How long has it been since you compared more affordable car insurance rates in Raleigh, NC? Raleigh shoppers have options when shopping for the lowest priced Honda Clarity insurance. They can either waste time struggling with agents to get rate comparisons or leverage the internet to make rate comparisons.
There are more efficient ways to buy car insurance and we’ll show you the best way to price shop coverage for a new or used Honda and get the best price possible from both online companies and Raleigh agents.
Shocking but true, the vast majority of drivers have stayed with the same insurance company for well over three years, and nearly half have never compared rate quotes at all. Drivers in North Carolina could cut their rates by about $100 a year by just shopping around, but they just don’t understand how easy it is to compare rates online.
You should make it a habit to shop coverage around as often as possible due to the fact that insurance rates change quite often. Just because you found the best premium rates on Honda Clarity insurance in Raleigh a couple years back you can probably find a better price now. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you’re about to learn how to quote online to find the best coverage while lowering your premiums.
If you are insured now or are looking for a new policy, use these tips to find the best rates without reducing coverage. This article will introduce you to how insurance works and some tips to save money. Smart buyers just need to understand the most efficient way to quote multiple rates over the internet.
Choices You Make Can Impact Your Insurance Premiums
Many things are used when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are pretty understandable like your driving record, but other criteria are not as apparent like your continuous coverage or your commute time.
The items below are a few of the things used by your company to calculate your rates.
- Eliminate unneeded extra policy coverages – Insurance companies have many extra add-on coverages that may not really be needed if you aren’t careful. Add-on coverages like roadside assistance, better glass coverage, and Farm Bureau memberships are some examples. The coverages may be enticing when talking to your agent, but now you might not need them so consider taking them off your policy.
- Discounts for married drivers – Having a significant other actually saves money on your auto insurance bill. Marriage means you’re more financially stable and insurance companies reward insureds because being married results in fewer claims.
- Your address can push rates up or down – Residing in less populated areas of the country may provide you with better prices when talking about auto insurance. Drivers in populated areas regularly have congested traffic and higher rates of accident claims. Less people means fewer accidents in addition to fewer liability claims.
- Bump up physical damage deductibles to lower rates – Coverage for physical damage, aka comp and collision, helps pay for damage to your vehicle. A few examples of covered claims are running into the backend of another car, vandalism, and damage from a fallen tree branch. Physical damage deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend if a covered claim is submitted. The more money you have to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
- Pleasure use saves money – The more you drive every year the higher your rates will be. A lot of insurance companies calculate prices partially by how you use the vehicle. Autos not used for work or commuting can be on a lower rate level than vehicles that are driven to work every day. It’s a smart idea to ensure your declarations sheet reflects the right rating data. Having an incorrect usage rating on your Clarity may be costing you higher rates.
- Your job may affect prices – Occupations like judges, social workers, and medical professionals usually pay the highest average rates due to intense work-related stress and lots of time spent away from family. Other professions such as actors, historians and performers generally pay rates lower than average.
- Better drivers pay less – Having a clean driving record impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Getting just one ticket may cause rates to rise twenty percent or more. Good drivers pay lower auto insurance prices as compared to those with violations. Drivers who have received flagrant citations like DUI or willful reckless driving may be required to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to keep their license.
The quickest way to compare rates for Honda Clarity insurance in Raleigh takes advantage of the fact most of the larger companies have advanced systems to give you rate quotes. To get started, all you need to do is provide the companies a bit of rating information like your general credit rating, the year, make and model of vehicles, the ages of drivers, and marital status. That rating information is then submitted to many highly-rated insurers and you receive quotes quickly.
To start a quote now, click here and find out if lower rates are available in Raleigh.
The companies shown below are ready to provide price quotes in Raleigh, NC. If you want cheap auto insurance in Raleigh, it’s highly recommended you click on several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Auto insurance does more than just repair your car
Even though Raleigh Clarity insurance rates can get expensive, paying for auto insurance is not optional due to several reasons.
