Vehicle Insurance in Georgia

[GAFarmer2]

OK, so here's the deal. I have been paying what I feel is outrageous auto insurance rates for way too long. Need some advice/assistance.

Just got the wife a new car. 2017 Toyota Camry. Her dream car. Georgia Farm Bureau, who I've been with since I first got a license (10+ years) quoted me initially right at 700 every six months for the Camry. I was thinking "man that's a little high for a car...but what do I know, I've never owned a car". New bill came in the mail today. For the next six months...just north of $900.

Just for some background...I currently have the Camry and a Ford Escape (2015 with less than 10,000 miles, my mother's car) at full coverage, and my truck (01 Dodge Ram 2WD V6 SWB), my wife's old 04 Nissan Frontier, and an old "family" 83 Ford bronco (which I am in the process of selling) with liability only.

The New six month premium is right at $2400. That is an increase of about $250 from the previous six months (about $500 more a year).

I'm trying to figure out if I'm getting jack screwed here or not. Actually, I'm pretty sure I'm getting screwed...I just want to know how bad!

I have thus far gotten a quote from GEICO for the four vehicles (minus the bronco) for just over $1000 for six months. The bronco costs about 300 for six months with GFB, so that would bring me down to about 2 grand even with GFB. State Farm locally is telling me since my current policy was re written last year (Dad and I were always the owners listed on the policy, so of course when he passed in March of 16 GFB rewrote the policy to "remove" him from it) they can't provide me a quote...

I have a meeting set up with an independent agent here in town next week, and am also considering looking some more online.

I say that to say this...I have no idea how to shop for auto insurance. Like I said before, I've always used GFB. Is it worth considering some of the "online only" companies? Do I need a local agent? Am I out of line for thinking my insurance is too high? I'm 26, wife is about to be 25, Mom is 66 (only listed on the Escape). No tickets, no accidents, no moving violations, ... nothing that I feel would cause us to be considered bad drivers.

Just looking for any tidbits I can get. I have read some of the other insurance posts I have found here and elsewhere...and I'm still kindsortasomewhatconfused.

Thanks in advance!

 

[turnkey4099]

I"m in Washington state. I have State Farm, been with them since 1976. One car, one PU, house & property. Total annual is under $2,000. I have taken every discount availabe. Both car and truck are 'low mileage discount (less than 7,000 miles annually), Truck has liability only and I am debating doing that with the car (2005 Ford 500 with just under 80,000). Would be a high value on the sales lot but an insurance adjuster would probably total it as blue book ain't very much.

 

[EarPlug]

Find an Independent Insurance Agency. They can shop multiple companies for you. Also, review the coverage levels you have. Raising your Deductible to as high as you can cover at time of a claim will have a big affect. Shoot for something like $1000-$2500.

I have Auto Owners who only works with Independent Agents. Great Company for Auto, Home, Business.

 

[BillC72]

You probably are getting screwed. But I would try to be thankful that you aren't subject to Michigan's "no fault" insurance. Car insurance in Mi. is the highest in the nation. I have PLPD (liability) on two vehicles for $365/month. My wife and I have no tickets or accidents btw.

 

[dmccarty]

When comparing policies from different companies, one has to also compare what is covered, the amounts covered, and the price.

As mentioned, lowering the deductibles can help lower the premium price but lowering the liability and other coverage amounts is risky. After we got hit by a women who drove through a light, I got us an umbrella policy that is dirt cheap for the coverage. My wife had injuries that cost $45,000 to fix but which was covered by insurance for the most part. This was NOT a serious accident though it took two surgeries to fix the damage. :shocked:

Even though we were not at fault, I got the umbrella just in case one day it was our fault. In hindsight, I was pretty daft for not having the umbrella policy years prior to the accident.

Later,
Dan

 

[deanocraft]

I live in Georgia too, and I had Allstate for probably 18 years covering my home and truck. I guess it is my mistake for being a loyal customer, but I finally got tired of my premiums going up every year as my truck got older and less valuable... I switched to Geico and it was 50% cheaper. I think all insurance companies raise the rates every time you renew. They just start out cheap to get you on board and then inch up over time. Geico is the exact same, and I will probably switch to another company soon. It's a racket!

 

[M5farms]

When I had my kids on my policy years ago and a few accidents I was paying 800 a month for insurance. and that was the cheapest with progressive. I still have 2 vehicles with progressive at 960 a yr and I have auto owners commercial policy on my pickup truck at 1200 a yr. Home farm and equipment I have with Farm bureau . It pays to shop a round

 

[M5farms]

Also , insurance companies take your credit rating into account when quoting .

 

[TractorGuy]

Also , insurance companies take your credit rating into account when quoting .

And they choose the lowest rating they can find. Our Farm Bureau went up on us claiming a lower credit rating. If I want to borrow money they always tell me my rating is the best they've seen in a while at over 800. It worries me because I expect my credit rating to go down as I age due to a lower income in retirement.

We also went through years of rates increasing with Allstate and when I finally price shopped them our rate was cut in half.

In spite of it all the last time I attempted to price my insurance around I was blown away at how much higher the quotes were than what I was paying with Farm Bureau. We have our home and vehicles through them.

All these insurance companies keep a common record on you they can all access. I wouldn't be surprised if the record keeping company didn't alert your present company any time you go shopping. In fact my last increase was shortly AFTER I went shopping. I was alerted to the data sharing company when I requested a quote from Geico one time. The data company sent me a notice alerting me that they had all my data and WOULD share it. They had me with an accident that occurred on a car I purchased and that accident was from the previous owner. I about lost it when I read that. How can you pass fault on an accident with a car that changes hands?

 

[ustmd]

Definitely shop around. Also, ask the insurance company what is driving your rates.

Just a couple of things to consider your age (and to some extent your wife's age) maybe on the big drivers for the rates. Males under 30 are at the highest rates for accidents.

For the new Camry, another contributing factor is that it is always in the top five for most stolen vehicles.