It goes without saying that insurance companies don’t want their policyholders to compare prices. Insureds who shop around for cheaper rates are inclined to switch car insurance companies because they stand a good chance of finding better rates. A recent car insurance study revealed that people who compared rates annually saved over $3,450 over four years as compared to drivers who don’t make a habit of comparing rates.
If finding budget-friendly auto insurance is your ultimate target, then having some insight into how to get free comparison quotes and analyze coverages can help make the process easier and more efficient.
The easiest way to find the cheapest price for car insurance rates is to regularly compare price quotes from providers that sell auto insurance in Virginia Beach.
- Step 1: Try to understand coverages and the measures you can take to keep rates in check. Many policy risk factors that result in higher rates such as traffic violations and a lousy credit rating can be remedied by paying attention to minor details. Later in this article we will cover the details to get cheaper rates and get additional discounts that may be available.
- Step 2: Compare price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive and direct companies can only provide price estimates from one company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can provide prices for a wide range of insurance providers.
- Step 3: Compare the price quotes to the price on your current policy to determine if switching companies saves money. If you find better rates and change companies, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
An important part of this process is to use the same level of coverage on each price quote and and to get rate quotes from as many carriers as you can. Doing this guarantees an accurate price comparison and a better comparison of the market.
Finding a lower price on Ford Fusion insurance is a great way to save money. You just need to spend a little time getting comparison quotes online from several insurance companies.
Getting free rates online is quite simple, and it makes it obsolete to go to insurance agencies in your area. The ability to quote Ford Fusion insurance online reduces the need to sit down with an agent unless you have a need for the professional advice of a local agency. It is possible to price shop online but buy the policy through an agent.
The providers in the list below have been selected to offer free rate quotes in Virginia Beach, VA. To get the best cheap car insurance in VA, we suggest you visit two to three different companies in order to find the cheapest rates.
Don’t neglect these five discounts on Ford Fusion insurance in Virginia Beach
Some insurers don’t always list all their discounts very well, so the next list breaks down both well-publicized as well as some of the hidden credits available to bring down your rates.
- Memberships – Belonging to qualifying clubs or civic groups could qualify you for a break on your bill.
- Telematics Data – Drivers who elect to allow companies to spy on vehicle usage by installing a telematics device such as Snapshot from Progressive or Drivewise from Allstate may get a rate reduction if their driving habits are good.
- Government Employees – Active or retired federal employment may reduce rates when you quote Virginia Beach car insurance with a few car insurance companies.
- Drivers Ed for Students – Cut your cost by having your teen driver participate in a local driver’s education class if offered at their school.
- Student Discounts – Excelling in school can save 20 to 25%. Many companies even apply the discount to college students well after school through age 25.
It’s important to note that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like all the discounts add up to a free policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.
The example below shows the difference between Ford Fusion auto insurance costs with and without discounts applied. The data is based on a female driver, no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, Virginia state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with safe-driver, homeowner, marriage, multi-policy, claim-free, and multi-car discounts applied.
Popular car insurance companies and some of the discounts are detailed below.
- State Farm offers premium reductions for safe vehicle, defensive driving training, Steer Clear safe driver discount, multiple autos, and accident-free.
- Progressive discounts include online quote discount, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, good student, continuous coverage, online signing, and homeowner.
- Progressive may have discounts that include continuous coverage, online quote discount, good student, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle.
- MetLife policyholders can earn discounts including accident-free, good student, multi-policy, defensive driver, claim-free, and good driver.
- Farm Bureau may offer discounts for safe driver, renewal discount, driver training, multi-vehicle, and 55 and retired.
- GEICO has discounts for good student, federal employee, daytime running lights, anti-lock brakes, air bags, and driver training.
- SAFECO may include discounts for accident prevention training, bundle discounts, teen safety rewards, anti-lock brakes, and teen safe driver.
Before buying, ask every prospective company which discounts you may be entitled to. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts may not be offered everywhere. For a list of insurers that offer some of these discounts in Virginia Beach, click here to view.
Analysis of coverages
The rate table shown next highlights different insurance rates for Ford Fusion models. Learning more about how insurance premiums are determined can benefit drivers when making smart choices when comparing insurance rates.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fusion S 4-Dr Sedan | $198 | $336 | $258 | $16 | $78 | $886 | $74 |
| Fusion SE 4-Dr Sedan | $224 | $394 | $258 | $16 | $78 | $970 | $81 |
| Fusion Hybrid 4-Dr Sedan | $224 | $454 | $322 | $20 | $96 | $1,116 | $93 |
| Fusion SEL 4-Dr Sedan | $224 | $394 | $258 | $16 | $78 | $970 | $81 |
| Fusion Sport 4-Dr Sedan | $224 | $394 | $258 | $16 | $78 | $970 | $81 |
| Fusion SEL AWD 4-Dr Sedan | $250 | $454 | $258 | $16 | $78 | $1,056 | $88 |
| Fusion Sport AWD 4-Dr Sedan | $250 | $454 | $258 | $16 | $78 | $1,056 | $88 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and Virginia minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, claim-free, multi-policy, and safe-driver. Information does not factor in zip code location which can modify insurance rates substantially.
