Astonishing but true according to a recent study, most car insurance policyholders in North Carolina have bought car insurance from the same company for more than four years, and just short of a majority have never quoted rates to find cheap coverage. The average driver in the United States can save hundreds of dollars each year by just shopping around, but most just don’t grasp the big savings they would realize if they switched.
The most effective way to find affordable auto insurance rates in Charlotte is to start comparing prices yearly from insurers who provide car insurance in North Carolina.
First, spend some time learning about car insurance and the things you can control to lower rates. Many factors that result in higher prices like at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, and a not-so-good credit history can be amended by making minor changes in your lifestyle. Keep reading for additional ideas to help prevent high rates and find overlooked discounts.
Second, obtain price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only provide price estimates from one company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agents can provide rate quotes for a wide range of insurance providers. Find a Charlotte insurance agent
Third, compare the new quotes to your existing policy to determine if switching companies saves money. If you find a better price and switch companies, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
Fourth, give notification to your agent or company to cancel your current policy and submit a completed policy application and payment to your new company or agent. Once received, keep your new certificate verifying proof of insurance in your vehicle.
An important bit of advice to remember is to make sure you enter the same coverage limits and deductibles on each quote request and and to get rates from as many companies as possible. This provides a fair price comparison and the best price selection.
Charlotte insurance discounts for a Toyota C-HR
Some providers don’t always list the complete list of policy discounts very clearly, so the list below gives a summary of a few of the more well known and also the lesser-known discounts that you may qualify for.
- Good Student Discount – This discount can save 20 to 25%. The good student discount can last until age 25.
- Home Ownership Discount – Being a homeowner can get you a discount since home ownership shows financial diligence.
- Full Payment Discount – If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying monthly you can actually save on your bill.
- Drivers Education – Have your child take driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.
- Professional Memberships – Being a member of a professional or civic organization is a simple method to lower premiums on your bill.
- Military Rewards – Being on active deployment in the military could qualify you for better insurance rates.
- Multi-line Discount – Some insurance companies give lower premium rates if you buy life insurance from them.
- New Car Discount – Putting insurance coverage on a new C-HR is cheaper since new vehicles are generally safer.
- ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Cars, trucks, and SUVs that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can avoid accidents so you can save 10 percent or more.
- Save over 55 – Older drivers could receive a discount up to 10%.
One last thing about discounts, many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. Even though the math looks like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you’re out of luck.
Companies and their offered discounts can be read below.
- American Family offers premium reductions for accident-free, early bird, bundled insurance, Steer into Savings, and defensive driver.
- Farm Bureau may offer discounts for 55 and retired, renewal discount, multi-policy, driver training, youthful driver, multi-vehicle, and good student.
- State Farm includes discounts for driver’s education, multiple autos, accident-free, multiple policy, good student, anti-theft, and good driver.
- Travelers discounts include driver training, hybrid/electric vehicle, IntelliDrive, payment discounts, new car, and save driver.
- The Hartford offers discounts including bundle, air bag, good student, anti-theft, vehicle fuel type, defensive driver, and driver training.
- GEICO offers discounts for good student, membership and employees, air bags, daytime running lights, defensive driver, federal employee, and multi-vehicle.
- Progressive has discounts for continuous coverage, online signing, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, homeowner, and good student.
Before you buy a policy, ask every company which discounts you qualify for. Some credits might not apply everywhere. If you would like to see a list of insurance companies offering insurance discounts in North Carolina, follow this link.
The easiest way to compare insurance rates in your area takes advantage of the fact most larger insurance companies provide online access to provide you with a free rate quote. All you need to do is give the companies some data like whether or not you need a SR-22, the type of vehicles you drive, if you are currently licensed, and if you went to college. Your rating data is sent automatically to multiple top-rated companies and you receive quotes immediately.
To find the cheapest car insurance rates, click here and complete the form.
The companies shown below offer quotes in North Carolina. If multiple companies are listed, we recommend you get prices from several of them to get the most competitive price.
Smart Buyers Know How to Get Insurance at a Discount
Multiple criteria are considered when you quote your car insurance policy. Some are pretty understandable such as your driving history, but some are more transparent like your continuous coverage or your vehicle rating. Part of the insurance buying process is learning the different types of things that help determine your premiums. When you know what positively or negatively positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this allows you to make educated decisions that may result in much lower annual insurance costs.
