When shopping for lower-priced insurance, are you confused by the wide range of auto insurance companies in Clifton Forge? Lot’s of other drivers are too. There are such a vast assortment of companies available that it can easily turn into a difficult situation to lower your rates. If you live there, you know that Clifton Forge is a good city to live in, but finding the money to pay for auto insurance can make it nearly impossible to purchase enough protection.
When shopping for auto insurance there are multiple ways of comparing price quotes from many different Virginia insurance companies. The recommended way to find affordable insurance rates consists of obtaining rate quotes online. This can be done by using one of the methods below.
- The first (and easiest) way to get the best comparison quotes is an all-inclusive rate comparison like this one (opens in new window). This style of form prevents you from having to do a different quote for every company. Filling out one form gets you coverage quotes direct from many companies. This is by far the quickest method.
- A more difficult way to find lower rates is to take the time to go to each company website and go through the quote process again. For example, let’s assume you want comparison quotes from Allstate, Farmers and State Farm. To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site and type in your information over and over, which is not fast way to get rate quotes.
To view a list of companies in Clifton Forge, click here.
It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just ensure you are comparing the exact same coverage data with every price quote. If you enter differing limits it will be next to impossible to decipher which rate is best in Clifton Forge. Having just a slight variation in coverage limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. Just keep in mind that making a lot of price comparisons will increase your chances of finding more affordable insurance. Not every company allows you to get quotes online, so it’s important to also get quotes from them, too.
But the ad said I’d save 15% in 15 minutes!
Big name companies like State Farm and Allstate endlessly run ads on television and other media. All the ads make the same claim that drivers can save some big amount after switching your policy. How is it possible that every company can charge less that you’re paying now? Here is the trick they use.
Auto insurance companies quote the lowest rates for the type of driver that will be a good risk. A good example of a desirable insured may need to be married and over the age of 30, has a clear driving record, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Any person that fits those parameters will probably get cheap car insurance rates and will probably save a lot of money.
People who may not quite match this stringent profile will have to pay a higher premium which results in the prospect going elsewhere. The ad wording is “people who switch” not “all people who quote” save money. This is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings. Because each company has a different risk profile, drivers must get a wide range of price quotes. It is impossible to predict with any certainty which company will be your best fit.
Lower Clifton Forge auto insurance premiums
Consumers need to have an understanding of a few of the rating criteria that play a part in calculating the level of your policy premiums. If you have some idea of what controls the rates you pay, this helps enable you to make changes that could help you find lower premium levels. Many factors are considered when you quote your car insurance policy. Most are fairly basic like an MVR report, but other factors are not as apparent such as whether you are married or how financially stable you are.
Listed below are some of the most common factors used by insurance companies to determine premiums.
- Performance impacts prices – The performance level of the vehicle you need insurance for makes a huge difference in your premium level. Smaller low performance passenger vehicles usually are quite affordable to insure, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
- A lcoverage lapse is a bad thing – Driving without insurance coverage in place is a big no-no and as a result your rates will increase for letting your insurance expire. In addition to paying higher premiums, being ticketed for driving with no insurance may result in a revoked license or a big fine. Then you may be required to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the Virginia motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
- Accidents hurt – Drivers with clean records get better rates compared to drivers with tickets. Only having one speeding ticket or other violation may increase your cost forty percent or more. Drivers who have received license-revoking tickets such as DUI or willful reckless driving may find that they have to to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with the DMV in their state in order to legally drive.
- Save money with high credit – An insured’s credit score can be a huge factor in your rate calculation. If your credit is lower than you’d like, you could be paying less to insure your vehicle by improving your rating. People with excellent credit scores tend to be better risks to insure than drivers with lower ratings.
- Too many auto insurance claims drive up premiums – If you file claims often, don’t be surprised to see much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Car insurance companies in Virginia generally give most affordable rates to policyholders who file claims infrequently. Insurance coverage is intended for larger claims.
- Your location is a factor – Being located in less populated areas of the country has definite advantages if you are looking for the lowest rates. People who live in big cities have congested traffic and higher rates of accident claims. Fewer drivers on the road means fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
- Car and home together may be cheaper – Lots of companies apply better rates for people who consolidate policies with them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can be 10 percent or more. Even if you’re getting this discount it’s in your best interest to get quotes from other companies to help ensure you have the lowest rates.There is a good possibility that you can save money even if you insure with multiple companies
- Alarms and GPS tracking lowers prices – Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can save you a little every year. Systems that thwart theives like vehicle immobilizer systems, OnStar, and tracking devices like LoJack all hinder car theft and help bring rates down.
Take policy discounts and save
Auto insurance is neither fun to buy or cheap, but there may be some discounts to help offset the cost. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time of purchase, but a few must be asked about prior to getting the savings.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- ABS Braking Discount – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and the ABS can save up to 10%.
- Drive Safe and Save – Drivers who avoid accidents may receive a discount up to 45% than less cautious drivers.
- Renewal Discounts – Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching policies before your current expiration date. You could save around 10% when you .
- Club Memberships – Having an affiliation with a qualifying organization is a simple method to lower premiums when shopping for auto insurance.
- Lower Rates for Military – Being on active duty in the military could be rewarded with lower auto insurance rates.
- Claim-Free Discount – Drivers who don’t have accidents are rewarded with significantly better rates on when compared to insureds who have frequent claims or accidents.
Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though you would think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you’re out of luck. Any qualifying discounts will definitely lower the cost of your policy.
To choose insurance companies that offer discounts in Clifton Forge, click here to view.
Which policy gives me the best coverage?
When buying the best auto insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.
These are some specific questions can aid in determining whether your personal situation might need professional guidance.
- Should I buy additional glass protection?
- Are rental cars covered under my policy?
- Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
- How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in Virginia?
- Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
- Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form.
A tidy conclusion
There are still a few companies who may not have online quoting and these smaller providers work with independent insurance agents. Cheaper auto insurance can be bought on the web in addition to many Clifton Forge insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates.
Consumers change insurance companies for a number of reasons such as policy cancellation, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, extreme rates for teen drivers or denial of a claim. Whatever your reason, choosing a new insurance company is not as difficult as it may seem.
We just covered a lot of information how to compare auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the better likelihood of getting . Drivers may discover the most savings is with the least-expected company.
To find out more about Virginia auto insurance
Even more information is available at the Virginia Bureau of Insurance website. Visitors are able to find out industry alerts, read industry bulletins, and find a variety of consumer forms.
Also read more on these car insurance answers and this page for help finding agents in Clifton Forge, VA.