Finding better rates for Huntington car insurance can be a challenge for beginners to shopping for insurance online. Drivers have so many options that it can be a challenge to find lower rates in Huntington.
It’s a good habit to shop coverage around occasionally because rates go up and down regularly. Despite the fact that you may have had the best deal on your last policy you may be paying too much now. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to how to use the internet to save money, get proper deductibles and limits, all at the lowest rate.
This article will familiarize you with how to get online quotes and some money-saving tips. If you have car insurance now, you should be able to save some money using this information. West Virginia consumers just need to understand the tricks to get comparison rates online.
Many Things Influence your Rates
An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that go into determining car insurance rates. Knowing what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with big savings.
Listed below are a few of the “ingredients” that factor into rates.
- More people means more accidents – Being located in less populated areas can save you money when insuring your vehicles. Fewer people means reduced accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft. Drivers who live in large West Virginia cities regularly have traffic congestion and much longer commute distances. Higher commute times translates into higher accident risk.
- Drive less and save money – Driving more miles each year the higher your rate. Most insurance companies apply a rate based on their usage. Vehicles left parked in the garage can get a lower rate than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Make sure your car insurance coverage shows the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.
- Claim-free discounts can add up – Auto insurance companies in West Virginia generally give cheaper rates to insureds who file claims infrequently. If you frequently file small claims, you can pretty much guarantee either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Insurance coverage is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- Pay less if you’re married – Getting married helps lower the price on your policy. Having a spouse usually means you are more mature and responsible it has been statistically shown that being married results in fewer claims.
- Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? – The majority of car insurance companies will award you with lower prices to insureds who consolidate policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, it’s in your best interest to compare rates to make sure you are getting the best deal.
- Your car insurance rates can be influenced by your job – Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Occupations such as real estate brokers, architects and accountants have higher rates than average attributed to job stress and lengthy work days. On the flip side, professions such as scientists, athletes and performers get better rates.
Be sure to get all your discounts
Car insurance can cost a lot, but discounts can save money and there are some available to cut the cost considerably. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you get a quote, but some may not be applied and must be specially asked for before you will receive the discount. If you’re not getting every credit available, you are paying more than you should be.
- Defensive Driver – Successfully completing a driver safety course could possibly earn you a 5% discount if your company offers it.
- Multi-car Discount – Buying coverage for more than one vehicle with the same company could earn a price break for each car.
- Use Seat Belts – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts can save up to 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.
- Homeowners Discount – Owning a house in Huntington may earn you a small savings because maintaining a house shows financial diligence.
- Federal Government Employee – Employees or retirees of the government may qualify you for a discount with a few car insurance companies.
- Auto/Life Discount – Larger companies have better rates if you take out a life insurance policy as well.
- Club Memberships – Affiliation with certain professional organizations could qualify you for a break when shopping for car insurance.
- Student in College – Children who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle may qualify for this discount.
- Low Mileage – Driving fewer miles could be rewarded with a substantially lower rate.
A little note about advertised discounts, most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any amount of discount will bring down the cost of coverage.
For a list of insurers with discount car insurance rates in West Virginia, click this link.
How do I know if I need professional advice?
When buying the best car insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s needs are different.
These are some specific questions can help discover if you could use an agent’s help.
- Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
- Do I need medical payments coverage since I have good health insurance?
- What can I do if my company won’t pay a claim?
- What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
- What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?
- Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to an agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can help protect your family.
Additional car insurance information is available on the West Virginia Insurance Commission website found here. Consumers can learn about insurance regulations, report car insurance fraud, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.
Buy online or local, you save
When shopping online for car insurance, it’s a bad idea to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There have been many cases where consumers will sacrifice liability coverage limits to discover at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.
We’ve covered many tips how you can get a better price on car insurance. The key concept to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. You may be surprised to find that the best prices are with some of the lesser-known companies.
Insureds who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including policy non-renewal, delays in responding to claim requests, unfair underwriting practices or delays in paying claims. Regardless of your reason, choosing a new insurance company can be pretty painless.