How to find the most affordable car insurance in North Carolina - PDF document

How to �nd the most a�ordable car insurance in North Carolina If you’re like many North Carolinians, you’re looking for ways to save money wherever possible. Because, let’s face it, �mes are �ght for a lot of folks in our state. So, in an e�ort to hold onto more of your paycheck, you think through your list of monthly expenses, and your car insurance rate comes to mind. And you start wondering if you’re paying too much for coverage that you don’t need. Or if you could be ge�ng a be�er rate for the coverage you actually do need. You know there must be something be�er available on the insurance marketplace, something more a�ordable. Because what you’re currently paying just seems like too much. Before you know it, you �nd yourself looking for new car insurance. And to get it, you know that you’re going to have to go through someone else for your insurance. Speci�cally, you need a responsive, knowledgeable expert who can o�er you very cheap car insurance, no deposit necessary. The only problem is how to �nd such an insurance expert. A�er all, you don’t want to be stuck with an insurance agent who can’t get you a more a�ordable rate. And �nding car insurance without an expert’s help seems like too daun�ng of a task. The good news is, there is a fairly straigh�orward solu�on to �nding more a�ordable NC car insurance. This blog post will reveal what that is. But �rst, here are some misconcep�ons to be aware of when you’re looking for the cheapest car insurance in North Carolina. Car Insurance Misconcep�ons At MazProtects, we’ve heard our share of misconcep�ons that people have when it comes to �nding the cheapest rate possible on their NC car insurance. Here are a few commonly held misconcep�ons, along with their corresponding truths. Misconcep�on: “Cheapest” is another way of saying, “lowest coverage” Truth: You can get a great rate while s�ll being adequately covered It’s understandable if you confuse “cheap insurance” with “low - coverage insurance,” but the two aren’t the same. For instance, we have helped numerous North Carolinians feel great about both the rate they’re ge�ng and the coverage their car insurance provides. Misconcep�on: Insurance agents and insurance brokers are the same Truth: They aren’t the same Allow us to break down why this is. Typically, when people think of a car insurance agent, they’re really thinking of a cap�ve agent. These are the agents that work for most of the big insurance companies you commonly see adver�sed. Cap�ve agents can only sell car insurance from one company (i.e., the insurance carrier). This means they are limited to o�ering only the plans and rates that the insurance carrier for whom they work provides. Insurance brokers, however, can sell car insurance from a host of insurance carriers. This means they are not nearly as limited as cap�ve agents when it comes to the car insurance plans and rates that they can o�er you. This gives them more freedom to he lp you �nd quality car insurance at a more a�ordable rate. Misconcep�on: The only way to get a great rate is to go with the most well - known insurance agency Truth: Going with a well - known insurance agency doesn’t mean you’re going to get the best rate The big, well - known insurance agencies tend to be cap�ve insurance companies. These companies perpetuate the misconcep�on that they, and they alone, can provide you the best rate. And many people believe them. Because, these companies o�en spend massive amounts on marke�ng campaigns that set them up as the cheapest car insurance op�on. But in reality, since they are cap�ve insurance companies, they can only o�er rates and plans from one carrier – their own. They can’t present you with the same amount of insurance op�ons that brokers can. Because insurance brokers have access to more carriers, they are o�en able to present a less expensive insurance plan than cap�ve agents. And, as you may have guessed, these insurance brokers are o�en not as well - known. S�ll, that doesn’t mean they can’t provide you a great rate. You just have to know which insurance broker to call (hint: the number is 919 - 443 - 3300, but we’ll get into that again later in this post). The solu�on to �nding the cheapest car insurance in North Carolina. The problem with how to �nd the most a�ordable car insurance in NC has a simple solu�on: Don’t go with a cap�ve agent. Instead, go with an independent insurance broker. This will give you the greatest chance of �nding the most a�ordable car insurance in NC. Is it really that simple? Does the solu�on for a�ordable car insurance lie primarily in going with an independent insurance broker as opposed to a cap�ve agent? Yes, and yes. But what if you’re a parent of a 16 - year - old who is looking for the cheapest car insurance in NC for new drivers? The solu�on is the same: Work with an independent insurance broker. Is the solu�on s�ll the same if you’re looking for the cheapest car insurance in North Carolina for seniors? Yes. Here are some reasons why the solu�on remains the same in each of these cases͙ Brokers have more insurance carrier op�ons As an independent broker, we have access to many local and na�onal car insurance carriers. More op�ons mean you have a higher likelihood of �nding car insurance that adequately covers you at a rate you can a�ord. If you work with a cap�ve agent, you w on’t know the op�ons available to you, since they work with only one carrier. Brokers will shop around for you Before we can help you �nd a more a�ordable car insurance plan, we need to collect your car insurance pro�le informa�on. Insurance carriers use the informa�on in this pro�le to evaluate the risk involved with insuring you and your vehicle. It include s informa�on such as your age, loca�on, past accidents, credit history, and more. If you’ve ever been insured, you have this type of pro�le. And if so, we can get your pro�le from your previous insurance company. Once we have your pro�le, we’ll