Tricks for Lowering Your New Martinsville, WV Auto Insurance Rates

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Believe me, there are many New Martinsville consumers feeling the pinch from expensive auto insurance. With so many insurance providers from which to choose, it can be impossible to choose the lowest cost insurance company.

Informed Drivers can Cut Their Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels enables informed choices that can help you get big savings.

More miles equals more premium – The more miles you rack up on your car each year the higher your rates will be. The majority of insurers rate vehicles based on how the vehicle is used. Cars left parked in the garage qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. Make sure your auto insurance policy shows how each vehicle is driven.
Equipment add-ons that lower auto insurance rates – Choosing a vehicle with an alarm system can save you a little every year. Theft prevention features like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can thwart auto theft.
Men are more aggressive – Statistics have proven women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, this does not mean men are worse drivers. Both sexes have accidents at a similar rate, but the male of the species have costlier accidents. Men also tend to get more serious tickets such as reckless driving. Young males are most likely to cause an accident and therefore have the most expensive auto insurance rates.
Credit scores impact auto insurance rates – Credit score is a huge factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. So if your credit is lower than you’d like, you could potentially save money when insuring your by repairing your credit. Consumers who have high credit ratings tend to be less risk to insure than those with poor credit.
Where you live is a factor – Choosing to live in small towns and rural areas can be a good thing when talking about auto insurance. City drivers have much more traffic and longer commute times. Fewer people means reduced accidents and a lower car theft rate.
How’s your driving record? – Whether or not you get tickets has a big impact on rates. Careful drivers have lower premiums than their less careful counterparts. Only having one speeding ticket can boost insurance rates forty percent or more. Drivers with dangerous tickets such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence are required to submit a SR-22 form with their state motor vehicle department in order to prevent a license revocation.
No coverage gaps is important – Driving without insurance is illegal and you will pay a penalty because you let your insurance lapse. Not only will rates go up, but not being able to provide proof of insurance might get you a license revocation or jail time.Then you may be required to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with the West Virginia motor vehicle department.
Discounts for multiple policies – Most auto insurance companies will award you with lower prices to customers who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you’re getting this discount it’s still a good idea to compare other company rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still be able to find a better deal by insuring with multiple companies.

Where Can I Get Cheap New Martinsville Auto Insurance?

Shopping for lower auto insurance rates can take hours if you don’t utilize the best way to get rate quotes. You could waste a few hours talking to agents in New Martinsville, or you could save time and use the web to achieve your goal.

Many of the larger companies take part in a program where insurance shoppers enter their policy data once, and each participating company then returns a price quote based on that data. This eliminates the need for form submissions for every auto insurance company.

To enter your information into the quoting system, click here to start a free quote.

The one downside to using this type of form is you cannot specify which carriers you will receive quotes from. So if you want to choose individual companies to compare, we put together a list of low cost auto insurance companies in West Virginia. View list of West Virginia insurance companies.

It’s up to you which method you use, but ensure you are comparing exactly the same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote you get. If your comparisons have mixed coverages it’s impossible to make an equal comparison in New Martinsville.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for cheaper car insurance by companies like GEICO, State Farm and Progressive. They all make an identical promise of big savings after switching to them.

But how can every company make the same claim? It’s all in the numbers.

Insurance companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of driver that earns them a profit. A good example of a profitable customer could be between the ages of 40 and 55, a clean driving record, and has a high credit rating. A customer who fits that profile will get very good rates and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Potential insureds who don’t qualify for this ideal profile will be charged more money and this can result in the customer not buying. The ad wording is “customers who switch” not “people who quote” save that much. That’s why companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings. That is why it is so important to get as many comparisons as possible. Because you never know which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

Discounts can save BIG

Companies that sell car insurance don’t list every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so we break down both the well known as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using. If they aren’t giving you every credit available, you’re just leaving money on the table.

College Student – Children who attend school more than 100 miles from home and don’t have a car can receive lower rates.
Military Rewards – Being deployed with a military unit could mean lower rates.
Federal Employees – Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off with select insurance companies.
Life Insurance Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase life insurance.
E-sign – Certain companies may give you up to $50 just for signing your application online.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. Just because you may think having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you’re out of luck.

For a list of insurance companies with the best auto insurance discounts in New Martinsville, click here.

But I want to work with a local agent

A small number of people prefer to talk to a local agent and that is OK! Educated insurance agents can point out coverage gaps and give you someone to call. The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain the lowest rates but also keep your business local.

After completing this simple form, the coverage information is transmitted to participating agents in New Martinsville who will return price quotes for your coverage. You won’t need to leave your house due to the fact that quote results will go to your email. How cool is that?!

Picking an provider requires more thought than just the price. Here are some questions to ask:

How long has their agency been in business in New Martinsville?
Is working in the agency their full-time job?
How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?

The following are agents in New Martinsville willing to provide price quote information.

J W Potts Insurance – 625 3rd St, New Martinsville, WV 26155 – (304) 455-4477
Bell Insurance & Financial Svc – 1125 4th St # 3, New Martinsville, WV 26155 – (304) 455-4977
State Farm Insurance – 239 Main St, New Martinsville, WV 26155 – (304) 455-6464

After receiving positive responses to your questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, chances are good that you have found an provider that meets your needs to properly insure your vehicles.

Which insurance is the “right” coverage?

When buying coverage, there really is no single plan that fits everyone. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so this has to be addressed. Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine if you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
Do I need rental car coverage?
Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
Am I getting all the discounts available?
Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
Does my insurance cover damage caused when ticketed for reckless driving?

If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and may give you better protection.

More tips and info about auto insurance can be read at the West Virginia Insurance Commission website. Visitors are able to find out industry alerts, view agent and company licensing information, and learn about insurance regulations.

The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest

We just showed you a lot of information how to compare auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even find the biggest savings come from a lesser-known regional company. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.

Affordable auto insurance is definitely available on the web in addition to many New Martinsville insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance providers do not provide the ability to get a quote online and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.