It takes a little time, but the best way to find cheaper prices for car insurance rates is to start comparing prices yearly from different companies who sell auto insurance in Virginia Beach. Rates can be compared by following these steps.
- Gain an understanding of coverages and the things you can change to keep rates in check. Many rating criteria that cause high rates such as your driving record and poor credit history can be rectified by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes. Later in this article we will cover additional ideas to get cheaper rates and find more discounts that you may not know about.
- Get rate quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only provide price estimates from a single company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agents can quote rates for a wide range of companies.
- Compare the new quotes to your existing policy to determine if you can save on Camry Hybrid insurance in Virginia Beach. If you can save money, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
- Give notification to your agent or company of your decision to cancel your current policy and submit the required down payment along with the signed application for your new coverage. As soon as you have the new policy, keep the new certificate of insurance in an easily accessible location in your vehicle.
A valuable tip to remember is to try to compare identical coverages on every quote and and to compare as many companies as you can. This ensures an apples-to-apples comparison and a complete price analysis.
Everyone knows that auto insurance companies want to keep you from comparing prices. People who shop for lower prices will presumably switch auto insurance companies because there is a great chance of finding more affordable rates. A recent survey revealed that consumers who regularly compared rates saved $3,500 over four years as compared to drivers who didn’t regularly shop around.
If finding the best rates on car insurance in Virginia Beach is your goal, then having a grasp of the best way to shop and compare insurance can help you be more efficient.
Locating the best rates in Virginia Beach can really be easy if you know what you’re doing. If you are already insured, you will definitely be able to find the best rates using these techniques. But Virginia car owners can benefit from knowing how insurance companies sell online and use it to your advantage.
How to Lower Your Insurance Rates
Many things are considered when you get your auto insurance bill. A few of the factors are predictable such as your driving history, but some are not quite as obvious like your continuous coverage or your financial responsibility.
Shown below are some of the factors used by insurance companies to determine your rates.
- A car insurance policy lapse is a bad thing – Driving any period of time without insurance can get your license suspended and as a result your rates will increase for letting your coverage cancel without a new policy in place. And not only will your rates increase, the inability to provide proof of insurance will get you a revoked license or a big fine.
- Theft deterrents lowers rates – Purchasing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can earn a premium discount. Systems that thwart thieves such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can thwart your car from being stolen.
- Incidental coverages can waste money – There are a lot of additional coverages you can purchase on your insurance policy. Add-on coverages like rental car reimbursement, high-cost glass coverage, and extra equipment coverage may be wasting your money. These may sound like a good investment when you first buy your policy, but your needs may have changed so remove them from your policy.
- Raising deductibles lowers rates – Comp and collision deductibles are the amount of money you are required to spend if a covered claim is submitted. Physical damage insurance, aka comp and collision, protects your car from damage. Some examples of covered claims are rear-ending another vehicle, animal collisions, or theft of your vehicle. The more of the claim you choose to pay out-of-pocket, the less money you will pay for insurance.
- See if your company offers a multi-policy discount – Some companies will give a discount to buyers who buy several policies from them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can be ten or even fifteen percent. Even if you qualify for this discount already, you still need to check prices from other companies to help ensure you have the lowest rates.
- Tough job may mean higher premiums – Careers such as lawyers, airline pilots, and stock brokers generally have higher premium rates because of intense work-related stress and long work days. On the other hand, occupations like farmers, engineers and homemakers pay lower than average rates.
-
Insurance losses for a Toyota Camry Hybrid – Insurers factor in historical loss data as a way to help calculate a profitable premium rate. Vehicles that tend to have increased losses will cost more to insure. The table below illustrates the historical loss data for Toyota Camry Hybrid vehicles.
For each type of coverage, the statistical loss for all vehicles, without regard to make or model, equals 100. Values that are below 100 suggest a positive loss record, while numbers that are greater than 100 show a trend for more claims or statistically larger losses.
Toyota Camry Hybrid Insurance Loss Statistics Vehicle Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Toyota Camry Hybrid 124 100 110 118 127 96 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEStatistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
When comparison shopping, there are several ways to compare rate quotes from lots of Virginia insurance companies. The easiest way by far to comparison shop is to jump online and get quotes.
Getting free quotes online is quite simple, and it makes it obsolete to make phone calls or go to local Virginia Beach insurance agencies. Shopping for insurance online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless your situation requires the trained advice that only an agent can give. However, consumers can find lower rates online but buy from a local insurance agent. When comparing insurance rates, know that comparing all the rates in your area helps you find the best price.