shop it around to di�erent car insurance carriers. It’s important to have a broker who can go into the insurance marketplace with your speci�c insurance pro�le and shop it around without charging you for doing so. While we can’t say that all independent brokers will do this without a fee, you should know that we won’t charge you for this. And since we’ll be doing the insurance carrier shopping for you, you won’t need to do it on your own. Brokers help you avoid common problems There are two common problems you can run into if you go with a cap�ve agent or shop for an insurance policy on your own: You end up with coverage you don’t need at a price you can’t a�ord. You end up with an a�ordable car insurance rate without the proper coverage. To prevent these outcomes from happening, we can help you determine how much insurance coverage you need. This in turn allows us to: Help you �nd a plan that meets your budget and isn’t charging you for unnecessary coverage Help you �nd a plan that provides adequate coverage at an a�ordable price By taking the �me to learn about your speci�c car insurance situa�on, our brokers serve as the bridge between a�ordability and proper coverage. Brokers can help you maintain a�ordable rates Our system is con�nually scanning your policy to make sure you keep ge�ng a great rate. That means that once we �nd an a�ordable plan for you, if your insurance rates go up, we can �nd another carrier that lets you keep the same rates. If rates go up with a cap�ve agent, then you’re stuck. One of our clients, James, experienced the bene�ts of this �rst - hand. Here’s what he wrote: “All I have to say is thank you. Times are ge�ng �ght, and I got a random call that I did not think I was going to get. It was Shannon [from MazProtects] le� ng me know my rates were going up. She did a re - shop and saved me money. Thank you and keep up the great work.” Brokers are (typically) local While not all brokers are necessarily located in your state, ours are. And since we all live in NC, we can help you get a be�er rate on your North Carolina car insurance. Here are some reasons why: • We can quickly respond to any new NC legisla�on or safety regula�ons that might a�ect your insurance rates. And if your rates go up as a result of these changes, we can rapidly pivot to searching for something more a�ordable for you. • We understand the risks of driving in di�erent areas of NC. By having a familiarity with local crime sta�s�cs, environmental factors, and accident rates, our brokers are able to give a more accurate assessment of the level of risk that comes with insuri ng you and your vehicle. This helps us �nd poten�ally lower premiums for you. • We know local insurers. Over the years, we’ve established rela�onships with insurers throughout North Carolina. This helps us nego�ate be�er rates for you, and it means we may have access to any lesser - known local or regional insurance products. • We’re the �rst to know about special discounts and o�ers. At �mes, local insurance companies will o�er cost - saving discounts and o�ers. Since we have rela�onships with these local insurers, we some�mes �nd out about these before na�onal insurance agencies. In short, we know the NC car insurance market, and we are familiar with the NC region where you live. And since we know the local market demand, we can o�en help you get a be�er quote than na�onal insurance agencies. Other bene�ts of independent insurance brokers (besides more a�ordable rates) A�ordability is a tangible way to understand the bene�ts of brokers. But our brokers aren’t just useful in terms of how much money you can save. There are also intangible bene�ts you can experience when you work with us. More �me Like we said earlier, our brokers will shop around for you, so you don’t have to. The amount of research and exper�se necessary to �nd car insurance that is both a�ordable and encompassing is staggering. We’re talking about you poten�ally spending hour s and hours of precious �me on a task that may very well result in you being stuck with insurance you can’t a�ord. Less stress We get it: It can be really stressful when you need a car insurance plan that works with your budget and your life. A�er all, you don’t want to end up with mediocre or una�ordable car insurance. This could happen if you try to shop around for insurance o n your own or you go with the limited op�ons of a cap�ve agent. We’ll use our exper�se and our insurance marketplace know - how to �nd the cheapest car insurance possible while also ensuring you have the coverage you need. Another way we can help reduce your stress is by ge�ng back to you quickly. For instance, if you need an auto quote, we can typically get back to you within four hours. This is unlike a lot of cap�ve insurance companies that can o�en take two or three days to get you an auto quote. More knowledge Have a ques�on about your car insurance rate or plan? We’ll answer any ques�ons you may have in a prompt manner. We want you to feel con�dent in the plan you’ve selected, so if you don’t understand a clause in the �ne print or a speci�c insurance term , let us know and we’ll happily provide an explana�on. More personaliza�on O�en�mes with large, cap�ve insurance companies, the folks you talk to on the phone are in a na�onal or o� - shore call center. Since we live and work in NC, you get to speak to the same people every �me you call us, adding a personalized touch to your car insurance process. Wrapping up In summary, the solu�on to ge�ng the cheapest car insurance in NC involves choosing an independent insurance broker as opposed to a cap�ve agent. As an independent broker based in NC, we can provide you with insurance op�ons from a variety of carriers , help ensure your rates remain a�ordable, and let you know of any local changes or o�ers that can help you save even more. If you need help looking for the best car insurance coverage with the best rates, call us and see how easy the process is with our MazProtects team: 919 - 443 - 3300.