Unbelievable but true, a large majority of consumers have purchased from the same company for well over three years, and just under half have never compared rates to find cheaper insurance. Drivers in Virginia can cut their rates by almost 45% a year, but they don’t want to take the time to compare rate quotes.
The preferred way to get discount auto insurance rates is to start comparing prices yearly from insurance carriers who sell auto insurance in Virginia Beach. You can compare rates by following these steps.
First, gain an understanding of how insurance companies determine prices and the changes you can make to keep rates down. Many policy risk factors that cause high rates like speeding tickets, careless driving and a less-than-favorable credit history can be rectified by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes. Later in this article we will cover additional ideas to get cheaper coverage and get discounts that may be available to you.
Second, quote rates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can only give prices from one company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agencies can give you price quotes for many different companies.
Third, compare the price quotes to your current policy premium to see if a cheaper rate is available. If you find a lower rate, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
Fourth, give proper notification to your current agent or company of your intent to cancel your current car insurance policy. Submit payment and a signed application for your new coverage. Once coverage is bound, safely store the certificate verifying coverage in an easily accessible location.
One key aspect when comparing rates is to try to compare the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on each quote request and and to get price quotes from as many auto insurance providers as possible. Doing this helps ensure a fair price comparison and the best price selection.
To find the best auto insurance prices, there are several ways to compare prices from lots of Virginia auto insurance companies. The best method to compare Volkswagen Rabbit insurance prices consists of shopping online. Just keep in mind that comparing more prices increases your odds of finding more affordable rates. Some smaller insurers do not give price estimates online, so you also need to get price estimates from them as well.
The following companies are ready to provide price comparisons in Virginia. If multiple companies are listed, it’s a good idea that you visit two to three different companies in order to find the cheapest rates.
Get cheaper Volkswagen Rabbit insurance in Virginia Beach with discounts
The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but there’s a good chance there are discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Certain discounts will be applied at the time you complete a quote, but less common discounts must be inquired about prior to receiving the credit. If you’re not getting every credit possible, you are paying more than you should be.
- New Vehicle Savings – Adding a new car to your policy is cheaper since newer vehicles are generally safer.
- Own a Home – Being a homeowner can get you a discount because owning a home shows financial diligence.
- Multi-policy Discount – When you have multiple policies and insure them with the same company you could save up to 20% off your total Rabbit insurance premium.
- Government Employee Discount – Federal government employees could cut as much as 10% off but check with your company.
- Driver Education Discount – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers complete a driver education course as it will make them better drivers and lower rates.
- No Accidents – Virginia Beach drivers who stay claim-free can earn big discounts compared to drivers who are more careless.
Just know that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears you could get a free car insurance policy, companies don’t profit that way.
A list of car insurance companies and their offered discounts can be found below.
- State Farm offers discounts for Steer Clear safe driver discount, multiple autos, safe vehicle, defensive driving training, and accident-free.
- GEICO includes discounts for good student, five-year accident-free, emergency military deployment, multi-policy, and membership and employees.
- Allstate may include discounts for resident student, premier plus, EZ pay plan discount, teenSMART discount, FullPay discount, and multi-policy.
- SAFECO offers discounts including bundle discounts, anti-theft, multi-car, drive less, teen safety rewards, and homeowner.
- Farm Bureau has savings for multi-policy, multi-vehicle, renewal discount, 55 and retired, safe driver, and driver training.
- Progressive policyholders can earn discounts including online signing, continuous coverage, homeowner, multi-policy, and online quote discount.
- AAA may have discounts that include good student, good driver, multi-car, pay-in-full, anti-theft, and education and occupation.
When quoting, ask each company how many discounts you can get. All car insurance discounts might not apply in Virginia Beach. If you would like to see a list of insurers offering car insurance discounts in Virginia, click here.
Best reasons to buy auto insurance in Virginia
Despite the high cost, insurance may be mandatory for several reasons.
- Most states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means state laws require specific minimum amounts of liability coverage if you want to drive 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 loan on your Volkswagen Rabbit, it’s guaranteed your bank will make it mandatory that you buy insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Volkswagen for a lot more money and make you pay for the much more expensive policy.
- Insurance safeguards both your car and your assets. Insurance will pay for medical bills incurred in an accident. Liability insurance will also pay attorney fees if you cause an accident and are sued. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will pay to have it repaired.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance definitely exceed the cost, especially for larger claims. According to a survey of 1,000 drivers, the average driver is overpaying more than $825 a year so compare quotes from several companies at least once a year to ensure rates are inline.
