When buying car insurance in Greer, you have many choices and picking a good South Carolina auto insurance agent is more difficult than just driving to the closest agent’s office. It’s likely you require not only a good agent that listens to you, but you also need affordable coverage.
With Allstate, Farmers, State Farm and many independent agents having offices in Greer, consumers have a hard time knowing which one will have the cheapest rates and the best coverage. Fortunately, consumers can get online quoting to build a list of agencies and price estimates.
Comparing prices from Greer agents
Agents can help determine the best coverages and give you someone to call. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is you may find lower rates but still work with a licensed agent. And providing support for local businesses is especially important in Greer.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this short form, the coverage information is immediately sent to local insurance agents who will battle for your business. There is no reason to even leave your home since price quotes are sent to your email. How’s that for easy!
Not all insurance agents are the same
When finding an insurance agent, you need to know there are two different types of agents to choose from. Insurance agencies in Greer are classified as either captive or independent. While both can do a good job, but it’s worth mentioning how they are different since it can impact the selection process.
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Independent agents are not employed by any specific company so they can insure your vehicles with multiple insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If your agent finds better pricing, an independent agent can move your coverage without you having to go to a different agency.
When comparison shopping, it’s a good idea to get quotes from multiple independent agents to have the most options to choose from.
Shown below are Greer independent insurance agencies willing to provide comparison quotes.
Angone Agency – 1717 Old Spartanburg Rd – Greer, SC 29650 – (864) 292-6825
Rich Haddad Insurance – 420 The Pkwy # R – Greer, SC 29650 – (864) 801-0897
Direct General Ins Agency – 611 E Wade Hampton Blvd – Greer, SC 29651 – (864) 848-1328
Burnett Insurance – 101 School St – Greer, SC 29651 – (864) 879-2197
Tony Gregory Agency – 980 Batesville Rd # C – Greer, SC 29651 – (864) 627-4172
Captive Agents
These agents are contracted to one company and examples are AAA, Allstate, State Farm, Farmers Insurance or Liberty Mutual. They generally cannot place coverage with different providers so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captive agents are trained well on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents.
Below are captive agents in Greer that are able to give comparison quotes.
Allstate Insurance – 996 Batesville Rd # 5 – Greer, SC 29651 – (864) 676-1901
State Farm Insurance – 996 S Batesville Rd – Greer, SC 29650 – (864) 676-0366
To view a complete directory of captive agencies in Greer, please go to this site.
Deciding on a car insurance agent should depend on more than just the price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
- Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
- What insurance companies do they work with?
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
- How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
- Is working in the agency their full-time job?
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
Once you have received positive feedback to all your questions and locked in a price quote, chances are good that you have found a car insurance agent that will provide car insurance coverage.
Have you considered online alternatives?
Insurance agents are important, but South Carolina drivers can also buy directly from online companies. Even companies who sell through the agent channel also allow consumers to buy a policy online, so this should also be taken into consideration if you are the do-it-yourself type.
If you’re uncomfortable with not getting advice from an agent, don’t be too concerned. Online car insurance companies that allow you to purchase coverage all have toll-free customer service for getting the best coverage. Also available are live help and 24/7 access to clarify any questions you may have.
Is it cheaper to buy online? It’s difficult to say for sure since there are so many components which can adversely affect your policy premium. It’s often assumed that going direct saves money by not requiring a commission. For most online online companies, however, there are very high advertising costs so this can offset any savings.
In Summary
The cheapest car insurance can be bought online as well as from independent agents in Greer, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some car insurance companies don’t offer online quoting and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.
As you shop your coverage around, it’s very important that you do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are a lot of situations where an insured cut uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. Your aim should be to purchase plenty of coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.
Additional car insurance information can be read on the website for the South Carolina Department of Insurance located here. Visitors are able to read industry bulletins, learn about specific coverages, read state legal mandates and laws, and find disaster information.
