Savannah Car Insurance
Savannah has the distinction of managing to hold the space of a few identities simultaneously. It is historical and eerie while at the same time exciting. The same can be said for your car insurance.
When your twice-yearly vehicle insurance renewal arrives in the mail or in your email, you may let out a gasp.
It is not for the sheer beauty of the scene, but more so at the horror of it.
They may proudly announce that you get a discount for being with their company for five whole years without incurring them any fees for claims or repairs. Yet, your now 15-year-old vehicle is somehow costing nearly as much to insure now as it cost two years ago.
Wait, now, there is an actual increase, you confirm when you compare it to old bills.
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Is blood thicker than water?
It sounds like it might be time to shop around for a new insurance agent.
Now, of course, in Savannah, like many gentile Southern proper places, you might turn to your neighbor or the generations-long family friend to supply your ongoing vehicle insurance. That relationship is probably worth more to you than saving a few bucks on insurance.
Myth: Long-time Customers Rewarded with Lowest Rates
If you have read it 100 times this myth still is not true.
Many people will claim that there is some indirect correlation that states the longer you have been with the same insurance agency the lower your insurance rates are sure to fall. Wrong.
Instead, the insurance agency needs bodies.
Where do they find more subscribers? They offer the general public through teaser rates found on free quotes to offer something to lure in new customers. Who gets the savings or sale on rates? By now, you probably have guessed it -- the new customer.
What happens to the long-standing, committed customer? They are given slowly increasing rates.
The reason? If they are a loyal customer, the hope is that they will renew their coverage without shopping around for car insurance. That means that they will remain in the dark about what the going rate is for their level of insurance.
Shop Around for Car Insurance
While it is smart to always shop around for car insurance when it comes up for renewal, make sure you are not downgrading to a sub-par insurer that has no integrity.
Find companies who make reasonable recommendations about the types of services you need, not neglectful ones.
Neglectful recommendations are automatically suggesting you drop collision and comprehensive. That's a personal call. Not all accidents create damage that totals the car. Instead, most times you may have to make repairs.
If you have to come up with $3,000 to fix the car or buy a new one, which option is maybe over the top, cost wise? Buying a new car may set you back, on the other hand, tens of thousands of dollars, no matter how old or young your present vehicle is.
Look at how much it really costs to only have a 30-dollar-per day maximum that hits its ceiling at $900 for a rental versus a 50-dollar-per day allowance that maxes out at $1,500.
It could be as little as $2 on the premium. Though, if you were called upon to come up with an extra $600 on your own, plus the deductibles for repairs, plus the costs of an increase in your insurance policy premium for the accident, suddenly that extra $2 seems like a great investment.
Another area where financial gurus differ is with deductibles.
The issue with picking a super-high deductible is that if you have some freak year where you have to make multiple claims, you must come up with that money every single time you file a claim.
If you have three accidents and have a $2,000 deductible, you will have to shell out $6,000 to perhaps get some repair and body work performed on your vehicle.
Think of how you would feel if one minute from now you find out that the damage to your vehicle, which makes it momentarily inoperable, would cost $1,500 less than the $2,000. You would have to waste your money to fix it yourself, even though you have been bothering to pay for insurance your whole adult life.
And the day after that you had to come up with $3,000 if you chose to go out-of-pocket because you were somehow terrified of your insurance rates of going up. Of course, if you did choose to file a claim, you would have to provide $2,000.
Compare rates not only among the various insurance companies but across the board within one insurance company.
You may be surprised to find that simply an extra $10 in premiums would shave your deductible to a rate of $75.
How long would it take you to find $750 compared to working overtime to find another $2,000? Insurance is about finding your value and balance while meeting your potential needs in an emergency.
Always imagine the worst case scenario when purchasing insurance. Otherwise, you may be too easily prone to squeezing every penny of savings out of every insurance policy at the time of purchase. It means that you need to think ahead, instead of lulling yourself in this moment.
Defensive Driving Classes
When you take a defensive driving class, your rates are likely to decrease as long as all the drivers on your policy take the class. Carve out 6 hours and take the class online or in person. Many insurers offer discounted pricing on such studies to encourage its policyholders to drive more safely.
Even the State of Georgia provides a list of schools in the state. Whatever you do, check with your insurer to find out where they need you to take your class for them to offer a discount on coverage.
Purchasing car insurance involves a lot of decision-making. That is what puts most drivers in a panic.
Want to search for coverage without the fret? Enter your zip code below to use our FREE quote tool to find car insurance rates that work for you!