Independent and exclusive auto insurance agents
Some people would rather buy from a licensed agent and that is not a bad decision An additional benefit of getting free rate quotes online is you may find cheaper premium rates but also keep your business local. And providing support for local agents is definitely important in Virginia Beach.
To find an agent, once you fill out this short form, your insurance coverage information is emailed to participating agents in Virginia Beach that can provide free Virginia Beach car insurance quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no need to find an agent on your own because prices are sent to you. You can get cheaper insurance rates without having to waste a lot of time. If you want to quote rates from a specific insurance company, don’t hesitate to find their quoting web page and give them your coverage information.
Virginia Beach car insurance agents come in two flavors
When finding a reliable agent, you should know the different types of agencies and how they function. Agents in Virginia Beach can be classified as either exclusive agents or independent agents.
Independent Agents
Agents that choose to be independent are not employed by any specific company and that gives them the ability to insure through many companies and find you cheaper rates. If you are not satisfied with one company, an independent agent can move your coverage and you won’t have to switch agencies. When comparing rate quotes, you will want to include multiple independent agents for maximum quote selection. A lot of them also have access to lesser-known insurance companies which may have better rates.
Shown below are Virginia Beach independent insurance agents who may be able to give you competitive price quotes.
- Bordeaux Insurance Agency
4654 Haygood Rd – Virginia Beach, VA 23455 – (757) 460-6220 – View Map - Nationwide Insurance: Steve Love Insurance Agency Inc
4176 S Plaza Trail Ste 101 – Virginia Beach, VA 23452 – (757) 340-1200 – View Map - Nationwide Insurance: The Braun Agency Inc
6062 Indian River Rd Ste 101 – Virginia Beach, VA 23464 – (757) 420-2060 – View Map
View more Virginia Beach agents
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Exclusive insurance agents are contracted to one company such as AAA, State Farm, Farmers Insurance, and Allstate. They generally cannot place coverage with different providers so they have to upsell other benefits. These agents are usually well trained on what they offer and that enables them to sell even at higher rates. Some people will only buy from the same agent for years mainly due to the brand legacy rather than having low rates.
Below is a short list of exclusive insurance agencies in Virginia Beach willing to provide price quotes.
- Frank Owens – State Farm Insurance Agent
1776 Laskin Rd #102 – Virginia Beach, VA 23454 – (757) 428-3101 – View Map - Aubrey Pithwa – State Farm Insurance Agent
562 Lynnhaven Pkwy #201 – Virginia Beach, VA 23452 – (757) 227-9700 – View Map - Brett Cambron – State Farm Insurance Agent
1485 General Booth Blvd ste. 114 – Virginia Beach, VA 23454 – (757) 499-0559 – View Map
View more Virginia Beach agents
Choosing an insurance agency should depend on more than just a cheap quote. These are some valid questions you should ask.
- Can glass claims be handled at your home?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- Who are their largest clients?
- How will an accident affect your rates?
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
- Does the agency support the community they serve?
Specific coverages for a Volkswagen Rabbit
Knowing the specifics of insurance helps when choosing appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be difficult to understand and coverage can change by endorsement.
Comprehensive insurance
Comprehensive insurance covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive can pay for things like vandalism, hail damage, a broken windshield and hitting a deer. The maximum amount a insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers
This coverage provides protection from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for medical payments for you and your occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since many Virginia drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (Virginia limits are 25/50/20), their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family. Usually these coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Collision protection
Collision coverage pays for damage to your Rabbit resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision insurance covers claims such as crashing into a building, rolling your car, scraping a guard rail and driving through your garage door. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also increase the deductible on your Rabbit to save money on collision insurance.
Liability insurance
This provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property by causing an accident. It protects YOU against other people’s claims, and does not provide coverage for your own vehicle damage or injuries.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see policy limits of 25/50/20 that translate to $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $50,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $20,000. Alternatively, you may have a combined limit which provides one coverage limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.
Liability insurance covers claims such as attorney fees, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and funeral expenses. How much liability coverage do you need? That is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford. Virginia state law requires minimum liability limits of 25/50/20 but it’s recommended drivers buy better liability coverage.
The next chart shows why buying minimum limits may not be high enough to cover claims.
Coverage for medical expenses
Med pay and PIP coverage provide coverage for bills for things like dental work, nursing services, ambulance fees and rehabilitation expenses. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage