How to Know You're Spending Too Much for Car Insurance in Fort Myer

Having to pay for overpriced car insurance can overdraw your savings account and make it impossible to make ends meet. Comparison shopping is free and is an excellent way to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket.

Numerous battle for your hard-earned dollar, and because of this it can be hard to compare and get the best coverage at the lowest price

It's important to get comparison quotes on a regular basis due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best rates a few years ago a different company probably has better rates today. There is a lot of bad information regarding car insurance online but I'm going to show you some great ways to find cheap car insurance.

If you have car insurance now, you should be able to reduce your rates substantially using this information. Finding affordable coverage in Fort Myer is not that difficult. Although Virginia consumers do need to know how companies price insurance differently.

How much can you save with discounts?

Auto insurance companies don't always advertise all their discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of both the well known and the more hidden ways to save on car insurance.

Sign Online - Certain companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy on their website.
Accident Waiver - A few companies permit an accident before your rates go up as long as you don't have any claims prior to the accident.
Auto/Life Discount - Companies who offer life insurance give lower rates if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
Multiple Vehicles - Buying insurance for multiple vehicles on one policy could earn a price break for each car.
Senior Citizens - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
Seat Belts Save more than Lives - Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could save 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.
No Claims - Drivers who don't have accidents pay less as compared to drivers who are more careless.

A little note about advertised discounts, many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think it's possible to get free car insurance, you won't be that lucky.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that help determine the rates you pay for car insurance. Understanding what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with lower car insurance prices.

The following are some of the items that factor into rates.

Being married can save on car insurance - Getting married can get you a discount on your car insurance policy. It usually means you are more responsible and it's statistically proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
More miles equals more premium - Driving more miles in a year's time the more you will pay for car insurance. The majority of insurers charge to insure your cars based upon how you use the vehicle. Autos left parked in the garage get more affordable rates compared to those used for work or business. Make sure your car insurance coverage is showing the proper vehicle usage.
Do men or women drive better? - Statistics have proven that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, this does not mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Women and men have accidents at a similar rate, but the males have costlier accidents. They also have more aggressive citations like DUI and reckless driving. Youthful male drivers are several times more likely to be in an accident and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
Allowing your policy to lapse raises rates - Allowing your car insurance policy to lapse will be a quick way to increase your car insurance rates. Not only will rates go up, failure to provide proof of insurance will get you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
Do you have a high stress job? - Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for car insurance? Jobs such as real estate brokers, executives and accountants are shown to have higher rates than average attributed to high stress levels and lengthy work days. On the flip side, occupations like pilots, athletes and performers pay the least.
An active claims history can cost you - If you file claims often, you can expect either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Car insurance companies in Virginia give better rates to insureds who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Auto insurance is intended for the bigger claims that can't be paid out-of-pocket.

Save 15 percent in 15 minutes? Is it for real?

Car insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive continually stream television and radio advertisements. They all seem to make the same claim about savings after switching your policy. How do they all claim to save you money?

All companies have a preferred profile for the right customer that earns them a profit. A good example of a desirable insured might be between 25 and 40, insures multiple vehicles, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. Any driver who matches those parameters receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Drivers who don't meet the "perfect" profile will have to pay a higher premium which leads to the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "people who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. This is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do. Because of the profiling, drivers should quote coverage with many companies. You cannot predict which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Even more information can be read at the Virginia Bureau of Insurance website. Visitors are able to get help finding coverage, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, learn about insurance regulations, and find a variety of consumer forms.

Shop smart and save

The cheapest car insurance can be purchased both online in addition to many Fort Myer insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best selection. Some car insurance companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.

When shopping online for car insurance, never skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many cases, drivers have reduced full coverage and found out when filing a claim that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate.