How to Get Cheaper Arlington Auto Insurance

Buying low-cost Arlington auto insurance on the internet can seem to be somewhat difficult for consumers new to online price comaprisons. With so many choices of insurance companies available, how can consumers even start to compare the different rates to find the cheapest available price?

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using this information. This information will help educate you on how to effectively get price quotes and some money-saving tips. Nevertheless, Virginia vehicle owners do need to know how companies price online insurance and apply this information to your search.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Arlington

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that go into determining auto insurance rates. Understanding what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

Listed below are a few of the "ingredients" companies use to determine premiums.

  • Do you need the policy add-ons? - There are many add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you aren't careful. Coverages like vanishing deductibles, accidental death and motor club memberships are examples of these. They may seem good when talking to your agent, but if you don't need them get rid of them and save.
  • Battle of the sexes - Statistics have proven that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. That doesn't necessarily mean that women are better drivers. Both sexes have accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species cause more damage. Men also tend to get cited for more serious violations like reckless driving and DUI. Male drivers age 16 to 19 tend to get in the most accidents and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.
  • More than one policy can earn a discount - Most companies will award you with lower prices to people who have multiple policies with them. It's known as a multi-policy discount. This can amount to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. If you currently are using one company, it's in your best interest to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal.
  • Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance - Vehicles with high crash test scores are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles result in less severe injuries and better occupant protection translates into savings for insurance companies and lower rates for you.
  • Car features impact rates - Purchasing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft features like GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all aid in stopping your car from being stolen.
  • Protect your assets with liability insurance - Liability insurance is the protection if a jury decides you are liable for damages from an accident. It provides for a legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.

auto insurance in Arlington

Auto Insurance Prices in Arlington, Virginia

The are a couple different ways of comparing rate quotes from local Arlington auto insurance companies. One of the best ways to find the lowest rates is to use the internet to compare rates. This is very easy and can be done in a couple of different ways.

  1. The fastest way to get the best comparison quotes is a comparison rater form (click to open form in new window). This method keeps you from doing separate quote forms for each company you want a rate for. One form submission compares rates from many national carriers. It's the fastest way to compare.
  2. A less efficient way to shop for auto insurance online is going to the website for every company you want to comare and complete a new quote form. For examples sake, we'll assume you want comparison quotes from , and . To get each rate you have to take the time to go to each site and enter your information, and that's why the first method is more popular.

    For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Arlington, click here.

Whichever way you use, ensure you are comparing the exact same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote. If you use different liability limits it will be very difficult to make a fair comparison in Arlington. Just a small difference in coverage limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. Just remember that more quotes will increase your chances of finding the best rates.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Companies don't always publicize all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we took the time to find some of the best known and the harder-to-find auto insurance savings.

  • Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Driving fewer miles can earn lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
  • Accident Waiver - A few companies will allow you to have one accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you haven't had any claims for a set time period.
  • Theft Prevention Discount - Anti-theft and alarm systems can help prevent theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
  • Military Rewards - Having a deployed family member could mean lower rates.
  • Organization Discounts - Affiliation with certain professional organizations could qualify you for a break when buying auto insurance.
  • Defensive Driver - Successfully completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.
  • Discount for Life Insurance - Larger companies have lower rates if you buy life insurance.
  • Own a Home - Owning a home in Arlington may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because owning a home is proof that your finances are in order.

Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So despite the fact that it appears adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies don't profit that way.

To choose insurers offering auto insurance discounts in Arlington, follow this link.

Save $429 a year? Really?

21st Century, Allstate and State Farm constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. All the companies say the same thing of big savings if you switch to them. How do they all say the same thing? This is how they do it.

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that makes them money. For example, a profitable customer might be profiled as between 25 and 40, insures multiple vehicles, and has great credit. A propective insured who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Consumers who don't qualify for the "perfect" profile must pay higher rates which usually ends up with business not being written. The ads state "drivers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save money. This is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings. This illustrates why you need to get a wide range of price quotes. It's not possible to predict which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

More tips and info about auto insurance can be found at the Virginia Bureau of Insurance website. Virginia drivers can discover disciplinary actions, learn about insurance regulations, and read consumer alerts.

Affordable insurance is out there

Cost effective auto insurance can be found on the web and with local Arlington insurance agents, so you should compare both to get a complete price analysis. There are still a few companies who do not offer online price quotes and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When you buy insurance online, you should never reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are a lot of situations where drivers have reduced physical damage coverage only to discover later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The proper strategy is to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.

Consumers switch companies for any number of reasons including delays in responding to claim requests, denial of a claim, policy non-renewal or even unfair underwriting practices. No matter why you want to switch, switching auto insurance companies is easier than you think.