Auto Insurance in Beckley – 7 Discounts You Might be Missing

Saving money on Beckley auto insurance is always challenging for people who are new to comparing rates online. Consumers have so many options available that it can turn into a lot of work to find the best price in Beckley.

It’s important to price shop coverage on a regular basis since insurance rates are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Despite the fact that you may have had the best rates on your last policy there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because you’re about to find out the tricks you need to know to find the best coverage while lowering your premiums.

Low Cost Beckley Auto Insurance

Finding a better price on auto insurance is surprisingly easy. All that’s required is to spend a little time getting comparison quotes from different insurance companies. This can be accomplished in several different ways.

One of the simplest ways consumers can make multiple comparisons would be an industry-wide quote request form (click to open form in new window). This form keeps you from doing separate forms for each company. A single, simple form will get you price quotes from many national carriers. It’s definitely the quickest method.

A harder way to obtain and compare quotes online requires a visit to each company’s website and request a quote. For instance, we’ll assume you want comparison quotes from State Farm, 21st Century and GEICO. You would have to take the time to go to each site and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is more popular.

To view a list of companies in Beckley, click here.

The least efficient way to compare rates is to spend your day driving to different Beckley agent offices. The internet has reduced the need for local agents unless you want the personal advice only provided by licensed Beckley agents. Drivers can get prices online but buy from a local insurance agent.

Whichever way you use, ensure you are comparing the exact same coverages and limits on every quote. If you have mixed coverages you will not be able to make an equal comparison in Beckley.

Discounts are basically free money

Car insurance companies don’t always advertise every discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we researched some of the more common and the harder-to-find ways to save on auto insurance. If you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you are paying more than you should be.

• Discount for New Cars – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can save up to 30% due to better safety requirements for new cars.
• Service Members Pay Less – Being deployed with a military unit could be rewarded with lower premiums.
• Pay Now and Pay Less – If you pay your bill all at once instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
• Club Memberships – Belonging to certain professional organizations could qualify you for a break on your policy.
• Save over 55 – Mature drivers may receive a small decrease in premiums.
• Passive Restraint Discount – Factory air bags or automatic seat belts can receive discounts of 20% or more.
• Own a Home – Being a homeowner may earn you a small savings because of the fact that having a home is proof that your finances are in order.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce individual premiums such as comp or med pay. So despite the fact that it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you’re out of luck.

To choose insurance companies with the best auto insurance discounts in West Virginia, click here to view.

Auto insurance policy coverages

Learning about specific coverages of auto insurance helps when choosing the right coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Collision – This coverage pays for damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision can pay for things like colliding with another moving vehicle, crashing into a ditch, colliding with a tree, damaging your car on a curb and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Coverage for medical expenses – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for immediate expenses for things like prosthetic devices, dental work and pain medications. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not universally available and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Liability coverages – Liability insurance provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to other people or property by causing an accident. It protects you against other people’s claims. It does not cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show limits of 25/50/25 which stand for $25,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000.

Liability coverage protects against claims such as legal defense fees, medical expenses, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, attorney fees and loss of income. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as much as you can afford. West Virginia state law requires minimum liability limits of 20,000/40,000/10,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy higher limits.

Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers – This coverage gives you protection when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since a lot of drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (West Virginia limits are 20/40/10), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea.

Comprehensive auto insurance – Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for claims such as fire damage, falling objects, hitting a deer, damage from getting keyed and hitting a bird. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.

Additional detailed information can be read at the West Virginia Insurance Commission website. Consumers can discover disciplinary actions, learn about specific coverages, find out industry alerts, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.