A recent NerdWallet.com study revealed that most consumers in Virginia have purchased from the same company for over three years, and practically 40% of car insurance customers have never compared quotes from other companies. U.S. insurance shoppers can cut their rates by about $860 a year, but they underestimate how much money they would save if they switched to a more affordable policy.
The preferred way to get budget Buick Verano insurance in Virginia Beach is to start doing an annual price comparison from providers who sell auto insurance in Virginia.
- Read and learn about what coverages are included in your policy and the things you can control to prevent high rates. Many rating factors that drive up the price like traffic citations and a not-so-good credit history can be controlled by making minor changes to your lifestyle.
- Compare price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can only give rate quotes from a single company like GEICO or Allstate, while agents who are independent can provide rate quotes from multiple insurance companies.
- Compare the new rates to your existing rates to determine if switching companies saves money. If you find a lower rate, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
- Give notification to your agent or company to cancel your current car insurance policy. Submit the required down payment along with the signed application for the new policy. Once received, place the new certificate verifying coverage in your vehicle.
A good tip to remember is to make sure you’re comparing the same deductibles and limits on every quote and and to get prices from every company you can. This helps ensure an accurate price comparison and a complete rate analysis.
Just remember that comparing a large number of companies helps you find a lower rate than you’re paying now.
The following companies are ready to provide free quotes in Virginia. To get the cheapest auto insurance in VA, we suggest you get rate quotes from several of them to get the lowest price.
Score discounts to get cheaper Virginia Beach car insurance quotes
Not too many consumers would say car insurance is affordable, but you can get discounts that may help make it more affordable. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time you complete a quote, but some need to be inquired about prior to receiving the credit. If you check and find you aren’t receiving every discount available, you are paying more than you should be.
- Auto/Home Discount – If you can combine your homeowners and auto policy with one insurance company you could earn a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.
- Sign Early and Save – A few larger companies allow discounts for buying a new policy prior to your current Verano insurance policy expiring. It can save you around 10%.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory air bags can qualify for discounts up to 30%.
- Professional Memberships – Being a member of a professional or civic organization is a simple method to lower premiums on your policy.
- Paperless Signup – A handful of companies will give you a small discount for buying your policy on your computer.
- Student Driver Training – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully take a driver’s education course in school.
- Virginia Beach Homeowners Pay Less – Simply owning a home can get you a discount since home ownership requires personal responsibility.
- New Vehicle Savings – Adding a new car to your policy can get you a discount because new model year vehicles keep occupants safer.
- Multiple Vehicles – Buying coverage for primary and secondary vehicles with one company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
We need to note that most credits do not apply to the whole policy. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. Even though it appears all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies don’t profit that way. But all discounts will cut your policy cost.
For a list of providers that have a full spectrum of discounts in Virginia, click this link.
Car insurance agents near you
A lot of people would rather talk to an insurance agent and often times that is recommended A good thing about getting free rate quotes online is you can get lower rates and still choose a local agent.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this simple form, your information is transmitted to agents in your area who will return price quotes for your business. It makes it easy because there is no need to leave your house because prices are sent to you instantly. You’ll get the best rates without a big time investment. If for some reason you want to get a rate quote for a specific company, you would need to navigate to their website and give them your coverage information.
Picking an provider is decision based upon more than just the premium amount. Any agent in Virginia Beach should have no problem answering these questions:
- Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
- Is every driver in your family covered?
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
- How long has the business existed?
- Is the agency active in community causes in Virginia Beach?
- Do they prorate repair cost based on vehicle mileage?
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
Not all car insurance agents are the same
When searching for a local Virginia Beach insurance agency, there are a couple of different agency structures and how they operate. Agencies in Virginia Beach are categorized either exclusive or independent agents depending on their company appointments.
Exclusive Agents
Exclusive agents can only provide one company’s prices and examples are Farmers Insurance, State Farm, Allstate, and AAA. These agents are unable to compare rates from other companies so you might not find the best rates. They are well schooled on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents. Consumers often buy from exclusive agents partially due to the brand name and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Listed below is a list of exclusive agents in Virginia Beach that are able to give price quotes.
- Mike McDonald – State Farm Insurance Agent
2122 General Booth Blvd #102 – Virginia Beach, VA 23454 – (757) 721-3300 – View Map - Charlie Hendrick – State Farm Insurance Agent
5350 Kemps River Dr #101 – Virginia Beach, VA 23464 – (757) 523-4115 – View Map - Bill Cooper Jr – State Farm Insurance Agent
421 S Witchduck Rd – Virginia Beach, VA 23462 – (757) 490-2744 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agents are not employed by any specific company and that gives them the ability to insure amongst many companies and find the cheapest insurance rates. If your agent finds better pricing, they simply move the coverage in-house which is easy for the insured. If you are comparing rate quotes, you need to contact a couple of independent agencies to ensure the widest selection of prices. They also have the ability to place coverage with companies you’ve never heard of that many times have cheaper rates.
Shown below are Virginia Beach independent insurance agencies that are able to give price quotes.