The following companies can provide comparison quotes in Virginia Beach, VA. If you want to find cheaper auto insurance in Virginia Beach, it’s a good idea that you compare several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Car insurance analysis for a Toyota Camry Hybrid
The rate table below showcases different insurance prices for Toyota Camry Hybrid models. Having a better understanding of how auto insurance policy rates are determined can help you make informed decisions when shopping around for a new policy.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Camry Hybrid | $136 | $286 | $352 | $20 | $106 | $900 | $75 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Prices based on single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and Virginia minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, claim-free, multi-policy, homeowner, and multi-vehicle. Premium amounts do not factor in specific zip code location which can impact prices significantly.
Comparison of policy deductibles
A question often asked by Virginia Beach drivers is how high should the deductibles for physical damage be. The rates below may aid in understanding how much more you’ll pay when you select higher and lower comp and collision deductibles. The first rate comparisons uses a $250 deductible for physical damage and the second price grid uses a $1,000 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Camry Hybrid | $224 | $394 | $290 | $18 | $88 | $1,039 | $87 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Camry Hybrid | $138 | $248 | $290 | $18 | $88 | $782 | $65 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Data based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Virginia minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, safe-driver, claim-free, homeowner, and multi-vehicle. Rate information does not factor in specific location information which can decrease or increase coverage prices significantly.
Based on the data above, we can derive that using a $250 deductible will cost you about $22 more each month or $264 every year than requesting the higher $1,000 deductible. Since you would pay $750 more to file a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to average at least 34 months between claim filings, you would save money if you choose a higher deductible.
The chart below shows how choosing a deductible and can increase or decrease Toyota Camry Hybrid yearly insurance costs for each age group. The price estimates are based on a single female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no policy discounts are applied.
Buying the right Toyota Camry Hybrid insurance in Virginia is an important decision
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Toyota Camry Hybrid in Virginia Beach, insuring your vehicle is a good idea for several reasons.
- Just about all states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means you are required to buy a minimum amount of liability insurance coverage 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 have a lien on your Toyota, most banks will make it mandatory that you have full coverage to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you default on your policy, the bank may buy a policy for your Toyota for a much higher rate and force you to pay for it.
- Insurance safeguards both your vehicle and your assets. It will also reimburse you for medical bills that are the result of an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, will also pay to defend you in the event you are sued. If your Toyota gets damaged, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of having insurance more than offset the price you pay, especially if you ever need it. According to a recent study, the average American driver is overpaying more than $865 each year so smart consumers compare quotes each time the policy renews to ensure rates are competitive.
Lower your insurance rates with discounts
Some companies do not list their entire list of discounts very well, so the list below contains a few of the more well known and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using when you buy Virginia Beach car insurance online. If you check and find you aren’t receiving every discount available, you could be saving more on your insurance.
- First Accident Forgiveness – Not necessarily a discount, but some insurance companies may permit one accident before raising your premiums so long as you haven’t had any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
- Club Memberships – Joining qualifying clubs or civic groups could earn you a nice discount on insurance.
- Sign Early and Save – A few larger companies give discounts for switching to them before your current coverage expires. It could save around 10% when you buy Virginia Beach car insurance online.
- Multiple Cars – Buying coverage for multiple cars on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Low Mileage – Fewer annual miles on your Toyota may allow you to get cheaper insurance rates.
- Drive Safe and Save – Accident-free drivers can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than less cautious drivers.
- Driver’s Ed – Teen drivers should complete a driver education course if offered at their school.
- Life Insurance Discount – Not every insurance company offers life insurance, but if they do you may earn a discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
- Senior Discount – Mature drivers could receive a slight reduction on a Virginia Beach car insurance quote.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Cars, trucks, and SUVs equipped with ABS or steering control prevent accidents and will save you 10% or more on Camry Hybrid insurance in Virginia Beach.
Discounts lower rates, but most discount credits are not given to the whole policy. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like you could get a free insurance policy, nobody gets a free ride.
The chart below illustrates the difference between Toyota Camry Hybrid auto insurance costs with and without discounts. The prices are based on a male driver, no claims or violations, Virginia state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with marriage, safe-driver, multi-policy, multi-car, claim-free, and homeowner discounts applied.
Large insurance companies and a partial list of their discounts are:
- State Farm has discounts for accident-free, student away at school, good student, multiple policy, anti-theft, Drive Safe & Save, and driver’s education.
- Progressive includes discounts for multi-vehicle, homeowner, good student, online quote discount, multi-policy, online signing, and continuous coverage.
- Travelers offers discounts including early quote, good student, IntelliDrive, multi-car, and payment discounts.
- American Family has savings for accident-free, mySafetyValet, good driver, TimeAway discount, and Steer into Savings.
