Seat Ratings (iihs.org)