Professional Tips to Saving Money on Hopewell, VA Auto Insurance

Saving money on Hopewell auto insurance can be hard for people who are new to buying insurance online. There are so many options that it can quickly become a real hassle to compare prices in Hopewell.

You need to get comparison quotes every six months since rates tend to go up over time. Even if you got the best deal a year ago a different company probably has better rates today. Forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the best way to find the best coverage while lowering your premiums.

Choosing the best insurance company for you in Hopewell is quite easy. If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to save some money using this strategy. But Virginia consumers do need to know the way insurance companies compete online and apply this information to your search.

Make smart decisions and save

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that come into play when calculating your auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to better auto insurance rates.

The list below includes some of the factors used by your company to calculate prices.

Safer cars cost less to insure – Cars with high safety ratings are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles have better occupant injury protection and better occupant protection translates into savings for insurance companies passed on to you as lower rates.
Younger drivers pay higher rates – Older drivers are more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and get fewer tickets. Young drivers are statistically proven to be careless and easily distracted behind the wheel and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher.
Discounts for married couples – Having a wife or husband can get you a discount on your policy. Having a significant other means you’re more mature and responsible and it’s proven that married couples file fewer claims.
Where do you drive? – The more miles you rack up on your car every year the higher your rate. Almost all companies rate vehicles based on their usage. Autos used primarily for pleasure use receive lower rates compared to those used for work or business. Double check that your auto insurance policy is rated on how each vehicle is driven, because improper ratings can cost you money.
The type of vehicle makes a difference – The performance level of the car you are buying insurance for makes a significant difference in your rates. The most favorable rates tend to be for low performance passenger models, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
Men pay higher rates – Statistics have proven that women are safer drivers than men. However, don’t assume that men are WORSE drivers than women. Men and women tend to get into accidents at a similar rate, but the men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also statistically have more aggressive citations like DUI and reckless driving.
Never go without insurance – Having an insurance coverage lapse is a quick way to increase your auto insurance rates. Not only will rates go up, getting caught without coverage might get you a steep fine or even jail time.
More claims means more premium – If you frequently file small claims, you can expect either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Car insurance companies in Virginia provide lower rates to insureds who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Auto insurance is meant to be used in the event of the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.

How to Lower Your Auto Insurance Cost in Hopewell

Most companies quote coverage prices directly from their websites. Obtaining pricing is pretty painless as you simply type in the coverage amounts you desire as requested by the quote form. After you complete the form, the system obtains your driving and credit reports and generates a price based on many factors.

This makes comparing rates easy, but the work required to visit many different websites and type in the same information gets old quite quickly. Unfortunately, it is important to have as many quotes as possible if you want to find the lowest price.

The preferred way to find cheaper rates uses one form that gets price quotes from a lot of companies. The form is fast, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes comparison shopping much simpler. After sending the form, your coverage is rated and you are able to buy any of the pricing results. If the quotes result in lower rates, you simply finish the application and purchase the new policy. The whole process takes less than 15 minutes and could lower your rates considerably.

In order to find out if lower rates are available, click here and fill out the form. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you complete the form with your coverages as close as possible to your current policy. This makes sure you will be getting a rate comparison based on the exact same insurance coverage.

Do you qualify for discounts?

Car insurance companies don’t always advertise every discount in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of both well-publicized and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using.

Theft Prevention System – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen less frequently and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles on the same auto insurance policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
E-sign – Certain companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy online.
Good Students Pay Less – Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you well after school through age 25.
Drivers Education – Have your child enroll in driver’s education in school.
Anti-lock Brakes – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles prevent accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
55 and Retired – Older drivers may qualify for a small decrease in premiums.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most discount credits are not given the the whole policy. Most cut individual premiums such as comp or med pay. So even though it sounds like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.

Neighborhood insurance agents

Some people prefer to talk to a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. The best thing about getting online price quotes is you may find lower rates but also keep your business local.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, your insurance coverage information is emailed to local insurance agents in Hopewell who will compete to get your business. You won’t need to leave your house as quotes are delivered to your email. How cool is that?! Get lower rates and work with a local agent.

Choosing an provider shouldn’t rely on just the price. Some important questions to ask are:

Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
How often do they review policy coverages?
Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?

Independent or Captive: It’s your choice

If you’re trying to find a reputable insurance agent or broker, you need to know there are two types of insurance agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agents are either captive or independent (non-captive).

Agency Captives

This type of agents have only one company to place business with and some examples include State Farm, Allstate and AAA. They generally cannot shop your coverage around so it’s a take it or leave it situation. These agents are well schooled in insurance sales which helps them compete with independent agents. Some consumers prefer to purchase coverage from captives mainly due to high brand loyalty and solid financial strength.

Shown below are captive insurance agents in Hopewell willing to provide price quotes.

Farmers Insurance Group – 501 Woodland Rd – Hopewell, VA 23860 – (804) 452-2984
Allstate Insurance – 910 Sycamore Ave – Hopewell, VA 23860 – (804) 452-0800

Independent Agents

Independent agents are not locked into one company so they have the ability to put coverage with many different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, the business is moved internally and that require little work on your part.

When comparing rates, it’s recommended you contact at least one independent agent for maximum quote selection. Many write coverage with different regional companies who may have lower rates.

Shown below is a list of independent agents in Hopewell that can give you price quote information.

Ford Agency Inc – 111 W Poythress St – Hopewell, VA 23860 – (804) 458-6333
Bolling Insurance – 910 Sycamore Ave – Hopewell, VA 23860 – (804) 541-9163
Webster Insurance – 300 E Broadway Ave – Hopewell, VA 23860 – (804) 541-9026

To view a complete directory of licensed insurance agents in Hopewell, visit this link.

Upon receiving good answers to your questions and a good coverage price, you’ve probably found an insurance agent that will adequately provide auto insurance.

Even more information can be found at the Virginia Bureau of Insurance website. Consumers can download brochures, discover disciplinary actions, and view agent and company licensing information.

Other useful links include FindNewCarInsurance.com and QuoteClickSave.com.

One last thing about your coverage

We just showed you quite a bit of information on how to compare auto insurance prices online. It’s most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the best prices are with a smaller regional carrier.

Consumers leave their current company for a number of reasons such as policy non-renewal, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, being labeled a high risk driver or extreme rates for teen drivers. Regardless of your reason, finding a new company can be less work than you think.

Budget-conscious auto insurance is attainable from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Hopewell agents, so you should compare both to have the best selection. Some auto insurance companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.