I really doubt anyone likes having to buy car insurance, in particular when the cost is too high.
It’s an obvious conclusion that insurance companies don’t want you quoting rates from other companies. Drivers who shop around for cheaper prices will probably move their business because they have good chances of finding a policy with more affordable rates. Surprisingly, a recent survey revealed that drivers who shopped around every year saved an average of $3,400 over four years as compared to drivers who don’t make a habit of comparing rates.
If finding low prices for insurance in Virginia Beach is why you’re reading this, knowing how to get price quotes and compare car insurance can make it easier for you to save money.
How to find better rates for Mitsubishi i-MiEV insurance in Virginia Beach
It takes a little time, but the best way to find low-cost prices for car insurance rates is to start doing an annual price comparison from companies who can sell car insurance in Virginia Beach. You can compare rates by completing these steps.
Step 1: Spend some time learning about how your policy works and the steps you can take to keep rates in check. Many risk factors that increase rates like tickets, at-fault accidents, and a not-so-good credit score can be rectified by paying attention to minor details. Continue reading for the details to help prevent high rates and get bigger discounts that may have been overlooked.
Step 2: Quote rates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only give prices from a single company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can provide prices for a wide range of companies.
Step 3: Compare the quotes to the price on your current policy and see if you can save money. If you find a better price, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
Step 4: Notify your current company of your intent to cancel your current auto insurance policy. Submit a signed application and payment to the new company. Immediately place the new proof of insurance certificate in an easily accessible location in your vehicle.
A valuable tip to remember is that you’ll want to compare the same level of coverage on each quote request and and to get price quotes from as many carriers as you can. This provides an accurate price comparison and a complete price analysis.
Drivers have so many insurers to insure vehicles with, and although it’s nice to have a selection, it makes it harder to find the lowest rates for Mitsubishi i-MiEV insurance in Virginia Beach.
Get discounts on Virginia Beach insurance
Not too many consumers would say insurance is affordable, but there may be some discounts to cut the cost considerably. Certain reductions will be credited at the time of quoting, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked for before they will apply. If you’re not getting every credit available, you could be getting lower rates.
- Senior Citizen Rates – Seniors could receive a small discount on rates.
- Include Life Insurance and Save – Insurance carriers who offer life insurance give a break if you buy some life insurance too.
- Federal Government Employee – Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off depending on your insurance provider.
- Organization Discounts – Having an affiliation with a professional or civic organization may earn a discount on insurance.
- E-sign Discounts – Some of the larger companies provide a small discount for buying your policy on the web.
- Driver’s Ed – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers successfully take a driver’s education course as it can save substantially.
- Defensive Driver – Taking part in a course teaching driver safety skills may get you a small discount if you qualify.
- Accident Waiver – This isn’t a discount exactly, but some companies like Progressive and Allstate will turn a blind eye to one accident before they charge you more for coverage if your claims history is clear for a particular time prior to the accident.
- Service Members Pay Less – Having an actively deployed family member may qualify for rate reductions.
A quick disclaimer, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Despite the fact that it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, insurance companies aren’t that generous.
The best insurance companies and their possible discounts are included below.
- State Farm offers premium reductions for accident-free, Drive Safe & Save, defensive driving training, good student, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and driver’s education.
- Progressive may include discounts for continuous coverage, online signing, good student, online quote discount, multi-vehicle, homeowner, and multi-policy.
- Progressive discounts include online quote discount, homeowner, online signing, multi-policy, good student, and multi-vehicle.
- MetLife has savings for defensive driver, good driver, accident-free, good student, multi-policy, and claim-free.
- Farm Bureau includes discounts for youthful driver, good student, multi-policy, driver training, multi-vehicle, and 55 and retired.
- GEICO may have discounts that include federal employee, daytime running lights, air bags, military active duty, and anti-theft.
- SAFECO offers discounts including homeowner, teen safety rewards, safe driver, anti-theft, bundle discounts, and teen safe driver.
