When You Should Update Auto Insurance

Auto insurance is a necessary expense in order to drive legally. However, that expense can be altered by many different factors. For this reason, it is a good idea to occasionally update your auto insurance. At Stonewall Grace Insurance serving Buena Vista, VA, we are very interested in making sure you have the best auto insurance deal around. Keep reading to learn when you should update your auto insurance. 

You Have Liability Only Insurance

Some people opt for liability only insurance if they are having a hard time budgeting in full coverage. If you have been in this situation before, but now your financial situation has changed, you may want to consider updating your auto policy. Full coverage is a much better investment, especially if your car has value. 

You Have Teen Drivers

When your children enter their teen years you will want to evaluate your auto coverage. Coverage changes when you add teen drivers. Shop around to make sure you are still getting the best rate. 

You’ve Gotten Married

Now that you are married you will need to add your spouse to your policy in most cases. This is a great time to shop around and update your insurance.  Married couples are often offered discounts that you do not get when single. 

You Are Older

As you get older you should be able to qualify for better insurance rates. If your current auto policy is not reflecting this, it is a good idea to shop around and find the best rate for your age group. 

Updating your auto insurance policy is a great way to save money. If you would like to learn more, please contact Stonewall Grace Insurance. We are now serving the Buena Vista, VA area as well as surrounding areas. 

Can Lifestyle Changes Affect your Auto Insurance Coverage?

Changes in your lifestyle can have an effect on your health, finances, relationships, and auto insurance coverage. Lifestyle changes like marriage, divorce or retirement can affect the cost and coverage of your policy. If you’ve recently gone through some lifestyle changes, talk to your Stonewall Grace Insurance agent to see if you should update your policy. Here are just a few ways lifestyle changes can alter your auto insurance coverage.

Marriage

If you’ve recently gotten married, you may qualify for a discount on your auto insurance coverage. Many insurers reduce insurance rates to married couples. If both of you have good driving records, you can save money on auto insurance by adding your spouse to your policy. This could help offset the cost of increasing coverage if your spouse needs additional protection.

If your spouse has his or her own car, you can get discounted auto insurance via a multi-car policy. If one of you owns a home in Buena Vista VA, you can bundle your home and auto insurance to save on auto insurance costs.

Divorce

On the flip side, divorce could cost you more in auto insurance costs as you would lose both your married and multi-car discounts.

Retirement

Retirement may make you eligible for reduced auto insurance rates due to driving less often and needing less coverage. The less you drive, the lower your risk of having an accident. If you’re a safe driver, you may also qualify for a senior discount on your policy. Some companies give new retirees a break on costs as well. If you complete a defensive driving course (now that you have the time), you could get another reduction on insurance costs.

To learn more about auto insurance options and costs, contact Stonewall Grace Insurance in Buena Vista, VA.  

Best After Market Upgrades For Your Vehicle

If you’re looking to upgrade your vehicle, there is a never ending assortment of features to choose from. However, if you really want to not only improve your level of enjoyment but safety and, potentially, save on auto insurance, here are the best after market upgrades for your vehicle. After all, we at Stonewall Grace Insurance want to make sure you have the most fun and save the most money in Buena Vista, VA. 

New Tires and Wheels

When looking at any after market upgrades for your vehicle, consider both new wheels and tires. Slightly wider wheels will improve handling while driving, cut braking distances and boost precision on your vehicle. 

New Shocks, Springs and Coil-Overs

There is nothing wrong with the shocks that come with most vehicles. However, there is always a way to improve upon this. With brand new shocks, you’ll increase the amount of contact your vehicle maintains with the road both at high speeds and in bumpy conditions. This improves vehicle safety while giving you more control over the vehicle. 

Better Cold-Air Intake

All vehicles come with an engine filter. Most filters are simply flat and go above the engine block. However, an improved cold-air intake filtration system uses a much larger air filter. It usually is round and can be reused after occasional cleaning. This increases the amount of air flow to the engine, improving fuel economy while boosting performance at the same time. This kind of an upgrade is an especially valuable addition to vehicles with larger or performance engines. 

No matter what make and model vehicle you own, there is always a way to save on auto insurance while improving the functionality of the vehicle. At Stonewall Grace Insurance, we want to help you save money on your Buena Vista, VA vehicle. 

Safe driving tips for Buena Vista VA

Driving in Buena VIsta, VA is a necessity which means everyone who drives will need at least some sort of an insurance policy. And while these insurance policies can get quite expensive, one of the best ways to keep it low is to not get into an accident of any kind. So in order to do that, here are some safe driving tips to help you avoid a collision on the road.

DON’T SPEED

Getting there a few minutes earlier is really not worth it, when it comes to getting into an accident or getting a ticket. So don’t speed, stay at or below the speed limit to ensure safety and keep in mind that speeding is the main reasons car accidents happen in the first place.

ALWAYS SIGNAL

The more you signal and indicate, the more other drivers on the road will know what you are doing and drive the chances of being in an accident with you way down. So wherever you drive in Buena Vista, VA, signal when you turn or change lanes, because it will not only be cheaper but safer.

