Are you tired of wondering where the money will come from to pay your car insurance bill each month? Your situation is no different than most other drivers in West Virginia. Drivers have multiple auto insurance companies to pick from, and even though it’s nice to have a choice, so many choices can make it hard to find a good deal.
Locating the best car insurance in Shinnston is quite easy. Essentially everyone who has to buy car insurance will be able to reduce their rates. But West Virginia drivers need to learn how big insurance companies sell online.
How to buy car insurance in Shinnston, West Virginia
Comparing car insurance rates can be a daunting task if you don’t utilize the fastest way to get free quotes. You could waste a few hours discussing policy coverages with local insurance agents in Shinnston, or you could save time and use online quoting to get the quickest rates.
Most major companies take part in a program where insurance shoppers only type in their quote data once, and at least one company then returns a price quote. This eliminates the need for repetitive form submissions to each company. To compare rates now click here to start a free quote.
The single downside to using this type of form is you are unable to specify which providers you will receive quotes from. If you wish to select individual companies to request quotes from, we put together a list of companies who write car insurance in West Virginia. Click here to view list.
Take whichever approach you prefer, but make absolute certain that you use the exact same coverage limits and deductibles for each comparison quote. If each company quotes different data it will be next to impossible to determine which company has the best rates in Shinnston. Quoting even small variations in coverages may result in large price differences. It’s important to know that obtaining a wide range of quotes helps increase your odds of locating a lower rate.
Find hidden discounts to get affordable West Virginia car insurance rates
Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but you may find discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Certain discounts will be applied when you complete an application, but once in a while a discount must be inquired about in order for you to get them.
- Senior Discount – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you can possibly qualify for better car insurance rates.
- Accident Forgiveness Coverage – This one isn’t a discount, but certain companies will let one accident slide before your rates go up if you have no claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
- New Car Discount – Insuring a vehicle that is new can save up to 30% due to better safety requirements for newer vehicles.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with anti-lock braking systems have fewer accidents so you can save 10 percent or more.
- Early Payment Discounts – By paying your policy upfront rather than paying in monthly installments you can actually save on your bill.
Drivers should understand that some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, that’s just not realistic.
To view insurers with the best discounts in Shinnston, click here to view.
Good decisions result in lower rates
A large part of saving on car insurance is knowing the different types of things that go into determining your car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay, this allows you to make good choices that can earn you much lower annual insurance costs.
- Liability risk factors in – The liability section of your policy will protect you in the event that you are found liable for damages from an accident. Your liability coverage provides legal defense to defend your case. Liability insurance is quite affordable when compared to the cost of physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
- Low deductibles cost more – Insurance for physical damage, aka comp and collision, protects your car from damage. Examples of some claims that would be covered could be collision with another vehicle, collision with an animal, and damage from a fallen tree branch. Physical damage deductibles define how much the insured will be required to pay before your car insurance pays a claim. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the less money you will pay for car insurance.
- Rate your vehicle for proper use – The more you drive your car each year the higher your rate. A lot of insurance companies calculate rates based on their usage. Vehicles used primarily for pleasure use can be on a lower rate level as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Verify your declarations sheet is showing how each vehicle is driven, because it can save money.
- Safer the car lower the rate – Vehicles that have high safety ratings tend to have lower insurance rates. The safest vehicles reduce the chance of injuries and reduced instances of injuries means lower claim amounts and lower rates for you.
- You may save more by bundling policies – Most larger companies allow discounts to clients who have multiple policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, it’s always a smart idea to shop around to verify if the discount is saving money. Drivers may still find lower rates even if you have your coverage with different companies
- More traffic means higher claims – Having an address in less populated areas of the country is a good thing if you are looking for the lowest rates. Drivers who live in large cities tend to have more auto accidents and longer commute times. Fewer drivers and short commutes means a lower chance of having an accident.
- Insurance rates are higher for high performance vehicles – The performance level of the car you own makes a big difference in how high your rates are. Lower cost passenger cars usually are quite affordable to insure, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
Compare rates but buy from a local Shinnston insurance agency
Many drivers still prefer to talk to an insurance agent and that can be a smart move The biggest benefit of comparing rate quotes online is that you can obtain cheap car insurance rates and also buy local. And supporting neighborhood agents is still important in Shinnston.
After completing this short form, the quote information is submitted to agents in your area who want to provide quotes for your insurance coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to contact any insurance agencies as quotes are delivered immediately to you. Get lower rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. If you need to get a rate quote from a particular provider, feel free to jump over to their website and give them your coverage information.
When searching for a local Shinnston insurance agency, it can be helpful to understand the different types of agencies that you can select. Car insurance agencies are either independent (non-captive) or captive.
Independent Agents
Agents of this type do not work for one specific company so they can write business with multiple insurance companies and get the cheapest rates. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move the coverage in-house without you having to go to a different agency. If you are comparing car insurance prices, you will definitely want to include at a minimum one independent agency to get the best comparison.
Below is a small list of independent agencies in Shinnston that can give you competitive price quotes.
Nationwide Insurance – 403 S Pike St – Shinnston, WV 26431 – (304) 592-3710
Wes Banco Insurance Svc Inc – 329 Pike St – Shinnston, WV 26431 – (304) 592-5924
Captive Insurance Agencies
Captive agents work for only one company and examples are AAA, Allstate, and State Farm. Captive agencies are unable to provide other company’s prices so always compare other rates. Captive agents are usually quite knowledgeable in insurance sales which aids in selling service over price.
Deciding on an insurance agency should depend on more than just a cheap price. Here are some questions you might want to ask.
- Will they make sure you get an adequate claim settlement?
- Will you get a loaner vehicle if you car is being repaired?
- Do they get paid more for recommending certain coverages?
- Do they prorate repair cost based on vehicle mileage?
- Where are claims handled?
- Do you work with a CSR or direct with the agent?
Car insurance is unique, just like you
When it comes to buying the best car insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Every situation is different so your insurance needs to address that. For example, these questions can help discover whether your personal situation might need an agent’s assistance.
- I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
- Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
- Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
- Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?
- Can I afford low physical damage deductibles?
- Is there coverage for injuries to my pets?
- Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
- Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area.
Additional information can be found on the website for the West Virginia Insurance Commission through this link. West Virginia drivers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, discover disciplinary actions, find a variety of consumer forms, and get help finding coverage.
The largest companies are not always cheapest
Geico, State Farm and Progressive consistently run television, radio, and online ads. All the companies make the same claim about saving some big amount if you get a free and switch your coverage. How does every car insurance company save you money? It’s all in the numbers.
All companies look for specific characteristics for a prospective insured that makes them money. One example of a profitable risk profile might be described as a married female, insures multiple vehicles, and drives a car with an anti-theft system. Anyone who fits that profile will most likely get cheap premium rates and as a result will probably save quite a bit of money when switching.
Drivers who may not quite match this ideal profile must pay a higher rate and this can result in the prospect going elsewhere. The ads say “drivers that switch” not “everyone who quotes” save that much when switching. That’s why insurance companies can confidently state the savings.
Each company has different criteria, so you need to compare quotes as often as possible. It’s not possible to predict which car insurance company will have the lowest rates.
Don’t give up on cheaper premiums
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, you should never skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many cases, drivers have reduced full coverage only to regret at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your goal is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price.
We just covered a lot of techniques to get a better price on car insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even find the lowest auto insurance rates come from the smaller companies. Some small companies may have significantly lower premium rates on certain market segments as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm and Allstate.