- The majority of states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific minimum amounts of liability protection in order to be legal. 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 you have a lien on your Honda Clarity, most lenders will have a requirement that you buy full coverage to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender will be forced to insure your Honda at a much higher rate and make you pay for it.
- Auto insurance protects your car and your assets. Insurance will also pay for medical transport and hospital expenses for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. As part of your policy, liability insurance also pays for attorney fees and expenses if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, your policy will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of insuring your Clarity definitely exceed the price paid, particularly if you ever have a claim. Despite what companies tell you, the average driver overpays as much as $800 each year so you should quote rates each time the policy renews to ensure rates are competitive.
Get affordable Honda Clarity insurance in Raleigh with discounts
Auto insurance is not an enjoyable expense, but there are discounts available that you may not even know about. Certain reductions will be credited at the time of purchase, but some need to be inquired about prior to getting the savings. If they aren’t giving you every credit you deserve, you could be paying more than you need to.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Vehicles with ABS and/or traction control are much safer to drive and the ABS can save up to 10%.
- Senior Citizens – Older drivers could receive better auto insurance rates.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you combine your homeowners and auto policies with one insurance company you may earn at least 10 to 15 percent or more.
- Student Discount for Driver Training – Reduce the cost of insurance for teen drivers by having them take driver’s ed class as it will make them better drivers and lower rates.
- Service Members Pay Less – Being on active duty in the military can result in better premium rates.
- Driver Safety – Completing a defensive driving class could save 5% or more and make you a better driver.
- Online Discount – A handful of larger companies will give a small break shop Raleigh car insurance over the internet.
- Discounts for Government Workers – Simply working for the federal government may reduce rates when you quote Raleigh car insurance with a few auto insurance companies.
It’s important to understand that many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So even though you would think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don’t profit that way.
The best auto insurance companies and their possible discounts are included below.
- State Farm includes discounts for passive restraint, multiple policy, anti-theft, good student, and safe vehicle.
- GEICO offers premium reductions for multi-policy, emergency military deployment, military active duty, driver training, good student, and multi-vehicle.
- Liberty Mutual policyholders can earn discounts including new move discount, multi-car, good student, new vehicle discount, hybrid vehicle, and new graduate.
- The Hartford has savings for defensive driver, air bag, bundle, anti-theft, vehicle fuel type, and driver training.
- MetLife may include discounts for defensive driver, good student, accident-free, multi-policy, good driver, claim-free
- Progressive discounts include homeowner, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, online signing, online quote discount, continuous coverage, and good student.
It’s a good idea to ask each insurance company how you can save money. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts may not apply to policies in every state.
Compare rates but still have a local Raleigh insurance agency
A lot of people prefer to sit down with an agent and doing so can bring peace of mind Experienced insurance agents are very good at helping people manage risk and help file insurance claims. A good thing about getting free rate quotes online is you can get lower rates and still have a local agent. And buying from local agents is important especially in Raleigh.
After filling out this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents that provide free Raleigh car insurance quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to find an agent because quoted prices will be sent to your email. In the event you want to quote rates from a specific company, feel free to search and find their rate quote page to submit a rate quote request.
If you want to use a reputable insurance agent or broker, it helps to know the two different agency structures that you can choose from. Agencies in Raleigh are categorized either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive. Either one can do a good job, but it’s important to point out the difference in the companies they write for because it can factor into which type of agent you select.
Independent Car Insurance Agencies
These type of agents do not work for one specific company so as a result can place your coverage with a variety of different insurance companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If you are not satisfied with one company, they simply switch companies in-house and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparing car insurance prices, it’s recommended you include price quotes from a few independent agents to maximize your price options. They often place coverage with additional companies that you may not be familiar with which can save you money.
Listed below is a partial list of independent insurance agents in Raleigh that may be able to give rate quotes.