- Having a spouse brings a discount – Having a wife or husband can get you a discount when buying insurance. Having a spouse translates into being less irresponsible and statistics show married drivers tend to file fewer claims.
- Safer cars save money – Vehicles with high crash test scores get lower rates. Vehicles built for safety help reduce the chance of injuries in an accident and lower injury rates means less money paid by your insurance company and lower rates for you.
- Prevent theft and save money – Selecting a car model that has a built-in theft deterrent system can help lower your rates. Anti-theft devices like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar help track and prevent car theft and help bring rates down.
- Bad credit hurts insurance costs – Credit score can be a huge factor in calculating your premium rate. Therefore, if your credit score is not that good, you could save money insuring your Toyota C-HR by improving your rating. People that have excellent credit tend to be more responsible than those with lower credit scores.
How much car insurance do I need?
When buying your policy for your vehicles, there really is not a one-size-fits-all type of policy. You are unique so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions may help you determine whether you may require specific advice.
- Do I need rental car coverage?
- Does insurance cover tools stolen from my truck?
- Where can I find high-risk insurance?
- At what point should I drop full coverage?
- Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
- How much liability do I need to cover my assets?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
Should I have guidance from an insurance agent?
Some consumers still like to go talk to an agent and that is a smart decision An additional benefit of getting online price quotes is you may find better rates but also keep your business local.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this short form, your information is sent to participating agents in Charlotte who want to provide quotes for your coverage. There is no reason to contact an agency as quotes are delivered instantly to you. You can find better rates without a big time investment. If you need to compare rates for a specific company, don’t hesitate to jump over to their website and complete a quote there.
Deciding on an company requires more thought than just the quoted price. These are some questions your agent should answer.
- Do they specialize in personal lines auto insurance in Charlotte?
- How much training do they have in personal risk management?
- Does the agency support the community they serve?
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
- What company holds the largest book of business for them?
- Is there a Errors and Omissions policy in force?
Below are agents in Charlotte that may be able to provide price quote information for Toyota C-HR insurance in Charlotte.
- Craig and Preston Insurance Agency
2210 Coronation Blvd Suite A – Charlotte, NC 28227 – (704) 321-2900 – View Map - George Pettice – State Farm Insurance Agent
820 Tyvola Rd #103 – Charlotte, NC 28217 – (704) 523-1717 – View Map - All Points Insurance Agencies
5618 Albemarle Rd # 200 – Charlotte, NC 28212 – (980) 221-9468 – View Map - Juan Rubio – State Farm Insurance Agent
9401 Statesville Rd Ste E – Charlotte, NC 28269 – (704) 509-5854 – View Map
Three reasons insurance is important
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Toyota in Charlotte, maintaining insurance is not optional due to several reasons.
- The majority of states have mandatory insurance requirements which means you are required to buy specific limits of liability protection in order to drive the car legally. In North Carolina these limits are 30/60/25 which means you must have $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
- If you have a lien on your Toyota C-HR, it’s most likely the lender will require you to have full coverage to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the bank may insure your Toyota at a significantly higher premium and require you to pay for it.
- Insurance protects both your assets and your Toyota. It will also provide coverage for medical expenses for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. As part of your policy, liability insurance also covers legal expenses if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of insuring your car greatly outweigh the cost, particularly when you have a large claim. Despite what companies tell you, the average driver is overpaying over $810 a year so compare rates every year to help ensure money is not being wasted.
One last note
We just showed you some good ideas how you can lower your Toyota C-HR insurance premium rates in Charlotte. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your prices. You may even find the most savings is with the smaller companies. They often have lower prices on specific markets than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm and Allstate.
More affordable car insurance in Charlotte is possible online as well as from insurance agents, so you need to quote Charlotte auto insurance with both to have the best rate selection. Some car insurance companies do not provide online quoting and most of the time these small insurance companies provide coverage only through independent insurance agencies.
Other information
- What Determines the Price of My Auto Insurance Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Quotes for Lyft Drivers in Charlotte? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates for a Jeep Wrangler in Charlotte? (FAQ)
- Anti-Lock Brake FAQ (iihs.org)
- State Car Insurance Guides (GEICO)