Wouldn’t it be great if we could tell you instantly the one auto insurance company that has the best deal on coverage for drivers with a bad driving record? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple as there are a lot of unknown elements like where you live in Virginia Beach, how far you drive each year, how high your deductibles should be, and if you have a coverage lapse, that all have an effect on the price of a policy. In this article, we will cover the best ways to pay less and educate you enough to have a good beginning to your quest for cheaper car insurance in Virginia.
The vehicle model requiring coverage is one of the largest factors when quoting low-priced coverage for drivers with a bad driving record. Vehicles with lots of speed or power, a lack of advanced safety features, or high incidents of liability claims will cost quite a bit more to insure than safer, lower-performance models.
The information below shows car insurance rates for a selection of the most budget-friendly automobiles to buy insurance for.
| Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V EX 4WD | $3,676 |
| Honda Accord EX 4-Dr Sedan | $3,749 |
| Ford Escape XLS 4WD | $3,758 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $3,872 |
| Toyota Prius | $4,082 |
| Ford Explorer XLT AWD | $4,235 |
| Honda Odyssey LX | $4,239 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan CV | $4,289 |
| Volkswagen Jetta LE 4-Dr Sedan | $4,307 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LS 2WD | $4,314 |
| Ford F-150 FX2 2WD | $4,348 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LS | $4,440 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2WD | $4,445 |
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Data based on single male driver age 30, two speeding tickets, two at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Virginia minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, homeowner, and multi-vehicle. Premium amounts do not factor in Virginia Beach, VA location which can decrease or increase auto insurance rates significantly.
Based upon the table data, models like the Honda CR-V, Honda Accord, Ford Escape, Hyundai Elantra, and Toyota Prius are going to be a few of the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure for bad drivers. The cost of auto insurance will tend to be higher because of the fact that there is more claim risk for drivers with a bad driving record, but generally speaking those models will have the lowest prices compared to all other vehicles.
Trying to buy cost effective insurance is difficult, and deciding which company has the best car insurance rates for drivers with a bad driving record involves more quotes for comparison.
Each auto insurer uses their own method for setting rates, so we’ll go over the car insurance companies that tend to be cheaper in Virginia Beach, VA. It’s a good idea to know that Virginia Beach car insurance rates are based on many factors that may substantially change the cost of coverage. Events such as a birthday, buying a different vehicle, or getting a speeding ticket can trigger price changes resulting in some companies being affordable when they were higher priced.
Cheapest Insurance Rates for Imperfect Drivers
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Travelers | $673 |
| 2 | USAA | $716 |
| 3 | Cincinnati Insurance | $733 |
| 4 | Penn National | $748 |
| 5 | Auto-Owners | $758 |
| 6 | Utica National | $781 |
| 7 | The Hartford | $801 |
| 8 | Virginia Farm Bureau | $802 |
| 9 | Erie | $804 |
| 10 | Donegal Mutual | $852 |
| 11 | Nationwide | $953 |
| 12 | ALFA | $1,018 |
| 13 | Allied | $1,022 |
| 14 | GEICO | $1,026 |
| 15 | National Grange Mutual | $1,060 |
| 16 | State Farm | $1,132 |
| 17 | Chubb | $1,145 |
| 18 | Electric | $1,216 |
| 19 | California Casualty | $1,239 |
| 20 | Progressive | $1,246 |
| View More Rates Go | ||
Travelers offers some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Virginia Beach at around $673 per year. This is $485 less than the average rate paid by Virginia drivers of $1,158. USAA, Cincinnati Insurance, Penn National, and Auto-Owners also qualify as some of the cheapest Virginia Beach, VA car insurance companies.
As shown in the rates above, if you are a policyholder with USAA and switched to Travelers, you may see a yearly price reduction of in the vicinity of $43. Customers with Cincinnati Insurance may save as much as $60 a year, and Penn National insureds might realize rate reductions of up to $75 a year.
Bear in mind that those premium estimates are averaged across all insureds and vehicles and are not factoring in a specific vehicle garaging location for drivers with a bad driving record. So the car insurance company that is most affordable for your situation may not even be in the top 30 companies shown above. That points out the importance of why you need to get rate quotes from many companies using your own specific driver information and vehicle.
