Comparing auto insurance companies in Wilmington, NC can be challenging because picking a good North Carolina insurance agent is more difficult than just calling the closest agent. Consumers need a friendly agent, but also the lowest rates for auto insurance in Wilmington.
Big-name insurance companies like Geico and Progressive increase brand awareness with fancy advertisements and it is challenging if not impossible to ignore the promise of big savings and do the work needed to find the best deal.
Is my situation unique?
When choosing adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no one size fits all plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions could help you determine if your insurance needs may require specific advice.
- If my vehicle is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
- When would I need rental car insurance?
- Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
- Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
- Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
- Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
- Who is covered by my policy?
If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent.
Your local neighborhood insurance agent
Professional agents can help determine the best coverages and help you file claims. One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is you can get lower rates but also keep your business local.
For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), your information is emailed to participating agents in Wilmington who will return price quotes to get your business. There is no reason to leave your computer due to the fact that quote results will go straight to your inbox. How cool is that?!
Choosing a car insurance agent should depend on more than just the bottom line cost. Agents should be asked these questions:
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
- Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?
- Are they full-time agents?
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
- Can glass repairs be made at your home?
- How long has their agency been in business in Wilmington?
- What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
Types of insurance agents
When finding a good insurance agency, you must know there are a couple different agency structures that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies in Wilmington are classified as either captive or independent (non-captive). Both types can insure your vehicles, but it’s important to know the differences since it may influence the selection process.
Captive Insurance Agents
These agents have only one company to place business with such as Liberty Mutual, Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. These agents are unable to give you multiple price quotes so keep that in mind. These agents are very knowledgeable on the products they sell which can be an advantage.
Shown below is a list of captive agents in Wilmington that are able to give price quote information.
State Farm Insurance – 2816 S College Rd # A – Wilmington, NC 28412 – (910) 395-2300
Allstate Insurance Co – 2642 Carolina Beach Rd # 11 – Wilmington, NC 28412 – (910) 392-4260
Farm Bureau Insurance – 3137 Wrightsville Ave – Wilmington, NC 28403 – (910) 343-9900
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Independent agents are not employed by any specific company so they can insure your vehicles with many different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, they simply move the coverage in-house and you won’t have to switch agencies.
When shopping rates, you should always get quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to have the most options to choose from.
Listed below is a list of independent agencies in Wilmington that are able to give comparison quotes.
Paul D Schnitzer Agency – 5725 Oleander Dr – Wilmington, NC 28403 – (910) 392-9945
Protective Agency Inc – 4951b New Centre Dr – Wilmington, NC 28403 – (910) 791-0540
Walker Taylor Agency Inc – 1430 Commonwealth Dr # 302 – Wilmington, NC 28403 – (910) 509-9000
Nationwide Insurance – 2406 S 17th St – Wilmington, NC 28401 – (910) 791-5447
Davis Insurance – 7100 Springer Rd – Wilmington, NC 28411 – (910) 392-5173
To view a full list of Wilmington insurance agents, visit this site.
After getting answers to your satisfaction to these questions as well as a affordable price, it’s possible that you found a car insurance agent that is a good match to properly service your auto insurance policy.
How do online company rates compare?
Car insurance agents are indespensible for some people, but you also have the option of buying North Carolina car insurance directly from online companies. Certain companies that sell primarily through agents also allow consumers to buy online, and consumers should do that if finding the best price is important.
If you’re worried about not having professional advice, that is normal but is not a big issue. Online car insurance companies that allow you to purchase coverage provide phone numbers and online resources that you can contact for information. Additionally, most companies also offer the ability to chat online live with a sales rep and online research to help with the buying process.
Is car insurance cheaper online? A lot of shoppers won’t buy anywhere else, but it’s impossible to say due to the fact that there are many factors that influence your rates. Some people will tell you that going direct saves money because there is no commission. But the fact is, online and traditional media advertising are expensive so rates may not be all that different from traditional agents.
The only way to determine whether online companies or local agents have lower rates is to get rates from both and compare them. It’s even possible to receive different pricing from the exact same provider depending on where you get the price quote from. You won’t discover if the company’s rates are lower online or from an agent unless you actually compare identical quotes each way.
More detailed North Carolina auto insurance information is located at the North Carolina Department of Insurance website. North Carolina drivers can find out which companies have the most complaints, read consumer alerts, and download brochures.
More related Wilmington auto insurance information:
A tidy conclusion
As you prepare to switch companies, make sure you don’t reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are too many instances where someone dropped full coverage and discovered at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your focus should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.
Consumers who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including policy cancellation, not issuing a premium refund, delays in paying claims and even extreme rates for teen drivers. It doesn’t matter what your reason, switching companies can be pretty painless.
