Are you sick and tired of scraping the payment together to buy car insurance? Your situation is no different than millions of other consumers. Numerous insurers battle for your insurance dollar, so it’s not easy to compare every insurance company and get the best coverage at the best price available.
If you have a policy now or need new coverage, you will benefit by learning to reduce the price you pay and possibly find even better coverage. Buying car insurance in Charles Town is not that difficult. West Virginia vehicle owners just need to understand the most effective way to get comparison quotes on the web.
Pay less by taking advantage of discounts
Auto insurance companies don’t always advertise every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list some of the best known as well as the least known car insurance savings. If they aren’t giving you every credit available, you are paying more than you should be.
- Auto/Home Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with the same company you will save approximately 10% to 15%.
- Homeowners Discount – Simply owning a home may earn you a small savings because maintaining a house demonstrates responsibility.
- Good Students Pay Less – Performing well in school can save 20 to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you up to age 25.
- Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- No Accidents – Claim-free drivers can save substantially when compared with bad drivers.
- Seat Belt Usage – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts can save up to 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- Drive Less and Save – Fewer annual miles could qualify for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
- New Car Discount – Adding a new car to your policy can be considerably cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
As a disclaimer on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it just doesn’t work that way.
For a list of insurers with the best car insurance discounts in West Virginia, follow this link.
How to Compare Charles Town Car Insurance Rates
Finding cheaper car insurance prices isn’t really that difficult. The only requirement is to spend a few minutes to get quotes online with multiple companies. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.
- The recommended way consumers can analyze rates is a comparison rater form click to view form in new window. This form prevents you from having to do multiple quote forms for every car insurance company. Completing one form gets rate comparisons from all major companies.
- Another way to get comparison quotes requires you to visit the website for each individual company and fill out their own quote form. For examples sake, let’s assume you want to compare Liberty Mutual, Esurance and State Farm. To get rate quotes you would need to spend time on each company’s site to input your insurance information, which is why most consumers use the first method.
For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Charles Town, click here.
- The least recommended method of getting rate comparisons is to waste gas driving to local Charles Town insurance agencies. The ability to buy insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you want the professional guidance of a licensed agent. You can, however, price shop your coverage online but still have the advice of a local agent.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just make absolute certain that you use exactly the same coverage information for each comparison quote. If you use mixed coverages you can’t possibly determine the best price in Charles Town.
Charles Town Rates are Influenced by These Factors
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that come into play when calculating the price you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in big savings.
The list below includes a partial list of the pieces used by your company to calculate premiums.
- Never let your coverage lapse – Driving without insurance is a misdemeanor and your next policy will cost more because you let your coverage have a gap. And not only will insurance be more expensive, getting caught without coverage will get you a steep fine or even jail time.You may need to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with the West Virginia department of motor vehicles.
- Add-on coverages can add up – There are a ton of extra bells and whistles that you can buy when buying car insurance. Things like personal injury protection, towing coverage and term life insurance may be wasting your money. These coverages may sound good when you first buy your policy, but if they’re wasting money remove them from your policy.
- An active claims history can cost you – Companies in West Virginia give lower rates to drivers who file claims infrequently. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can definitely plan on higher rates. Insurance coverage is intended to be relied upon for larger claims.
- High credit ratings translate to low rates – Having a bad credit score is a big factor in determining your rates. People with high credit scores tend to be more responsible than those with poor credit. So if your credit history is low, you could pay less to insure your by spending a little time repairing your credit.
- Lower deductibles cost more – Physical damage coverage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, is used to repair damage to your car. Examples of covered claims are running into the backend of another car, collision with an animal, and rolling your vehicle. Physical damage deductibles are how much you are willing to pay out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. The more expense you’re willing to pay, the bigger discount you will receive.
- Do you have a high stress job? – Occupations like real estate brokers, executives and dentists tend to have the highest average rates attributed to stressful work requirements and lots of time spent at work. Other occupations such as actors, historians and the unemployed receive lower rates.
- More miles equals more premium – The more miles you rack up on your car every year the more you will pay for car insurance. Most companies apply a rate based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles not used for work or commuting can get a lower rate than those used for commuting. Ask your agent if your car insurance policy is rated on how each vehicle is driven, because it can save money.
- Being married can save on car insurance – Getting married can get you a discount when buying car insurance. Having a significant other is viewed as being more responsible and it’s statistically proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
Your coverage should be tailored to you
When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s situation is unique so your insurance needs to address that. For example, these questions can aid in determining whether or not you might need professional guidance.
- Which companies will insure high-risk drivers?
- When would I need additional glass coverage?
- Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
- What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
- Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
- Do I need added coverage for expensive stereo equipment?
- Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
- Does my personal policy cover me when driving my company car?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It is quick, free and can provide invaluable advice.
But I prefer to buy car insurance from an agent
Certain consumers prefer to buy from a local agent. Licensed agents can help determine the best coverages and help file insurance claims. The best thing about price shopping on the web is you may find the lowest rates and still choose a local agent.
Upon completion of this short form, your coverage information is sent to companies in Charles Town who will give you bids to get your business. You won’t need to visit any agencies as quotes are delivered to the email address you provide. It doesn’t get any easier!
Selecting an provider requires more thought than just a low price. These are valid questions to ask:
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
- If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
- Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
- What insurance companies do they work with?
If you wish to contact a specific insurance agent in Charles Town, simply jump to this page.
After getting positive responses and a low price estimate, you’ve probably found an insurance company that is a good match to adequately provide car insurance.
Are car insurance companies telling the truth?
West Virginia drivers constantly see and hear ads that promise big savings by Allstate, Geico and Progressive. All the companies make the same claim about savings if you change to their company.
How does each company say the same thing?
Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the driver that makes them money. For instance, a preferred risk might be between the ages of 30 and 50, is a homeowner, and has a short commute. Any new insured who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and as a result will probably pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Consumers who do not match this ideal profile must pay higher prices and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ad wording is “customers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much money. That is how companies can make those claims. This illustrates why you need to quote coverage with many companies. It’s not possible to predict which car insurance company will have the lowest rates.
Final thoughts
Cheap car insurance is possible online in addition to many Charles Town insurance agents, so compare prices from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. There are still a few companies who do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.
When buying insurance coverage, do not buy less coverage just to save a little money. There have been many cases where an insured cut liability coverage limits only to find out that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The aim is to find the BEST coverage at the best price while still protecting your assets.
Find out more about car insurance
Additional detailed information is available at the West Virginia Insurance Commission website. West Virginia drivers can find a variety of consumer forms, file complaints about a company, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.
Also read more on QuoteClickInsure.com and this page on QuoteClickInsure.com.