Free Guide to Researching a Petersburg Car Insurance Agent

Comparing car insurance companies in Petersburg, VA can be challenging because there are a lot of options and finding the best Virginia insurance agency takes more work than just picking up the phone. Consumers require a good agent, and also want to find cheap rates.

Having so many car insurance companies to choose from, it can be challenging to choose the most affordable company.

Comparing prices from Petersburg agents

Licensed agents can help determine the best coverages and give you peace of mind. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is that you can obtain the lowest rates and still have an agent to talk to.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, your insurance data is transmitted to local insurance agents in Petersburg who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. You don’t have to drive around due to the fact that quote results will go directly to your email. How cool is that?! Get lower rates AND an agent nearby.

Deciding on an insurance agent should depend on more than just a cheap price. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:

  • Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
  • What insurance companies do they work with?
  • Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
  • Do they assist clients in filing claims?
  • Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?

The different types of insurance agents

If you’re trying to find a local agent, you must know there are a couple different types of agents to choose from. Petersburg agents are categorized either independent or captive.

Captive Agents

Captive insurance agents have only one company to place business with such as Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They usually cannot shop your coverage around so keep that in mind. Captive agents are trained well on their company’s products which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers often choose to use a captive agent partially due to the brand legacy and strong financial ratings.

Shown below is a short list of captive agents in Petersburg who can help you get rate quotes.

  • Allstate Insurance – 13319 Corapeake Terr – Petersburg, VA 23803 – (804) 590-2654
  • State Farm Insurance – 3333 S Crater Rd # 3f – Petersburg, VA 23805 – (804) 733-5191
Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent agencies are not required to write business for one company so they have the ability to put coverage with lots of companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To move your coverage to a new company, your agent can switch companies and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparing rates, we recommend you include price quotes from multiple independent agents to ensure the widest selection of prices. They also have the ability to place coverage with smaller regional carriers which can be an advantage.

Shown below are Petersburg independent insurance agents willing to provide price quote information.

  • Tri-City Agency Inc – – Petersburg, VA 23803 – (804) 732-8005
  • Prudential Insurance Co – 123 S Sycamore St # 2 – Petersburg, VA 23803 – (804) 733-0167
  • Nationwide Insurance – 3040 S Crater Rd # A – Petersburg, VA 23805 – (804) 732-8811
  • Henn Agency Inc – 4304 Boydton Plank Rd – Petersburg, VA 23803 – (804) 862-2110
  • Henn Agency Inc – 3022 S Crater Rd # B – Petersburg, VA 23805 – (804) 862-4646

For a complete listing of Petersburg insurance agents, please view this page.

Once you have received satisfactory answers and a low price estimate, most likely you have located a car insurance agent that is a good match to insure your vehicles.

Are online companies an option?

Professional insurance agents are important, but you can also find affordable Virginia auto insurance from online companies direct. Certain companies like State Farm and Allstate who sell through agents in Petersburg also let you buy online, and consumers should do that.

If you’re uncomfortable with not having an agent to talk to, this is a normal reaction for first-time shoppers. All companies have customer service departments to walk you through the process. They also have online help and live chat to help you answer questions.

The only way to determine if car insurance prices are lower online or from agents is to make apples-to-apples comparisons of both. Even though it sounds odd, people frequently get different pricing using an online quote and an agent quote from the same company.

Are online premiums lower? The answer to that question is complicated because there are many factors that influence your rates. Some people will tell you that a consumer who buys direct saves money by not requiring a commission. But in most cases, marketing their products costs a lot of money and this tends to eat up any savings.

Keep this in mind

While you’re price shopping online, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In too many instances, an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that they should have had better coverage. Your goal should be to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

Petersburg Virginia independent agents

Insureds leave their current company for a number of reasons such as unfair underwriting practices, delays in paying claims, high prices or even lack of trust in their agent. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a new company is actually quite simple.

Learn more about car insurance in Virginia

Additional detailed information can be read at the Virginia Bureau of Insurance website. Virginia consumers can find out which companies have the most complaints, read consumer alerts, view a list of available companies, and discover disciplinary actions.