Are you irritated from trying to scrape together enough money to insure your vehicles every month? You are no different than millions of other consumers. Due to the fact that there are so many options, it can be hard to choose the most cost effective insurance company.
Finding the best rates in Blackstone is quite easy. Basically, every vehicle owner who is required by state law to have auto insurance should be able to find lower rates. But Virginia drivers must comprehend how companies market on the web and apply this information to your search.
To find the best auto insurance rates, there are several ways of comparing price quotes from many available auto insurance companies in Virginia. The best way to do a complete rate comparison consists of obtaining rate quotes online. It’s really quite simple and can be done in a couple of different ways.
- If you don’t have a lot of time, the easiest way to get quotes for comparison is to use a rate comparison form like this one (opens in new window). This style of form saves time by eliminating repetitive form submissions to each individual auto insurance company. In just a few minutes this one form gets rate comparisons from several companies.
- Another way to find better pricing requires a visit to the website for each individual company to complete a price quote. For instance, we’ll assume you need rates from Farmers, Esurance and Travelers. To get rate quotes you would need to go to every website to enter the same coverage data repeatedly, which can get old fast.
To view a list of companies in Blackstone, click here.
- The last way to shop rates is driving to insurance agents’ offices. Shopping for auto insurance online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you’re the type of person who wants the professional guidance of a local agency. You can, however, comparison shop your insurance online and have a local agent actually service the policy.
It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but make absolute certain that you use the exact same coverage information with every price quote. If each company quotes different liability limits you will not be able to determine the best price in Blackstone. Having just a slight variation in insurance coverages or limits could skew the results. And when quoting auto insurance, remember that quoting more increases your odds of finding the best price. Some regional insurers cannot provide rate quotes online, so it’s important to compare quotes from them, too.
Good choices result in lower costs
Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that aid in calculating auto insurance rates. When consumers understand what influences your rates, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that can earn you much lower annual insurance costs. Lots of factors are part of the calculation when premium rates are determined. Some are obvious like your driving record, but other factors are less apparent like where you live or how safe your car is.
Listed below are a few of the “ingredients” used by insurance companies to determine your rate level.
- Do you have a demanding job? – Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupations like military personnelair traffic controllers and accountants tend to have higher premiums than the average policyholder due to intense work-related stress and lots of time spent at work. Other occupations such as actors, athletes and homemakers have lower than average premiums.
- Vehicles with better crash test results means lower rates – Vehicles with high crash test scores can get you lower premiums. The safest vehicles result in less severe injuries and fewer injuries translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders. If your vehicle scored better than an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website it is probably cheaper to insure.
- Get married and get cheaper premiums – Having a significant other actually saves money on your auto insurance bill. Marriage may mean you are more responsible and statistics show married drivers tend to have fewer serious accidents.
- Are men or women drivers cheaper? – Over the last 30 years, statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. However, this does not mean females are better drivers. Females and males cause fender benders at a similar rate, but men tend to have more serious accidents. Men also have more aggressive citations like driving under the influence (DUI).
- Little extras can really add up – There are a ton of optional add-on coverages that sound like a good idea at the time on your policy. Things like roadside assistance, death and dismemberment, and term life insurance are some examples. You may think they are a good idea when talking to your agent, but if they’re wasting money eliminate them to save money.
- Multi-policy discounts can save money – Lots of insurers give a discount for people who buy several policies from them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. This can amount to 10 percent or more. Even if you already get this discount, consumers should still check prices from other companies to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
- Bad credit will cost you – Having a bad credit score is a large factor in determining what you pay. Therefore, if your credit score is lower than you’d like, you could be paying less to insure your vehicle by taking the time to improve your credit score. People that have good credit tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims than drivers who have lower credit scores.
These discounts can lower your auto insurance rates
Companies offering auto insurance do not list the entire discount list in a way that’s easy to find, so the list below contains both the well known and the harder-to-find ways to save on auto insurance.
- Discount for Low Mileage – Low mileage vehicles could earn slightly better auto insurancerates than normal.
- Homeowners Savings – Being a homeowner may trigger a policy discount on auto insurance because it requires personal responsibility.
- Defensive Driver Discounts – Participating in a course that instructs on driving safety could earn you a small percentage discount if your company offers it.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts may earn rate discounts of 25 to 30%.
