Are you a victim of an overpriced auto insurance policy? Believe me when I say you’re not the only one. Many car insurance companies vie for your business, so it’s not easy to compare every insurance company and get the best coverage at the lowest rate possible.
Are you getting all your discounts?
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but there are discounts available to reduce the price significantly. Some trigger automatically when you purchase, but a few need to be specifically requested before being credited. If you’re not getting every credit available, you’re paying more than you need to.
- Employee of Federal Government – Simply working for the federal government may qualify you for a discount with a few auto insurance companies.
- Lower Rates for Military – Being deployed with a military unit can result in better rates.
- New Car Discount – Buying coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
- Low Mileage – Driving fewer miles could be rewarded with a substantially lower rate.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase life insurance from them.
- Sign Online – Some insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.
- Memberships – Belonging to a qualifying organization is a good way to get lower rates when shopping for auto insurance.
- Passive Restraints – Cars that have air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings of 20% or more.
- Discount for Good Grades – A discount for being a good student can earn a discount of 20% or more. The good student discount can last well after school through age 25.
- Save over 55 – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get reduced rates.
Consumers should know that most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. So when it seems like you could get a free auto insurance policy, companies don’t profit that way. Any amount of discount will bring down the cost of coverage.
Auto Insurance Comparison Rates in Wilsonville
Finding lower Wilsonville auto insurance rates is a fairly straight forward process. You just have to invest a few minutes comparing rate quotes provided by online insurance companies. This can be accomplished in several different ways.
The first (and easiest) way to compare a lot of rates at once is to use a rate comparison form like this one (opens in new window). This type of form keeps you from doing repetitive form entry to each individual auto insurance company. Completing one form will return quotes .
A less efficient way to compare prices consists of going to each individual company website and request a quote. For examples sake, let’s say you want to compare Farmers, 21st Century and American Family. To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site to input your insurance information, which is why most consumers use the first method. To view a list of companies in Wilsonville, click here.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just make sure you use apples-to-apples quote information for every company. If you have mixed coverages you can’t possibly truly determine the lowest rate in Wilsonville.
Tailor your coverage to you
When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. These are some specific questions could help you determine if your insurance needs might need professional guidance.
- What can I do if my company denied a claim?
- Which companies will insure high-risk drivers?
- Do I get a pro-rated refund if I cancel my policy early?
- How do I file an SR-22 for a DUI in Oregon?
- Is my vehicle covered for flood damage?
- Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
- Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
- Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my vehicle is totaled?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It is quick, free and you can get the answers you need.
Save $484 a year. For real?
Consumers in Oregon get pounded daily by advertisements for the lowest price auto insurance from companies such as State Farm and Allstate. They all say the same thing that you can save after switching your policy.
But how can every company claim to save you money?
All the different companies can use profiling for the type of driver that earns them a profit. A good example of a profitable customer could possibly be a mature driver, insures multiple vehicles, and has a high credit rating. A driver who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and as a result will probably save a lot of money.
Potential customers who don’t meet this ideal profile will have to pay higher premiums and this can result in business not being written. The ads say “drivers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. This is how insurance companies can advertise the savings.
Because of the profiling, you need to compare as many rates as you can. It’s impossible to know which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.
Auto insurance coverage considerations
Understanding the coverages of your policy aids in choosing the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring. Shown next are the normal coverages available from auto insurance companies.
Collision insurance
Collision coverage covers damage to your vehicle resulting from colliding with an object or car. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage pays for things such as hitting a parking meter, scraping a guard rail, crashing into a building, damaging your car on a curb and colliding with another moving vehicle. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. Another option is to increase the deductible to bring the cost down.
Liability auto insurance
This protects you from damage or injury you incur to other’s property or people by causing an accident. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others. It does not cover your injuries or vehicle damage.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You commonly see liability limits of 50/100/50 that translate to $50,000 bodily injury coverage, $100,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Another option is one limit called combined single limit (CSL) that pays claims from the same limit without having the split limit caps.
Liability can pay for claims like structural damage, loss of income, repair costs for stationary objects and legal defense fees. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but consider buying as much as you can afford. Oregon state minimum liability requirements are 25,000/50,000/20,000 but drivers should carry better liability coverage.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection when other motorists either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.
Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (which is 25/50/20), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea. Usually these limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Med pay and PIP coverage reimburse you for immediate expenses for nursing services, prosthetic devices, doctor visits and chiropractic care. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to you and your occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not universally available but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Comprehensive insurance
This covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as falling objects, rock chips in glass and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The maximum amount a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
In conclusion
We’ve covered many ways to save on auto insurance. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. Consumers could even find that the most savings is with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. Some small companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost compared to the large companies like Progressive and Geico.
Cost effective auto insurance is attainable online and with local Wilsonville insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance providers do not offer online price quotes and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
More information is located on the website for the Oregon Insurance Division. Click here for link. Oregon consumers can read consumer alerts, find a variety of consumer forms, learn about insurance regulations, and discover disciplinary actions.