Is Your Hurricane Auto Insurance Too High? Learn How to Lower Your Rates

I can’t think of anyone who enjoys paying for auto insurance, especially when their premiums are too high. Because you have many companies to choose from, it is hard for the average consumer to choose the most cost effective provider.

It is always a good idea to check auto insurance prices every six months since insurance rates tend to go up over time. Just because you found the best deal a couple years back you may be paying too much now. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because we’re going to demonstrate one of the easiest ways to buy cheaper auto insurance.

How to Get Auto Insurance in Hurricane, West Virginia

Finding a better price on auto insurance doesn’t have to be difficult. You just need to take a couple of minutes to compare quotes from different insurance companies. This is very easy and can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

The recommended way to find low rates would be an industry-wide quote request form (click to open form in new window). This method prevents you from having to do separate quote forms for every auto insurance company. One form submission will return price quotes direct from many companies.

Another way to shop for auto insurance online is to take the time to go to the website of each company to request a price quote. For example, let’s assume you want to compare rates from GEICO, Progressive and Travelers. To get each rate you have to go to every website to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is quicker. For a handy list of car insurance company links in Hurricane, click here.

The hardest way of comparing rate quotes is to waste gas driving to different Hurricane agent offices. The internet makes this process obsolete unless you have a need for the trained guidance that only a license agent can provide. However, consumers can price shop online and get advice from an agent in your area.

It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just ensure you’re using exactly the same quote information on every quote you get. If the quotes have different values for each quote you can’t possibly find the best deal in Hurricane.

Companies offer discounts so take them!

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but you can get discounts that you may not know about. Most are applied at the time of quoting, but some may not be applied and must be manually applied in order for you to get them. If you don’t get every credit possible, you’re just leaving money on the table.

New Car Discount – Adding a new car to your policy can be considerably cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
Student Driver Training – Require your teen driver to enroll in driver’s education if it’s offered in school.
Own a Home – Simply owning a home can help you save on auto insurance because owning a home is proof that your finances are in order.
Federal Employees – Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off with select insurance companies.
Drive Safe and Save – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accidents.
Auto/Home Discount – When you have multiple policies with one insurance company you may save 10% to 20% off each policy.
Student in College – Children who attend school more than 100 miles from home without a vehicle on campus may qualify for this discount.

As a disclaimer on discounts, many deductions do not apply the the whole policy. Most only reduce individual premiums such as comp or med pay. So even though it sounds like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you’re out of luck. Any amount of discount will help reduce your overall premium however.

Price shop online but buy from a local Hurricane agent

Some consumers prefer to get advice from a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Licensed agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help submit paperwork. The best thing about comparing rates online is you can get better rates and still have an agent to talk to. Buying from local insurance agencies is definitely important in Hurricane.

Once you complete this short form, your insurance data gets sent to insurance agents in Hurricane who will return price quotes to get your business. You won’t need to even leave your home since price quotes are sent straight to your inbox. How cool is that?! Hurricane WV car insurance

Two types of insurance agencies

If you’re trying to find local Hurricane agents, there are a couple of types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Insurance agencies in Hurricane are classified as either independent or captive. Either one can do a good job, but it’s good to learn how they differ because it can influence your agent selection.

Independent Agents

Independent insurance agents are not required to write business for one company but rather can write business with multiple insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If you are not satisfied with one company, an independent agent can move your coverage and that require little work on your part. When comparison shopping, we recommend you get quotes from multiple independent agents to get the best comparison.

Shown below is a short list of independent agencies in Hurricane that may be able to provide comparison quotes.

Roy Parish Insurance – 3983 Teays Valley Rd # 207 – Hurricane, WV 25526 – (304) 757-9000
Guardian Insurance – 101 Carriage Pt # 301 – Hurricane, WV 25526 – (304) 201-5206

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agencies are contracted to one company such as AAA, Allstate, State Farm, Farmers Insurance or Liberty Mutual. These agents are not able to shop your coverage around so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. These agents are trained well on their products and sales techniques which can be an advantage.

Below are captive agencies in Hurricane that can give you price quotes.

Liberty Mutual Insurance – 113 Liberty Sq – Hurricane, WV 25526 – (304) 757-4220
State Farm Insurance – 3745 Teays Valley Rd – Hurricane, WV 25526 – (304) 757-7711
Allstate Insurance – 3857 Teays Valley Rd # 4 – Hurricane, WV 25526 – (304) 757-1381

To view a complete directory of captive insurance agents in Hurricane, please view this page.

Deciding on an insurance agency should depend on more than just the premium amount. Here are some questions to ask:

Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
Which company do they place the most coverage with?
If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
How long has their agency been open in Hurricane?
How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?

Upon getting acceptable answers and an affordable coverage quote, chances are good that you have found an auto insurance agent that meets your needs to insure your vehicles.

You have some control over your rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.

Don’t let your coverage lapse – Not having insurance is a misdemeanor and as a result your rates will increase for letting your coverage lapse. And not only will insurance be more expensive, failure to provide proof of insurance can result in a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.You may need to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with the West Virginia motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
Pay less if you’re married – Being married can get you a discount on your auto insurance policy. Having a spouse usually means you are more mature and responsible and statistics show drivers who are married are more cautious.
Frequent auto insurance claims increase rates – If you are a frequent claim filer, you can definitely plan on either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Insurance companies in West Virginia award lower rates to people who file claims infrequently. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Performance influences rates – The performance level of the vehicle you are buying insurance for makes a big difference in your rates. The lowest base rates are generally reserved for low performance passenger cars, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
Better credit means lower rates – Your credit history is a important factor in determining your rates. If your credit is not that good, you could be paying less to insure your by repairing your credit. Drivers with high credit scores tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers with lower credit scores.

Save $487 a year. For real?

West Virginia consumers can’t get away from ads for cheaper car insurance by companies like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the ads make the same claim about savings if you move to them.

How do they all make almost identical claims?

All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that earns them a profit. A good example of a preferred risk might be a mature driver, has no prior claims, and has excellent credit. Any new insured who fits that profile gets the lowest rates and therefore will save quite a bit of money when switching.

Consumers who don’t measure up to this ideal profile will be quoted a higher premium and ends up with the customer not buying. The ad wording is “drivers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much money. That is how insurance companies can advertise the way they do.

This emphasizes why you absolutely need to get quotes from several different companies. It’s not possible to predict which auto insurance company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Better coverage you can count on

As you prepare to switch companies, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, an insured cut comprehensive coverage or liability limits and found out when filing a claim that it was a big error on their part. The aim is to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.

We’ve covered some good ideas how to reduce auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the better your comparison will be. Consumers may even find the biggest savings come from some of the smallest insurance companies. These smaller insurers may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates compared to the large companies like State Farm and Allstate.

Learn more about West Virginia auto insurance

Additional auto insurance information can be read on the website for the West Virginia Insurance Commission. Click here for link. West Virginia drivers can find out industry alerts, view a list of available companies, find out which companies have the most complaints, and download brochures.