Know How to Find the Best Price on Elkins Car Insurance

People not familiar with comparison shopping online will discover finding cheap Elkins car insurance is not as easy as it seems.

Consumers need to get comparison quotes yearly due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the lowest price a couple years back the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you’re about to find out one of the easiest ways to reduce your cost while improving coverage.

Lower rates by qualifying for discounts

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but companies offer discounts to help offset the cost. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you get a quote, but less common discounts must be inquired about before they will apply. If you don’t get every credit possible, you’re just leaving money on the table.

• Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles with factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can receive discounts of 20% or more.
• Drive Safe and Save – Safe drivers can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accidents.
• Accident Forgiveness – Some insurance companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums so long as you haven’t had any claims prior to the accident.
• Auto/Life Discount – Some companies give a break if you buy auto and life insurance together.
• Anti-lock Brake System – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes are safer to drive and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
• Save with a New Car – Adding a new car to your policy can be considerably cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
• Drive Less and Save – Fewer annual miles could be rewarded with better rates on cars that stay parked.

Keep in mind that most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way. Any qualifying discounts will bring down your premiums.

Many Things Influence your Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that go into determining car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to big savings.

• Older drivers pay less – Young drivers in West Virginia tend to be more careless behind the wheel so car insurance rates are higher. Parents adding a teen driver to your car insurance policy can be quite pricey. Older drivers are viewed as being more responsible, file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel.
• Allowing your policy to lapse raises rates – Allowing your car insurance policy to lapse is a sure-fire way to bump up your car insurance costs. Not only will you pay more, but not being able to provide proof of insurance will get you a steep fine or even jail time.You may need to file a SR-22 with the West Virginia motor vehicle department.
• How credit affects car insurance rates – Your credit score is a huge factor in your rate calculation. So if your credit rating is lower than you’d like, you could be paying less to insure your by improving your rating. Drivers with high credit ratings tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records as compared to drivers with poor credit.
• Poor driving leads to higher costs – Even one moving violation can increase rates forty percent or more. Good drivers receive lower rates than their less careful counterparts. If you have dangerous 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 the DMV in their state in order to prevent a license revocation.
• Frequent car insurance claims increase rates – If you frequently file small claims, you can definitely plan on either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance companies in West Virginia provide cheaper rates to people who file claims infrequently. Car insurance is meant to be used in the event of major claims that would cause financial hardship.
• Safer cars are cheaper to insure – Safer cars are cheaper to insure. Safer cars have better occupant injury protection and fewer injuries translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims passed on to you as lower rates.
• Where you reside plays a part – Residing in less populated areas is a positive aspect when buying car insurance. Drivers in populated areas have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Lower population means a lower chance of having an accident as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
• Pay less if you’re married – Being married can actually save you money on your policy. Having a significant other means you’re more responsible and it’s statistically proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.

Car insurance is unique, just like you

When buying coverage, there is no best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s situation is unique.

For instance, these questions can help discover if your insurance needs would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• When should I not file a claim?
• Do I need higher deductibles?
• When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
• Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
• Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
• Can I afford to pay high deductible claims out of pocket?
• Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?

If you can’t answer these questions, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form. It’s fast, free and you can get the answers you need.

Can you really save that much by switching?

Consumers in West Virginia can’t ignore all the ads for cheaper car insurance from companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive. All the ads say the same thing that you can save if you move your policy.

How can each company claim to save you money?

All companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer they prefer to insure. For example, a preferred risk could possibly be between the ages of 30 and 50, a clean driving record, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A customer who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save quite a bit of money when switching.

Potential insureds who don’t meet the requirements will be quoted higher prices which usually ends up with business not being written. The ads say “drivers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save money. That’s why insurance companies can confidently make those claims.

This emphasizes why you should compare as many rates as you can. It’s not possible to predict which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

More information is available on the West Virginia Insurance Commission website through this link. Visitors are able to read consumer alerts, find out which companies have the most complaints, and find out industry alerts.

Cheaper insurance is a realistic goal

We’ve covered some good ideas how you can save on car insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more times you quote, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the lowest priced car insurance comes from the least-expected company.

As you prepare to switch companies, make sure you don’t reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where an accident victim reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits and learned later that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your focus should be to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.

Consumers leave their current company for any number of reasons including being labeled a high risk driver, delays in responding to claim requests, not issuing a premium refund and even lack of trust in their agent. Regardless of your reason, switching car insurance companies is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.