Overpriced car insurance can drain your personal savings and force you to prioritize other expenses. Comparing price quotes is a great way to cut your insurance bill.
Companies like Progressive, Geico and Farmers Insurance increase brand awareness with ad campaigns and it is difficult to ignore the promise of big savings and take the time to shop coverage around.
Car Insurance Prices in Kent
To find the best car insurance prices, there are several ways to compare rate quotes from different in Kentinsurance companies. By far the easiest way to find the lowest rates involves getting comparison quotes online. This is very easy and can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.
The most efficient way to get quotes for comparison is a comparison rater form click here to open form in new window. This type of form keeps you from doing separate quotation requests for each company. One quote request will get you rate comparisons from many national carriers.
A more time consuming way to analyze rates consists of going to the website of each company to complete their respective quote request forms. For instance, let’s say you want rates from Liberty Mutual, Allstate and GMAC. To get each rate you have to take the time to go to each site to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is more popular. For a handy list of car insurance company links in Kent, click here.
Whichever way you use, ensure you are comparing exactly the same coverage limits on every quote. If you are comparing different values for each quote it will be impossible to make a fair comparison in Kent. Just a small difference in limits can make a big difference in price. It’s important to know that having more price comparisons helps locate better pricing.
Can you really save that much by switching?
Car insurance companies such as State Farm, Allstate and Geico continually stream television and radio advertisements. They all seem to make an identical promise about savings after switching your policy. But how can every company make the same claim?
Different companies can use profiling for the type of driver they prefer to insure. For example, a desirable insured could be between the ages of 40 and 55, insures multiple vehicles, and has a short commute. A customer that hits that “sweet spot” will get very good rates and most likely will save a lot of money.
Drivers who are not a match for the requirements will have to pay more money which leads to the customer not buying. The ads say “drivers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much. That’s the way companies can truthfully advertise the way they do.
Because of the profiling, you need to get a wide range of price quotes. It’s not possible to predict which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest rates.
Rate influencing factors
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that may reward you with big savings.
Listed below are some of the items car insurance companies consider when setting rates.
- The type of vehicle makes a difference – The performance level of the car you are insuring makes a big difference in your rates. Low performance passenger models generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
- More claims means more premium – Auto insurance companies in Washington generally give better rates to policyholders who are claim-free. If you frequently file small claims, you can expect higher rates. Auto insurance is designed for the large, substantial claims.
- Where you live – Residing in a rural area can save you money when talking about car insurance. Urban drivers have traffic congestion and much longer commute distances. Fewer drivers means reduced accidents and a lower car theft rate.
- Protect yourself with liability coverage – Liability coverage provides coverage if you are found to be at fault for damages caused by your negligence. It will provide you with a defense in court which can cost thousands of dollars. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so buy as much as you can afford.
- Traffic violations increase rates – Your driving citation history has a huge affect on how much you pay. Careful drivers tend to pay less for car insurance compared to drivers with tickets. Even one moving violation can boost insurance rates forty percent or more. Drivers who have flagrant citations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state motor vehicle department in order to keep their license.
- More than one policy can earn a discount – Many insurance companies will award you with lower prices to customers who have multiple policies with them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to 10 percent or more. Even though this discount sounds good, you may still want to compare rates to verify if the discount is saving money. You may still find better rates by buying insurance from more than one company.
- Credit scores impact car insurance rates – Your credit rating is a large factor in your rate calculation. Drivers with excellent credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than those with poor credit. So if your credit rating can use some improvement, you could potentially save money when insuring your by improving your rating.
Lots of discounts mean lots of savings
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but there could be available discounts that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be applied when you get a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be specifically requested before they will apply.
- New Vehicle Savings – Putting insurance coverage on a new car can cost up to 25% less due to better safety requirements for new cars.
- 55 and Retired – Older drivers can possibly qualify for a discount up to 10%.
- Driver’s Ed – Have your child complete a driver education course in high school.
- Discount for Good Grades – This discount can save 20 to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you well after school through age 25.
- E-sign – A few companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.
Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So when it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. But any discount will help reduce your premiums.
To see a list of providers offering car insurance discounts in Washington, click here.
Situations that might require an agent
When choosing proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no one size fits all plan. Everyone’s situation is unique so your insurance needs to address that. For example, these questions can aid in determining whether your personal situation might need professional guidance.
- Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
- Are rental cars covered under my policy?
- Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
- Can I afford to pay high deductible claims out of pocket?
- Do I have coverage if my license is suspended?
- Should I buy only the required Washington minimum liability coverage?
- Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
- What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
- What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
Smart shoppers get results
Low-cost car insurance is attainable on the web and with local Kent insurance agents, so compare prices from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
As you prepare to switch companies, make sure you don’t buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are too many instances where an insured cut physical damage coverage and discovered at claim time that they should have had better coverage. Your aim should be to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate.
Some additional reading
Additional information is available on the website for the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner found here. Washington drivers can report car insurance fraud, read consumer alerts, and learn about insurance regulations.