Reckless driving habits raise car insurance rates
In a perfect world, the best way to get the best car insurance rates for bad drivers is to drive attentively and avoid getting tickets or having accidents. The diagram below illustrates how traffic citations and at-fault accidents increase insurance costs for different age categories. The information is based on a single female driver, comp and collision included, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
In the previous example, the average cost of an auto insurance policy in Virginia per year with a clean driving record and no accidents is $1,405. Receive two speeding tickets and the average cost surges to $1,887, an increase of $482 each year. Next add two accidents along with the two speeding tickets and the annual cost of car insurance for drivers with a bad driving record goes up to an average of $3,599. That’s an increase of $2,194, or $183 per month, just for not maintaining a clean driving record!
Full coverage versus liability-only in Virginia Beach
Reducing premiums for car insurance is probably important to most people, and one of the easiest ways to reduce the cost of insurance for drivers with a bad driving record is to only buy liability coverage. The information below illustrates the comparison of auto insurance rates with full physical damage coverage and with liability coverage only. The data is based on no accidents, no driving violations, $100 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are applied.
If we average all the age groups together, full coverage on your policy costs an extra $1,981 per year more than just buying liability insurance. Many drivers may wonder if physical damage coverage is worth the money. There is no clear-cut formula of when to phase out physical damage coverage, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of coverage is more than about 10% of replacement cost minus your deductible, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
There are a few cases where only buying liability is not in your best interest. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you must maintain physical damage coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle in case of an accident, you should not eliminate full coverage.
Get discounts on Virginia Beach insurance
Insurance providers that offer coverage for drivers with a bad driving record may also give you premium discounts that can reduce rates by as much as 25% or more if you are eligible to receive them. A list of companies and a selection of discounts are included below.
- Farmers Insurance may offer discounts for good student, homeowner, bundle discounts, pay in full, and alternative fuel.
- State Farm includes discounts for good student, anti-theft, multiple autos, student away at school, and accident-free.
- Liberty Mutual offers premium reductions for multi-car, newly retired, preferred payment discount, good student, and hybrid vehicle.
- MetLife offers discounts including accident-free, claim-free, defensive driver, good driver, and multi-policy.
- Progressive has discounts for continuous coverage, homeowner, online quote discount, online signing, multi-vehicle, and good student.
The example below shows the comparison of insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the premium. The information is based on a male driver, three violations and one at-fault accident, Virginia state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $100 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with paperless filing, continuous coverage, marriage, paid-in-full, passive restraint, and multiple policy discounts applied. When taking advantage of discounts, theamount saved on car insurance for drivers with a bad driving record is 28% or $1,009.
How to find the cheapest car insurance for drivers with a bad driving record
Lowering your rates is not difficult, and here are some money-saving suggestions that can help you buy lower-cost coverage.
- Save money by observing traffic laws and speed limits
- Lower rates by purchasing a safer vehicle
- If possible, pay for small claims out-of-pocket
- Avoid preventable accidents
- Buy your auto and home insurance from the same company and save
- Shop around and save
That last tip is remarkably necessary, as we stressed in the article above. Insurance prices can be modified anytime, so don’t be afraid to switch to a new company if a better deal can be had.
Having a favorite company is fine, but it’s not recommended if that dedication is costing hundreds of dollars a year. If you have a few minutes, now is a great time to shop around and find cheaper car insurance for drivers with a bad driving record in Virginia Beach.
The insurance agencies listed below can aid you in deciding which insurance coverage will be best for you, since some drivers aren’t sure which coverage they need and prefer to have a little guidance when shopping around for cheaper insurance for bad drivers. It can be difficult to find the best policy yourself, so getting advice from a licensed agent can give satisfaction knowing your policy gives you decent coverage if you have a claim.
To locate a Virginia Beach auto insurance agent nearest to you, click the button at the bottom of the list or click here to compare rates now.
- Bill Cooper Jr – State Farm Insurance Agent
421 S Witchduck Rd – Virginia Beach, VA 23462 – (757) 490-2744 - Mike McDonald – State Farm Insurance Agent
2122 General Booth Blvd #102 – Virginia Beach, VA 23454 – (757) 721-3300 - Paula Rosati – State Farm Insurance Agent
4221 Pleasant Valley Rd #108 – Virginia Beach, VA 23464 – (757) 467-4300 - Stephanie Langkil – State Farm Insurance Agent
5441 Virginia Beach Blvd #115 – Virginia Beach, VA 23462 – (757) 499-3411