- Nationwide Insurance: Steve Love Insurance Agency Inc
4176 S Plaza Trail Ste 101 – Virginia Beach, VA 23452 – (757) 340-1200 – View Map - WBR Insurance
3213 Virginia Beach Blvd – Virginia Beach, VA 23452 – (757) 340-0028 – View Map - The Coelho insurance agency
800 Seahawk Cir #142 – Virginia Beach, VA 23452 – (757) 437-9647 – View Map
After talking to the agent and getting positive feedback and a low price estimate, chances are good that you have found a car insurance agent that is professional and can provide insurance coverage. Just be aware that you are able to terminate coverage at any point so never assume that you are permanently stuck with a policy for a certain time period.
When to get professional advice
When quoting and choosing proper insurance coverage, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s situation is a little different.
These are some specific questions could help you determine whether your personal situation would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Why are teen drivers so expensive to add on to my policy?
- At what point should I drop full coverage?
- What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
- Is there coverage for my trailer?
- Should I rate my vehicle as business use?
- Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
- Is my custom stereo system covered?
- What exactly is covered by my policy?
If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form.
Eight Tips to Get More Affordable Virginia Beach Insurance Rates
Lots of factors are used when you get your auto insurance bill. Some factors are common sense such as traffic violations, although others are not quite as obvious such as your marital status or your vehicle rating.
Never go without insurance – Allowing your coverage to lapse is a quick way to increase your insurance rates. Not only will you pay higher rates, not being able to provide proof of insurance could result in fines or a revoked license.
Pay more for higher performance vehicles – The type of car or truck you drive makes a big difference in how high your rates are. Lower performance four cylinder passenger models generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
Increase comp and collision deductibles and save – Comp and collision deductibles represent how much money you are required to pay if a covered claim is submitted. Protection for physical damage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, covers damage that occurs to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply are colliding with a stationary object, fire damage, and having a roll-over accident. The more the insured is willing to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
Vehicle features that lower premiums – Selecting a car model with advanced anti-theft systems can save you some money. Anti-theft devices like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all help stop your vehicle from being stolen.
Don’t get traffic citations – Having a clean driving record impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Good drivers pay less for auto insurance than bad drivers. Having just one driving citation can increase rates substantially. Drivers who have flagrant citations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence might be required by their state to maintain a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to keep their license.
Poor credit decisions can cost you – Credit score factor in your rate calculation. So if your credit rating could use some work, you may save money insuring your Buick Verano if you clean up your credit. Consumers who have excellent credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers who have poor credit.
Protect yourself with liability – A critical coverage on your policy, liability insurance is the protection when you are determined to be liable for personal injury or accident damage. It will provide for a legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. It is affordable coverage compared to comp and collision, so drivers should carry high limits.
Long commutes cost more – Driving a lot of miles in a year the higher your rate. A lot of insurance companies charge rates based on how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks not used for work or commuting can get a lower rate than vehicles that have high annual mileage. It’s a smart idea to ensure your declarations sheet correctly shows annual mileage. Having an incorrect usage rating on your Verano may be wasting your money.
Insurance losses for a Buick Verano – Insurers factor in historical loss data when they set coverage costs for each model. Vehicles that tend to have a higher amount or frequency of claims will cost more for coverage. The information below illustrates the compiled insurance loss statistics for Buick Verano vehicles.
For each policy coverage, the claim probability for all vehicles, without regard to make or model, is considered to be 100. Percentages below 100 suggest a positive loss record, while values that are 100 or greater indicate more frequent claims or an increased chance of a larger loss.
| Specific Buick Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buick Verano | 92 | 96 | 85 | 109 | 127 | 126 |
Data Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Choosing the best Buick vehicle insurance in Virginia is an important decision
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Buick in Virginia Beach, insurance may be required and benefits you in several ways.
First, most states have minimum liability requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific limits of liability insurance in order to get the vehicle licensed. In Virginia these limits are 25/50/20 which means you must have $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $20,000 of property damage coverage.
Second, if you took out a loan on your Verano, it’s guaranteed your bank will require you to buy full coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Buick for a lot more money and require you to reimburse them for the much more expensive policy.
Third, insurance protects not only your car but also your assets. It also can pay for many types of medical costs that are the result of an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also pays expenses related to your legal defense in the event you are sued. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, your policy will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of carrying enough insurance outweigh the cost, especially if you ever need it. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer is overpaying over $820 a year so compare quotes from several companies each time the policy renews to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Don’t give up on cheap coverage
People who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including extreme rates for teen drivers, delays in responding to claim requests, denial of a claim or even questionable increases in premium. It doesn’t matter what your reason, switching companies is less work than it seems.
While you’re price shopping online, make sure you don’t buy poor coverage just to save money. In many cases, an accident victim reduced collision coverage only to discover later that it was a big mistake. Your objective should be to buy enough coverage at the best price.
We just covered many tips how you can lower your Buick Verano insurance car insurance rates in Virginia Beach. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the better your comparison will be. Consumers may even find the biggest savings come from the least-expected company.
To read more, link through to the following helpful articles:
- Rearview cameras reduce backing crashes (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Who Has the Cheapest Virginia Beach Auto Insurance for Veterans? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Toyota Corolla in Virginia Beach? (FAQ)
- How Much are Car Insurance Quotes for Postal Workers in Virginia Beach? (FAQ)
- Coverage Information (Progressive Insurance)
- How to Avoid Staged Accidents (State Farm)
- Crash Avoidance Technologies FAQ (iihs.org)
- Credit Impacts Car Insurance Rates (State Farm)