Inconceivable but true, the vast majority of drivers have stayed with the same insurance company for at least four years, and nearly 40% of drivers have never shopped around. North Carolina insurance shoppers could pocket approximately $100 a year, but most undervalue how much they could save if they just switched companies.
If you want to save money, the best way to find more affordable Honda CR-Z insurance is to regularly compare prices from companies that insure vehicles in Raleigh. Rate comparisons can be done by following these guidelines.
- First, try to learn a little about the coverage provided by your policy and the measures you can take to keep rates low. Many rating factors that drive up the price like getting speeding tickets and an imperfect credit history can be amended by making lifestyle changes or driving safer. This article provides information to get affordable coverage and get additional discounts that may have been overlooked.
- Second, get rate quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only give prices from one company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agents can provide price quotes from multiple sources.
- Third, compare the new rate quotes to your current policy to see if cheaper CR-Z coverage is available in Raleigh. If you find better rates and decide to switch, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Fourth, provide notification to your current agent or company to cancel your existing policy and submit a signed application and payment to your new company or agent. Make sure you keep your new certificate verifying coverage with your vehicle’s registration.
One bit of advice is that you use identical coverages on every quote and and to get price quotes from as many carriers as you can. This guarantees the most accurate price comparison and a complete selection of prices.
Low Cost auto insurance in Raleigh, NC
The providers in the list below provide free rate quotes in Raleigh, NC. If you want cheap auto insurance in Raleigh, it’s highly recommended you compare several of them to get the most competitive price.
Cheaper rates by taking advantage of discounts
Auto insurance companies don’t always advertise all available discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so we took the time to find some of the best known as well as some of the hidden credits available to bring down your rates. If you do not double check each discount you deserve, you are paying more than you should be.
- Save over 55 – Seniors could receive lower premium rates.
- Switch and Save Discount – A few companies allow discounts for renewing your policy prior to the expiration date on your current CR-Z insurance policy. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- Theft Deterrent System – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems help deter theft and can earn a small discount on your policy.
- Accident Forgiveness Coverage – This isn’t a discount exactly, but a few companies such as State Farm and Progressive will allow you to have one accident without raising rates so long as you haven’t had any claims prior to the accident.
- Payment Discounts – If you can afford to pay the entire bill instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may reduce your total bill.
- Distant Student – Youth drivers living away from Raleigh attending college and won’t have access to an insured vehicle can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Defensive Driver Discount – Passing a course that instructs on driving safety can save you 5% or more and easily pay for the cost of the class.
A little note about advertised discounts, many deductions do not apply to the whole policy. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. Despite the fact that it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.
A list of auto insurance companies and their possible discounts can be read below.
- Farm Bureau includes discounts for youthful driver, multi-policy, good student, safe driver, 55 and retired, driver training, and renewal discount.
- MetLife offers discounts including good student, good driver, defensive driver, multi-policy, and claim-free.
- Progressive discounts include continuous coverage, online quote discount, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, online signing, and homeowner.
- AAA may include discounts for good student, multi-car, pay-in-full, multi-policy, AAA membership discount, and anti-theft.
- American Family offers discounts for Steer into Savings, good student, multi-vehicle, defensive driver, and TimeAway discount.
- GEICO has savings for air bags, good student, federal employee, military active duty, and membership and employees.
- State Farm offers premium reductions for student away at school, multiple autos, good student, driver’s education, multiple policy, and anti-theft.
If you need affordable Raleigh car insurance quotes, ask every insurance company how many discounts you can get. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not be available to policyholders everywhere. If you would like to choose from a list of companies with significant discounts in North Carolina, click here.
Learn How to Buy Car Insurance for Less
Lots of factors are taken into consideration when pricing auto insurance. Some are pretty understandable like an MVR report, although some other factors are less obvious such as your credit history and annual miles driven. An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that go into determining the price you pay for car insurance. When you understand what influences your rates, this enables informed choices that could result in better car insurance rates.
