Are you baffled by the crazy number of auto insurance sources that you can choose from? There are so many sources to choose from that it can easily turn into a chore to find the perfect company for you. If you’ve ever been there, you know that Bridgewater is a good city to live in, but inflated auto insurance rates can make it nearly impossible for many drivers to pay for enough auto insurance coverage.
You should make it a habit to quote other rates at least once a year because insurance prices are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Just because you found the best rates two years ago you can probably find a lower rate today. Forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because we’re going to demonstrate the tricks you need to know to lower your rates without sacrificing coverage.
There are several ways to compare auto insurance quotes, but some are easier and takes less work. You can spend countless hours talking to agents in Bridgewater, or you can utilize the internet to maximize your effort.
Most of the best insurance companies participate in an industry program where prospective buyers submit one quote, and at least one company can give them a price determined by their information. This system prevents you from having to do quote forms for every auto insurance company.
To use this form to compare rates click here (opens in new window).
The only downside to getting quotes like this is you are unable to specify the insurers to receive prices from. So if you want to select specific providers to request quotes from, we put together a list of auto insurance companies in Virginia. Click here for list of insurance companies in Virginia.
Whichever way you choose to compare rates, double check that you are using the same information for every quote you compare. If you compare different liability limits then you won’t be able to make a fair comparison in Bridgewater.
These discounts can lower auto insurance rates
Some insurers don’t always list every available discount very well, so we researched a few of the more well known and also the more inconspicuous credits available to lower your premiums when you . If you do not double check each discount you deserve, you are throwing money away.
- Life Insurance – Auto insurance companies who offer life insurance give a discounted auto insurance rate on car insurance if you buy some life insurance too.
- Homeowners Savings – Owning a house in Bridgewater can save you money since home ownership shows financial diligence.
- Accident Forgiveness Coverage – This isn’t a discount exactly, but certain companies may permit one accident before your rates go up if you have no claims before the accident.
- Defensive Driving Course – Taking a driver safety course could save 5% or more if you qualify.
- Telematics Data Discounts – Drivers who elect to allow companies to scrutinize driving patterns by using a telematics device like In-Drive from State Farm and Progressive’s Snapshot may see discounts if they exhibit good driving behavior.
- Bundled Policy Discount – When you have multiple policies and insure them with the same company you could get a discount of over 10 percent off each policy depending on the company.
- Savings for New Vehicles – Buying a new car instead of a used car can get you a discount because newer models have to meet stringent safety requirements.
- Multi-car Discount – Buying a policy with primary and secondary vehicles on one policy can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
A little disclaimer on discounts, most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. Despite the appearance that it’s possible to get free car insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.
Popular auto insurance companies and their offered discounts are detailed below.
- Geico may have discounts that include anti-theft, military active duty, multi-vehicle, defensive driver, and membership and employees.
- MetLife has savings for good student, multi-policy, good driver, defensive driver, accident-free, claim-free
- Progressive offers discounts for multi-policy, good student, multi-vehicle, continuous coverage, and homeowner.
- Travelers includes discounts for driver training, save driver, hybrid/electric vehicle, IntelliDrive, good student, and continuous insurance.
- SAFECO offers premium reductions for safe driver, anti-lock brakes, accident prevention training, anti-theft, teen safety rewards, and bundle discounts.
- AAA has discounts for multi-car, anti-theft, pay-in-full, AAA membership discount, good driver, and multi-policy.
If you need , ask all the companies to give you their best rates. Some discounts may not be available in Bridgewater. To choose providers who offer auto insurance discounts in Virginia, follow this link.
Compare rate quotes or from car insurance agents
Certain consumers prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is just fine! Good agents can help you build your policy and help you file claims. One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is the fact that drivers can get the lowest rates but still work with a licensed agent. Buying from and supporting neighborhood agents is important especially in Bridgewater.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is emailed to local insurance agents in Bridgewater who will give you bids to get your business. You don’t have to even leave your home because quoted prices will be sent instantly to you. If you wish to compare prices from a specific company, you can always jump over to their website and give them your coverage information.
The type of car insurance agent you choose is important
If you want to buy auto insurance from a local insurance agency, it helps to know the two different types of agencies and how they can service your needs differently. Auto insurance agencies can be categorized as either captive or independent. Both properly insure your vehicles, but it’s important to know the difference in the companies they write for since it could factor into which type of agent you select.
