Free Guide to Searching Online for a Newport News Car Insurance Agent

To find a good Newport News agent, it’s recommended you start your research online instead of calling around. Chances are good you want a good agent, but you also want to find great rates as well.

With companies like Farmers, Allstate, and independent agents having offices in Newport News, consumers have a hard time knowing which will provide you with the lowest rates and best service. Thankfully, consumers can use insurance quotes online to get a list of agencies to choose from.

How to find Newport News insurance agents online

Licensed agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help you file claims. The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain lower rates but also keep your business local. And providing support for local insurance agencies is important especially in Newport News.

Upon completion of this form (opens in new window), your information is instantly submitted to participating agents in Newport News who will give you bids for your business. There is no reason to even leave your home since price quotes are sent immediately to your email address. It doesn’t get any easier! You can find better rates AND a local agent.

Insurance agents in Newport News come in two varieties

When finding local Newport News agents, there are two different agency structures from which to choose. Newport News agents are classified as either independent (non-captive) or captive.

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Independent insurance agents are not locked into one company but rather can write business with any number of different companies and potentially find a lower price. To move your coverage to a new company, an independent agent can move your coverage and you don’t have to find a new agent. When searching for an agent, it’s a good idea to contact at a minimum one independent agency to have the most options to choose from. Most have the option of insuring with different regional companies who may have lower rates.

Below are Newport News independent insurance agencies that can give you price quotes.

John Blanche Insurance – 13771 Warwick Blvd # 47 – Newport News, VA 23602 – (757) 886-0800
Frieden Agency – 603 Pilot House Dr # 250 – Newport News, VA 23606 – (757) 873-0114
Strickler-Dwyer Agency Inc – 734 Middle Ground Blvd # A – Newport News, VA 23606 – (757) 873-7662
J J’s Budget-Rite Insurance – 718 J Clyde Morris Blvd – Newport News, VA 23601 – (757) 596-5431
American Diversified Agency – 12284 Warwick Blvd # 1d – Newport News, VA 23606 – (757) 599-6854

Agency Captives

This type of agents can only write with one company such as Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They generally cannot give you multiple price quotes so keep that in mind. They receive extensive training on their company’s products which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Some people will only choose to use a captive agent partially due to loyalty to the company and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.

Listed below are Newport News captive agencies that are able to give rate quotes.

State Farm Insurance – 749 J Clyde Morris Blvd # C – Newport News, VA 23601 – (757) 873-1339
Allstate Insurance – 718 J Clyde Morris Blvd – Newport News, VA 23601 – (757) 595-1200

To view a complete directory of captive insurance agencies in Newport News, please click here.

Selecting an insurance agent should depend on more than just a low price. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:

Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Virginia?
What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
Will your rates increase after a single accident?
Do they make recommendations based only on price?
Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?

After getting satisfactory answers to any questions you have and an acceptable price quote, you have narrowed it down to an auto insurance agent that will service your policy.

Which policy gives me the best coverage?

When it comes to choosing adequate coverage for your vehicles, there is no best way to insure your cars. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.

These are some specific questions might point out whether you might need professional guidance.

Are rental cars covered under my policy?
When should I not file a claim?
What is covered by UM/UIM coverage?
Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
Do I need rental car coverage?
Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Virginia?

If you can’t answer these questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to an insurance agent.

Online car insurance companies

Car insurance agents are perfect for certain consumers, but you also have the option of buying Virginia car insurance direct over the internet. Some specific companies who have local agents in Newport News also allow consumers to buy online, so this should also be taken into consideration to possibly find a better rate.

If you’re uncomfortable with not getting proper coverage when shopping online, this is expected but don’t let that bother you. Online car insurance companies provide access to licensed agents to walk you through the process.

When shopping for low rates, the only way to find out if car insurance prices are lower online or from agents is to make apples-to-apples comparisons of both. Even though it sounds odd, people frequently get different pricing using an online quote and an agent quote from the same car insurance company.

Are car insurance rates lower online? That question is hard to answer since there may be dozens of rate factors that can increase policy rates. It’s logical to say that a shopper who purchases direct lowers rates due to not having any agent compensation. But in most cases, marketing their products costs a lot of money so this can offset any savings.

Online plus local equals savings

People switch companies for many reasons like lack of trust in their agent, being labeled a high risk driver, unfair underwriting practices and even delays in responding to claim requests. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a new car insurance company is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.

When buying insurance coverage, it’s not a good idea to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In many cases, drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage and learned later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

For more information

Additional information can be read on the Virginia Bureau of Insurance website found here. Virginia drivers can find out which companies have the most complaints, find disaster information, and view agent and company licensing information.