Auto Insurance in Winchester – 7 Discounts You Might be Unaware of

Overwhelmed by the dozens of auto insurance companies in Winchester? You’re not alone. You have so many companies to choose from that it can turn into a challenge to find the best price.

Cut your premium with these seven discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don’t necessarily list every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so here is a list both well-publicized and the more hidden ways to save on auto insurance.

• Student in College – Children living away from home attending college and don’t have a car may qualify for this discount.
• Passive Restraint Discount – Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts up to 30%.
• Paperless Signup – A handful of insurance companies will give a small break simply for signing on their website.
• Auto/Life Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with better rates if you take out life insurance from them.
• Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Fewer annual miles can qualify you for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
• Defensive Driver – Successfully completing a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount if you qualify.
• No Accidents – Drivers with accident-free driving histories can save substantially compared to bad drivers.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like you can get free auto insurance, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.

For a list of providers with discount auto insurance rates in Winchester, click this link.

Won’t my local insurance agent miss me?

Some people would rather talk to a local agent and that is a personal choice. One of the great benefits of comparing rates online is the fact that you can find the lowest rates and still have an agent to talk to.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this simple form, your insurance coverage information is transmitted to insurance agents in Winchester who will battle for your business. You don’t have to leave your computer since price quotes are sent immediately to your email address. How cool is that?! You’ll get the best rates AND an agent nearby.

Choosing a company needs to be determined by more than just a low price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:

• Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
• How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
• Can glass repairs be made at your home?
• Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
• Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
• Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Virginia?

Shown below are Winchester car insurance companies that may be willing to give rate quotes.

• Allstate Insurance – 128 S Cameron St, Winchester, VA 22601 – (540) 667-9335
• Farm Bureau Insurance – 125-300 Prosperity Dr, Winchester, VA 22602 – (540) 869-8650
• American Insurance – 28 W Piccadilly St, Winchester, VA 22601 – (540) 722-8910
• State Farm Insurance – 47 W Jubal Early Dr # 140, Winchester, VA 22601 – (540) 667-9900
• B B & T-Jv Arthur Insurance – 112 N Loudoun St, Winchester, VA 22601 – (540) 662-3865

To view a full list of insurance agents in Winchester, visit this site.

Once you have received positive responses and an acceptable price quote, chances are good that you have found an insurer that can insure your vehicles.

Can switching companies really save?

Companies like Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm consistently run television and radio advertisements. All the ads say the same thing of big savings if you change to their company. How do they all claim to save you money? It’s all in the numbers.

All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of customer that makes them money. For example, a preferred risk could possibly be between 25 and 40, insures multiple vehicles, and has a high credit rating. A propective insured who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who are not a match for the “perfect” profile must pay higher rates and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ad wording is “people who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much. That’s why insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings. This illustrates why drivers must compare as many rates as you can. Because you never know which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

Everyone needs different coverages

When it comes to buying coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Every situation is different.

These are some specific questions can aid in determining if your situation would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• Should I file a claim if it’s only slightly more than my deductible?
• How much liability coverage do I need in Virginia?
• Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
• Should I buy additional glass protection?
• Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
• Do I get a pro-rated refund if I cancel my policy early?
• When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
• Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form.

Auto insurance coverage specifics

Understanding the coverages of auto insurance can be of help when determining the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Auto insurance terms can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy.

UM/UIM Coverage

Your UM/UIM coverage provides protection when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your vehicle.

Since many Virginia drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (25/50/20), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important.

Collision coverage protection

This coverage covers damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision can pay for things such as scraping a guard rail, sustaining damage from a pot hole, driving through your garage door and hitting a mailbox. This coverage can be expensive, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Medical costs insurance

Med pay and PIP coverage kick in for short-term medical expenses like dental work, pain medications, hospital visits and surgery. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and will also cover if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP coverage is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Liability coverages

Liability insurance protects you from damage that occurs to a person or their property. It protects YOU against other people’s claims, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show limits of 100/300/100 which stand for $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $300,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000.

Liability coverage pays for things like structural damage, repair costs for stationary objects, legal defense fees and medical expenses. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford. Virginia state law requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/20,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy more liability than the minimum.

Comprehensive or Other Than Collision

This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for things such as hitting a deer, damage from getting keyed and a broken windshield. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Read more about Virginia auto insurance

More tips and info about auto insurance can be found at the Virginia Bureau of Insurance website. Consumers can view agent and company licensing information, find out industry alerts, and read state legal mandates and laws.

And the best car insurance company is…

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s not a good idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. In too many instances, consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage and learned later that it was a big error on their part. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.

Discount auto insurance is definitely available on the web in addition to many Winchester insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best selection. A few companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.

People change insurance companies for any number of reasons including policy non-renewal, denial of a claim, unfair underwriting practices or being labeled a high risk driver. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding a new company is actually quite simple.