Tricks for Saving Money on Charlottesville Auto Insurance Rates

Price shopping your Charlottesville auto insurance is hard for consumers new to comparison shopping online. Consumers have so many choices that it can easily become a real challenge to locate the lowest price in Charlottesville.

Charlottesville Auto Insurance Prices Online

Finding a better price on auto insurance is a fairly straight forward process. Just spend a few minutes on the computer to compare quotes online with multiple companies. This can be done in several different ways.

Probably the best way to get the best comparison quotes is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This easy form prevents you from having to do boring form submissions for each company. A single, simple form compares rates from multiple low-cost companies. It’s definitely the quickest method.
A slightly less efficient method to analyze rates requires visiting each company website to complete their respective quote request forms. For example, let’s say you want rates from State Farm, Esurance and Progressive. To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is quicker. For a handy list of car insurance company links in Charlottesville, click here.
The hardest way to get comparison rates is to spend your day driving to and from local Charlottesville insurance agencies. The internet eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you require the personal advice of a local Charlottesville agent. However, consumers can get prices online and get advice from an agent in your area and we’ll talk about that later.

It’s up to you which method you use, but make absolute certain that you use identical coverages with every price quote. If you enter unequal deductibles or liability limits it’s impossible to make an equal comparison in Charlottesville.

Take discounts and save

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but discounts can save money and there are some available to cut the cost considerably. Certain discounts will be applied when you quote, but some may not be applied and must be asked for before being credited. If you aren’t receiving every discount you deserve, you are throwing money away.

Military Rewards – Being on active duty in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts up to 30%.
Early Switch Discount – Some companies give discounts for switching to them before your current policy expires. It’s a savings of about 10%.
Good Student Discount – This discount can save 20 to 25%. The good student discount can last well after school through age 25.
Low Mileage – Fewer annual miles can earn better rates on cars that stay parked.

Drivers should understand that some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So despite the fact that it appears all those discounts means the company will pay you, it just doesn’t work that way. Any qualifying discounts will bring down your overall premium however.

Neighborhood agents for auto insurance

Some people prefer to visit with an insurance agent and that is a personal choice. Educated insurance agents can answer important questions and help submit paperwork. One of the great benefits of comparing insurance prices online is you may find lower rates but still work with a licensed agent. Buying from local agencies is definitely important in Charlottesville.

For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, the coverage information is transmitted to companies in Charlottesville who will return price quotes for your coverage. You don’t have to even leave your home as quotes are delivered directly to your email. How’s that for easy!

Choose the right car insurance agent

When finding a reputable insurance agent or broker, there are two different types of agents from which to choose. Charlottesville agents are either independent (non-captive) or captive. Both types can do a good job, but it’s worth learning how they are different since it may influence the type of agent you choose

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Independent insurance agents do not work for one specific company so they have the ability to put coverage amongst many companies and potentially find a lower price. If you are not satisfied with one company, your agent can switch companies and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparison shopping, it’s recommended you include price quotes from at a minimum one independent agency for the best price selection. Many write coverage with lesser-known insurance companies which may provide better rates.

Below is a list of independent insurance agents in Charlottesville willing to provide pricing information.<img class="alignright" style="padding-top:15px" src="https://www.findnewcarinsurance.com/wp-content/uploads/ci175-51.jpg" alt="Virginia insurance quotes” />

Taylor Insurance – 1924 Arlington Blvd # 104 – Charlottesville, VA 22903 – (434) 977-2007
Mc Crory Insurance Inc – 304 E Jefferson St – Charlottesville, VA 22902 – (434) 293-6105
Mike Arnold Agency – 1116 E High St – Charlottesville, VA 22902 – (434) 295-2692

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agents are contracted to one company like Liberty Mutual, State Farm, Allstate and AAA. These agents are unable to place coverage with different providers so keep that in mind. Captives are usually quite knowledgeable on the products they sell and that can be a competitive advantage. Consumers often choose to use a captive agent mostly because of the brand legacy and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.

The following are captive agencies in Charlottesville that are able to give rate quotes.

Allstate Insurance – 1903 Commonwealth Dr – Charlottesville, VA 22901 – (434) 977-2007
Liberty Mutual At Berkmar – 688 Berkmar Cir – Charlottesville, VA 22901 – (434) 973-0225
Farmers Insurance Group – 1928 Arlington Blvd – Charlottesville, VA 22903 – (434) 975-4409
State Farm Insurance – 2050 Lambs Rd – Charlottesville, VA 22901 – (434) 975-1331

For a full directory of captive insurance agents in Charlottesville, visit this site.

Choosing an insurance agency needs to be determined by more than just a low price. These are valid questions to ask:

What insurance companies do they work with?
Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Virginia?
How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
How are claims handled?
Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
Will your rates increase after a single accident?

After getting reasonable responses to these questions and a low price estimate, you’ve probably found an auto insurance agent that meets your needs to insure your vehicles.

Do I need special coverages?

When it comes to buying the best auto insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no single plan that fits everyone. Every situation is different.

For example, these questions could help you determine whether you might need professional guidance.

Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
Should I buy more coverage than the required Virginia minimum liability coverage?
Why is insurance for a teen driver so high in Charlottesville?
Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
Do I get a pro-rated refund if I cancel my policy early?
When would I need rental car insurance?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form. It is quick, free and you can get the answers you need.

Many Things Influence your Rates

It’s important that you understand the rating factors that play a part in calculating auto insurance rates. Knowing what influences your rates enables informed choices that could result in better auto insurance rates.

Shown below are a few of the “ingredients” auto insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

Better credit scores mean better rates – Credit rating is a huge factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. Consumers who have good credit tend to be less risk to insure than drivers with lower credit ratings. If your credit can use some improvement, you could be paying less to insure your by repairing your credit.
How’s your driving record? – Good drivers have lower premiums than people who have multiple driving citations. Only having one moving violation can increase rates by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who have severe citations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may need to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to drive a vehicle legally.
Small claims can cost you – Insurance companies in Virginia award discounts to policyholders who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can pretty much guarantee higher rates. Insurance coverage is intended to be relied upon for larger claims.
Performance influences rates – The performance level of the vehicle you drive makes a huge difference in determining your rates. Economy passenger models usually have the lowest rates, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
Lower miles equals lower premium – The more miles you rack up on your car in a year’s time the higher your rates will be. Most companies rate vehicles based on how the vehicle is used. Cars that are left in the garage can get a lower rate compared to those used for work or business. Verify your auto insurance policy properly reflects how each vehicle is driven, because it can save money.

In Summary

Discount auto insurance is possible both online in addition to many Charlottesville insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance providers do not provide online price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.

Drivers leave their current company for many reasons like lack of trust in their agent, not issuing a premium refund, unfair underwriting practices or even delays in paying claims. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding the right auto insurance provider is not as hard as you think.

When trying to cut insurance costs, never buy less coverage just to save a little money. There have been many cases where someone sacrificed physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that they should have had better coverage. Your goal should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.

Much more information about auto insurance in Virginia is available on the Virginia Bureau of Insurance website located here. Virginia consumers can find disaster information, learn about specific coverages, find out which companies have the most complaints, and read consumer alerts.

Additional helpful sites include NAIC.org’s Understanding your Policy and this page where you can research Charlottesville insurance agents.