It’s shocking but a large majority of consumers have stayed with the same insurance company for over three years, and about 40% of consumers have never compared quotes from other companies. Most drivers in Virginia could save almost 45% each year just by shopping around, but they don’t want to take the time to go online and compare rates.
If you want to find the absolute lowest rates, then the best way to find better pricing on Mazda CX-7 insurance is to start doing a yearly price comparison from insurance carriers who provide auto insurance in Virginia Beach. Rate comparisons can be done by following these steps.
- Try to understand how car insurance works and the modifications you can make to prevent rate increases. Many rating criteria that drive up the price such as traffic violations and a not-so-good credit history can be remedied by being financially responsible and driving safely.
- Get rate quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can provide rates from one company like Progressive or Allstate, while agents who are independent can provide price quotes for many different companies. View companies
- Compare the new rate quotes to your existing rates to see if cheaper CX-7 coverage is available. If you can save some money, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
- Provide notification to your current company to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit payment along with a signed and completed policy application for your new policy. Don’t forget to store the proof of insurance paperwork with your registration paperwork.
An important part of this process is to make sure you’re comparing identical deductibles and limits on every quote request and and to get rate quotes from as many companies as possible. This guarantees an accurate price comparison and many rates to choose from.
Why You Might Pay Increased Rates in Virginia Beach
A large part of saving on auto insurance is knowing some of the things that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. When consumers understand what determines premiums, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that can earn you much lower annual insurance costs. Many things are part of the calculation when pricing auto insurance. Some of the criteria are obvious like your driving record, but some are less apparent like where you live or how safe your car is.
The list below includes some of the items auto insurance companies consider when setting your prices.
- Buy as much liability as you can afford – Liability insurance is the protection if ever you are ruled to be at fault for damages caused by your negligence. Liability insurance provides legal defense coverage starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so drivers should make sure they buy enough to cover all assets.
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Gals tend to be lower risk – Statistics have proven that females take fewer risks when driving. It does not mean females are better at driving than males. Both genders have auto accidents in similar numbers, but the male of the species tend to have more serious accidents. Not only that, but men also get more serious tickets such as DWI and reckless driving. Males from age 16 to 21 generally have the highest accident percentage so it costs more to insure them.
The diagram below illustrates the difference between Mazda CX-7 car insurance costs for male and female drivers. The premiums are based on no accidents, no driving violations, comp and collision included, $500 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
- What’s your car’s safety rating? – Cars with high safety ratings get lower rates. Vehicles built for safety protect occupants better and reduced instances of injuries means less claims paid and thus lower rates. If your Mazda scored at minimum an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website it may be receiving lower rates.
- Save money by staying claim free – If you are a frequent claim filer, don’t be surprised to see higher rates. Companies in Virginia provide discounts to insureds that do not abuse their auto insurance. Your insurance policy is intended to be relied upon for claims that you cannot pay yourself.
- More people means more accidents – Residing in areas with lower population is a good thing when insuring your vehicles. City drivers have to deal with more traffic problems and more time behind the wheel. Fewer people translates into fewer accidents and lower theft and vandalism rates.
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Premiums are impacted by vehicle performance – The performance of the vehicle you are insuring makes a significant difference in your rates. The cheapest insurance rates will generally be found on lower cost passenger cars, but your final cost has many other factors.
The chart below assumes a single male driver age 20, full coverage with $250 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. It shows Mazda CX-7 policy rates compared to other makes and models that have a range of performance rating factors.
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With age comes lower premiums – Young drivers in Virginia are proven to get distracted easily when behind the wheel so they pay higher auto insurance rates. If you’ve ever had to add a teen driver to your policy can really hurt. More experienced drivers have been proven to be more responsible, cost insurance companies less in claims, and get fewer tickets.
The chart below assumes a single driver, full coverage with $100 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.
- Uninterrupted coverage saves money – Going without insurance will be a sure-fire way to increase your auto insurance rates. Not only will rates go up, being ticketed for driving with no insurance will get you a steep fine or even jail time. You could then be forced to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the Virginia department of motor vehicles.
The method we recommend to compare insurance rates from multiple companies is to take advantage of the fact most larger insurance companies provide online access to give rate comparisons. All you need to do is provide a little information including the type of vehicles you drive, whether you are married, whether or not you need a SR-22, and coverage limits. That rating data is instantly provided to multiple companies and they return rate quotes within a short period of time.
If you would like to start a quote now, click here and enter your coverage details.