Independent Auto Insurance Agents (or Brokers)
Independent insurance agents often have affiliation with several companies so they have the ability to put coverage with multiple insurance companies and get the cheapest rates. If they find a lower price, your policy is moved internally without you having to go to a different agency.
When comparing rate quotes, you absolutely need to get insurance quotes from multiple independent agents so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare. Most also write with companies that do not advertise much which may provide better rates.
Below are independent insurance agencies in Bridgewater that can possibly get you free auto insurance quotes.
- J D Mc Curdy Insurance – 105 N Main St – Bridgewater, VA 22812 – (540) 828-2676
- Estes Insurance Inc – 628 N Main St – Bridgewater, VA 22812 – (540) 828-1360
Captive Auto Insurance Agents
Captive agents have only one company to place business with and some examples include State Farm, AAA, Farmers Insurance or Allstate. They generally cannot compare rates from other companies so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captives are well schooled in insurance sales and that can be a competitive advantage. A lot of people buy insurance from these agents mainly due to the brand and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.
Picking the best insurance agent requires more thought than just the quoted price. Here are some questions to ask:
- Do they get extra compensation for selling add-on coverages?
- Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
- Do they have adequate Errors and Omissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
- What is the financial rating for the quoted company?
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
If you receive reasonable responses to these questions and a low price estimate, you may have just found an insurance agent that is reputable and can properly service your auto insurance policy.
Situations that may require an agent’s advice
When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage, there really is not a best way to insure your cars. Every situation is different.
For instance, these questions can help discover if you may require specific advice.
- Do I need higher deductibles?
- Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in Virginia?
- Does coverage extend to a rental car in a foreign country?
- What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
- What can I do if my company denied a claim?
- I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
- Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
- Does my policy pay for OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
- When would I need additional glass coverage?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, you may need to chat with an agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form. It’s fast, free and you can get the answers you need.
Informed consumers can lower your rates
Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the factors that play a part in calculating the level of your policy premiums. When consumers understand what determines base rates, this allows you to make good choices that can earn you much lower annual insurance costs.
- Companies want multiple policies – Most auto insurance companies will give lower prices to people who carry more than one policy such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Even though this discount sounds good, it’s always a smart idea to shop around to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still be able to find lower rates by buying from different companies
- What type of car, truck or SUV do you drive? – The performance level of the car you are insuring makes a big difference in your premium level. The lowest base rates are usually found on lower performance four cylinder passenger cars, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
- Never let your coverage lapse – Driving without insurance is not a good idea and you may have a hard time finding new coverage because you let your insurance coverage expire. In addition to paying higher premiums, being ticketed for driving with no insurance will get you a license revocation or jail time. You may then be required to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the Virginia department of motor vehicles.
- File auto insurance claims and pay more – Companies in Virginia award most affordable rates to drivers who are claim-free. If you’re an insured who likes to file claims you can pretty much guarantee higher rates. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of the large, substantial claims.
- Do you have a tough occupation? – Careers such as doctorsair traffic controllers and miners tend to have higher premiums than the average policyholder attributed to stressful work requirements and lots of time spent away from family. Conversely, jobs such as scientists, athletes and homemakers get better rates.
- Insurance rates for married couples – Your spouse actually saves money when buying auto insurance. Marriage generally demonstrates drivers are more mature and responsible and statistics show drivers who are married are more cautious.
- A good credit rating can save money – Credit rating is likely to be a major factor in your rate calculation. So if your credit score can be improved, you could save money insuring your vehicle by improving your rating. People that have high credit ratings tend to file fewer claims as compared to drivers with lower ratings.
- Is insurance coverage cheaper for females or males? – Statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. This data doesn’t prove that women are BETTER drivers than men. Females and males tend to get into accidents in similar percentages, but males have costlier accidents. Men also tend to receive more costly citations like reckless driving and DUI.
In the end, you save
You just read many ways to save on auto insurance. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the higher the chance of saving money. You may be surprised to find that the lowest prices are with the least-expected company.
People who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as being labeled a high risk driver, delays in paying claims, extreme rates for teen drivers and even denial of a claim. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding the right auto insurance provider is actually quite simple.
Cheaper auto insurance can be found on the web and with local Bridgewater insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance providers may not offer price quotes online and many times these smaller providers work with independent agencies.
Much more information about auto insurance in Virginia is located on the website for the Virginia Bureau of Insurance through this link. Virginia consumers can read consumer alerts, find a variety of consumer forms, and find disaster information.