If you’re looking to buy car insurance, selecting the best Hopewell insurance agent for your needs is more difficult than just using the same car insurance agent as your neighbor. Consumers require a friendly agent, and also the best price on car insurance.
There is such a variety of insurance agencies to pick from, and although it’s nice to be able to choose, lots of choices makes it harder to find the best rates.
Local Hopewell car insurance agents
Good agents can point out coverage gaps and help you file claims. One of the great benefits of comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain lower rates and still have an agent to talk to.
To find an agent, once you fill out this quick form, the quote information is sent to participating agents in Hopewell who will battle for your business. There is no need to visit any agencies as quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. Now that’s easy! It’s the lowest rates and an insurance agent to talk to.
Selecting an auto insurance agent requires more thought than just the price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Do they regularly work with personal auto policies?
- Does the agency support the community they serve?
- If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- Who are their largest clients?
The type of insurance agent you choose is important
When finding local Hopewell agents, you must know there are a couple different agency structures from which to choose. Hopewell agents can either be independent (non-captive) or captive.
Agency Captives
Captive agencies work for only one company and some examples include State Farm, Allstate and AAA. Captives cannot give you multiple price quotes so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agents are trained well on the products they sell which can be an advantage. Some consumers prefer to buy insurance from these agents mainly due to high brand loyalty and strong financial ratings.
The following is a short list of captive agencies in Hopewell who may provide you with price quote information.
- Farmers Insurance Group – 501 Woodland Rd – Hopewell, VA 23860 – (804) 452-2984
- Allstate Insurance – 109 S 15th Ave – Hopewell, VA 23860 – (804) 452-0071
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agents do not work for one specific company but instead can place your coverage with many different companies and potentially find a lower price. If your agent finds better pricing, an independent agent can move your coverage and that require little work on your part.
When searching for an agent, you should always get quotes from at least one independent agent for the best price selection. They often place coverage with smaller regional carriers which can be an advantage.
The following is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Hopewell who can help you get comparison quotes.
- Bolling Insurance – 910 Sycamore Ave – Hopewell, VA 23860 – (804) 541-9163
- Ford Agency Inc – 111 W Poythress St – Hopewell, VA 23860 – (804) 458-6333
- Ligon L Jones Insurance Svc – 224 N Main St # 101 – Hopewell, VA 23860 – (804) 458-8522
To view a complete directory of Hopewell insurance agents, go to this page.
Upon receiving positive feedback to these questions and an acceptable price quote, you’ve probably found an auto insurance agent that is a good match to insure your vehicles.
Can you buy online and save?
Local insurance agents serve a purpose, but you also have the option of buying Virginia car insurance direct online. Some specific companies that are more known for using agents, also allow consumers to quote and buy online, so keep that in mind as an alternative to contacting agents.
If you’re uncomfortable with not having an insurance agent’s advice when shopping online, don’t sweat it. Online insurance companies that require consumers to choose their own coverages provide phone numbers and online resources for answering any questions you have. They also offer help pages and frequently asked questions you can access prior to buying.
When trying to find the best rates, the only way to determine if prices are better online or from an agent is to make apples-to-apples comparisons of both. It’s fairly common that you receive different coverage costs when getting a price from both an agent and online from the same insurance company. You won’t know which has the best rates unless free rate quotes are compared each way.
Are online rates lower? Many people swear by it, but it’s difficult to answer due to the fact that there are many factors which can adversely affect your policy premium. It’s logical to say that a consumer who buys direct saves the cost of an agent commission. But in most cases, advertising budgets are huge so this can offset any savings.
Quote often and quote early
While you’re price shopping online, don’t be tempted to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In too many instances, consumers will sacrifice liability coverage limits and learned later that it was a big mistake. The ultimate goal is to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.
Drivers switch companies for many reasons like delays in responding to claim requests, lack of trust in their agent, not issuing a premium refund or even extreme rates for teen drivers. Regardless of your reason, finding a new company can be pretty painless.
More resources for learning
Additional detailed information is located at the Virginia Bureau of Insurance website. Virginia consumers can report car insurance fraud, read state legal mandates and laws, and find disaster information.
