Is Your Charles Town, WV Car Insurance Too High?

I can’t think of a single person who looks forward to buying car insurance, in particular when they are paying too much. Big companies like GEICO and Progressive constantly blast consumers with advertising and it is difficult to sift through the bull and do the work needed to find the best deal.

If you have insurance now or need new coverage, you can use this information to cut your premiums while maximizing coverage. Buying car insurance in Charles Town is quite easy. West Virginia drivers only need to know the best way to shop their coverage around over the internet.

Car Insurance Comparison Rates in Charles Town, WV

Finding cheaper car insurance prices is not rocket science. Drivers just need to take a couple of minutes to compare rate quotes online with multiple companies. This can be accomplished in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

The single most time-saving way to get the best comparison quotes would be an industry-wide quote request form (click to open form in new window). This easy form eliminates the need for separate quotes for each company you want a rate for. One form submission will return quotes from several companies.

A less efficient way to find lower rates requires visiting each individual company website and fill out their own quote form. For instance, we’ll assume you want comparison quotes from Farmers, Esurance and Liberty Mutual. To find out each rate you need to visit each site to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is more popular. For a handy list of car insurance company links in Charles Town, click here.

The least efficient method of getting rate comparisons is driving around to different Charles Town agent offices. Shopping for car insurance online makes this process obsolete unless you prefer the trained guidance that only a license agent can provide. However, consumers can price shop your coverage online but buy from a local insurance agent and we’ll talk about that later.

Which method you use is up to you, but compare identical coverage limits and deductibles for each comparison quote. If you compare differing limits you can’t possibly determine which rate is truly the best in Charles Town.

Are car insurance companies telling the truth?

Consumers can’t get away from ads for cheaper car insurance from the likes of Progressive, Allstate and GEICO. They all seem to make an identical promise that you’ll save big after switching your coverage to them.

But how can every company make the same claim? It’s all in the numbers.

Different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that earns them a profit. An example of a driver they prefer might be between 30 and 50, has no tickets, and has a short commute. A customer getting a price quote that hits that “sweet spot” gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save quite a bit of money when switching.

Potential customers who are not a match for the requirements will have to pay higher prices which leads to business going elsewhere. The ad wording is “people who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. This is how insurance companies can confidently state the savings.

Because of the profiling, it is so important to get a wide range of price quotes. It’s not possible to predict which company will fit your personal profile best.

How to Lower your Car Insurance Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that come into play when calculating your car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with big savings.

• Your location is important – Choosing to live in small towns and rural areas can save you money when it comes to car insurance. Fewer people means a lower chance of having an accident and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. Drivers in populated West Virginia areas have to deal with traffic congestion and much longer commute distances. More time on the road translates into higher accident risk.
• Lower rates come with age – Teenage drivers in West Virginia tend to get distracted easily when driving so car insurance rates are higher. If you’ve ever had to add a young driver to your car insurance policy can be quite pricey. More mature drivers are more responsible, file fewer claims and receive fewer citations.
• An active claims history can cost you – If you tend to file frequent claims, you can look forward to either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Companies in West Virginia award discounts to people who do not file claims often. Your insurance policy is intended for larger claims.
• No coverage gaps is important – Letting your insurance expire is a quick way to pay more for car insurance. And not only will insurance be more expensive, getting caught without coverage may earn you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
• Extra coverages can waste money – There are a lot of extra bells and whistles you can purchase if you aren’t careful. Insurance for rental car reimbursement, better glass coverage and motor club memberships are examples of these. They may seem good at first, but if you don’t need them eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.

Don’t overlook these discounts

Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but companies offer discounts that you may not know about. A few discounts will automatically apply at quote time, but a few need to be inquired about prior to receiving the credit. If you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you’re paying more than you need to.

• Drive Less and Save – Keeping the miles down can qualify you for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
• Distant Student – Children who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle can be insured at a reduced rate.
• Anti-lock Brake System – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles are safer to drive and will save you 10% or more.
• Military Discounts – Having a deployed family member could mean lower rates.
• Discount for Good Grades – This discount can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.

Consumers should know that some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Most only cut individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Just because you may think all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won’t be that lucky. Any amount of discount will cut the amount you have to pay.

To see a list of insurers offering car insurance discounts in Charles Town, click here.

Quote online but work with a neighborhood agent

Some consumers prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is just fine! Agents can answer important questions and give you peace of mind. The best thing about price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find lower rates and still choose a local agent. Supporting local agencies is important especially in Charles Town.

By using this simple form, your information gets sent to agents in your area who will compete for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to drive around as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. How cool is that?!

How to choose the best insurance agent in Charles Town

If you’re trying to find a local agent, there are a couple of types of agencies to choose from. Charles Town agents are either captive or independent (non-captive). Both insure your vehicles, but it’s important to know the difference between them since it may influence the type of agent you choose

Independent Insurance Agents

These agents are not locked into one company so they have the ability to put coverage with multiple insurance companies and potentially find a lower price. To transfer your coverage to a different company, your agent can switch companies and you won’t have to switch agencies. When comparing rates, you should always include multiple independent agents to ensure the widest selection of prices.

The following are Charles Town independent agents that are able to give competitive price quotes.

Ken Rozich Insurance – 113 W Liberty St # 203 – Charles Town, WV 25414 – (304) 728-3888
Ralph L Eckenrode Insurance – 1085 Jefferson Ave – Charles Town, WV 25414 – (304) 725-8040

Agency Captives

These agents can only write with one company like American Family, Liberty Mutual and AAA. Captives cannot give you multiple price quotes so it’s a take it or leave it situation. They are very knowledgeable in insurance sales which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.

Listed below is a list of captive insurance agents in Charles Town who can help you get rate quotes.

State Farm Insurance – 211 N George St – Charles Town, WV 25414 – (304) 725-7077
Allstate Insurance – 119 E Liberty St – Charles Town, WV 25414 – (304) 725-7943

To view a complete directory of captive insurance agencies in Charles Town, simply jump to this page.

Picking an insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. Agents should be asked these questions:

• If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
• Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
• What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
• Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
• What insurance companies do they work with?
• Are they full-time agents?
• If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?

After getting good answers to any questions you have and a good coverage price, chances are good that you have found an insurance agent that is a good match to properly insure your vehicles.

One last thing

Budget-conscious car insurance can be purchased from both online companies in addition to many Charles Town insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. A few companies do not provide online quoting and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.

As you shop your coverage around, it’s a bad idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. There have been many cases where someone sacrificed full coverage only to discover later they didn’t have enough coverage. Your strategy should be to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price.

Additional information is available on the website for the West Virginia Insurance Commission located here. West Virginia drivers can view a list of available companies, read state legal mandates and laws, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and find disaster information.

Other useful links include these car insurance answers and this link where you can make Charles Town car insurance comparisons.