Sad but true, a large majority of drivers in North Carolina kept buying from the same company for at least four years, and 38% of drivers have never compared rates from other carriers. With the average premium in America being $1,847, drivers could save themselves approximately $860 a year by just comparing quotes, but they just assume it’s a time-consuming process to shop around.
Truthfully, the best way to save money on car insurance rates is to start doing an annual price comparison from insurance carriers that sell auto insurance in Raleigh. You can compare rates by following these guidelines.
- Try to understand what is in your policy and the measures you can take to keep rates down. Many factors that are responsible for high rates like traffic tickets, fender benders, and a substandard credit history can be improved by making minor changes to your lifestyle. This article gives more ideas to help reduce premium rates and find discounts that may have been missed.
- Compare prices from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive and direct companies can provide rates from a single company like GEICO and State Farm, while independent agencies can provide rate quotes for many different companies. Click to view companies
- Compare the new rate quotes to your existing rates to see if a cheaper price is available in Raleigh. If you find a lower rate quote and make a switch, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
The most important part of shopping around is that you use identical limits and deductibles on every price quote and and to get rate quotes from as many companies as you can. This ensures an accurate price comparison and a better comparison of the market.
If you have insurance now or just want cheaper rates, you will benefit by learning to save money without having to cut coverage. Choosing the best rates in Raleigh can be much easier if you know how to start. Drivers just have to use the most efficient way to compare company rates from multiple carriers.
Getting a cheap price on Audi A3 insurance is actually easier than you may think. You just need to take a few minutes to compare rates to see which company has affordable Raleigh car insurance quotes.
It’s so fast and easy to compare rates online that it makes it a waste of time to waste gas driving to different Raleigh agent offices. The internet eliminates this option unless you have a need for the professional guidance that you can only get from talking to an agent. If you prefer, some companies allow you to get prices online and get advice from an agent in your area.
The following companies can provide free rate quotes in North Carolina. If multiple companies are listed, it’s a good idea that you visit as many as you can to get the best price comparison.
Get cheaper rates with discounts
Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but you may qualify for discounts that you may not even be aware of. Certain discounts will be applied at the time of purchase, but a few must be asked for before they will apply. If you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Sign Early and Save – Select insurance companies give a discount for buying a new policy before your current coverage expires. You could save around 10% when you buy Raleigh car insurance online.
- Discounts for Seat Belt Usage – Requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts may be able to save a few bucks off the medical payments premium.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Cars that have air bags can qualify for discounts of 20 to 30 percent.
- Discount for Low Mileage – Driving less can qualify you for lower auto insurance rates due to less chance of an accident.
- Raleigh Homeowners Pay Less – Being a homeowner can earn you a little savings since owning and maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars and trucks that have anti-lock braking systems can reduce accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Discounts for Multiple Vehicles – Insuring multiple vehicles with the same auto insurance company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Savings for New Vehicles – Insuring a vehicle that is new can save you some money since new model year vehicles are generally safer.
Consumers should know that most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like you could get a free auto insurance policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
The information below compares Audi A3 premium costs with and without discounts applied to the rates. The prices are based on a female driver, no violations or accidents, North Carolina state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-policy, homeowner, claim-free, marriage, safe-driver, and multi-car discounts applied.
If you would like to see a list of providers with the best Audi A3 insurance discounts in Raleigh in Raleigh, follow this link.
Audi A3 insurance rate analysis
The data table below highlights different coverage prices for Audi A3 models. Learning more about how policy rates are formulated can be valuable when making decisions on the best policy coverages.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A3 2.0T Premium Package | $150 | $348 | $324 | $20 | $96 | $938 | $78 |
| A3 2.0T Premium Plus Package | $150 | $348 | $324 | $20 | $96 | $938 | $78 |
| A3 2.0T Quattro | $170 | $348 | $324 | $20 | $96 | $958 | $80 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Above prices assume single female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-policy, homeowner, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Estimates do not factor in vehicle location which can change coverage rates substantially.
Full coverage versus liability only rates
The diagram below visualizes the comparison of Audi A3 annual premium costs with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying the minimum liability limits required in North Carolina. The information is based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, marital status is single, and no policy discounts are applied.
Guidelines for dropping full coverage
There is no clear-cut rule of when to eliminate comp and collision coverage, but there is a general convention. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than around 10% of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
For example, let’s say your Audi A3 replacement value is $7,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most you would receive is $6,000 after the deductible is paid. If you are paying over $600 a year for physical damage coverage, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
There are some situations where only buying liability is not a good plan. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you have to keep full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest in the vehicle. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should not eliminate full coverage.
Auto insurance quotes from neighborhood Raleigh auto insurance agents
Many people just prefer to get advice from a local agent and that is a personal choice. Experienced insurance agents will help you protect your assets and help you file claims. A good thing about price shopping on the web is that you can find lower prices and still have a local agent. And supporting local insurance agents is important particularly in Raleigh.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this quick form, your information is instantly submitted to agents in your area who will give you quotes to get your business. You won’t need to contact any agents because prices are sent to you directly. If for some reason you want to compare rates from a specific auto insurance provider, feel free to navigate to their website to submit a rate quote request.
Pick the best auto insurance agent in Raleigh for you
When finding a reliable insurance agent, there are a couple of types of agencies and how they function. Agents in Raleigh can either be independent or exclusive. Both can insure your vehicles, but it is a good idea to know the difference in the companies they write for because it can influence which agent you choose.
Independent Auto Insurance Agents (or Brokers)
Agents that choose to be independent are not required to write business for one company and that allows them to write policies with an assortment of companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. To move your coverage to a new company, they can switch companies in-house without you having to go to a different agency.
When comparing auto insurance prices, you should always compare quotes from several independent agencies in order to have the best price comparison.
Below are Raleigh independent insurance agencies that may be able to provide price quote information.
David White Insurance Agency
6512 Six Forks Rd #102c – Raleigh, NC 27615 – (919) 870-9191 – View Map
J. Miller Lawson Agency – Nationwide Insurance
9360 Falls of Neuse Rd #201 – Raleigh, NC 27615 – (919) 676-5695 – View Map
AssuredPartners NL
4505 Falls of Neuse Rd Suite 350 – Raleigh, NC 27609 – (919) 781-0200 – View Map
Exclusive Agencies
Agents of this type work for only one company like AAA, State Farm, Farmers Insurance, and Allstate. Exclusive agencies are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive insurance agents are very knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques which can be an advantage.
Below are Raleigh exclusive agencies that can give you comparison quotes.
GEICO Insurance Agent
5011 Falls of Neuse Rd A – Raleigh, NC 27609 – (919) 862-1300 – View Map
State Farm: Lisa Davis
8201 Rowlock Way Suite 112 – Raleigh, NC 27613 – (919) 782-3333 – View Map
Myron Jarman – State Farm Insurance Agent
2869 Jones Franklin Rd – Raleigh, NC 27606 – (919) 859-5261 – View Map
Selecting a insurance agent should depend on more than just the quoted price. These are some questions your agent should answer.
- Is there a Errors and Omissions policy in force?
- Is coverage determined by price?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- Do they have 24-hour customer assistance?
- Which companies can they place coverage with?
- Where would glass claims be handled in Raleigh?
How do Insurance Companies Determine Audi A3 Insurance Rates?
Many things are part of the equation when you get your auto insurance bill. Most are fairly basic such as your driving record, but other factors are less apparent like your continuous coverage or your financial responsibility. A large part of saving on insurance is knowing a few of the rating criteria that go into determining the level of your policy premiums. If you have some idea of what impacts premium levels, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get cheaper rates.
Safety first – Cars with high safety ratings get lower rates. These vehicles reduce occupant injuries and better occupant protection translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and lower rates for you.
Insurance policy lapses increase rates – Driving your car without having proper coverage is a big no-no and your next policy will cost more because you let your coverage cancel without a new policy in place. And not only will insurance be more expensive, getting caught without coverage could earn you a steep fine or even jail time. You may need to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the North Carolina motor vehicle department.