KEEP YOUR HANDS ON THE WHEEL

No looking at cell phones or holding a hand to your ear. Get a headset if you have to make calls from the car, but it’s better if you just fully concentrate on driving rather than talking on the phone. Regardless of if you are actually on a call with someone, driving safely should be the main priority.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT INSURANCE

You will also want to make sure you are fully covered with the right insurance policy for your vehicle, namely from a local place like Stonewall Grace Insurance, who serves the greater Buena Vista area. This way you know it will all be paid for if you do have an accident.

Stay calm to avoid road rage

Road rage is becoming more of a problem as roads get more crowded and people feel stressed. People have even been killed in a fit of road rage, which is doing anything while driving to endanger another person. Sometimes there are fights – or even shootings – when people eventually stop their cars. Road rage happens when people feel their space has been invaded.

"With road rage, you’re basically driving under the influence of impaired emotions," says Leon James, PhD, a professor of psychology at University of Hawaii. He said controlling thoughts, feelings and actions are the key to avoiding letting emotions get out of control.

Here are some tips to avoid letting yourself get to the point of having a road rage event.

  • Slow down. Drive slower and in a more relaxed way. That will keep the stress level down .
  • Remember courtesy. Yes, you may be right, but ask yourself is it worth getting upset about.  It certainly isn’t worth getting into an altercation and going to jail over.
  • Give the other driver the benefit of the doubt. They may have no idea what they have done.  Remember you may also have done something unintentional as well, that bothered other drivers.
  • Music soothes the savage breast. Listen to light music that is relaxing. Avoid loud, hard driving music with a lot of bass  that can actually make you more stressed.
  • Pay attention to yourself. If you are stressed already, it will be easier to get upset at another driver. Try relaxation techniques such as deep breaths and if you are driving, stretch and flex your hands to help them relax. A little intentional de-stressing and help.

While you are relaxed, visit Stonewall Grace Insurance for all your automotive insurance needs. Let our professionals find the policy that is right for you and your family.

Learning About Driving Abroad

Driving abroad requires a lot of attention to detail. Particularly if you are going to be flying overseas first, you are also going to be dealing with a rental car. Following a few tips can help to keep you safer on the foreign roads.

Your Rental Car

Know about the rental car that you are going to be driving. The steering will may be on the other side and manual transmission may be the only option. Ask a few questions about where windshield wipers and headlights are located if you cannot find the right away before you drive off of the rental car lot.

The Roads

Familiarize yourself with the roads that you are going to be driving on. This includes researching what road signs are going to look like. You may also need to prepare for driving on the other side of the road. There may also be some different laws, and it’s a good idea to know what they are so that you don’t inadvertently get pulled over.

Directions

The directions to where you are going are important, and you may not want to depend solely on paper maps. You can likely rent a GPS on your rental car company, and this will ensure that the international maps have been loaded.

Other Details

Knowing more about the city you will be driving in can help tremendously. Many European cities have narrow streets and heavy congestion, which can be overwhelming if you have never driven there before. In some instances, you may want to park your car and take public transportation.

At Stonewall Grace Insurance, we are committed to helping you stay safe on the roads. Call today and learn more about auto insurance, coverage, and ways to get an affordable auto policy. Our agents look forward to helping you.

 

Great Car Insurance Quotes from the Best Madison Heights Agents!

Tucked away in Central Virginia near Lynchburg, is the community of Madison Heights. With a population of just over 11,000, this VA community offers us quality of life of a small town, with easy access to amenities of nearby Lynchburg. History is rich in our part of Virginia and so is our history of saving residents on their car insurance.

We offer the best Madison Heights, VA car insurance quotes you can get from an independent insurance agency. Companies compete for your car insurance business, and now you can see it at work with our online comparative quote system. It is a convenient way to compare rates and save money, and it is easy to do.

Fill out your basic information, including your 24572 or other area zip code. You will soon get competitive quotes from several companies. Select the company, coverage and premium that appeals to your particular circumstances. You can save money on your VA auto insurance with just the matter of a few clicks.

Our agents work hard to save you money on your insurance, and our convenient online quotes are yet another way we can help. If you are looking for savings on your homeowners insurance in the 24572 area code, our online comparative quotes are also available for those. We are putting technology to work for you.

If you want the best Madison Heights insurance agents working to get you the best quotes possible in our area, contact us today. Fill out our online form or call us today. Automobile, homeowners, life and more…we will be glad to help you.

Getting Learners Permit Car Insurance in Buena Vista, Virginia

You study the driver's manual and you're ready to go get your learners permit in Buena Vista, Virginia. One of the barriers to entry in getting your full driver's license is needing insurance on the car you're practicing in. If you get your insurance during your teen years, in most cases your parents are going to put you on theirs. If you're older and putting your toes in the driving water for the first time, it's a more complicated process.

Go through a driving school that allows you to take their cars for the driving test if you want to avoid as much hassle as possible. The school holds insurance on the car, so you're covered while you're learning how to drive. Talk with family or friends to see if anyone would be willing to temporarily put you on their car insurance policy as a named driver in the car. If they are unable to, have one of your friends or family check with their insurance company to see if you would be covered without actually going on the policy.

If you don't have anyone who can help you out, it's possible to get a liability only auto insurance product that covers you while you have the permit, but it's hard to find these kind of policies as this situation is rare. Your rates are also significantly higher than if you get coverage through someone else's policy.

Give our independent agents a call in Virginia to find out what your options are. We're happy to help discover car insurance options that fit your unique situation.