Strategies for Lowering Your Norfolk Virginia Auto Insurance Rates

Have you had enough of scraping the payment together to insure your vehicles every month? Your situation is no different than many other Virginia drivers.

Companies like State Farm, Farmers Insurance, GEICO and Allstate constantly blast consumers with ad campaigns and consumers find it hard to ignore the promise of big savings and take the time to shop coverage around.

It’s a good idea to price shop coverage on a regular basis because prices are constantly changing. If you had the best price a few years ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. There is a lot of bad information regarding auto insurance online but we’re going to give you the best ways to slash your auto insurance rates.

If you are paying for car insurance now, you will most likely be able to cut costs considerably using this information. Buying cheap car insurance in Norfolk, VA is quite easy. Although Virginia consumers need to have an understanding of the way insurance companies determine prices because it can help you find the best coverage.

Do you qualify for discounts?

Companies don’t always list all their discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we took the time to find both well-publicized and the harder-to-find discounts you could be receiving.

• Drivers Ed for Students – Require your teen driver to successfully complete driver’s ed class in school.
• Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Driving fewer miles could be rewarded with better rates on cars that stay parked.
• Sign Early and Save – A few companies offer discounts for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiring. It can save you around 10%.
• College Student – Kids in college who live away from home without a vehicle on campus can receive lower rates.
• Homeowners Savings – Owning a house in Norfolk may earn you a small savings due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
• Accident Waiver – A handful of insurance companies allow you one accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you haven’t had any claims for a set time period.
• Clubs and Organizations – Belonging to a professional or civic organization could qualify you for a break when buying auto insurance.
• Employee of Federal Government – Employees or retirees of the government can save as much as 8% depending on your company.
• Seat Belt Usage – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts can save 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.

Consumers should know that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you’re out of luck.

For a list of providers with discount auto insurance rates in Norfolk, click here.

How to Buy Norfolk Auto Insurance Online

Effectively comparing auto insurance prices can take time and effort if you don’t know the fastest way to get free quotes. You can spend countless hours discussing policy coverages with insurance agencies in Norfolk, or you could save time and use online quotes for quick rates.

The majority of car insurance companies belong to a marketplace that allows shoppers to complete one form, and each participating company returns a competitive quote. This prevents consumers from doing repetitive form submissions to each individual auto insurance company.

To get comparison pricing now click to open in new window.

The one disadvantage to using this type of form is you can’t choose the insurers you will receive quotes from. So if you want to select from a list of companies to receive pricing from, we have a page of low cost auto insurance companies in Virginia. Click here to view list.

It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just ensure you are comparing identical coverage limits for each comparison quote. If you enter differing limits you will not be able to determine the lowest rate in Norfolk. Quoting even small variations in insurance coverages can mean a large discrepancy in price. And when quoting auto insurance, remember that comparing a large number of companies will enable you to find the best price.

Don’t assume everyone needs the same coverage

When buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a best way to insure your cars. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s and your policy should reflect that. For example, these questions might point out whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.

• What are the financial responsibility laws in Virginia?
• Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?
• Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?
• 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?
• Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
• Is my vehicle covered for flood damage?
• What are Virginia no-fault laws?
• Am I getting all the discounts available?
• When should my teen driver be added to my policy?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Compare but don’t skimp

Budget-conscious auto insurance can be sourced online as well as from independent agents in Norfolk, and you should be comparing both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance providers don’t offer online price quotes and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

We just showed you many ideas to get a better price on auto insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Drivers may discover the lowest priced auto insurance comes from some of the smallest insurance companies. They may cover specific market segments cheaper than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.

As you prepare to switch companies, it’s very important that you do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, consumers will sacrifice liability limits or collision coverage and learned later that it was a big error on their part. Your aim should be to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.