The companies shown below can provide quotes in Virginia. To locate cheap auto insurance in Virginia Beach, VA, we suggest you get rates from several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Facts and figures for Mazda CX-7 insurance
The coverage information displayed below showcases detailed analysis of prices for Mazda CX-7 models. Having insight into how insurance premiums are established can aid in making decisions when shopping around.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
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CX-7 SV 2WD | $252 | $400 | $338 | $20 | $100 | $1,110 | $93 |
CX-7 Sport 2WD | $284 | $400 | $338 | $20 | $100 | $1,142 | $95 |
CX-7 Touring 2WD | $284 | $400 | $338 | $20 | $100 | $1,142 | $95 |
CX-7 Touring 4WD | $284 | $472 | $338 | $20 | $100 | $1,214 | $101 |
CX-7 Grand Touring 2WD | $318 | $472 | $338 | $20 | $100 | $1,248 | $104 |
CX-7 Grand Touring 4WD | $318 | $472 | $338 | $20 | $100 | $1,248 | $104 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Data assumes single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and Virginia minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and claim-free. Estimates do not factor in zip code location which can modify auto insurance rates noticeably.
The illustration below demonstrates how choosing different deductibles and can influence Mazda CX-7 insurance rates for each age group. The data is based on a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
How much more does full coverage cost?
The example below visualizes the comparison of Mazda CX-7 car insurance costs with liability coverage only compared to full coverage. The data is based on a clean driving record, no claims, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are factored in.
When to buy liability coverage only
There is no exact formula for excluding full coverage, but there is a general convention. If the yearly cost of full coverage is about 10% or more of the replacement cost minus the deductible, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
For example, let’s assume your Mazda CX-7 replacement value is $8,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most you would get paid by your company is $7,000 after paying your deductible. If you are paying over $700 annually for full coverage, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.
There are some circumstances where buying only liability insurance is not financially feasible. If you still have a lienholder on your title, you must maintain physical damage coverage in order to satisfy the requirements of the loan. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should not eliminate full coverage.
Three main reasons to buy insurance
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Mazda CX-7 in Virginia Beach, paying for insurance may be mandatory for several reasons.
- Most states have mandatory insurance requirements which means you are required to carry a specific level of liability protection in order to license the vehicle. In Virginia these limits are 25/50/20 which means you must have $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $20,000 of property damage coverage.
- If you bought your Mazda with a loan, most lenders will make it mandatory that you have insurance to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the lender will be forced to insure your Mazda for a much higher rate and force you to reimburse them much more than you were paying before.
- Insurance safeguards not only your car but also your financial assets. It will also reimburse you for medical transport and hospital expenses for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability insurance will also pay for a defense attorney if you are sued as the result of your driving. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, your insurance policy will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of insuring your car are without a doubt worth the cost, especially with large liability claims. As of last year, the average driver in Virginia is overpaying over $820 a year so compare rates at least once a year to ensure rates are inline.
Auto insurance policy discounts you can’t miss
Some companies do not advertise every discount available very clearly, so the below list has some of the more common and also the more inconspicuous savings tricks you should be using when you buy Virginia Beach auto insurance online.
- Organization Discounts – Belonging to a professional or civic organization could earn you a nice discount when getting a Virginia Beach auto insurance quote.
- 55 and Retired – Mature drivers can possibly qualify for a discount up to 10%.
- Active Service Discounts – Being deployed with a military unit could qualify you for better premium rates.
- Multiple Vehicles – Drivers who insure all your vehicles with the same auto insurance company can get a discount for every vehicle.
- Safety Restraint Discount – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to buckle up could cut 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Vehicles that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can stop better under adverse conditions and will save you 10% or more on CX-7 insurance in Virginia Beach.
- Good Grades Discount – A discount for being a good student may save you up to 25%. You can use this discount normally up to age 25.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most discount credits are not given to the whole policy. Some only reduce individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. If you do the math and it seems like you could get a free auto insurance policy, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.
The diagram below compares Mazda CX-7 car insurance costs with and without discounts applied. Data assumes a female driver, no violations or accidents, Virginia state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with marriage, multi-car, homeowner, safe-driver, multi-policy, and claim-free discounts applied.
A few popular companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are included below.
- Farm Bureau may include discounts for driver training, youthful driver, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, renewal discount, good student, and 55 and retired.
- State Farm may have discounts that include driver’s education, multiple autos, passive restraint, good student, and anti-theft.
