5 Tricks to Lower Car Insurance Rates in Keyser, WV

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an overpriced car insurance policy? Believe me, many Keyser consumers feel financially strained by their car insurance policy. Because you have many companies to choose from, it can be challenging to find the most affordable provider.

Save money by taking advantage of these discounts

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but you may find discounts to cut the cost considerably. Some discounts apply automatically at the time of quoting, but some may not be applied and must be inquired about prior to getting the savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you’re just leaving money on the table.

• Homeowners Discount – Owning a home in Keyser can help you save on car insurance because owning a home is proof that your finances are in order.
• Student in College – Youth drivers who attend school more than 100 miles from home without a vehicle on campus may qualify for this discount.
• Federal Government Employee – Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount depending on your company.
• Save with a New Car – Adding a new car to your policy can cost up to 25% less due to better safety requirements for new cars.
• Defensive Driver – Completing a driver safety course could save 5% or more depending on where you live.
• Multiple Cars – Buying coverage for all your vehicles on the same car insurance policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
• Pay Now and Pay Less – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time rather than paying monthly you may reduce your total bill.
• No Charge for an Accident – A handful of insurance companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don’t have any claims for a set time period.

It’s important to understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So even though it sounds like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies don’t profit that way. But all discounts will bring down your premiums.

To choose insurance companies with discount car insurance rates in West Virginia, click here to view.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that help determine your car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that can help you get big savings.

• Low deductibles can be expensive – Insurance for physical damage to your car, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, protects your car from damage. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be collision with another vehicle, vandalism, or theft. Physical damage deductibles are the amount of money you are required to spend before your car insurance pays a claim. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
• Save money with special equipment – Choosing a vehicle with an alarm system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention features like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can thwart your vehicle from being stolen.
• Do you work long hours in a high stress job? – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for car insurance? Jobs such as doctors, social workers and financial analysts have higher average rates attributed to high stress and lots of time spent at work. Conversely, occupations like pilots, engineers and performers get better rates.
• Lower rates come with age – Older drivers are more cautious drivers, file fewer claims and are safer drivers. Teenage drivers tend to be more careless behind the wheel therefore car insurance rates are much higher.

But I prefer to buy car insurance from an agent

A small number of people would prefer to sit down with an agent and that is just fine! Good agents can point out coverage gaps and help file insurance claims. The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain lower rates but still work with a licensed agent. Supporting local insurance agencies is important especially in Keyser.

To find an agent, once you fill out this simple form, the quote information is instantly submitted to participating agents in Keyser who will compete for your coverage. There is no need to leave your computer because quoted prices will be sent immediately to your email address. How cool is that?!

Choose an insurance agent wisely

When looking for local Keyser agents, you must know there are a couple types of insurance agents to choose from. Agents are categorized either independent or captive. Both types can do a good job, but it’s worth mentioning the difference between them since it may influence the type of agent you choose

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Independent agencies are not employed by any specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with multiple insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If your agent finds better pricing, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you don’t have to find a new agent.

When comparison shopping, it’s a good idea to include price quotes from at least one independent agent to ensure the widest selection of prices.

Below is a list of independent agencies in Keyser that can give you competitive price quotes.

Potomac Insurance Ctr – 457 S Mineral St – Keyser, WV 26726 – (304) 788-9333
Evans Agency – 56 N Main St – Keyser, WV 26726 – (304) 788-3324
Knippenberg Insurance – Route 956 – Keyser, WV 26726 – (304) 726-4363

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive insurance agents can only place business with one company and some examples include State Farm, Allstate and AAA. They generally cannot place coverage with different providers so it’s a take it or leave it situation. They are well schooled in insurance sales and that can be a competitive advantage.

Shown below are Keyser captive agents that are able to give rate quotes.

State Farm Insurance – 591 Carskadon Rd – Keyser, WV 26726 – (304) 788-1030

For a complete listing of car insurance agents in Keyser, view this link.

Deciding on a car insurance agent requires more thought than just a low price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

• Is assistance available after office hours?
• What insurance company do they write the most business with?
• Are they full-time agents?
• Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?
• Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
• Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
• Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
• Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in West Virginia?

Once you have acceptable answers to these questions and a good coverage price, you’ve probably found a car insurance agent that is a good match to properly service your car insurance policy.

Don’t believe everything you hear

Consumers can’t ignore all the ads for car insurance savings from companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive. All the ads have a common claim about savings after switching your policy.

How does each company make the same claim?

All the different companies can use profiling for the type of driver that is profitable for them. For instance, a desirable insured could be over the age of 40, owns a home, and has a short commute. A propective insured that hits that “sweet spot” will qualify for the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to pay quite a bit less when switching companies.

Consumers who don’t meet this ideal profile will be charged more money which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that kind of money. That is how insurance companies can make those claims.

That is why it is so important to get as many quotes as possible. It’s not possible to predict the company that will have the lowest rates.

Additional resources for West Virginia consumers

More information can be found on the website for the West Virginia Insurance Commission located here. Consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find out industry alerts, and read consumer alerts.

Other useful links include QuoteClickInsure.com and this link where you can make Keyser car insurance comparisons.

Do the work, save more money

Lower-priced car insurance can be found both online and with local Keyser insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both so you have a total pricing picture. Some car insurance companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

While you’re price shopping online, never buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are too many instances where consumers will sacrifice liability limits or collision coverage to discover at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. The aim is to buy enough coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.