Cheaper to insure women? – Over the last 30 years, statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. Now that doesn’t mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Both genders are responsible for fender benders in similar percentages, but men have accidents that have higher claims. Men also tend to get higher numbers of serious violations such as driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving recklessly.
The information below visualizes the comparison of Audi A3 insurance rates for male and female drivers. The premiums assume no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, full physical damage coverage, $250 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are factored in.
Drivers with good credit save on insurance – Having a bad credit history is likely to be a major factor in determining what you pay for insurance. People that have excellent credit tend to be better risks to insure than drivers who have lower ratings. Therefore, if your credit history can be improved, you could pay less to insure your Audi A3 by improving your rating.
Insurance rates in urban areas – Being located in areas with lower population has it’s advantages when talking about insurance. Less people living in that area means a lower chance of having an accident and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. People in densely populated areas have to deal with much more traffic and longer commutes to work. More time behind the wheel translates into higher accident risk.
Pleasure use saves money – The more you drive annually the more it will cost to insure it. The majority of insurers charge to insure your cars based upon how the vehicle is primarily used. Vehicles that sit idle most of the time qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. It’s a smart idea to ensure your declarations sheet is rated on how each vehicle is driven, because improper ratings can cost you money. A policy that improperly rates your A3 may be costing you.
Tickets will cost you – Having a clean driving record impacts premiums far more than you think. Even a single speeding ticket or other violation can boost insurance rates to the point where it’s not affordable. Attentive drivers get better rates compared to bad drivers. Drivers who get flagrant violations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may find they need to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with the DMV in their state in order to legally drive a vehicle.
The illustration below illustrates how traffic citations and at-fault accidents can influence Audi A3 auto insurance costs for different age categories. The rate quotes are based on a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $100 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.
Audi A3 insurance claim data – Auto insurance companies analyze past claim statistics as a tool for profitable underwriting. Models that the data shows to have higher loss trends will cost more for coverage. The table below shows the insurance loss data for Audi A3 vehicles.
For each type of coverage, the statistical loss for all vehicles, as an average, is represented as 100. Percentage numbers below 100 represent a good loss history, while numbers above 100 point to more frequent losses or statistically larger losses.
| Specific Audi Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audi A3 4dr 2WD | 152 | 90 | 109 | 85 | ||
| Audi A3 4dr 4WD | 147 | 73 | 111 | 80 |
Empty fields indicate not enough data collected
Data Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Why insurance is not optional
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure an Audi in Raleigh, insurance may be required for several reasons.
- The majority of states have minimum liability requirements which means you are required to buy a specific level 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 you have a loan on your Audi, most banks will force you to have full coverage to guarantee loan repayment. If you do not keep the policy in force, the bank may buy a policy for your Audi at a much higher premium rate and require you to pay a much higher amount than you were paying before.
- Insurance protects both your vehicle and your personal assets. It also can pay for medical transport and hospital expenses for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, will also pay attorney fees if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of insuring your A3 are without a doubt worth the cost, particularly for liability claims. Despite what companies tell you, the average driver is wasting up to $700 annually so smart consumers compare quotes every year to ensure rates are competitive.
Shop smart and save
You just learned many ways to compare Audi A3 insurance car insurance rates in Raleigh. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the better likelihood of getting inexpensive Raleigh car insurance quotes. Consumers may even find the best car insurance rates are with the smaller companies. Smaller companies often have lower premium rates on specific markets than their larger competitors like Allstate and Progressive.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, you should never buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In many instances, an insured dropped full coverage only to find out that it was a big error on their part. Your strategy should be to find the BEST coverage at the best cost, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Additional learning opportunities
- New Honda safety features benefit drivers of all ages (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Who Has Cheap Raleigh Car Insurance Quotes for a Toyota Camry? (FAQ)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for a Subaru Outback in Raleigh? (FAQ)
- Teen Driving Statistics (iihs.org)
- Event Data Recorders FAQ (iihs.org)