Unthinkable but true, the vast majority of insurance customers kept their policy with the same company for four years or more, and approximately 40% of consumers have never taken the time to shop around. North Carolina drivers can save roughly $94 each year just by shopping around, but they just don’t understand how much they could save if they just switched companies.
The best way to get budget auto insurance rates in Durham is to make a habit of regularly comparing prices from providers that sell auto insurance in North Carolina.
- First, spend a few minutes and learn about coverages and the factors you can control to keep rates low. Many things that result in higher prices like traffic violations, accidents, and an unacceptable credit history can be controlled by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes.
- Second, request price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only give prices from one company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can give you price quotes for a wide range of companies.
- Third, compare the quotes to your existing policy to determine if you can save on Pacifica Hybrid insurance. If you find a lower rate quote and decide to switch, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
A crucial key to this process is to use the same deductibles and limits on every price quote and and to look at as many companies as feasibly possible. Doing this guarantees the most accurate price comparison and the best price selection.
Quoting and comparing rates for the cheapest policy in Durham is not as hard as you think. Basically, every car owner who shops around for insurance will be able to cut their insurance bill. But North Carolina car owners do need to know the way insurance companies determine how much to charge and use this information to your advantage.
Most of the larger companies allow you to get prices on the web. Getting online rates for Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid insurance in Durham is easy for anyone as you just enter the amount of coverage you want on the page. After you complete the form, the system orders information on your driving record and credit history and gives you a price quote based on many factors.
Quoting online for Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid insurance in Durham makes it simple to compare prices and it is important to compare as many rates as possible if you want to find cheap prices.
To save time and find out if lower rates are available, consider comparing rates from the companies shown below. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended that you enter deductibles and limits just like they are on your policy. This makes sure you’re receiving comparison quotes for similar coverage.
The providers in the list below have been selected to offer price quotes in North Carolina. To buy cheap auto insurance in Durham, it’s highly recommended you get price quotes from several of them to find the most competitive car insurance rates.
Save money with these nine premium slashing discounts
Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but you may be missing some discounts that you may not even know about. Some of these discounts will be visible when you quote, but some must be manually applied before being credited.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – By making one initial payment as opposed to paying monthly you could save up to 5%.
- Senior Citizen Rates – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may receive lower premium rates.
- Service Members Pay Less – Being deployed with a military unit may lower your prices slightly.
- Government Employee Discount – Active or former government employment may reduce rates when you quote Durham auto insurance depending on your insurance provider.
- Good Students Pay Less – A discount for being a good student may save you up to 25%. Most companies allow this discount well after school through age 25.
- Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who always wear seat belts and also require passengers to wear their seat belts can save 10% or more off the PIP or medical payment premium.
- Driver’s Ed – Require your teen driver to take driver’s ed class in school or through a local driver safety program.
- Driver Training Discounts – Taking time to complete a defensive driver course is a good idea and can lower rates and make you a better driver.
- Discounts for Cautious Drivers – Accident-free drivers may save up to 50% more than their less cautious counterparts.
Consumers should know that many deductions do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. Just because it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way.
A list of companies and some of the discounts can be read below.
- American Family offers premium reductions for TimeAway discount, early bird, mySafetyValet, air bags, and Steer into Savings.
- Farm Bureau has savings for youthful driver, 55 and retired, driver training, renewal discount, good student, and multi-vehicle.
- State Farm may have discounts that include good driver, safe vehicle, good student, student away at school, accident-free, defensive driving training, and Steer Clear safe driver discount.
- Travelers may offer discounts for driver training, multi-policy, home ownership, save driver, new car, and multi-car.
- The Hartford discounts include bundle, driver training, air bag, anti-theft, defensive driver, and vehicle fuel type.
- GEICO may include discounts for daytime running lights, emergency military deployment, multi-vehicle, good student, federal employee, anti-theft, and seat belt use.
- Progressive policyholders can earn discounts including multi-vehicle, good student, multi-policy, continuous coverage, and online signing.
Before you buy a policy, ask each insurance company which discounts you qualify for. A few discounts may not be available everywhere. To locate insurers who offer free Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid insurance quotes in Durham, click this link.
When should I contact an agent?
Certain consumers just prefer to sit down and talk to an agent and that is a personal choice. One of the best bonuses of comparing rate quotes online is that you can obtain cheap car insurance rates but also keep your business local. Supporting neighborhood agents is definitely important in Durham.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this quick form, your insurance data is transmitted to local insurance agents in Durham who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to contact any insurance agencies because prices are sent to you instantly. You can find the lowest rates without a big time investment. If you want to quote rates from a specific insurance company, feel free to navigate to their website and complete a quote there.
If you’re trying to find a reputable insurance agent or broker, it helps to know the two different agency structures from which to choose. Agents may be either independent or exclusive.
Independent Car Insurance Agencies or Brokers
Independent agents often have many company appointments and that allows them to write policies amongst many companies and get the cheapest rates. If you want to switch companies, your agent can switch companies which is easy for the insured.
