Having to pay for overpriced auto insurance can drain your bank account and make it impossible to make ends meet. Doing a price comparison is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to cut your insurance bill.
Having so many online and local companies to choose from, it can be challenging to choose the lowest cost insurer.
The purpose of this article is to introduce you to how to effectively get price quotes. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will be able to lower your premiums substantially using this strategy. But Washington vehicle owners need to learn how big insurance companies sell online and take advantage of how the system works.
Quick Renton Auto Insurance Quotes
The are a couple different ways of comparing rates from auto insurance companies in your area. One of the best ways to compare insurance prices is simply to get online rate quotes. This is very easy and can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.
- The single most time-saving way to find the lowest comparison rates is a comparison rater form (click to open form in new window). This easy form saves time by eliminating a different quote for each company. A single, simple form gets you price quotes from multiple low-cost companies.
- A different way to find lower rates requires you to visit each individual company website and request a quote. For examples sake, let’s assume you want to compare State Farm, Progressive and Farmers. To find out each rate you need to go to every website and enter your information, which is why most consumers use the first method. To view a list of companies in Renton, click here.
Whichever method you choose, compare exactly the same coverage limits for each comparison quote. If you use differing limits it will be next to impossible to make an equal comparison in Renton. Having just a slight variation in limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. And when comparison shopping, more quotes will improve the odds of getting the best rates.
Do you qualify for these 5 discounts?
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but you may find discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you get a quote, but a few need to be specially asked for before you will receive the discount.
- Save over 55 – If you’re over the age of 55, you may receive better auto insurance rates.
- Accident Waiver – Some insurance companies will allow you to have one accident before raising your premiums if your claims history is clear for a set time period.
- Drivers Education – Have your child enroll in driver’s education if it’s offered in school.
- Discount for New Cars – Putting insurance coverage on a new car is cheaper due to better safety requirements for new cars.
- Homeowners Discount – Owning a house in Renton can help you save on auto insurance because of the fact that having a home is proof that your finances are in order.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies wouldn’t make money that way. But all discounts will reduce your overall premium however.
For a list of providers who offer auto insurance discounts in Renton, click here.
More information can be found on the website for the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Click here for link. Washington consumers can get help finding coverage, download brochures, discover disciplinary actions, and view a list of available companies.<img class="alignright" style="padding-top:15px" src="https://www.carinsurancediy.com/wp-content/uploads/ci175-93.jpg" alt="lower rates in Renton Washington” />
Coverages available on your auto insurance policy
Learning about specific coverages of your policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Below you’ll find the usual coverages available from auto insurance companies.
Medical payments coverage and PIP
Med pay and PIP coverage pay for immediate expenses for things like hospital visits, nursing services, chiropractic care and doctor visits. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal Injury Protection is not universally available and may carry a deductible
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage
This provides protection from other motorists when they 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.
Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits (25/50/10 in Washington), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea. Frequently these limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive insurance pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims like a tree branch falling on your vehicle, hail damage and damage from flooding. The highest amount a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.
Collision coverage
This pays for damage to your vehicle resulting from colliding with another car or object. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision insurance covers things such as sideswiping another vehicle, damaging your car on a curb, crashing into a ditch, hitting a parking meter and colliding with a tree. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also increase the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Liability car insurance
Liability insurance provides protection from damage that occurs to other’s property or people in an accident. It protects you from claims by other people, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see limits of 100/300/100 which stand for a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Alternatively, you may have a combined single limit or CSL which provides one coverage limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.
Liability coverage protects against things like pain and suffering, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, court costs and attorney fees. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but buy higher limits if possible. Washington state law requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/10,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy better liability coverage.
In conclusion
Cheap auto insurance can be sourced from both online companies and with local Renton insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies do not offer online price quotes and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.
When you buy insurance online, it’s a bad idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. In many cases, someone dropped physical damage coverage only to regret they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your strategy should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.
In this article, we covered some good ideas how to lower your auto insurance rates. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the most savings is with a smaller regional carrier. Smaller companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates compared to the large companies like Allstate or State Farm.