- What type of vehicle do you drive? – The type of car, truck or SUV you need to insure makes a huge difference in determining your rates. The best insurance prices will normally be found when insuring small economy passenger cars, but that’s not the only thing that factors into the final price.
- Marriage can save on car insurance – Having a spouse can actually save you money on car insurance. Having a significant other demonstrates that you tend to be more stable financially it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married are more cautious.
- Cars with good safety ratings cost less to insure – Safe vehicles get lower rates. These vehicles result in less severe injuries and fewer serious injuries translates directly to fewer claims which can result in lower premiums.
- Multiple policies with one company can save – Most insurers allow better rates to people who carry more than one policy in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount applied, you may still want to shop around to verify if the discount is saving money.There is a chance you can save money by buying car insurance from a different company.
- Remove unneeded extra coverages – There are many add-on coverages that you can buy if you aren’t careful. Add-on coverages like vanishing deductibles, high-cost glass coverage, and additional equipment coverage are examples of these. These may sound like a good investment when deciding what coverages you need, but your needs may have changed so consider taking them off your policy.
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Honda CR-Z claim probability – Insurers take into consideration historical loss data for every vehicle to calculate a rate that offsets possible losses. Models that the data determines to have high amounts or severity of claims will cost more for specific coverages. The table below illustrates the insurance loss data used by companies for Honda CR-Z vehicles.
For each coverage category, the claim probability for all vehicles, regardless of manufacturer or model, is considered to be 100. Numbers below 100 suggest a better than average loss history, while values over 100 indicate a higher chance of having a claim or tendency to have higher losses.
Honda CR-Z Insurance Claim Statistics Vehicle Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Honda CR-Z Hybrid 106 87 83 98 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEEmpty fields indicate not enough data collected
Statistics Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Situations that may require an agent’s advice
When quoting and comparing coverage online or from an agent, there isn’t really a perfect coverage plan. Your needs are unique to you.
Here are some questions about coverages that might help in determining whether you would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Will damage be repaired with OEM parts?
- Is extra glass coverage worth it?
- How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in North Carolina?
- Which companies will insure me after a DUI?
- When should I remove comp and collision on my Honda CR-Z?
- Does my Honda CR-Z qualify for pleasure use?
- What is GAP insurance?
- Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
- Is my ex-spouse still covered by my policy?
If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form.
Insurance agent or online?
A lot of people would prefer to get professional advice from a licensed agent and that can be a smart move One of the best bonuses of comparing rate quotes online is the fact that you can find cheap car insurance quotes but also keep your business local. Supporting local insurance agents is important especially in Raleigh.
Once you complete this form (opens in new window), your insurance coverage information is submitted to agents in your area who can give free rate quotes to get your business. It makes it easy because there is no need to contact any insurance agencies because prices are sent instantly to you. You can find the lowest rates and a licensed agent to work with. In the event you want to compare prices from a particular provider, you would need to visit that company’s website and fill out the quote form the provide.
If you want local Raleigh agents, there are two different agency structures and how they can quote your rates. Agents are considered either exclusive or independent (non-exclusive).
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Agents of this type are normally appointed by many insurers so they can quote policies amongst many companies and get you the best rates possible. If your agent finds better pricing, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you won’t have to switch agencies. When comparison shopping, you will definitely want to get rate quotes from multiple independent agents to have the best price comparison. Most independent agents also contract with less well-known companies which could offer lower prices.
Listed below are Raleigh independent agencies that may be able to give free rate quotes.
- Lee Winters Insurance Agency
1330 St Marys St Suite 250 – Raleigh, NC 27605 – (919) 828-7130 – View Map - Hix Insurance Center
2010 New Bern Ave – Raleigh, NC 27610 – (919) 255-6210 – View Map - Superior Insurance of Raleigh
2431 Spring Forest Rd #123 – Raleigh, NC 27615 – (919) 261-6164 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Exclusive insurance agents can only provide one company’s prices and some examples include Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. They generally cannot compare other company’s rates so they have no alternatives for high prices. Exclusive agents are well schooled in insurance sales which helps them sell on service rather than price. Some people will only buy insurance from these agents mostly because of the brand name instead of buying on price only.
