Astonishing but true, a large majority of consumers have remained with the same insurance company for at least four years, and about 40% of consumers have never compared quotes from other companies. With the average insurance premium being $1,847, American drivers could save as much as 46.5% a year, but they assume it’s a waste of time to compare rates and save money.
The most effective way to find affordable quotes for Chrysler PT Cruiser insurance in Raleigh is to make a habit of comparing prices annually from different companies that insure vehicles in North Carolina. You can compare rates by completing these steps.
Step 1: Try to comprehend auto insurance and the factors you can control to prevent rate increases. Many rating criteria that cause high rates such as inattentive driving and an unacceptable credit score can be amended by making lifestyle changes or driving safer.
Step 2: Request rate estimates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only give prices from a single company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agents can quote prices for a wide range of companies.
Step 3: Compare the quotes to the premium of your current policy to see if a cheaper price is available. If you find a better price, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
Step 4: Notify your current company of your decision to cancel your current auto insurance policy. Submit a down payment along with a completed application for your new coverage. Once the application is submitted, place the new certificate verifying coverage in a readily accessible location in your vehicle.
One thing to remember is to compare identical coverages on each quote request and and to look at as many car insurance companies as possible. Doing this enables a fair price comparison and the best rate selection.
Six factors that determine insurance premiums
Multiple criteria are taken into consideration when you get a price on insurance. Most are fairly basic like a motor vehicle report, but others are not quite as obvious such as your credit history or your commute time.
- Discounts for auto and home policies – Lots of insurers apply better rates to people who carry more than one policy, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. This can amount to ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. If you currently are using one company, it’s in your best interest to shop around to help ensure you have the lowest rates. You may still be able to save even more by buying from different companies
- Higher prices for tough employers – Jobs such as real estate brokers, social workers, and medical professionals tend to pay higher rates than average attributed to job stress and lengthy work days. On the flip side, jobs like professors, students and the unemployed have the lowest average rates.
- Lower annual miles equals lower premium – Driving more miles in a year the more you’ll pay to insure it. Most insurance companies apply a rate based on how the vehicle is used. Cars that do not get driven very much receive lower rates compared to those used for work or business. An incorrectly rated PT Cruiser may be wasting your money. Ask your agent if your insurance coverage states the proper vehicle usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
- Better insurance rates for continuous insurance coverage – Having an insurance coverage lapse is a sure-fire way to drive up your policy premiums. In addition to paying higher premiums, failure to provide proof of insurance could earn you fines and jail time.
- Liability coverage preserves assets – Liability insurance will afford coverage when you are ruled to be at fault for physical damage or personal injury to other. Liability insurance provides legal defense coverage starting from day one. It is affordable coverage as compared to coverage for physical damage, so insureds should have plenty of protection for their assets.
- You might want pay the inexpensive insurance claims yourself – Insurance companies in North Carolina generally give lower rates to insureds who only file infrequent claims. If you frequently file small claims, you can definitely plan on increased rates or even have your policy non-renewed. Auto insurance is meant to be used in the event of larger claims.
The cheapest Raleigh Chrysler PT Cruiser insurance rate quotes online
Most companies allow consumers to get insurance quotes online. This process is fairly straightforward as you just enter your personal and coverage information into the quote form. Behind the scenes, the company’s rating system will order your credit score and driving record and generates a price based on these and other factors.
Using the web to get rates for Chrysler PT Cruiser insurance in Raleigh streamlines rate comparisons, and it’s also necessary to do this in order to find the lowest payment.
If you want to compare pricing, compare rate quotes from the providers shown below. To compare your current rates, we recommend you replicate your coverages identical to your current policy. This guarantees you will receive an apples-to-apples comparison based on the exact same insurance coverage.
The companies in the list below provide quotes in Raleigh, NC. To find the best cheap auto insurance in Raleigh, it’s highly recommended you click on several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Analysis of coverages
The premium information below covers estimates of policy rates for Chrysler PT Cruiser models. Learning as much as possible about how insurance policy premiums are figured helps drivers make smart choices when selecting a coverage provider.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PT Cruiser 2WD 4-Dr | $102 | $192 | $256 | $16 | $76 | $642 | $54 |
| PT Cruiser 2WD 4-Dr | $102 | $192 | $256 | $16 | $76 | $642 | $54 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data rating is based on single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, claim-free, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and homeowner. Rate information does not factor in your specific Raleigh location which can modify price quotes noticeably.
Higher deductibles save money
The hardest decision when buying coverage is at what level do you set your deductibles. The premium rates below may help to illustrate the rate fluctuation between low and high insurance deductibles. The first table uses a $250 deductible for physical damage and the second pricing table uses a $500 deductible.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PT Cruiser 2WD 4-Dr | $168 | $266 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $747 | $62 |
| PT Cruiser 2WD 4-Dr | $168 | $266 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $747 | $62 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PT Cruiser 2WD 4-Dr | $136 | $214 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $638 | $53 |
| PT Cruiser 2WD 4-Dr | $136 | $214 | $212 | $12 | $64 | $638 | $53 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Table data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, claim-free, multi-policy, safe-driver, and homeowner. Table data does not factor in vehicle garaging location which can influence coverage prices considerably.
Using the data above, we can ascertain that using a $250 deductible costs roughly $9 more each month or $108 each year than quoting the higher $500 deductible. Because you would pay $250 more out-of-pocket with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you average more than 28 months between claim filings, you would save money going with the higher deductible.
Calculate savings of higher deductibles
| Average monthly premium for $250 deductibles: | $62 |
| Average monthly premium for $500 deductibles (subtract): | – $53 |
| Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $9 |
| Difference between deductibles ($500 – $250): | $250 |
| Divide difference by monthly savings: | $250 / $9 |
| Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 28 months |
Cost difference between full coverage and liability
The chart below shows the comparison of Chrysler PT Cruiser annual premium costs with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying the minimum liability limits required in North Carolina. The rate quotes are based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are applied.
When to drop full coverage
There is no written rule to drop physical damage insurance, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the yearly cost of full coverage is 10% or more of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.
For example, let’s say your Chrysler PT Cruiser replacement cost is $7,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most your company would pay you is $6,000 after paying your deductible. If you are paying more than $600 annually to have full coverage, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
There are some cases where buying only liability insurance is not a good plan. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage in order to prevent your loan from defaulting. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should not remove full coverage.
Why you need quality insurance for your Chrysler PT Cruiser
Even though it can be expensive, buying car insurance is not optional due to several reasons.
- Just about all states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a specific minimum amount of liability insurance if you want to drive legally. 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 Chrysler PT Cruiser has a loan, almost all lenders will have a requirement that you have physical damage coverage to guarantee payment of the loan. If you let the policy lapse, the lender may insure your Chrysler for a much higher rate and force you to pay a much higher amount than you were paying before.
- Insurance protects both your car and your personal assets. It will also reimburse you for many types of medical costs for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are sued as the result of your driving. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of having car insurance definitely exceed the cost, particularly if you ever have a claim. An average driver in America is overpaying over $865 each year so it’s important to compare rates at least once a year to be sure current rates are still competitive.
Don’t overlook these Chrysler PT Cruiser insurance discounts
Auto insurance companies don’t always list every available discount very well, so the below list has both the well known as well as the least known discounts that you may qualify for.
- No Charge for an Accident – Not really a discount, but a handful of insurance companies allow you one accident without raising rates if you have no claims for a certain period of time.
- Drivers Ed for Students – Reduce the cost of insurance for teen drivers by having them participate in a local driver’s education class if it’s offered in school.
- Student in College – Kids who live away from home to go to college without a vehicle on campus may qualify for this discount.
- Early Payment Discounts – By paying your entire bill at once instead of paying each month you may reduce your total bill.
- Paperless Signup – Some larger companies give back up to $50 get Raleigh auto insurance on the web.
- Low Mileage – Low mileage vehicles can earn substantially lower prices.
You should keep in mind that some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Most cut individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. Despite the fact that it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, nobody gets a free ride. Any amount of discount will definitely reduce your policy premiums.
The example below shows the difference between Chrysler PT Cruiser annual premium costs with and without discounts applied to the premium. Data assumes a male driver, a clean driving record, no claims, North Carolina state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, claim-free, marriage, multi-policy, safe-driver, and multi-car discounts applied.
Some companies who may offer some of the discounts shown above include:
If you need lower rates, check with every company what discounts are available to you. Some of the discounts discussed earlier may not be available in Raleigh. To see companies that can offer you the previously mentioned discounts in North Carolina, follow this link.
Local neighborhood agents and car insurance
A lot of people prefer to talk to an insurance agent and that can be a great decision The best thing about price shopping on the web is you may find lower rates and still have a local agent. Buying insurance from neighborhood insurance agencies is definitely important in Raleigh.
For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, the quote information is transmitted to local insurance agents who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to visit any agencies since rate quotes are delivered to you directly. You can get cheaper car insurance rates AND a local agent. In the event you want to compare rates from a specific car insurance provider, you can always search and find their rate quote page and fill out their quote form.
Types of car insurance agents
If you want to buy car insurance from a local agent, it’s important to understand the types of insurance agents and how they differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Car insurance agents can be described as either independent or exclusive.
Independent Car Insurance Agencies or Brokers
These agents often have affiliation with several companies so they can insure your vehicles with an assortment of companies and get the cheapest rates. If they find a cheaper price, they simply move your policy to a different company without you having to go to a different agency. When comparing car insurance rates, you need to contact a couple of independent agencies to have the most options to choose from. Most have the option of insuring with smaller regional carriers that may provide cheaper car insurance rates.
Shown below are independent insurance agencies in Raleigh that can give you price quote information.
- Blackmon Insurance Agency of North Carolina, Inc.
4280 Louisburg Rd – Raleigh, NC 27604 – (919) 875-8500 – View Map - Carolina Insurance Professionals
5540 Centerview Dr – Raleigh, NC 27606 – (919) 285-4732 – View Map - Nationwide Insurance: Terry E Nobles
557 Pylon Dr a – Raleigh, NC 27606 – (919) 833-3803 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Exclusive agencies have only one company to place business with such as Farmers Insurance, State Farm, Allstate, and AAA. Exclusive agents cannot provide rate quotes from other companies so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Exclusive agents are trained well in insurance sales and that can be a competitive advantage. Consumers often buy from the same agent for years primarily because of the prominent brand name and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.
Listed below is a list of exclusive insurance agencies in Raleigh who can help you get price quotes.
- Vincent Boone – State Farm Insurance Agent
7850 Alexander Promenade PI #105 – Raleigh, NC 27617 – (919) 957-9009 – View Map - Karen Boone – State Farm Insurance Agent
5603 Creedmoor Rd – Raleigh, NC 27612 – (919) 782-6666 – View Map - Cecil Burt – State Farm Insurance Agent
6837 Falls of Neuse Rd #104 – Raleigh, NC 27615 – (919) 846-8006 – View Map
Deciding on an insurance agent requires you to look at more than just a low price. Get answers to these questions too.
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- Will a damage claim use OEM or aftermarket replacement parts?
- Is working in the agency their full-time job?
- How long have they been in business?
- What company do they have the most business with?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in North Carolina?
Raleigh auto insurance company ratings
Ending up with a highly-rated company can be difficult considering how many companies there are in Raleigh. The information listed below may help you choose which companies to look at shopping prices with.
Top 10 Raleigh Car Insurance Companies by A.M. Best Rank
- Travelers – A++
- USAA – A++
- GEICO – A++
- State Farm – A++
- Titan Insurance – A+
- Esurance – A+
- Progressive – A+
- The Hartford – A+
- Allstate – A+
- Nationwide – A+
Top 10 Raleigh Car Insurance Companies Overall
- Travelers
- USAA
- Mercury Insurance
- AAA Insurance
- Nationwide
- Allstate
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- Safeco Insurance
- Progressive
Do I need special coverages?
Always keep in mind that when comparing coverage online or from an agent, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Your situation is unique.
For instance, these questions might help in determining whether or not you would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Why am I required to buy liability insurance?
- Is my Chrysler PT Cruiser covered if I use it for business?
- Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
- Do all my vehicles need collision coverage?
- What does roadside assistance cover?
- Should I buy additional glass protection?
- Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
- Is coverage enough to protect my assets?
- Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form.
One last note
A few companies may not offer online quoting and most of the time these small insurance companies provide coverage only through independent insurance agencies. Affordable Chrysler PT Cruiser insurance in Raleigh can be bought from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Raleigh, so you should be comparing quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money.
Drivers who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as policy non-renewal, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, policy cancellation and even questionable increases in premium. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding a new company can be less work than you think.
You just learned a lot of information how to shop for Chrysler PT Cruiser insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your comparison will be. You may even discover the biggest savings come from the least-expected company.
More tips and info about car insurance can be found at these sites:
- What if I Can’t Find Coverage? (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Good Drivers in Raleigh? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for High Mileage Drivers in Raleigh? (FAQ)
- Bodily Injury Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
- Auto Insurance 101 (About.com)
- Understanding Rental Car Insurance (Insurance Information Institute)
- Driving in Bad Weather (Insurance Information Institute)