Finding better rates for Lynchburg car insurance is a challenge for consumers not familiar with shopping for insurance online. There are so many options that it can quickly become a real hassle to find lower rates in Lynchburg.
Discounts are available to cut your rates
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but you may find discounts to reduce the price significantly. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at quote time, but less common discounts must be inquired about before you will receive the discount.
- Air Bag Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings of up to 25% or more.
- Early Signing – Some companies give discounts for switching policies prior to your current policy expiration. This can save 10% or more.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Insuring multiple cars or trucks on one policy qualifies for this discount.
- Senior Citizens – Mature drivers can possibly qualify for a discount up to 10%.
- Safety Course Discount – Successfully completing a course in driver safety could possibly earn you a 5% discount depending on where you live.
- Life Insurance Discount – Larger companies have a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
- New Car Discount – Putting insurance coverage on a new car can cost up to 25% less since new cars are generally safer.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
- Government Employees – Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount depending on your company.
Consumers should know that most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So despite the fact that it appears adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way. But all discounts will cut the cost of coverage.
For a list of insurers with the best car insurance discounts in Lynchburg, click here.
Why some people pay less for insurance in Lynchburg
Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for car insurance. Understanding what controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with big savings.
- Poor driving leads to higher costs – A bad driving record impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Good drivers get better rates than bad drivers. Even a single ticket can increase rates forty percent or more. If you have serious violations like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may find they need to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state motor vehicle department in order to continue driving.
- Poor credit can mean higher rates – Your credit rating is a huge factor in your rate calculation. Drivers who have high credit scores tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than those with lower ratings. Therefore, if your credit score can use some improvement, you could save money insuring your by improving your rating.
- Don’t buy coverages you don’t need – There are quite a few add-on coverages you can purchase on your car insurance policy. Coverages for roadside assistance, better glass coverage and motor club memberships may be wasting your money. They may seem like a good idea when talking to your agent, but if you don’t need them eliminate them to save money.
- More performance means more cost – The make and model of the vehicle you are buying insurance for makes a big difference in your rates. Lower performance four cylinder passenger cars generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
- Allowing your policy to lapse raises rates – Allowing your coverage to lapse will be a guaranteed way to trigger a rate increase. And not only will insurance be more expensive, but not being able to provide proof of insurance might get you a steep fine or even jail time.You may then be required to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the Virginia motor vehicle department.
- Too many car insurance claims drive up costs – If you file claims often, you can pretty much guarantee either higher rates or even cancellation. Insurance companies in Virginia give better rates to people who are claim-free. Car insurance is intended for the large, substantial claims.
Additional Virginia car insurance resources
More information is located on the Virginia Bureau of Insurance website found here. Consumers can discover disciplinary actions, find out which companies have the most complaints, and report car insurance fraud.
Other useful links include FindNewCarInsurance.com and this page of insurance agents in Lynchburg.
The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest
Throughout this article, we presented some good ideas how to lower your car insurance rates. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may be surprised to find that the lowest priced car insurance comes from some of the smallest insurance companies.
Insureds who switch companies do it for many reasons like poor customer service, policy cancellation, extreme rates for teen drivers or even high rates after DUI convictions. Whatever your reason, choosing a new insurance company can be easier than you think.
Cheaper car insurance is attainable from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Lynchburg agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some companies may not provide online quoting and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.