- Progressive has discounts for continuous coverage, multi-vehicle, good student, online signing, online quote discount, multi-policy, and homeowner.
- Allstate offers discounts including new car, premier plus, farm vehicle, early signing, economy car, utility vehicle, and anti-lock brakes.
- Nationwide offers premium reductions for easy pay, accident-free, multi-policy, Farm Bureau membership, good student, and family plan.
- MetLife may offer discounts for accident-free, defensive driver, multi-policy, good driver, and claim-free.
When quoting, ask each company or agent how many discounts you can get. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not apply in Virginia Beach. To view insurers offering auto insurance discounts in Virginia Beach, follow this link.
You may need help from an agent
A small number of people would prefer to buy from a local agent and that is not a bad decision An additional benefit of getting free rate quotes online is the fact that drivers can get lower rates but also keep your business local. Buying from small agencies is still important in Virginia Beach.
Once you complete this simple form, the quote information is sent to local insurance agents in Virginia Beach that can provide free Virginia Beach auto insurance quotes to get your business. It’s much easier because you don’t need to find an agent as quotes are delivered immediately to you. You’ll get the best rates without a big time investment. In the event you want to get a rate quote from a specific company, you would need to jump over to their website and complete a quote there.
Exclusive or Independent: There is a difference
If you are wanting to find local Virginia Beach agents, it’s helpful to know the types of agencies and how they operate. Virginia Beach agents can be described as either independent agents or exclusive agents.
Independent Car Insurance Agents
Agents that elect to be independent do not write with just one company and that enables them to quote your coverage with a variety of different insurance companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. To transfer your coverage to a different company, your policy is moved internally and you don’t have to do anything.
When comparing rates, we recommend you get several quotes from a couple of independent agencies to get the best comparison. Most independent agents also contract with mutual insurance companies which can save you money.
The following is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Virginia Beach who may provide free rate quotes.
- Wilson Insurance Agency, Inc
1127 Crystal Lake Dr – Virginia Beach, VA 23451 – (757) 491-8953 – View Map - Bordeaux Insurance Agency
4654 Haygood Rd – Virginia Beach, VA 23455 – (757) 460-6220 – View Map - Toby Leffel Insurance Agency
921 First Colonial Road #1703 – Virginia Beach, VA 23454 – (757) 481-9105 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Agents in the exclusive channel generally can only insure with one company and examples are Farmers Insurance and State Farm. They are unable to give you multiple price quotes so you need to shop around if the rates are high. They are usually quite knowledgeable on what they offer which can be an advantage. Many people use the same exclusive agent partially due to the brand legacy rather than low price.
Shown below are exclusive insurance agencies in Virginia Beach that can give you comparison quotes.
- Bill Cooper Jr – State Farm Insurance Agent
421 S Witchduck Rd – Virginia Beach, VA 23462 – (757) 490-2744 – View Map - Farmers Insurance
5269 Greenwich Rd # 200 – Virginia Beach, VA 23462 – (757) 456-9440 – View Map - Brett Pendergast – State Farm Insurance Agent
4388 Holland Road Ste. 110 – Virginia Beach, VA 23452 – (757) 499-6813 – View Map
Picking a insurance agency requires more thought than just a low price. A good agent in Virginia Beach will have answers to these questions.
- Will your rates increase after a single accident?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- Do they get paid more for recommending certain coverages?
- Do they make recommendations based only on price?
- Do they offer rental car reimbursement?
- Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
- Will the quote change when the policy is issued?
Shop around and save
People leave their current company for a number of reasons such as not issuing a premium refund, policy non-renewal, unfair underwriting practices and even lack of trust in their agent. Whatever your reason, finding a new insurance company can be easy and end up saving you some money.
You just read many ways to shop for Mazda CX-7 insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your chances of lowering your prices. Consumers could even find that the best premium rates are with the smaller companies.
Cheaper Mazda CX-7 insurance in Virginia Beach is definitely available online in addition to many Virginia Beach insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies do not provide online price quotes and many times these regional insurance providers prefer to sell through independent agents.
Helpful learning opportunities
- Think You’re a Safe Driver? (State Farm)
- What is the Cheapest Auto Insurance in Virginia? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Virginia Beach Auto Insurance for 16 Year Olds? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Rates for a Chevrolet Equinox in Virginia Beach? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for a Ford Focus in Virginia Beach? (FAQ)
- What is Covered by an Auto Insurance Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)
- What is a Telematics Device? (Allstate)