Save Money on Mercury Milan Insurance in Virginia Beach

A recent study showed that the vast majority of car insurance customers kept their coverage with the same car insurance company for at least four years, and 38% of drivers have never compared rates with other companies. Virginia Beach consumers could save 45% each year by just comparing quotes, but most just don’t grasp the benefits if they changed companies.

It takes a few minutes, but the best way to find better pricing on auto insurance rates in Virginia Beach is to start comparing rates regularly from different companies that insure vehicles in Virginia.

1. Learn about policy coverages and the things you can change to keep rates low. Many factors that increase rates such as speeding tickets, careless driving and an imperfect credit history can be amended by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes. Continue reading for more ideas to get cheaper coverage and find additional discounts.
2. Compare prices from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can only quote rates from a single company like GEICO or Allstate, while independent agents can provide rate quotes for a wide range of insurance providers.
3. Compare the new rates to your existing rates and determine if cheaper Milan coverage is available. If you find a lower rate quote and change companies, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
4. Notify your current company of your intention to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit the required down payment along with the signed application to your new insurance company. Immediately keep the new certificate of insurance in an easily accessible location in your vehicle.

A valuable tip to remember is that you use the same amount of coverage on every quote request and and to get rate quotes from as many companies as possible. This enables the most accurate price comparison and and a good selection of different prices.

The following companies can provide comparison quotes in Virginia Beach, VA. If multiple companies are listed, we suggest you visit several of them to find the cheapest car insurance rates.

Insurance coverage analysis

The premium information displayed next outlines estimates of prices for Mercury Milan models. Knowing how insurance prices are figured can help drivers make decisions on the best policy coverages.

Table data assumes married male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and Virginia minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, safe-driver, claim-free, multi-vehicle, and homeowner. Premium costs do not factor in garaging location in Virginia Beach which can raise or lower coverage prices significantly.

Higher deductibles save money

One of the hardest decisions when shopping for car insurance is what deductibles to buy. The comparison tables below lay out the differences in premium rates when you buy lower versus higher insurance deductibles. The first set of rates uses a $100 deductible and the second set of prices uses a $1,000 deductible.

Table data represents married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Virginia minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, safe-driver, homeowner, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Rates do not factor in specific location information which can change insurance rates substantially.

Based on the figures above, using a $100 deductible costs an average of $29 more each month or $348 a year than requesting the higher $1,000 deductible. Since you would have to pay $900 more out-of-pocket with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you normally average at a minimum 31 months between claims, you would come out ahead if you elect the higher deductible.

Car insurance prices based on gender

The information below illustrates the difference between Mercury Milan insurance prices for male and female drivers. The prices are based on no violations or claims, full coverage, $500 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

Full coverage or liability only

The example below illustrates the comparison of Mercury Milan auto insurance rates with liability coverage only compared to full coverage. Data assumes no claims, a clean driving record, $250 deductibles, single marital status, and no additional discounts are factored in.

Should you buy full coverage or liability only?

There is no definitive formula of when to drop comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the annual cost of having full coverage is more than around 10% of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.

For example, let’s say your Mercury Milan settlement value is $9,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, you would only receive $8,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If it’s costing in excess of $800 annually for comprehensive and collision coverage, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.

There are a few cases where removing full coverage is not in your best interest. If you haven’t paid off your loan, you have to maintain full coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should keep full coverage on your policy.

Car insurance policy discounts for Mercury Milan insurance in Virginia Beach

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but you may qualify for discounts to help offset the cost. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time you complete a quote, but occasionally some discounts must be specially asked for before being credited.

• Club Memberships – Being in a professional or civic organization could qualify you for a break on your next car insurance statement.
• Save with a New Car – Buying insurance on a new vehicle can save you some money since new vehicles are generally safer.
• Driver Education Discount – Require your teen driver to complete a driver education course if it’s offered in school.
• Multiple Cars – Buying a policy with more than one vehicle on the same car insurance policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
• Sign Online – A few insurance companies give back up to $50 for signing up online.
• Theft Deterrent – Cars and trucks that have factory anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently so companies will give you a small discount.
• Safety Restraint Discount – Forcing all vehicle occupants to fasten their seat belts can save 10% or more on the premium charged for medical payments and/or PIP.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like it’s possible to get free car insurance, that’s just not realistic.

The example below compares Mercury Milan car insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the policy rates. The premium estimates are based on a female driver, no claims or driving violations, Virginia state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with safe-driver, multi-car, marriage, homeowner, multi-policy, and claim-free discounts applied.

For a list of insurance companies who offer online Mercury Milan insurance quotes in Virginia Beach, click here.

Protect your Mercury vehicle and other assets

Even though Virginia Beach Milan insurance rates can get expensive, maintaining insurance is required by state law in Virginia and it also provides benefits you may not be aware of.

• The majority of states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance 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 your vehicle has a loan, most lenders will make it mandatory that you have insurance to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you do not keep the policy in force, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Mercury at a significantly higher premium and require you to fork over for the expensive policy.
• Insurance protects not only your Mercury Milan but also your assets. It also can pay for most medical and hospital costs for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also covers legal expenses in the event you are sued. If you have damage to your Mercury as the result of the weather or an accident, your policy will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.

The benefits of insuring your car outweigh the cost, particularly for liability claims. According to a recent study, the average American driver is wasting up to $750 every year so compare rates every year to ensure rates are competitive.

Shop online but buy locally

A lot of people still like to talk to a local agent and that can be a great decision Experienced insurance agents can point out coverage gaps and will help you if you have claims. The biggest benefit of comparing rate quotes online is that you can find cheaper auto insurance rates and still choose a local agent. Buying from local insurance agencies is important particularly in Virginia Beach.

After filling out this simple form, your insurance data is sent to participating agents in Virginia Beach who can give free rate quotes to get your business. You never need to find an agent because prices are sent directly to you. If you want to compare rates from a specific car insurance provider, don’t hesitate to search and find their rate quote page and complete a quote there.

Different types of Virginia Beach auto insurance agents

If you need to find a local Virginia Beach insurance agency, it’s important to understand the types of insurance agents from which to choose. Car insurance agents may be either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for. Both types can write car insurance policies, but it’s good to learn how they are different since it can affect buying decisions.

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent agents can sell policies from many different companies so they can quote policies with many different companies and potentially find a lower price. If you want to switch companies, they simply move the coverage in-house which requires no work on your part. If you are trying to find cheaper rates, you absolutely need to get several quotes from a couple of independent agencies for maximum quote selection. Most independent agents also contract with smaller regional carriers that many times have cheaper rates.

The following are independent agencies in Virginia Beach that may be able to give free car insurance rate quotes.

• Choice Insurance Agency
  4664 South Blvd – Virginia Beach, VA 23452 – (757) 416-5100 – View Map
• Nicki Kopassis Insurance Agency Inc.
  2433 N Landing Rd – Virginia Beach, VA 23456 – (757) 301-6397 – View Map
• Nationwide Insurance: Steve Love Insurance Agency Inc
  4176 S Plaza Trail Ste 101 – Virginia Beach, VA 23452 – (757) 340-1200 – View Map

More insurance agents

Exclusive Agents

Agents of this type can only quote rates from one company and some examples include Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They generally cannot give you multiple price quotes so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive agents are trained well in insurance sales which aids in selling service over price. Drivers often purchase coverage from exclusives partially due to loyalty to the company rather than having the cheapest rates.

The following is a list of exclusive insurance agencies in Virginia Beach willing to provide comparison quotes.

• Allstate Insurance: Richard C. Barbosa, II
  4382 Holland Plaza Shopping Ctr, # Ce – Virginia Beach, VA 23452 – (757) 431-0217 – View Map
• Ed Barnhart – State Farm Insurance Agent
  5660 Indian River Rd #126 – Virginia Beach, VA 23464 – (757) 366-0322 – View Map
• Michael Weeks – State Farm Insurance Agent
  Shopping Ctr Ste 103, 979 Chimney Hill Pkwy – Virginia Beach, VA 23452 – (757) 463-2400 – View Map

More insurance agents

Selecting an auto insurance agent is decision based upon more than just the premium amount. These are valid questions to ask:

• Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
• Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
• If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
• Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
• Will a damage claim use OEM or aftermarket replacement parts?
• Can they help ensure a fair claim settlement?
• Do they have 24-hour customer assistance?

If you get good feedback to your questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, it’s possible that you found an insurance agency that can be relied on to properly service your car insurance policy. But keep in mind you have the power to cancel your coverage at any point so never feel you’re contractually obligated to any particular company for the entire policy term.

Auto insurance coverages

Having a good grasp of your insurance policy can help you determine which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy.

Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers

Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family and damage to your Mercury Milan.

Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (25/50/20 in Virginia), their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family. Most of the time these coverages are set the same as your liability limits.

Comprehensive insurance

This covers damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against things such as damage from flooding, hitting a deer, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and hitting a bird. The maximum payout your insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Collision protection

Collision coverage covers damage to your Milan resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision insurance covers claims such as hitting a mailbox, backing into a parked car, sustaining damage from a pot hole and crashing into a ditch. This coverage can be expensive, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. It’s also possible to increase the deductible on your Milan to save money on collision insurance.

Liability car insurance

Liability coverage can cover damages or injuries you inflict on other people or 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. You commonly see limits of 25/50/20 which means $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $50,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $20,000 paid for damaged property. Occasionally you may see a combined single limit or CSL which provides one coverage limit without having the split limit caps.

Liability can pay for things like repair bills for other people’s vehicles, emergency aid and pain and suffering. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford. Virginia requires minimum liability limits of 25/50/20 but you should consider buying better liability coverage.

The illustration below shows why buying the state minimum limits may not be adequate coverage.

Coverage for medical expenses

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for bills for doctor visits, chiropractic care, hospital visits, nursing services and EMT expenses. They can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if you lack health insurance entirely. They cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is not universally available and may carry a deductible