Truthfully, the best way to find affordable quotes for auto insurance rates is to compare quotes once a year from insurers who sell insurance in Virginia Beach. Prices can be compared by following these steps.
First, try to comprehend how car insurance works and the measures you can take to lower rates. Many rating factors that cause rate increases such as getting speeding tickets and a poor credit score can be remedied by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes.
Second, request price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only give prices from a single company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agents can quote rates from multiple insurance companies.
Third, compare the new quotes to your existing coverage and see if there is a cheaper rate. If you find a lower rate quote and buy the policy, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
A valuable tip to remember is to try to use the same liability limits and deductibles on every quote request and and to get price quotes from as many carriers as you can. This ensures a fair price comparison and a thorough selection of prices.
It goes without saying that car insurance companies don’t want you shop around. Consumers who rate shop once a year will presumably switch car insurance companies because the odds are good of finding lower prices. A recent survey revealed that consumers who made a habit of comparing rates saved $860 a year compared to people who never shopped for cheaper rates.
If finding the cheapest price on car insurance in Virginia Beach is why you’re here, then having a grasp of the best way to compare coverages can save time and money.
Locating the best rates in Virginia Beach can be much easier if you know how to start. If you are already insured, you will surely be able to find the best rates using the ideas covered in this article. Nevertheless, Virginia drivers need to learn how companies price insurance differently because it varies considerably.
The best way we recommend to compare car insurance company rates for Dodge Stratus insurance in Virginia Beach is to know car insurance companies actually pay money for the chance to give you rate quotes. To get started, all you need to do is give them rating details like how old drivers are, if you’re married, level of coverage desired, and how much you drive. Those rating factors is instantly provided to insurance companies and they return quotes almost instantly.
To compare multiple company cheap Dodge Stratus insurance rates now, click here and enter your zip code.
The auto insurance companies shown below provide free quotes in Virginia. If multiple companies are listed, it’s a good idea that you visit as many as you can to get the most competitive price.
Insurance is an important decision
Despite the high insurance cost for a Dodge Stratus in Virginia Beach, maintaining insurance may be mandatory for several reasons.
- Just about all states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry a specific minimum amount of liability insurance coverage in order to drive the car. 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 Dodge with a loan, almost all lenders will stipulate that you buy full coverage to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you default on your policy, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Dodge at a significantly higher premium and require you to pay the higher premium.
- Insurance safeguards both your Dodge Stratus and your personal assets. It will also reimburse you for many types of medical costs for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. As part of your policy, liability insurance also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of carrying enough insurance definitely exceed the price paid, particularly if you ever have a claim. Unknowingly, the average driver is currently overpaying as much as $825 a year so it’s very important to do a rate comparison once a year at a minimum to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Smart Consumers Can Reduce Insurance Rates
A large part of saving on auto insurance is knowing the rating factors that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates, this allows you to make educated decisions that can earn you much lower annual insurance costs.
- Advanced alarm systems – Buying a car that has an advanced theft prevention system can help lower your rates. Anti-theft features like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system can thwart vehicle theft.
- Small claims can cost you – Insurance companies in Virginia provide the lowest premiums to people who do not file claims often. If you are the type of insured that files lots of claims you can definitely plan on much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Auto insurance is designed for claims that pose a financial burden.
- Bad credit hurts insurance premiums – Having a bad credit history can be a huge factor in determining premium rates. Drivers who have very high credit ratings tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with lower credit ratings. So if your credit history can use some improvement, you could save money insuring your Dodge Stratus if you clean up your credit.
- More performance means more cost – The performance level of the car you drive makes a substantial difference in your auto insurance rates. The cheapest rates are generally reserved for small economy passenger cars, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
- Raising physical damage deductibles saves money – Physical damage insurance, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, insures against damage to your Dodge. Examples of covered claims would be a broken side mirror, damage from fire, and windstorm damage. Physical damage deductibles define the amount you are required to spend out-of-pocket before your auto insurance pays a claim. The larger the amount the insured has to pay upfront, the less your auto insurance will be.
- Allowing your auto insurance policy to lapse raises auto insurance rates – Allowing your auto insurance policy to lapse is a sure-fire way to increase your rates. In addition to paying higher premiums, the inability to provide proof of insurance can result in a revoked license or a big fine. You may then be required to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the Virginia DMV.
- Big cities have higher rates – Choosing to live in a rural area is a good thing if you are looking for the lowest rates. People who live in big cities have to deal with much more traffic and more time behind the wheel. Less people living in that area translates into fewer accident claims in addition to fewer liability claims.
Lower rates by being persistent
Cost effective Dodge Stratus insurance is available both online and from local insurance agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers do not provide rates over the internet and many times these regional carriers sell through independent agents.
In this article, we presented many tips how you can shop for Dodge Stratus insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the most savings is with an unexpected company. Smaller companies may often insure only within specific states and give better rates compared to the large companies like State Farm or Progressive.
More information
- Insurance losses by make and model (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- How Much is Auto Insurance for a School Permit in Virginia Beach? (FAQ)
- Can I Drive Legally without Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Determines the Price of My Auto Insurance Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)
- How do I File a Claim? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Child Safety Seats (Insurance Information Institute)