- Liberty Mutual may include discounts for teen driver discount, hybrid vehicle, safety features, multi-policy, good student, and exclusive group savings.
If you are trying to find inexpensive Virginia Beach car insurance quotes, ask all companies you are considering to give you their best rates. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not be offered on policies in your state.
Buying auto insurance from Virginia Beach car insurance agents
A small number of people still like to buy from a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. One of the great benefits of comparing auto insurance online is that you can obtain cheap rate quotes and still have an agent to talk to.
To find an agent, once you fill out this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is instantly submitted to local insurance agents that provide free Virginia Beach car insurance quotes for your coverage. There is no reason to find an agent since rate quotes are delivered to you instantly. You can most likely find cheaper rates without requiring a lot of work. If for some reason you want to get a comparison quote from one company in particular, you would need to visit that company’s website and complete a quote there.
Picking the best insurer requires you to look at more than just a cheap quote. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- What company holds the largest book of business for them?
- What insurance companies do they work with in Virginia Beach?
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
- How often do they review coverages?
- Do they reduce claim amounts on high mileage vehicles?
- Is every driver in your family covered?
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
How to choose the best car insurance agent in Virginia Beach
When finding a reputable insurance agent or broker, it can be helpful to understand the types of agencies to choose from. Auto insurance agents in Virginia Beach can be categorized as either independent agents or exclusive agents.
Exclusive Auto Insurance Agents
These agents can only quote rates from one company like Farmers Insurance, State Farm, or Allstate. Exclusive agents cannot shop your coverage around so always compare other rates. Exclusive insurance agents are very knowledgeable on their company’s products and that allows them to sell at a higher price point.
The following is a list of exclusive agents in Virginia Beach who may provide you with comparison quotes.
State Farm: Paula Faivre
2052 S Independence Blvd #007 – Virginia Beach, VA 23453 – (757) 340-3999 – View Map
Stephanie Langkil – State Farm Insurance Agent
5441 Virginia Beach Blvd #115 – Virginia Beach, VA 23462 – (757) 499-3411 – View Map
Kimberly Hitchman – State Farm Insurance Agent
3101 Virginia Beach Blvd #112 – Virginia Beach, VA 23452 – (757) 463-5480 – View Map
Independent Auto Insurance Agencies
Agents that choose to be independent are not employed by one company so they have the ability to put coverage amongst many companies and get you the best rates possible. If they quote lower rates, your agent can switch companies which requires no work on your part.
When comparison shopping, you need to include a few independent agents for the best price selection.
Listed below is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Virginia Beach that can give you comparison quotes.
Huffman Insurance Agency
5541 Parliament Dr #209 – Virginia Beach, VA 23462 – (757) 200-3183 – View Map
Hampton Roads Insurance
633-D Independence Blvd – Virginia Beach, VA 23462 – (757) 285-4754 – View Map
Glandon Agency
212 87th St – Virginia Beach, VA 23451 – (757) 422-6729 – View Map
Insurance can get complicated
When it comes to choosing coverage, there really is no one-size-fits-all type of policy. Everyone’s needs are different.
For instance, these questions could help you determine if your situation would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Am I covered if my car is in a flood?
- What is an adequate liability insurance limit?
- What does roadside assistance cover?
- Am I covered if hit by an uninsured driver?
- Should I file a claim if it’s only slightly more than my deductible?
- Do I have coverage when making deliveries for my home business?
- What policy terms are available?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form.
You can lower your insurance rates
Drivers change insurance companies for many reasons like being labeled a high risk driver, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, denial of a claim or even policy cancellation. No matter why you want to switch, switching insurance companies can be easy and end up saving you some money.
Throughout this article, we presented some good ideas how you can get a better price on Toyota Camry Hybrid insurance in Virginia Beach. The key thing to remember is the more quotes you get, the higher your chance of finding low cost Virginia Beach car insurance quotes. You may even be surprised to find that the lowest priced insurance comes from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.
As you restructure your insurance plan, don’t be tempted to skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many cases, an insured dropped full coverage and found out when filing a claim that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best cost, not the least amount of coverage.
Even more information can be found at these sites:
- Distracted Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Uninsured Drivers in Virginia Beach? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for 19 Year Olds in Virginia Beach? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for High Risk Drivers in Virginia Beach? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Quotes for a Jeep Grand Cherokee in Virginia Beach? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Virginia Beach Car Insurance Rates for Low Income Drivers? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Virginia Beach Car Insurance for High School Students? (FAQ)
- What are my Rights when Filing a Claim? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Cellphones, Texting and Driving (iihs.org)
- Understanding your Policy (NAIC.org)