When getting free Virginia Beach auto insurance quotes, it’s a good idea to every company to apply every possible discount. Discounts might not be offered in every state. To view insurers that offer discounts in Virginia Beach, click here.
The method we recommend to compare insurance rates from multiple companies is to take advantage of the fact almost all companies have advanced systems to provide you with a free rate quote. To get started, all you need to do is give them rating details including if a SR-22 is required, which vehicles you own, types of safety features, and how much you drive. The data gets transmitted to multiple top-rated companies and you will get price comparisons immediately.
To check rates for your Mitsubishi i-MiEV now, click here and complete the form.
The companies shown below provide comparison quotes in Virginia Beach, VA. If multiple companies are listed, it’s a good idea that you visit as many as you can in order to get a fair rate comparison.
When in doubt talk to an agent
Always remember that when buying insurance from an agent or online for your personal vehicles, there really isn’t a cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s needs are different.
These are some specific questions could help you determine if you may require specific advice.
- Is my ex-spouse still covered by my policy?
- Do I have ACV or replacement cost coverage?
- Can I use my car for my catering business?
- Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
- When would I need rental car insurance?
- What is an adequate liability insurance limit?
- Do I have coverage for damage caused while driving under the influence?
- What vehicles should carry emergency assistance coverage?
- Can I insure my car for more than it’s worth?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form.
Local Virginia Beach insurance agents
A small number of people just want to sit down with an agent. A nice benefit of comparing insurance prices online is the fact that drivers can get lower rates and still buy from a local agent. And buying from small agencies is especially important in Virginia Beach.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this simple form, your information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents who will give you quotes for your insurance coverage. You never need to contact any insurance agencies since price quotes are sent to you directly. You can find lower rates AND an agent nearby. If you need to get a rate quote for a specific company, you would need to go to their quote page and fill out the quote form the provide.
When searching for a good Virginia Beach insurance agent, it’s important to understand the different types of agents that you can choose from. Insurance policy providers are either independent agents or exclusive agents depending on their employer.
Independent Insurance Agencies or Brokers
These agents are not employed by one company so as a result can place your coverage through many companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If they find a cheaper price, your agent can switch companies and the insured can keep the same agent.
If you are comparing rate quotes, you will definitely want to get several quotes from independent agents to maximize your price options.
Listed below is a list of independent agents in Virginia Beach that can possibly get you free insurance rate quotes.
WBR Insurance
3213 Virginia Beach Blvd – Virginia Beach, VA 23452 – (757) 340-0028 – View Map
Nationwide Insurance: Chesson Insurance Agency Inc
307 Lynnhaven Pkwy Ste 201 – Virginia Beach, VA 23452 – (757) 464-4443 – View Map
Bunn Insurance Agency Inc
1248 Culver Ln – Virginia Beach, VA 23454 – (757) 426-2664 – View Map
Exclusive Agencies
Agents of this type can only place business with one company like Farmers Insurance, Allstate, or State Farm. Exclusive agencies are unable to compare other company’s rates so always compare other rates. Exclusive agents are well trained on their company’s products which helps overcome the inability to quote other rates.
The following is a list of exclusive insurance agencies in Virginia Beach that can give you price quote information.
Charlie Hendrick – State Farm Insurance Agent
5350 Kemps River Dr #101 – Virginia Beach, VA 23464 – (757) 523-4115 – View Map
Al Taxter – State Farm Insurance Agent
6070 Indian River Rd #104 – Virginia Beach, VA 23464 – (757) 420-2575 – View Map
Rhonda Floasin – State Farm Insurance Agent
1115 Independence Blvd #214 – Virginia Beach, VA 23455 – (757) 363-7376 – View Map
Selecting an insurance agent is decision based upon more than just the quoted price. Any agent in Virginia Beach should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
- If your car is totaled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- Is coverage determined by price?
- Do they get extra compensation for selling add-on coverages?
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
Why you need car insurance
Despite the high cost, maintaining insurance may not be optional for several reasons.
