The words “affordable” and “insurance” probably shouldn’t be used together, in particular when you are trying to find the best coverage prices for unemployed drivers. Because of the high cost, let’s start off by going over some of the things that can significantly affect insurance prices, and come up with some ways to lower the cost of the next policy you buy.
One of the many factors that aid in calculating the annual cost of car insurance is where your residence is. Areas with more people or higher crime rates are more likely to have higher rates, whereas areas with less congestion receive better rates.
The information below sorts the highest-priced areas in Virginia for unemployed drivers to buy an auto insurance policy in. Virginia Beach shows up at #14 with a yearly cost of $938 for the average insured, which is about $78 monthly.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burke | $1,068 |
| 2 | Dale City | $1,038 |
| 3 | Alexandria | $1,036 |
| 4 | Lake Ridge | $1,032 |
| 5 | Centreville | $1,027 |
| 6 | Norfolk | $990 |
| 7 | McLean | $985 |
| 8 | Richmond | $975 |
| 9 | Arlington | $973 |
| 10 | Portsmouth | $972 |
| 11 | Reston | $954 |
| 12 | Hampton | $943 |
| 13 | Danville | $940 |
| 14 | Virginia Beach | $938 |
| 15 | Newport News | $930 |
| 16 | Tuckahoe | $929 |
| 17 | Leesburg | $922 |
| 18 | Suffolk | $901 |
| 19 | Chesapeake | $899 |
| 20 | Charlottesville | $895 |
| 21 | Ashburn | $893 |
| 22 | Lynchburg | $869 |
| 23 | Roanoke | $807 |
| 24 | Blacksburg | $791 |
| 25 | Harrisonburg | $784 |
| Compare Prices Now Go | ||
Table data uses approximated as the vehicle garaging location can influence coverage rates substantially.
Figuring out which companies quote the most affordable auto insurance rates for unemployed drivers takes a bit more effort than just quoting one company’s rates. Every insurance provider has a proprietary method for filing rates in each state, so let’s rank the auto insurance companies that tend to be cheaper in Virginia Beach.
It’s important that readers know that Virginia Beach, VA auto insurance rates are impacted by many things that may substantially change the policy premium. Getting older, buying a new vehicle, or getting a ticket for running a stop sign can trigger changes in premium that may make certain companies cheaper than competitors.
Best Auto Insurance Prices for Job Seekers
Travelers generally has some of the cheapest car insurance rates in Virginia Beach at around $653 per year. This is $505 less than the average price paid by Virginia drivers of $1,158. USAA, Penn National, Cincinnati Insurance, and Erie would also be considered some of the cheapest Virginia Beach, VA auto insurance companies.
As shown above, if you currently have coverage with Penn National and switched to Travelers, you might achieve yearly savings of about $65. Insureds with Cincinnati Insurance might save as much as $80 a year, and Erie policyholders might cut rates by $127 a year.
Understand that those prices are averages across all drivers and vehicles and and are not figured with a vehicle location for unemployed drivers. So the car insurance company that is best suited for you may not even be in the top 30 companies in the list above. That emphasizes why you need to get quotes using your own personal information and vehicle type.
Auto insurance company ratings
Selecting the highest-rated auto insurance company can be a challenge considering how many companies there are to choose from in Virginia Beach. The company rank data shown next may help you choose which auto insurers to look at comparing prices from. The ratings below are only comprised of the largest companies in America, so companies that only write business in Virginia or surrounding areas are not taken into consideration for these rankings.
Top 10 Major Auto Insurance Companies in Virginia Beach Ranked by Customer Service
- USAA
- Travelers
- Mercury Insurance
- AAA Insurance
- Nationwide
- Safeco Insurance
- Progressive
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- The General
Top 10 Major Auto Insurance Companies in Virginia Beach Ranked by Value
- Mercury Insurance
- Travelers
- American Family
- AAA Insurance
- Safeco Insurance
- Progressive
- The Hartford
- Erie Insurance
- Esurance
- The General
Get discounts on Virginia Beach car insurance
Insurers that sell policies for unemployed drivers may also provide rate discounts that could potentially reduce rates by 30% or more if you meet certain criteria. Companies and some of the discounts are outlined below.
- GEICO has discounts for five-year accident-free, military active duty, daytime running lights, air bags, multi-vehicle, defensive driver, and federal employee.
- SAFECO may include discounts for homeowner, anti-lock brakes, teen safe driver, multi-car, bundle discounts, teen safety rewards, and safe driver.
- State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including safe vehicle, good student, good driver, Steer Clear safe driver discount, student away at school, and passive restraint.
- MetLife offers discounts for claim-free, accident-free, good student, good driver, defensive driver, multi-policy
- 21st Century discounts include defensive driver, 55 and older, air bags, theft prevention, and driver training.
- Progressive may have discounts that include online quote discount, multi-policy, homeowner, multi-vehicle, online signing, good student, and continuous coverage.
The diagram below visualizes the comparison of car insurance costs with and without discounts being applied to the rates. The information is based on a male driver, no claims or driving citations, Virginia state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $500 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows the price with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with multiple vehicle, defensive driving course, homeowner, multiple policy, safe-driver, and vehicle safety discounts applied. When taking advantage of discounts, the average amount saved each year on auto insurance for unemployed drivers is 28% or $336.
The information below shows how choosing a deductible can change premium costs when researching cheap insurance for unemployed drivers. The premiums are based on a single male driver, comp and collision included, and no other discounts are factored in.
A 30-year-old driver could reduce rates by $238 a year by switching the physical damage coverage from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $360 by switching to a $1,000 deductible. Youthful drivers, such as the Age 20 example, could roll back prices as much as $694 or even more by choosing a higher deductible. When choosing a higher deductible, it’s a good idea to have enough in a savings account to be able to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense. This is the primary disadvantage of choosing high deductibles.
How to find cheaper insurance for unemployed drivers
Below you’ll find some of the recommended money-saving solutions that can help Virginia drivers buy cheap car insurance.
- If possible, pay for small claims out-of-pocket
- Buy vehicles with five-star safety ratings
- Higher deductibles save money
- Bundle home and auto and save
- Improve your credit score
- Drop full coverage on older vehicles
- Compare quotes from other companies often
That last piece of advice is notably important, as we stressed in the prior article. Prices change constantly, so don’t be unwilling to change insurance companies if a cheaper price is available. Sticking with a specific company is fine, but we do not recommend it if that dedication is costing potentially thousands of dollars a year. In less than five minutes you could compare prices to find cheaper insurance for unemployed drivers in Virginia Beach.