- Carolina Capital Insurance Group
1100 Logger Ct., Bldg. D-101 – Raleigh, NC 27609 – (919) 747-9002 – View Map - Hix Insurance Center
2010 New Bern Ave – Raleigh, NC 27610 – (919) 255-6210 – View Map - Blackmon Insurance Agency of North Carolina, Inc.
4280 Louisburg Rd – Raleigh, NC 27604 – (919) 875-8500 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Exclusive agencies have only one company to place business with and examples are Allstate and State Farm. They are unable to compare other company’s rates so you need to shop around if the rates are high. These agents are usually quite knowledgeable on what they offer and that enables them to sell even at higher rates. A lot of people buy from the same agent for years mostly because of the prominence of the brand rather than having low rates.
Shown below are exclusive insurance agencies in Raleigh that can give you comparison quotes.
- Alex Burt – State Farm Insurance Agent
3021 Berks Way #102 – Raleigh, NC 27614 – (919) 435-1417 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: Brandon Reece
9204 Falls of Neuse Rd Ste 100 – Raleigh, NC 27615 – (919) 329-2580 – View Map - Danny Newton – State Farm Insurance Agent
6021 Poyner Village Pkwy #109 – Raleigh, NC 27616 – (919) 875-1955 – View Map
Finding the right car insurance agent should include more criteria than just a low price. Before buying a policy in Raleigh, get answers to these questions.
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- Do they have cheaper tiers of coverage?
- Can you get a list of referrals?
- Will you get a loaner vehicle if you car is being repaired?
- Will your rates increase after a single accident?
- Are aftermarket or OEM parts used to repair vehicles?
- How many companies do they write for?
- Is auto insurance their primary focus in Raleigh?
Best car insurance in North Carolina
Picking the highest-rated car insurance company can be rather challenging considering how many companies sell insurance in North Carolina. The ranking information in the lists below could help you decide which insurers to look at to insure your vehicles.
Top 10 Raleigh Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Satisfaction
- USAA – 91%
- AAA Insurance – 90%
- Esurance – 90%
- Mercury Insurance – 89%
- Nationwide – 89%
- Travelers – 88%
- Progressive – 88%
- Safeco Insurance – 88%
- State Farm – 88%
- Allstate – 88%
Top 10 Raleigh Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Service
- USAA
- Travelers
- Mercury Insurance
- AAA Insurance
- Nationwide
- Safeco Insurance
- Progressive
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- The General
Affordable coverage is out there
People switch companies for a number of reasons such as lack of trust in their agent, high prices, delays in responding to claim requests or policy cancellation. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a new company is not as difficult as it may seem.
When shopping online for insurance, make sure you don’t buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are too many instances where someone dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits and discovered at claim time that it was a big mistake. The aim is to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate, but do not skimp to save money.
We covered a lot of techniques to reduce Honda Clarity insurance rates online in Raleigh. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote Raleigh car insurance, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the lowest rates come from a small mutual company.
How to find cheaper quotes for Honda Clarity insurance in Raleigh
The best way we recommend to find low-cost prices for auto insurance rates in Raleigh is to make a habit of comparing prices annually from providers in North Carolina. This can be done by following these steps.
First, take a few minutes and learn about the different coverages in a policy and the measures you can take to keep rates in check. Many factors that are responsible for high rates such as speeding tickets, accidents and a less-than-favorable credit score can be remedied by making minor changes to your lifestyle.
Second, request rate estimates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can provide rates from one company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can provide rate quotes from multiple companies.
Third, compare the new rates to the premium of your current policy to see if a cheaper price is available in Raleigh. If you can save some money, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
Fourth, provide proper notification to your current company to cancel your current policy. Submit a signed application and payment to your new carrier. As soon as you can, put the new proof of insurance certificate in an easily accessible location in your vehicle.
The most important part of shopping around is to use identical coverages on each quote request and and to look at as many different insurance providers as possible. This provides an accurate price comparison and a good representation of prices.
Additional resources
- Insuring a Leased Car (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers Over Age 60 in Raleigh? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Hybrid Vehicles in Raleigh? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Real Estate Agents in Raleigh? (FAQ)
- Side Impact Crash Tests (iihs.org)
- What if I Can’t Find Coverage? (Insurance Information Institute)