Easy Methods to Pay Less on New Kent Auto Insurance

Finding better rates for New Kent auto insurance is challenging for consumers not familiar with buying insurance online. There are so many options available that it can quickly become more work than you anticipated to find lower rates in New Kent.

Choosing the best insurance company for you in New Kent is easy if you know what you're doing. If you have car insurance now, you will most likely be able to cut costs considerably using these techniques. But Virginia vehicle owners do need to know the way insurance companies market on the web because it can help you find the best coverage.

Why some people pay less for insurance in New Kent

Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. Knowing what controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

The list below includes a partial list of the pieces companies use to determine premiums.

  • Don't sacrifice liability coverage - The liability section of your policy will protect you if a jury decides you are liable for damages from an accident. Liability insurance provides legal defense starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
  • An active claims history can cost you - Auto insurance companies in Virginia award lower rates to people who file claims infrequently. If you frequently file small claims, you can pretty much guarantee higher rates. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • Pleasure use saves money - The more you drive every year the more you'll pay to insure your vehicle. Most companies price each vehicle's coverage based on how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks left parked in the garage receive lower rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Make sure your auto insurance policy shows the correct driver usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
  • Discounts for multiple policies - The majority of insurers will award you with lower prices to people who buy several policies from them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, you still need to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal. Consumers may find better rates by buying insurance from more than one company.
  • A clean driving record saves money - Whether or not you get tickets has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Only having one citation can increase rates by twenty percent. Good drivers have lower premiums than people who have multiple driving citations. Drivers with severe tickets like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions are required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with the DMV in their state in order to drive a vehicle legally.
  • Low deductibles can be expensive - Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money you are required to spend out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. Physical damage insurance, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, insures against damage to your car. Examples of covered claims are colliding with a building, vandalism, and rolling your vehicle. The more you're willing to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
  • Never let your coverage lapse - Not having insurance can get your license suspended and as a result your rates will increase for letting your coverage have a gap. And not only will insurance be more expensive, but not being able to provide proof of insurance will get you a revoked license or a big fine.You may then be required to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the Virginia motor vehicle department.

More discounts equal less premium

Companies offering auto insurance do not list all available discounts very clearly, so we researched some of the best known as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.

  • Organization Discounts - Affiliation with a qualifying organization is a good way to get lower rates when buying auto insurance.
  • Drivers Education - Cut your cost by having your teen driver enroll in driver's education in high school.
  • Employee of Federal Government - Employees or retirees of the government can save as much as 8% depending on your company.
  • New Vehicle Savings - Adding a new car to your policy can cost up to 25% less since new cars are generally safer.
  • Auto/Home Discount - If you insure your home and vehicles with the same insurance company you will save up to 20% off your total premium.
  • Passive Restraint Discount - Vehicles equipped with air bags may earn rate discounts of more than 20%.
  • Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Keeping the miles down could be rewarded with discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
  • Homeowners Pay Less - Owning a home in New Kent can help you save on auto insurance because of the fact that having a home shows financial diligence.
  • Seat Belts Save - Buckling up and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts can save 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
  • Life Insurance - Select insurance companies reward you with a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.

Drivers should understand that most discounts do not apply to the entire cost. Most only cut individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like it's possible to get free car insurance, companies wouldn't make money that way.

To choose insurers with the best auto insurance discounts in Virginia, click here to view.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Allstate, GEICO and Progressive regularly use ads in print and on television. All the companies make an identical promise that you'll save big if you move to them. How does each company say the same thing?

All companies can use profiling for the type of driver that makes them money. For instance, a profitable customer might be profiled as a mature driver, has no tickets, and has a short commute. A propective insured who meets those qualifications will qualify for the lowest rates and therefore will save when switching.

Potential insureds who do not match these standards must pay more money and ends up with business not being written. The ad wording is "customers that switch" not "everyone that quotes" save money. That's why companies can make the claims of big savings. This illustrates why you should get a wide range of price quotes. It's not possible to predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.

More detailed Virginia auto insurance information is located at the Virginia Bureau of Insurance website. Virginia drivers can find out which companies have the most complaints, download brochures, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.

Other informative sites include this link for Virginia auto insurance quotes and this link which helps you find a New Kent agent.

compare New Kent auto insurance rates

Shop smart and save

Budget-conscious auto insurance is definitely available on the web and with local New Kent insurance agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers do not offer online price quotes and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

People who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as questionable increases in premium, extreme rates for teen drivers, high rates after DUI convictions or even delays in paying claims. It doesn't matter why you want to switch choosing a new insurance company is easier than you think.

As you shop your coverage around, make sure you don't buy poor coverage just to save money. In too many instances, an insured dropped collision coverage and learned later that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your focus should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.