- Paperwork-free – Some insurance companies provide a small discount over the internet.
- Senior Citizens – Mature drivers could receive a small discount on rates.
It’s important to note that some credits don’t apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. So when it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it just doesn’t work that way.
Larger auto insurance companies and a partial list of their discounts are detailed below.
- Progressive may have discounts that include homeowner, multi-vehicle, good student, multi-policy, online signing, continuous coverage, and online quote discount.
- AAA has discounts for good driver, good student, multi-car, pay-in-full, multi-policy, AAA membership discount, and anti-theft.
- Farmers Insurance may include discounts for pay in full, youthful driver, alternative fuel, multi-car, good student, and bundle discounts.
- Geico has savings for emergency military deployment, five-year accident-free, air bags, seat belt use, daytime running lights, driver training, and anti-theft.
- Esurance offers discounts including DriveSense, safety device, Switch & Save, renters, anti-lock brakes, claim free, and online shopper.
- SAFECO offers premium reductions for homeowner, teen safety rewards, anti-theft, teen safe driver, bundle discounts, and drive less.
- State Farm offers discounts for multiple policy, student away at school, multiple autos, good driver, and passive restraint.
If you are trying to find , ask all companies you are considering which credits you are entitled to. Discounts may not apply to policyholders in Blackstone. If you would like to choose from a list of companies who offer cheap auto insurance quotes in Virginia, follow this link.
Will just any policy work for me?
When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a best way to insure your cars. Each situation is unique so your insurance should reflect that These are some specific questions may help highlight if you could use an agent’s help.
- How can I get high-risk coverage after a DUI?
- What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?
- Is a new car covered when I drive it off the dealer lot?
- Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my vehicle is totaled?
- Is there coverage for injuries to my pets?
- When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
- Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
- Do I need rental car coverage?
If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.
You may need advice from a local insurance agent
Certain consumers would rather buy from a local agent. One of the best bonuses of getting online price quotes is you may find the best rates and still buy from a local agent.
Upon completion of this short form, your insurance coverage information is emailed to companies in Blackstone who want to provide quotes for your business. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to even leave your home since rate quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. You can most likely find cheaper rates and a licensed agent to talk to. If you wish to quote rates from a particular provider, don’t hesitate to search and find their rate quote page to submit a rate quote request.
Choosing the best insurer requires more thought than just a cheap price quote. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:
- Is the agency covered by Errors and Omissions coverage?
- Does the agent have a valid license to sell insurance in Virginia?
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- Will they take your side in the event of a claim?
- If you raise deductibles, how much can you save?
If you would like to find an insurance agent, there are two types of agencies and how they function. Auto insurance agents can either be captive or independent (non-captive).
Captive Insurance Agencies
These agents work for only one company such as State Farm, Allstate, and Farm Bureau. These agents are not able to provide other company’s prices so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captives are usually quite knowledgeable on sales techniques and that allows them to sell at a higher price point.
Independent Insurance Agents
These type of agents do not sell for just one brand so they can insure your vehicles with an assortment of companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If you are not satisfied with one company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you can keep the same agent. If you are trying to find cheaper rates, you definitely need to include at a minimum one independent agency to get the most accurate price comparison.
The following are Blackstone independent insurance agents that can give you comparison quotes.
Nash Insurance Inc – 212 S Main St – Blackstone, VA 23824 – (434) 292-3137
Moncure Insurance Inc – 203 S Main St – Blackstone, VA 23824 – (434) 292-3012
To view more Blackstone insurance agents, view this page of Blackstone Virginia insurance agencies.
If you receive good responses to all your questions as well as quotes, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that is reliable enough to insure your vehicles.
Online plus local equals savings
Affordable auto insurance is definitely available online as well as from insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance providers do not provide rate quotes online and most of the time these small insurance companies prefer to sell through independent agencies.
As you , don’t be tempted to reduce needed coverages to save money. In many instances, an insured dropped collision coverage and found out when filing a claim they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your objective should be to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest cost, but do not skimp to save money.
More tips and info about auto insurance is located at the Virginia Bureau of Insurance website. Virginia drivers can view a list of available companies, view agent and company licensing information, read consumer alerts, and find out which companies have the most complaints.