Smart shoppers know that auto insurance companies want to keep your business as long as possible. Insureds who shop around for cheaper prices will probably buy a new policy because there is a good probability of finding a lower-cost company. A recent insurance study revealed that drivers who make a habit of shopping around saved approximately $3,500 over four years compared to drivers who don’t regularly compare prices.
If finding budget-friendly rates on auto insurance is your intention, then having some knowledge of how to quote and compare car insurance can save time and make the process easier.
The easiest way to find the cheapest price for car insurance rates is to start doing an annual price comparison from companies who sell insurance in Greensboro. This can be done by completing these steps.
- Read and learn about how companies set rates and the things you can control to prevent expensive coverage. Many factors that result in higher rates such as at-fault accidents, careless driving, and a negative credit score can be amended by making lifestyle changes or driving safer.
- Get rate quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can give quotes from one company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agencies can provide price quotes from multiple companies.
- Compare the new rate quotes to your existing rates to see if a cheaper price is available in Greensboro. If you find better rates and buy the policy, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Notify your company or agent to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit the completed application along with a down payment for your new policy. As soon as you receive it, keep your new certificate verifying coverage in an accessible location in your vehicle.
One thing to remember is that you’ll want to make sure you compare the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on each price quote and and to get rates from as many car insurance companies as possible. This ensures a fair price comparison and the best price quote selection.
Comparing rates for the best car insurance coverage in Greensboro is easy if you know what you’re doing. In a nutshell, every vehicle owner who wants cheaper car insurance stands a good chance to find a cheaper policy. But North Carolina drivers must know the way companies set your policy premium because rates are impacted by many factors.
When comparison shopping, getting more free quotes increases your odds of finding more affordable insurance.
The companies shown below provide free quotes in North Carolina. If your goal is to find cheap car insurance in Greensboro, it’s highly recommended you compare several of them to get the most affordable price.
Three good reasons to insure your Mazda vehicle
Even though it can be expensive, insuring your vehicle may be required for several reasons.
- Almost all states have minimum liability requirements which means you are required to carry a specific minimum amount of liability insurance coverage in order to drive the car. 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 your Mazda has a lienholder, most lenders will have a requirement that you carry insurance to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Mazda at an extremely high rate and require you to fork over a much higher amount than you were paying before.
- Insurance protects not only your Mazda CX-5 but also your financial assets. It will also cover medical bills for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, your insurance policy will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of having insurance definitely exceed the cost, especially if you ever need it. An average driver in America is overpaying more than $865 each year so it’s recommended you shop around at every policy renewal to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Get Lower-cost Insurance Rates by Understanding These Factors
Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the factors that help calculate your premiums. If you have a feel for what impacts premium levels, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get lower auto insurance prices.
A good credit rating can save money – An insured’s credit history can be an important factor in your rate calculation. So if your credit rating could use some work, you could be paying less to insure your Mazda CX-5 by improving your credit score. Insureds that have good credit tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims than those with poor credit scores.
Your spouse saves you money – Walking down the aisle may save some money on your policy. Having a spouse translates into being less irresponsible it has been statistically shown that married drivers tend to file fewer claims.
Bundle home and auto and save – Most larger auto insurance companies afford discounts to clients who buy several policies from them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount applied, you may still want to get quotes from other companies to ensure the best deal. You may still be able to save more without the discount by buying from different companies
Adjust physical damage deductibles and save – Physical damage protection, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, covers damage that occurs to your Mazda. Some examples of claims that would be covered are collision with another vehicle, hail damage, or theft. The deductibles represent how much money you are willing to pay if the claim is covered. The more of the claim you’re willing to pay, the lower your rates will be.
Defend yourself with liability insurance – The liability section of your policy will provide protection if a court rules you are at fault for an accident. Liability insurance provides you with a defense in court to attempt to prove you were not liable. It is affordable coverage compared to other policy coverages, so drivers should carry high limits.
Avoid traffic tickets – Having a clean driving record impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Getting just one citation may cause rates to rise substantially. Drivers who don’t get tickets pay less for auto insurance as compared to those with violations. Drivers who get dangerous tickets like DUI or willful reckless driving may need to complete a SR-22 with the DMV in their state in order to prevent their license from being revoked.
Choose high crash test ratings and save – Vehicles that have high safety ratings can get you lower premiums. Safer cars protect occupants better and better occupant protection means your insurance company pays less and more competitive rates for policyholders. If the Mazda CX-5 earned at least four stars on Safercar.gov or an “acceptable” rating on iihs.org it may cost less to insure.
Insurance losses for a Mazda CX-5 – Insurance companies analyze past claim statistics to help calculate premium rates. Vehicles that have higher frequency or amount of claims will have a higher premium rate. The table below shows the historical loss data for Mazda CX-5 vehicles.
For each coverage category, the claim amount for all vehicles, regardless of make, model or trim level, is considered to be 100. Numbers under 100 suggest a better than average loss history, while percentage values above 100 point to more frequent losses or an increased probability of a larger loss.
| Vehicle Make and Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mazda CX-5 4dr 2WD | 66 | 88 | 85 | 79 | 83 | 76 |
| Mazda CX-5 4dr 4WD | 71 | 83 | 102 | 79 | 74 | 72 |
Data Source: iihs.org (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) for 2013-2015 Model Years
Get cheaper Mazda CX-5 insurance rates in Greensboro
Companies offering auto insurance do not list every available discount very clearly, so the following list contains both the well known and the harder-to-find credits that may apply to you.
- ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Cars, trucks, and SUVs that have steering control and anti-lock brakes prevent accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Discounts for Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for several vehicles with one company could earn a price break for each car.
- Early Renewal Discounts – Some insurance companies give discounts for buying a policy prior to your current CX-5 insurance policy expiration. Ten percent is about the average savings.
- Driver Education Discount – Have your child enroll and complete driver’s education in high school.
- Policy Bundle Discount – If you can bundle your home and auto insurance with the same company you could save over 10 percent off each policy depending on the company.
- Accident Forgiveness – Not a discount per se, but a handful of insurance companies will let one accident slide before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don’t have any claims for a set time period.
- Anti-theft Discount – Cars, trucks, and SUVs equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems help deter theft and that can save you a little bit as well.
- Discount for Low Mileage – Low annual miles may enable drivers to earn substantially lower rates.
- Seat Belts Save – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts can save up to 15% on medical payment and PIP coverage.
- Driving Data Discount – Drivers that enable their car insurance company to track vehicle usage by using a telematic data system such as Progressive’s Snapshot and State Farm’s In-Drive may get a rate reduction as long as the data is positive.
You can save money using discounts, but most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it may seem like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way.
Car insurance companies that may offer these benefits include:
When comparing rates, check with all the companies to apply every possible discount. Discounts may not apply to policies in your state. To locate car insurance companies with the best discounts in Greensboro, click this link.
Tailor your insurance coverage to you
When it comes to choosing coverage online or from an agent for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s situation is unique so this has to be addressed.
These are some specific questions can help discover whether your personal situation may require specific advice.
- Is my nanny covered when transporting my kids?
- Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
- What can I do if my company denied a claim?
- Are my company tools covered if they get stolen?
- Do I need to call my car insurance company before buying a new car?
- Do I need special coverage while pulling a rented trailer?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
Compare rates but buy from a local neighborhood Greensboro car insurance agent
Certain consumers would rather have an agent’s advice and there is nothing wrong with that. One of the best bonuses of comparing car insurance online is the fact that drivers can get the lowest rates and also buy local. Buying insurance from neighborhood agents is important especially in Greensboro.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this simple form, the coverage information is sent to insurance agents in Greensboro who can give free rate quotes to get your business. You won’t even need to contact any agents because prices are sent immediately to you. Get lower rates and a licensed agent to talk to. In the event you want to compare prices from a specific car insurance provider, you can always navigate to their website and fill out their quote form.
Greensboro auto insurance agents come in two flavors
When searching for a reliable agent, you need to know there are two different agency structures to choose from. Insurance agencies in Greensboro are categorized either independent or exclusive.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agents are not required to write business for one company and that allows them to write policies with an assortment of companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If they find a lower price, your agent can just switch to a different company and that require little work on your part.
When comparing rate quotes, it’s a good idea to contact several independent agencies in order to have the best price comparison.
Featured below are independent agents in Greensboro that may be able to give you rate quotes.
Fleszar Insurance Agency
218 S Swing Rd #1 – Greensboro, NC 27409 – (336) 553-2780 – View Map
Nationwide Insurance: John A Peterson Jr
1451 S Elm-Eugene St #2119 – Greensboro, NC 27406 – (336) 303-8992 – View Map
Nationwide Insurance: Gail Moseley Agency Inc
2502 Lawndale Dr – Greensboro, NC 27408 – (336) 282-3655 – View Map
Exclusive Car Insurance Agencies
These agents normally can only provide a single company’s rates and some examples include Allstate and State Farm. They usually cannot provide prices from multiple companies so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive agents are well trained on their company’s products which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
The following is a list of exclusive agents in Greensboro that are able to give price quote information.
Jim Degraphenreid – State Farm Insurance Agent
4218 Hilltop Rd – Greensboro, NC 27407 – (336) 854-1737 – View Map
Allstate Insurance: John F Davis
3800 S Holden Rd #101 – Greensboro, NC 27406 – (336) 299-9100 – View Map
Barry Morgan – State Farm Insurance Agent
2001 N O Henry Blvd Srv Rd b – Greensboro, NC 27407 – (336) 294-3894 – View Map
Finding a good car insurance agent requires you to look at more than just the bottom line cost. The following questions are important to ask.
- How many years of experience in personal auto insurance do they have?
- What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in North Carolina?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
- How long has their agency been open in Greensboro?
- Is there any savings for paying the full premium?
Get the best coverage at the lowest price
We just covered many ideas to save on Mazda CX-5 insurance in Greensboro. The key concept to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding cheaper Greensboro car insurance quotes. You may even find the biggest savings come from the least-expected company. These smaller insurers may only write in your state and offer lower auto insurance rates than their larger competitors like Allstate and Progressive.
As you shop your coverage around, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, an insured dropped liability coverage limits and discovered at claim time that it was a big error on their part. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.
Additional car insurance information is available on the following sites:
- Auto Insurance for Teen Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes for a Jeep Wrangler in Greensboro? (FAQ)
- How Much are Greensboro Car Insurance Rates for Good Students? (FAQ)
- How Can I Save Money on Auto Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Hybrid vehicles cost insurers more (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)