Selecting a car insurance company in Richmond, Virginia can be time consuming since there are a lot of options and picking a good Virginia insurance agent takes more work than just driving to the closest agent’s office. For the sake of this article, we’ll assume you want a good agent, but you also want great rates as well.
With companies like independent agents, Allstate and State Farm all competing for business in Richmond, consumers have a hard time knowing which one will provide you with the lowest rates and best service. Thankfully, consumers can use insurance quotes online in order to build a list of insurance agents and price estimates.
Neighborhood insurance agents
Educated insurance agents can answer important questions and help file insurance claims. The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain the lowest rates but still work with a licensed agent. Buying from local insurance agencies is especially important in Richmond.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this form (opens in new window), your insurance coverage information is immediately sent to participating agents in Richmond who will battle for your coverage. You never need to leave your house since price quotes are sent to the email address you provide. It doesn’t get any easier! Get lower rates AND a local agent.
Insurance agent types
When finding local Richmond agents, there are two different types of agents from which to choose. Agents are categorized either independent or captive.
Independent Agents
These agents are not employed by any specific company so they can insure your vehicles with any number of different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If you are not satisfied with one company, the business is moved internally and that require little work on your part.
When shopping rates, it’s a good idea to include price quotes from at least one independent agent to have the most options to choose from.
Below are independent agents in Richmond that can give you price quote information.
Bruce Schumm Insurance – 800 Branchway Rd – Richmond, VA 23236 – (804) 379-3900
Monticello Service Agency Inc – 1802 Bayberry Ct – Richmond, VA 23226 – (804) 678-0100
Meadows Insurance Inc – 306 Turner Rd # I – Richmond, VA 23225 – (804) 272-5108
Stewart Pillow Agency – 10501 Chalkley Rd – Richmond, VA 23237 – (804) 748-5397
Bradshaw Agency – 5401 Patterson Ave – Richmond, VA 23226 – (804) 282-9535
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive agents have only one company to place business with such as Farmers Insurance or State Farm. Captives cannot compare other company’s rates so keep that in mind. Captives are trained well in insurance sales which can be an advantage.
The following are captive agencies in Richmond willing to provide price quotes.
Liberty Mutual Insurance – 3228 W Cary St – Richmond, VA 23221 – (804) 359-5372
Allstate Insurance – 6001 Lakeside Ave – Richmond, VA 23228 – (804) 262-2444
Virginia Farm Bureau Ins – 12580 W Creek Pkwy – Richmond, VA 23238 – (804) 290-1000
Farmers Insurance Group – 3813 Nine Mile Rd – Richmond, VA 23223 – (804) 222-2202
State Farm Insurance – 2508 Chamberlayne Ave # 103 – Richmond, VA 23222 – (804) 674-8711
For a full directory of captive insurance agencies in Richmond, simply jump to this page.
Choosing a car insurance agent should depend on more than just a low price. Here are some questions to ask:
- How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
- What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
- Can glass repairs be made at your home?
- Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
Upon getting positive responses for all questions you ask as well as a affordable price, most likely you have located an auto insurance agent that is a good match to adequately provide car insurance.
Are online companies like Geico cheaper?
Professional insurance agents can be invaluable at times, but you can also buy Virginia car insurance from companies direct over the internet. Certain auto insurance companies that are more known for using agents, also give you the option to buy a policy online, and online price comparisons are easy.
If you’re worried about having to choose coverages yourself, that should not be a issue. Online car insurance companies give you access to trained agents for getting the best coverage. They also offer extensive coverage information and 24/7 assistance to help you make a buying decision.
Do customers save by switching to an online company? It’s difficult to provide an answer because there are so many things that impact your final bill. It’s a common assumption that shopping online for auto insurance cuts out the middleman. But that assumption is generally incorrect because it’s expensive to advertise so the lack of a commission may be a wash.
If you just want to find lower premiums, the most effective way to determine whether online companies or local agents have lower rates is to compare price quotes from both. It’s fairly common that you receive different coverage costs from online quotes as they do from local agents for the same auto insurance company. But you won’t know if the company’s rates are lower online or from an agent until after you compare the same coverages both ways.
Additional Virginia car insurance resources
Much more information about car insurance in Virginia can be found on the website for the Virginia Bureau of Insurance through this link. Consumers can learn about insurance regulations, find out industry alerts, and get help finding coverage.
In Summary
People leave their current company for many reasons like poor customer service, high prices, policy non-renewal or not issuing a premium refund. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, choosing a new insurance company is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.
While you’re price shopping online, don’t be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, someone dropped liability limits or collision coverage and learned later they didn’t have enough coverage. The aim is to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.
