Sadly, the vast majority of consumers have remained with the same car insurance company for at least four years, and virtually 40% of consumers have never compared rates with other companies. Durham drivers could save about 10% a year just by getting comparison quotes, but they don’t want to spend time to save money by comparing rate quotes.
The recommended way to find affordable Honda Clarity insurance is to begin comparing prices regularly from insurance carriers that insure vehicles in Durham. Prices can be compared by following these steps.
- Take a little time to learn about the different coverages in a policy and the factors you can control to prevent expensive coverage. Many things that cause rate increases like at-fault accidents and a not-so-good credit score can be remedied by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility. This article provides the details to help keep rates affordable and get additional discounts that may be available.
- Request rate estimates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can give quotes from one company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agencies can give you price quotes from multiple sources.
- Compare the new quotes to your current policy premium to see if a cheaper rate is available. If you can save some money, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
- Provide notification to your current company of your intent to cancel your current auto insurance policy and submit payment and a completed application to your new insurance company. Once the application is submitted, put the certificate verifying coverage in your vehicle’s glove compartment or console.
A crucial key to this process is to compare identical coverage information on every quote and and to get rate quotes from as many different insurance providers as possible. This helps ensure an apples-to-apples comparison and the most accurate and complete price analysis.
If you are already insured, you will definitely be able to buy cheaper auto insurance using the concepts covered in this article. Locating the best rates in Durham can initially seem challenging. Nevertheless, North Carolina car owners do need to know how companies calculate your auto insurance rates because it varies considerably.
The quickest method we recommend to compare policy rates for Honda Clarity insurance in Durham takes advantage of the fact all the major auto insurance companies pay for the opportunity to provide you with a free rate quote. The only thing you need to do is give the companies some data like whether you drive to work or school, how many miles driven, any included safety features, and marital status. The data gets transmitted to many different companies and they return rate quotes instantly.
To find the cheapest car insurance rates, click here then complete the form.
The companies in the list below provide free quotes in Durham, NC. To find the cheapest auto insurance in Durham, we recommend you click on several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Do you qualify for discounts?
Car insurance is not inexpensive, but there’s a good chance there are discounts that could help you make your next renewal payment. A few discounts will automatically apply when you complete an application, but a few must be manually applied before they will apply.
- New Car Discount – Insuring a new Clarity can cost up to 25% less compared to insuring an older model.
- Life Insurance Discount – Not all companies offer life insurance, but some may give you better rates if you take out some life insurance in addition to your auto policy.
- Braking Control Discount – Cars equipped with ABS or steering control prevent accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Switch and Save Discount – A few larger companies allow discounts for buying a new policy before your current Clarity insurance policy expires. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- Distant Student – Youth drivers who are enrolled in a college that is more than 100 miles from Durham and do not have a car can receive lower rates.
- Drivers Ed for Students – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers successfully take a driver’s education course as it can save substantially.
- Military Discounts – Being deployed with a military unit can result in better premium rates.
- Waiver for an Accident – This isn’t a discount exactly, but some companies like Liberty Mutual, Allstate and State Farm will turn a blind eye to one accident before raising your premiums if your claims history is clear before the accident.
- Discount for Good Grades – Excelling in school can save 20 to 25%. The good student discount can last until age 25.
Remember that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy. Any amount of discount will lower the premium cost.
A list of car insurance companies and some of the discounts are outlined below.
- State Farm discounts include safe vehicle, student away at school, accident-free, Steer Clear safe driver discount, driver’s education, and good student.
- Liberty Mutual policyholders can earn discounts including new graduate, good student, new move discount, teen driver discount, exclusive group savings, new vehicle discount, and multi-policy.
- American Family includes discounts for Steer into Savings, defensive driver, good student, multi-vehicle, early bird, accident-free, and air bags.
- Progressive has discounts for homeowner, good student, continuous coverage, online signing, multi-policy, online quote discount, and multi-vehicle.
- Farmers Insurance may offer discounts for electronic funds transfer, multi-car, distant student, early shopping, and good student.
- Auto-Owners Insurance offers premium reductions for anti-theft, anti-lock brakes, teen driver, student away at school, paid in full, safe vehicle, and paperless.
- SAFECO may have discounts that include teen safe driver, homeowner, anti-theft, safe driver, and accident prevention training.
If you are trying to find affordable Honda Clarity insurance quotes, ask each insurance company which discounts you qualify for. Depending on the company, some discounts may not apply to policyholders in Durham. If you would like to see a list of insurance companies that offer many of these discounts in Durham, click here.
Local Durham car insurance agents and auto insurance
Some people still like to talk to a local agent and that is just fine! An additional benefit of getting online price quotes is that drivers can save money and get the lowest rates and also buy local. And supporting local agencies is still important in Durham.
Once you complete this short form, the coverage information is sent to agents in your area who will return price quotes to get your business. It’s much easier because you don’t need to find an agent since price quotes are sent directly to you. You can find better rates AND an agent nearby. If you have a need to compare prices from a specific auto insurance provider, you just need to go to their quote page to submit a rate quote request.
Multiple types of car insurance agents in Durham
If you would like to find an insurance agent, there are two different agency structures and how they can service your needs differently. Agents can be categorized as either independent or exclusive.
Independent Agents
These agents are not required to write business for one company and that allows them to write policies with many different companies and find the cheapest rate. To move your coverage to a new company, your policy is moved internally and you won’t have to switch agencies. If you are comparing rate quotes, it’s a good idea to check rates from several independent insurance agents to have the best price comparison.
Featured below is a small list of independent insurance agents in Durham that may be able to give you cheap rate quotes.
Herring and Bickers Insurance
2344 Operations Dr Suite 101 – Durham, NC 27705 – (919) 479-9900 – View Map
Mike Embree Insurance Agency
3813 University Dr – Durham, NC 27707 – (919) 489-7336 – View Map
The Sorgi Insurance Agency
16 Consultant Pl Suite 102 – Durham, NC 27707 – (919) 682-4814 – View Map
Exclusive Auto Insurance Agents
Exclusive agents can only provide pricing for a single company and some examples include Farmers Insurance or State Farm. Exclusive agents cannot provide rate quotes from other companies so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Exclusive agents receive extensive training on what they offer which aids in selling service over price.
Below is a list of exclusive insurance agencies in Durham who can help you get price quote information.
Zonya Autmon – State Farm Insurance Agent
2402 S Miami Blvd #103 – Durham, NC 27703 – (919) 993-3555 – View Map
James Zewe – State Farm Insurance Agent
3500 Westgate Dr Ste 901 – Durham, NC 27707 – (919) 489-0804 – View Map
Debbie Leonard – State Farm Insurance Agent
3702 Hillsborough Rd #2b – Durham, NC 27705 – (919) 383-3887 – View Map
Choosing the best insurance agent requires you to look at more than just the price. These are valid questions to ask:
- How much training do they have in personal risk management?
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
- Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
- Do they offer accident forgiveness?
- Does the agency support the community they serve?
If you get good feedback to your questions and locked in a price quote, chances are good that you have found an insurance agency that meets your needs to service your policy.
What insurance coverages do I need?
When quoting and choosing adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Every situation is different.
For example, these questions might point out if your situation could use an agent’s help.
- Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
- Does rental coverage apply when I am renting a car?
- Is my Honda Clarity covered if I use it for business?
- Does my Honda Clarity qualify for pleasure use?
- Do I need replacement cost coverage?
- Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
- Do I need added coverage for expensive stereo equipment?
If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form.
Smart Consumers Save Every Year
Multiple criteria are part of the equation when you quote your car insurance policy. Most are fairly basic such as your driving history, but other criteria are less obvious such as your marital status or your vehicle rating.
- Liability protection limits on your policy – Liability insurance will protect you when you are ruled to be at fault for physical damage or personal injury to other. Liability insurance provides you with a defense in court to attempt to prove you were not liable. This coverage is relatively inexpensive compared to comp and collision, so drivers should carry high limits.
- A good credit score can save money – A driver’s credit history can be a huge factor in determining your rates. People with high credit ratings tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims than drivers with lower credit scores. If your credit is low, you may save money insuring your Honda Clarity by spending a little time repairing your credit.
- No policy claims equals cheap rates – If you are a frequent claim filer, you shouldn’t be surprised to get much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Auto insurance companies in North Carolina provide the lowest premiums to policyholders who do not file claims often. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- Bad drivers pay high prices – Your driving citation history has a huge affect on how much you pay. Getting just one speeding ticket can boost insurance rates twenty percent or more. Good drivers get better rates as compared to careless drivers. People who have license-revoking tickets like DUI or reckless driving may be required to prove financial responsibility with their state motor vehicle department in order to prevent a license revocation.
- Bump up physical damage deductibles to lower rates – The deductibles state the amount of money you are required to pay if the claim is covered. Insurance for physical damage to your car, aka comp and collision, insures against damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply are a windshield broken by a bird, collision with a deer, or theft of your vehicle. The more of the claim you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
- Discounts for alarms and GPS tracking – Purchasing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention devices such as GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can thwart auto theft and help lower rates.
Three reasons to insure your vehicle
Despite the fact that insurance is not cheap in Durham, maintaining insurance is required by state law in North Carolina and it also provides benefits you may not be aware of.
- The majority of states have mandatory insurance requirements which means state laws require specific minimum amounts of liability protection if you drive a vehicle. 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 Honda has a loan, most lenders will require that you have full coverage to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Honda at a much higher rate and require you to fork over the higher price.
- Insurance protects both your assets and your Honda. It will also reimburse you for all forms of medical expenses for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if you cause an accident and are sued. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, your insurance policy will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of buying enough insurance greatly outweigh the cost, especially with large liability claims. The average driver in America is overpaying over $830 a year so smart consumers compare quotes at every policy renewal to be sure current rates are still competitive.
Compare. Compare. Compare.
There are still a few companies who may not provide online rate quotes and usually these small, regional companies work with local independent agents. Cheaper car insurance in Durham is available online as well as from insurance agents, so you need to compare both to have the best selection.
As you prepare to switch companies, do not buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to regret at claim time that they should have had better coverage. The goal is to find the BEST coverage at the best cost and still be able to protect your assets.
Consumers leave their current company for a variety of reasons including questionable increases in premium, delays in responding to claim requests, high prices or extreme rates for teen drivers. Whatever your reason, finding a new car insurance company can be pretty painless.
To learn more, feel free to browse these articles:
- Hybrid vehicles cost insurers more (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for Good Drivers in Durham? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Durham Auto Insurance Rates for Electric Cars? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Durham Car Insurance Rates for Drivers with a DUI? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Honda Civic in Durham? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Rates for Drivers Over Age 70 in Durham? (FAQ)
- How Can I Save Money on Auto Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- What to do at the Scene of an Accident (Insurance Information Institute)
- How to Avoid Buying a Flooded Car (Insurance Information Institute)