At first glance, auto insurance (also referred to as car insurance) seems fairly straightforward, but there are a number of moving parts that can be confusing. Reviewing your auto insurance policy, and personal situation, every so often is a good idea. As an independent insurance agency and broker serving Metro Atlanta and All of Georgia, we can provide you with a number of options to decide on.
Is Auto Insurance Required in Georgia?
According to the Georgia Insurance Commissioner’s website as of February 2020, “Georgia consumers must have automobile liability insurance for at least the minimum limits required by law to drive on the Georgia public roads and highways. The minimum limits of liability required under Georgia law are Bodily injury Liability of $25,000 per person, $50,000 per occurrence and Property Damage liability of $25,000 per occurrence.” Depending on your personal situation you may want to carry limits higher than the minimum required limits in order to protect your assets and future earnings. If you have questions about any of this we would be more than happy to discuss it with you.
What are the different coverages in an auto insurance policy?
A typical auto insurance policy normally has the option to include a number of additional coverages beyond the required liability coverage mentioned above. Some of those coverages may include;
- Uninsured & Underinsured motorist
- Comprehensive Coverage
- Collision Coverage
- Medical Payments
- Roadside Assistance
- Rental Reimbursement/Extended Transportation Expense
There are also a number of enhancements that you may qualify for, or have the option to add on your policy for an additional premium. These may include accident and violation forgiveness.
If you have questions about any of these please feel free to contact us, and we would be happy to discuss them with you.
What discounts are available for auto insurance in Metro Atlanta & Georgia?
This is vary depending on the company, but there are a number of discounts that are common. It’s always a good idea to review your discounts to make sure you are receiving all that apply to you. Also, be sure to keep your agent and insurance company aware of any updates that may qualify you for additional discounts.
Here are some of the more common discounts that can be available;
- Continuous insurance discount
- Multi-car discount
- Accident free discount
- Multi-policy or package discount (commonly referred to as bundling)
- Safe driver discount
- Early quote discount
- Paid in full or EFT discount
- Good student discount (for teen drivers as well as young adults)
- Student away at school discount (this may require the student to be a certain distance from the primary residence without a vehicle)
- Driver training or defensive driver discount
Again, it’s always wise to do a review of your discounts to make sure you are getting all the ones that you qualify for.
How are insurance rates determined?
The way each auto insurance company determines their rates can be somewhat complex, and each one can be different. As you can see from the number of discounts available there are many factors that go into determining the rates. A few of the more common variables that will determine how much you pay for your car insurance can include;
- Your driving history
- Age and gender
- Marital status
- Whether or not you currently have auto insurance coverage and for how long continuously
- If you do have current coverage, what liability limits you carry
- What type of car you have (car, pick-up truck, SUV) and age
- What you use your car for (i.e. commuting vs. pleasure) and how often (annual mileage)
- The coverages that you choose to carry
- Discounts you can qualify for
- Location
Let us Help!
As you can see, each persons situation is going to be unique. If you are in Metro Atlanta or any other part of Georgia, lease feel free to contact one of our auto insurance agents directly at 404-781-9415, or complete the quote request form on the right. As an independent car insurance agency we can provide you with quotes from multiple companies.