Gender-based insurance rates
The example below compares Ford Fusion auto insurance rates for male and female drivers. The premiums assume no claims or driving violations, comp and collision included, $500 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Should you buy full coverage?
The illustration below visualizes the comparison of Ford Fusion insurance costs when comparing full coverage to liability only. The costs are based on no violations or claims, $100 deductibles, drivers are single, and no policy discounts are applied.
Should you buy full coverage or liability only?
There isn’t a steadfast formula to delete comp and collision coverage, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is about 10% or more of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
For example, let’s say your Ford Fusion book value is $5,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, you would only receive $4,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If it’s costing in excess of $400 a year for your policy with full coverage, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
There are some cases where eliminating full coverage is not advised. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you must maintain physical damage coverage in order to satisfy the requirements of the loan. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should not opt for liability only.
Buying insurance from Virginia Beach car insurance agents
A small number of people just want to talk to a local agent and we recommend doing that Professional agents can point out coverage gaps and help submit paperwork. One of the great benefits of price shopping on the web is that drivers can save money and get better rates but still work with a licensed agent. Supporting local insurance agents is important particularly in Virginia Beach.
After filling out this short form, your insurance coverage information is emailed to local insurance agents in Virginia Beach who want to provide quotes to get your business. You never need to leave your computer due to the fact that quote results will go to your email. If you have a need to quote rates from a specific insurance company, you just need to go to their quote page and give them your coverage information.
Finding a good provider requires you to look at more than just the premium amount. The following questions are important to ask.
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
- Are there any discounts for paying up front?
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
- Can you use your own choice of collision repair facility?
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Virginia?
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
Why do I need car insurance?
Despite the high cost, maintaining insurance may be required for several reasons.
- The majority of states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means the state requires a minimum amount of liability coverage in order to drive the car legally. 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.
- If you have a lien on your Fusion, it’s most likely the lender will require that you carry insurance to guarantee loan repayment. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Ford for a much higher rate and require you to reimburse them for the much more expensive policy.
- Insurance safeguards both your Ford Fusion and your assets. It will also reimburse you for hospital and medical expenses for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, your policy will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of carrying enough insurance outweigh the cost, especially if you ever need it. Today the average American driver is currently overpaying as much as $869 every year so you should quote and compare rates each time the policy renews to save money.
Auto insurance coverages and their meanings
Knowing the specifics of auto insurance can help you determine the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. These are typical coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.
Medical expense coverage – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for bills for things like surgery, rehabilitation expenses and nursing services. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Collision – This coverage pays for damage to your Fusion caused by collision with another car or object. You have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision can pay for claims such as crashing into a building, hitting a parking meter and rolling your car. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also choose a higher deductible on your Fusion in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Uninsured or underinsured coverage – This coverage provides protection when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your Ford Fusion.
Since a lot of drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (Virginia limits are 25/50/20), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Most of the time your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Liability car insurance – Liability coverage protects you from damage or injury you incur to people or other property in an accident. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show policy limits of 25/50/20 which means $25,000 bodily injury coverage, $50,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $20,000. Another option is one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which combines the three limits into one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability can pay for claims like repair bills for other people’s vehicles, medical expenses, loss of income, legal defense fees and medical services. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but buy as much as you can afford. Virginia state law requires minimum liability limits of 25/50/20 but drivers should carry more liability than the minimum.
The next chart demonstrates why the minimum limit may not be enough.
Comprehensive protection – Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage from a wide range of events other than collision. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as fire damage, a broken windshield and rock chips in glass. The highest amount you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Which auto insurance company is best in Virginia?
Picking the highest-rated insurance company can be difficult considering how many choices there are in Virginia Beach. The company rank data shown below may help you decide which insurers to look at comparing rates from.
Top 10 Virginia Beach Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Satisfaction
- USAA – 91%
- AAA Insurance – 90%
- Esurance – 90%
- Mercury Insurance – 89%
- Nationwide – 89%
- Travelers – 88%
- Progressive – 88%
- Safeco Insurance – 88%
- State Farm – 88%
- Allstate – 88%
Cheaper car insurance is out there
When buying insurance coverage, never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are a lot of situations where an accident victim reduced collision coverage and discovered at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The aim is to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
In this article, we covered many ideas to save on Ford Fusion insurance in Virginia Beach. The most important thing to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers could even find that the best price on car insurance is with some of the smallest insurance companies. They may cover specific market segments cheaper as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.
More resources
- Five Steps to Filing an Auto Insurance Claim (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Quotes for a Hyundai Elantra in Virginia Beach? (FAQ)
- Air Bags: Potential Dangers to Your Children (Insurance Information Institute)
- Cellphones, Texting and Driving (iihs.org)
- Safety Tips for Teen Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)
- Pickups fall short in headlight tests (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)