If you need lower rates, you should always get some free quotes from a few independent agents to get the most accurate price comparison. Most independent agents also contract with small regional insurance companies which may provide better rates.
The following is a partial list of independent insurance agents in Durham that may be able to give free price quotes.
- Bowen Agency, Inc.
4905 Pine Cone Dr Suite 5 – Durham, NC 27707 – (919) 929-4222 – View Map - The Insurance Pros, Inc.
1210 Cole Mill Rd Suite 101 – Durham, NC 27705 – (919) 294-6613 – View Map - Around The Corner Insurance Agency, Inc.
1431 Broad St – Durham, NC 27705 – (919) 286-9500 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Exclusive agencies have only one company to place business with and some examples include State Farm, Allstate, and Farm Bureau. They generally cannot compare rates from other companies so keep that in mind. These agents are well trained on what they offer which helps them compete with independent agents. Many people use the same agent primarily because of high brand loyalty rather than having low rates.
Below is a list of exclusive insurance agencies in Durham that can give you price quote information.
- NC Farm Bureau Insurance
2902 S Miami Blvd Ste A – Durham, NC 27703 – (919) 544-4953 – View Map - John Moore – State Farm Insurance Agent
1107 W Main St #201 – Durham, NC 27701 – (919) 598-7900 – View Map - Nationwide Insurance: Andrew F Jones
5242 Roxboro Rd Ste C – Durham, NC 27712 – (919) 477-7666 – View Map
Finding a good insurance agency is decision based upon more than just a cheap quote. Any good agent in Durham should know the answers to these questions.
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
- Do they offer claims assistance after hours?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
- Are they full-time agents?
- Which companies can they place coverage with?
- How many years of experience in personal auto insurance do they have?
How much car insurance do I need?
When quoting and comparing a policy for your personal vehicles, there really isn’t a “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s needs are different so your insurance needs to address that.
Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining whether you would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
- Does having multiple vehicles earn me a discount?
- Should I buy full coverage?
- Do I need special coverage while pulling a rented trailer?
- What is UM/UIM insurance?
- Does every company file a SR-22 automatically?
If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with an agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area.
Three main reasons to buy insurance
Despite the potentially high cost of Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid insurance, buying insurance may be mandatory for several reasons.
First, almost all states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry a specific level of liability in order to get the vehicle licensed. 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.
Second, if you bought your vehicle with a loan, it’s guaranteed your bank will force you to have insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender may insure your Chrysler for a lot more money and make you pay the higher premium.
Third, insurance preserves both your vehicle and your assets. Insurance will also pay for medical transport and hospital expenses that are the result of an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, will also pay for a defense attorney if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance are definitely more than the cost, particularly for liability claims. The average driver in North Carolina overpays more than $830 a year so compare rates at every renewal to ensure rates are competitive.
Specific coverages for a Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid
Understanding the coverages of your policy can help you determine the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Shown next are typical coverage types found on the average insurance policy.
Medical costs insurance – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for bills for ambulance fees, X-ray expenses, chiropractic care, surgery and prosthetic devices. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers you and your occupants and will also cover getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Liability auto insurance – Liability insurance protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on a person or their property in an accident. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You might see values of 30/60/25 that translate to a limit of $30,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $60,000, and property damage coverage for $25,000. Another option is one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which provides one coverage limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability can pay for things such as repair costs for stationary objects, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, pain and suffering and attorney fees. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible. North Carolina requires minimum liability limits of 30/60/25 but drivers should carry more coverage.
The illustration below demonstrates why minimum state limits may not be enough.
UM/UIM Coverage – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid.
Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits (North Carolina limits are 30/60/25), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea. Normally these coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.
Collision coverage – Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from colliding with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage protects against claims like colliding with another moving vehicle, hitting a mailbox and scraping a guard rail. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. You can also bump up the deductible on your Pacifica Hybrid to get cheaper collision coverage.
Comprehensive or Other Than Collision – This pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive can pay for things like damage from getting keyed, hail damage, vandalism, a broken windshield and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum payout your insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.
Get the best coverage at the lowest price
We covered many tips how you can compare Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid insurance premium rates in Durham. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the better chance you’ll have of finding the cheapest Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid rate quotes. You may even find the lowest premium rates come from some of the lesser-known companies. Smaller companies may often insure only within specific states and give better rates as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm or Progressive.
Cheaper Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid insurance in Durham is attainable online in addition to local insurance agencies, and you need to comparison shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some auto insurance companies do not provide online price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through local independent agencies.
More tips and info about auto insurance is available by following these links:
- Older Drivers FAQ (iihs.org)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for Good Students in Durham? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for Uber Drivers in Durham? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Durham Auto Insurance for Hybrid Vehicles? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Honda Civic in Durham? (FAQ)
- Preventing Carjacking and Theft (Insurance Information Institute)
- Speed and Speed Limit FAQ (iihs.org)