How to Know You're Spending Too Much for Auto Insurance in Smithfield

Having to pay for overpriced auto insurance can overdraw your checking account and force you to make sacrifices. Comparison shopping is a smart way to help make ends meet.

Big companies like GEICO and Progressive promote their brand names with fancy advertisements and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

It's important to compare prices quite often because insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you think you had the lowest rates a year ago a different company probably has better rates today. So just ignore everything you know about auto insurance because you're about to learn the tricks you need to know to find lower rates on auto insurance.

If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using this strategy. Finding the best rates in Smithfield is not that difficult. Although Virginia drivers do need to know how big insurance companies market insurance on the web and use this information to your advantage.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Companies offering auto insurance don't list every available discount in a way that's easy to find, so we break down both well-publicized as well as the least known auto insurance savings.

Good Student Discount - Performing well in school can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply up until you turn 25.
Save over 55 - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may receive a small decrease in premiums.
Lower Rates for Military - Having a deployed family member could be rewarded with lower premiums.
Claim Free - Drivers who don't have accidents can save substantially compared to drivers who are more careless.
Low Mileage - Low mileage vehicles can earn lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Clubs and Organizations - Participating in a civic or occupational organization could qualify you for a break on your policy.
Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver's ed class if offered at their school.

A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. Just because you may think all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won't be that lucky.

How to Lower your Auto Insurance Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that play a part in calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get lower auto insurance prices.

Traffic violations increase rates - Even a single moving violation can bump up the cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who don't get tickets have lower premiums than their less careful counterparts. Drivers who get dangerous violations like DUI or reckless driving may be required to submit a SR-22 form with their state DMV in order to prevent a license revocation.
Men are more aggressive - Statistics have proven women are more cautious behind the wheel. Now that doesn't mean women are BETTER drivers than men. Women and men are in accidents in similar percentages, but men tend to have more serious accidents. Men also get cited for more serious violations such as DWI and reckless driving.
Safe vehicles cost less to insure - Cars with high safety ratings are cheaper to insure. Safer cars protect occupants better and lower injury rates translates into savings for insurance companies and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Your stress level may be raising your rates - Occupations like lawyers, architects and dentists have the highest average rates because of high stress levels and lengthy work days. Other occupations such as pilots, historians and retirees get better rates.
Don't skimp on liability - Your policy's liability coverage is the protection in the event that a court rules you are at fault for personal injury or accident damage. Liability provides for a legal defense starting from day one. Liability is cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so buy as much as you can afford.

Tailor your coverage to you

When it comes to buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and a cookie cutter policy won't apply. For instance, these questions may help you determine whether you might need professional guidance.

Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Virginia?
Should I buy additional glass protection?
Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
Do I qualify for additional discounts?
What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?

If you don't know the answers to these questions, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.

How can State Farm and Allstate save drivers who switch?

Companies like State Farm and Allstate consistently run ads on television and other media. All the ads say the same thing about savings if you change your coverage to them. How can each company make almost identical claims?

All companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that earns them a profit. For example, a preferred risk could possibly be between 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and has excellent credit. A driver who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Drivers who are not a match for the requirements will be charged a higher premium which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ad wording is "customers that switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much money. This is how companies can truthfully make those claims. That is why drivers should get as many quotes as possible. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

More sites with auto insurance information

Even more information can be found at the Virginia Bureau of Insurance website. Virginia consumers can file complaints about a company, learn about insurance regulations, find disaster information, and read industry bulletins.

Shop smart and save

In this article, we presented a lot of information how to reduce auto insurance prices online. It's most important to understand that the more you quote, the higher the chance of saving money. You may be surprised to find that the best prices are with the least-expected company. Regional companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than the large multi-state companies such as .

While you're price shopping online, it's a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many cases where drivers have reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret they didn't purchase enough coverage. Your goal should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

The cheapest auto insurance is attainable online as well as from independent agents in Smithfield, so compare prices from both to have the best selection. Some companies don't offer you the ability to get quotes online and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.