If online car insurance comparisons are new to you, it’s easy to get confused by the hoards of online car insurance companies and websites offering coverage in Burien.
This information will familiarize you with the most effective way to quote insurance and some money-saving tips. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will most likely be able to cut costs considerably using these methods. Washington vehicle owners just need to know the tricks to get comparison quotes online.
Quick Burien Car Insurance Quotes
Most major insurance companies like Allstate, Geico and Progressive allow you to get insurance quotes on their websites. Getting quotes is fairly simple as you simply enter the coverages you want into a form. After the form is submitted, their rating system requests your driving record and credit report and generates pricing information determined by many factors.
Being able to quote online helps simplify price comparisons, but the time it takes to visit several different sites and complete many quote forms can get tiresome after awhile. But it’s very important to compare as many rates as possible if you are searching for better prices.
The easiest way to lower your rates uses one simple form that obtains quotes from several companies at one time. It saves time, requires much less work on your part, and makes rate comparisons much easier. Immediately after submitting the form, it is quoted and you can choose any of the quotes that you receive.
If the quotes result in lower rates, you can simply submit the application and buy the new coverage. This process can be completed in less than 10 minutes and may result in a nice savings.
To find out how much you’re overpaying now, click here to open in new window and submit the form. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you complete the form with the coverage information as shown on your current policy. This ensures you will have comparison quotes for exact coverage.
Save $430 a year. For real?
Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements that promise big savings from the likes of Allstate, Geico and Progressive. They all have a common claim that you’ll save big if you change your coverage to them.
How do they all make the same claim?
All companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer that is profitable for them. For instance, a profitable customer could be between the ages of 30 and 50, is a homeowner, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Any new insured who matches those parameters is entitled to the best price and as a result will probably save quite a bit of money when switching.
Potential insureds who don’t meet the requirements will have to pay more money which leads to business not being written. The ads state “customers that switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much money. That’s why companies can make those claims.
Because of the profiling, you should get as many quotes as possible. It is impossible to predict which car insurance company will give you the biggest savings.
Don’t pay full price with these eight discounts
The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not even be aware of. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time of quoting, but lesser-known reductions have to be specially asked for before they will apply. If you aren’t receiving every discount available, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Homeowners Discount – Owning a home in Burien can save you money because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
- Theft Prevention System – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Resident Student – Children living away from home attending college and don’t have a car may be able to be covered for less.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – If you pay your bill all at once instead of making monthly payments you could save 5% or more.
- Sign Online – A few companies may give you up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up over the internet.
- Seat Belts Save – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt could save 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control are safer to drive and will save you 10% or more.
- Drive Safe and Save – Drivers who don’t get into accidents may save up to 50% more than drivers with accidents.
Consumers should know that some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as comp or med pay. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, you’re out of luck. But all discounts will cut your overall premium however.
Neighborhood insurance agents
Some consumers just want to buy from a local agent and that is a personal choice. Licensed agents can answer important questions and help file insurance claims. One of the great benefits of comparing insurance prices online is you may find lower rates and still choose a local agent. Buying from local agencies is definitely important in Burien.
By using this form (opens in new window), the quote information gets sent to companies in Burien who will return price quotes for your coverage. There is no reason to drive around due to the fact that quote results will go to your email. How cool is that?!
The difference between Burien insurance agents
When researching a good Burien insurance agent, there are two types of insurance agents that you can select. Insurance agencies in Burien are categorized either captive or independent. Both do a good job, but it’s good to learn how they are different since it may influence your agent selection.
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agencies do not work for one specific company but rather can write business with many different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, an independent agent can move your coverage and that require little work on your part.
When comparing rates, you should always include multiple independent agents to have the most options to choose from.Most can insure with different regional companies which can be an advantage.
The following are independent insurance agents in Burien that can give you price quote information.
- Ella Afos Insurance – 15723 1st Ave S – Burien, WA 98148 – (206) 243-3525
- Jerry Wheeler Agency – 15723 1st Ave S – Burien, WA 98148 – (206) 243-9636
- Conroy Insurance – 143 SW 53rd St – Burien, WA 98166 – (206) 988-3854
Captive Agents
Captive agencies have only one company to place business with such as AAA, Allstate and State Farm. These agents are not able to shop your coverage around so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captive agencies are very knowledgeable in insurance sales which can be an advantage. Some consumers prefer to buy insurance from these agents mostly because of the brand legacy and solid financial strength.
Below are Burien captive agencies that are able to give rate quotes.
- Farmers Insurance Group – 112 SW 157th St – Burien, WA 98166 – (206) 242-8785
- Allstate Insurance – 13260 1st Ave S # C – Burien, WA 98168 – (206) 243-4441
For a complete listing of car insurance agents in Burien, visit this site.
Deciding on an auto insurance agent requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. Agents should be asked these questions:
- Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
- Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in Washington?
- Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
Once you have received acceptable answers as well as a affordable price, chances are good that you have found an auto insurance agent that is a good match to properly insure your vehicles.
Additional car insurance information can be read on the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner website found here. Consumers can view a list of available companies, find a variety of consumer forms, and learn about insurance regulations.
Detailed coverages of your car insurance policy
Knowing the specifics of your policy helps when choosing the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Car insurance terms can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement.
Insurance for medical payments
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for short-term medical expenses for nursing services, dental work, chiropractic care and surgery. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states and may carry a deductible
Liability car insurance
Liability coverage will cover injuries or damage you cause to people or other property in an accident. It protects you against claims from 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 policy limits of 25/50/25 which means a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property. Alternatively, you may have one number which is a combined single limit which combines the three limits into one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability insurance covers claims such as emergency aid, loss of income and legal defense fees. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but buy higher limits if possible. Washington requires drivers to carry at least 25,000/50,000/10,000 but you should think about purchasing more coverage.
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)
This pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers things like rock chips in glass, damage from getting keyed and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Collision coverage protection
This coverage covers damage to your vehicle resulting from colliding with an object or car. You have to pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage pays for things like hitting a mailbox, sustaining damage from a pot hole, crashing into a ditch, backing into a parked car and hitting a parking meter. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to raise the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance
This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits (25/50/10 in Washington), their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family. Frequently the UM/UIM limits are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.
Do the work, save more money
As you restructure your insurance plan, it’s very important that you do not buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are many occasions where an insured dropped collision coverage only to regret at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest price.
Insureds switch companies for any number of reasons including poor customer service, policy non-renewal, extreme rates for teen drivers and even unfair underwriting practices. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a new company can be easy and end up saving you some money.
You just read a lot of tips how to save on car insurance. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. Drivers may discover the best prices are with some of the lesser-known companies.