Overpriced auto insurance can dwindle your checking account and put a big crunch on your finances. Shopping your coverage around is a great way to slash your bill and have more diposable income.
Many insurance companies vie for your business, so it’s not easy to compare every insurance company to find the absolute best rates possible.
You should make it a habit to compare rates once or twice a year since insurance rates tend to go up over time. Despite the fact that you may have had the best rates six months ago you will most likely find a better rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the best way to reduce your cost while improving coverage.
Free Summersville Auto Insurance Quotes
Most major insurance companies quote coverage price quotes on their websites. Getting online quotes is quite simple as you simply enter your personal and coverage information into a form. After you submit the form the system orders your driving and credit reports and generates a price. Quoting online makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the time required to go to multiple sites and type in the same information gets old quite quickly. But it’s very important to compare as many rates as possible in order to find the best price possible.
The easiest way to get multiple rate quotes makes use of a single form to get prices from a bunch of companies at once. This type of form saves time, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes price shopping online much more efficient. Once the form is submitted, it is quoted and you are able to buy your choice of the quotes that you receive.
If you find a better price you simply finish the application and buy the new coverage. The entire process takes less than 15 minutes and may save quite a bit of money.
If you want to use this form to compare rates, click here to open in new window and begin entering your coverage information. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended you complete the form with your coverages exactly as they are listed on your policy. This way, you will have rate quotes based on the exact same insurance coverage.
Be sure to get all your discounts
Car insurance is not cheap, but there could be available discounts that you may not know about. Some trigger automatically when you complete an application, but a few need to be requested specifically before you will receive the discount.
- Payment Method – By paying your policy upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save up to 5%.
- Life Insurance Discount – Some companies give a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
- Bundle and Save – When you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you will save up to 20% off your total premium.
- Drive Less and Save – Fewer annual miles could qualify for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
- Claim Free – Drivers who don’t have accidents pay much less compared to accident-prone drivers.
- Save with a New Car – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can be considerably cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
- One Accident Forgiven – Certain companies will forgive one accident without raising rates if you are claim-free for a set time period.
- Student Driver Training – Cut your cost by having your teen driver complete a driver education course if offered at their school.
Drivers should understand that many deductions do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So when it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way. But all discounts will bring down your premiums.
To see a list of insurers with the best auto insurance discounts in West Virginia, click here.
Your insurance agent down the street
A small number of people prefer to get advice from a local agent. The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is you can get better rates but still work with a licensed agent. Supporting local insurance agencies is definitely important in Summersville.
After filling out this form (opens in new window), your information is sent to local insurance agents in Summersville who will return price quotes for your business. You don’t have to leave your house because quoted prices will be sent immediately to your email address. It doesn’t get any easier! You’ll get the best rates and an insurance agent to talk to.
Independent or Captive: It’s your choice
If you’re trying to find an insurance agent, you must know there are a couple different agency structures to choose from. Insurance agencies in Summersville are either independent (non-captive) or captive.
Independent Insurance Agents
These agents are not employed by any specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with multiple insurance companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To move your coverage to a new company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you don’t have to find a new agent.
When comparing rates, we recommend you include at a minimum one independent agency for the best price selection.
Below are Summersville independent insurance agents who can help you get price quotes.
Emerald Insurance – 66 Armstrong Rd # 1 – Summersville, WV 26651 – (304) 872-6882
Jack Roop Insurance – 800 Northside Dr – Summersville, WV 26651 – (304) 872-7002
Captive Agents
This type of agents have only one company to place business with like Allstate, State Farm and Farmers Insurance. They generally cannot give you multiple price quotes so keep that in mind. Captive agents are very knowledgeable on their company’s products and that can be a competitive advantage.
Below are captive agents in Summersville willing to provide rate quotes.
State Farm Insurance – 1 Carter Ln – Summersville, WV 26651 – (304) 872-0383
For a complete listing of auto insurance agents in Summersville, please click here.
Choosing an auto insurance agent should depend on more than just a low price. These questions are important to ask:
- Are they full-time agents?
- Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
- Will your rates increase after a single accident?
- If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
- Who are their largest clients?
Upon getting good answers and a low price estimate, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that is a good match to adequately provide auto insurance.
Insurance agents can help
When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage, there really is no “perfect” insurance plan. Each situation is unique and your policy should reflect that. Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine whether you would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?
- Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my vehicle is totaled?
- Do I have coverage when making deliveries for my home business?
- What if I don’t agree with a claim settlement offer?
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
- Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
If you’re not sure about those questions then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Make smart decisions and save
Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that play a part in calculating your auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels enables informed choices that will entitle you to better auto insurance rates.
Shown below are a few of the “ingredients” auto insurance companies consider when setting prices.
- Marriage brings a discount – Getting married actually saves money on your auto insurance policy. Having a significant other translates into being more mature than a single person and it’s proven that being married results in fewer claims.
- Mature drivers pay less – Young drivers in West Virginia have a tendency to be less responsible behind the wheel so they pay higher auto insurance rates. Having to add a youthful driver to your policy can be very expensive. Older drivers tend to be more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and tend to be better behind the wheel.
- More miles equals more premium – The higher the mileage driven each year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. The majority of insurers rate vehicles based on how the vehicle is used. Vehicles that are left in the garage can get a lower rate than those used for commuting. Verify your auto insurance declarations sheet shows the correct usage for each vehicle, because it can save money.
- Do you know your deductibles? – Physical damage coverage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered are a windshield shattered by a rock, vandalism, and rolling your vehicle. Your deductibles are how much you are willing to pay out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. The higher the amount the insured has to pay upfront, the lower your rates will be.
- Don’t skimp on liability – Liability coverage is the protection if ever you are found liable for damages from an accident. It provides legal defense up to the limits shown on your policy. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so drivers should carry high limits.
- Occupation reflects on rates – Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupations such as judges, business owners and dentists tend to have the highest average rates attributed to job stress and lots of time spent at work. Other professions such as farmers, historians and homemakers receive lower rates.
- Safer cars cost less to insure – Cars with high safety ratings get lower rates. Safer cars have better occupant injury protection and any reduction in injury severity means less money paid by your insurance company and lower rates for you.
- Traffic violations increase rates – Your driving record has a big impact on rates. Careful drivers have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Even a single citation can boost insurance rates forty percent or more. Drivers who get flagrant violations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state motor vehicle department in order to keep their license.
Best coverage at the best price
Cheap auto insurance is definitely available on the web in addition to many Summersville insurance agents, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance companies do not provide online price quotes and these smaller companies work with independent agents.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, you should never skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, an insured cut collision coverage to discover at claim time that they should have had better coverage. Your focus should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate.
Much more information about auto insurance in West Virginia can be read on the website for the West Virginia Insurance Commission through this link. Visitors are able to file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, discover disciplinary actions, and read consumer alerts.