- The majority of states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means the state requires a specific level of liability coverage if you don’t want to risk a ticket. 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 vehicle with a loan, almost every bank will force you to have full coverage to guarantee payment of the loan. If you let the policy lapse, the bank may insure your Mitsubishi at a significantly higher premium and force you to reimburse them much more than you were paying before.
- Car insurance protects not only your vehicle but also your financial assets. It will also reimburse you for hospital and medical expenses for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. As part of your policy, liability insurance will also pay to defend you in the event you are sued. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, comprehensive and collision coverage will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of buying car insurance outweigh the cost, especially when you need to use it. According to a recent study, the average American driver is overpaying more than $750 every year so compare quotes from several companies at least once a year to save money.
What car insurance coverages do you need?
Understanding the coverages of a car insurance policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring.
Medical payments and PIP coverage – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for expenses for funeral costs, dental work, ambulance fees, X-ray expenses and EMT expenses. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. They cover all vehicle occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Collision coverage – Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from colliding with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage protects against claims such as crashing into a ditch, damaging your car on a curb, hitting a parking meter, colliding with another moving vehicle and scraping a guard rail. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. Another option is to raise the deductible on your i-MiEV in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Comprehensive auto coverage – Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive can pay for things such as damage from flooding, fire damage, theft, a broken windshield and damage from getting keyed. The maximum amount your car insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage – This coverage provides protection from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your Mitsubishi i-MiEV.
Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits (Virginia limits are 25/50/20), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Usually these limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
Liability insurance – This coverage will cover damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property that is your fault. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show values of 25/50/20 that translate to a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $20,000. Alternatively, you may have one number which is a combined single limit which combines the three limits into one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability coverage pays for things like repair costs for stationary objects, legal defense fees, attorney fees, bail bonds and court costs. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but you should buy as large an amount as possible. Virginia requires minimum liability limits of 25/50/20 but it’s recommended drivers buy more coverage.
The illustration below demonstrates why the minimum limit may not provide you with enough coverage.
Lower rates by being persistent
Consumers change insurance companies for a number of reasons such as questionable increases in premium, being labeled a high risk driver, policy non-renewal and even high prices. No matter why you want to switch, finding a new company can be easy and end up saving you some money.
Lower-priced car insurance in Virginia Beach can be purchased online and from local agencies, so you need to quote Virginia Beach auto insurance with both so you have a total pricing picture. Some car insurance companies do not provide rate quotes online and many times these small insurance companies sell through local independent agents.
We just showed you some good ideas how to reduce Mitsubishi i-MiEV insurance premium rates online in Virginia Beach. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding affordable Mitsubishi i-MiEV insurance quotes. Consumers could even find that the best price on car insurance is with an unexpected company.
Steps to finding affordable quotes for Mitsubishi i-MiEV insurance in Virginia Beach
If you want to save money, the best way to save money on Mitsubishi i-MiEV insurance is to compare prices annually from companies who sell insurance in Virginia Beach. Rate comparisons can be done by completing these steps.
Step 1: It will benefit you to learn about what is in your policy and the steps you can take to prevent rate increases. Many rating factors that are responsible for high rates like traffic tickets, fender benders, and a negative credit rating can be improved by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.
Step 2: Request price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only provide price estimates from one company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agencies can provide prices from multiple companies.
Step 3: Compare the price quotes to your existing rates and determine if there is any savings. If you can save money and switch companies, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
One piece of advice is to use the same deductibles and limits on every price quote and to quote with every insurance company. Doing this ensures an apples-to-apples comparison and and a good selection of different prices.
For more information, take a look at these articles:
- Warning systems don’t curb driver distraction (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Who Has Affordable Virginia Beach Auto Insurance Quotes for Government Employees? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance for a GMC Sierra in Virginia Beach? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Virginia Beach Auto Insurance Quotes for Infrequent Drivers? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes for Drivers with Good Credit in Virginia Beach? (FAQ)
- Vehicle Insurance (Wikipedia)
- Can I Drive Legally without Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)