Listed below is a short list of exclusive agents in Raleigh who can help you get price quotes.
- Mary Wilson – State Farm Insurance – Raleigh
9660 Falls of Neuse Rd #165 – Raleigh, NC 27615 – (919) 872-1225 – View Map - Suzanne Wilson – State Farm Insurance Agent
8961 Harvest Oaks Dr #205 – Raleigh, NC 27615 – (919) 870-1413 – View Map - Doug Wingate – State Farm Insurance Agent
2414 Wycliff Rd #110 – Raleigh, NC 27607 – (919) 787-0888 – View Map
Choosing the best auto insurance agent should include more criteria than just a cheap price. Here are some questions you should ask.
- Is the agency active in community causes in Raleigh?
- Are aftermarket or OEM parts used to repair vehicles?
- What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
- How are they compensated?
- Which family members are covered?
After talking to the agent and getting positive responses to all your questions and a good coverage price, you may have just found a car insurance agent that meets the criteria to adequately provide car insurance.
Raleigh car insurance company ratings
Finding the highest-rated insurance company can be rather challenging considering how many choices drivers have in North Carolina. The ranking data in the lists below could help you pick which coverage providers you want to consider buying from.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travelers | 93 | 98 | 99 | 88% | A++ | 95.1 |
| USAA | 83 | 99 | 100 | 91% | A++ | 94.1 |
| Mercury Insurance | 97 | 96 | 88 | 89% | A+ | 93.4 |
| AAA Insurance | 91 | 95 | 92 | 90% | A | 93.3 |
| Nationwide | 85 | 95 | 97 | 89% | A+ | 92.4 |
| Allstate | 77 | 100 | 97 | 88% | A+ | 90.7 |
| State Farm | 80 | 94 | 96 | 88% | A++ | 90.6 |
| The Hartford | 88 | 93 | 91 | 87% | A+ | 90.4 |
| Safeco Insurance | 91 | 95 | 85 | 88% | A | 90.2 |
| Progressive | 88 | 94 | 83 | 88% | A+ | 90.1 |
| American Family | 91 | 86 | 95 | 83% | A | 89.7 |
| Esurance | 86 | 90 | 94 | 90% | A+ | 89.5 |
| The General | 86 | 93 | 89 | 84% | A- | 88.2 |
| GEICO | 79 | 89 | 95 | 87% | A++ | 87.8 |
| Titan Insurance | 86 | 82 | 92 | 86% | A+ | 86.5 |
| 21st Century | 86 | 82 | 90 | 84% | A | 86.4 |
| Liberty Mutual | 79 | 87 | 95 | 78% | A | 85.3 |
| Farmers Insurance | 77 | 80 | 80 | 84% | A | 80.3 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||||||
Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
One last note
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, you should never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are a lot of situations where someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage to discover at claim time that it was a big error on their part. Your goal should be to purchase plenty of coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.
Drivers leave their current company for a variety of reasons including high rates after DUI convictions, delays in responding to claim requests, extreme rates for teen drivers and questionable increases in premium. No matter why you want to switch, switching companies can be pretty painless.
Some insurance companies may not provide rates over the internet and many times these small insurance companies work with independent insurance agents. Cost effective Honda CR-Z insurance can be bought on the web as well as from insurance agents, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best chance of saving money.
More information can be read at the links below
- When is the Right Time to Switch Car Insurance Companies? (Allstate)
- Who Has Cheap Raleigh Auto Insurance for Seniors? (FAQ)
- How Much are Raleigh Car Insurance Rates for Young Drivers? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Raleigh Auto Insurance for High School Students? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for a Honda Civic in Raleigh? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Raleigh Auto Insurance for a Toyota RAV4? (FAQ)
- How Much is Raleigh Auto Insurance with Multiple Speeding Tickets? (FAQ)
- Eight Auto Insurance Myths (Insurance Information Institute)
- Young Drivers: The High Risk Years Video (iihs.org)
- New vehicle ratings focus on headlights (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)