Overpriced auto insurance can bottom out your checking account and put the squeeze on your family’s finances. Doing a rate analysis is free and is an excellent way to lower your bills every month.
Having so many insurance providers from which to choose, it’s difficult to find the lowest cost company.
There are multiple methods to shop for auto insurance, but there is one way that is more efficient than others. You can waste hours driving to insurance companies in Centralia, or you can stay home and use online quotes to get rate comparisons in just a few minutes.
Most car insurance companies belong to a marketplace where prospective buyers submit one quote, and at least one company then returns a price quote. This eliminates the need for form submissions for each company you want a rate for.
To compare rates now click here (opens in new window).
The only drawback to using this type of form is you cannot specify which carriers to get quotes from. If you prefer to choose from a list of companies to compare prices, we put together a list of companies who write auto insurance in Washington. Click to view list.
However you get your quotes, ensure you’re using equivalent coverages with every price quote. If your comparisons have different liability limits you can’t possibly find the best deal in Centralia. Slightly different coverages may result in a large different in cost. And when price shopping your coverage, quoting more helps increase your odds of locating the best offered rates. Some companies don’t provide online price quotes, so you need to compare prices from them, too.
Drivers can save with these rate-reducing discounts
Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but you might be missing out on some discounts that can dramatically reduce your bill. Most are applied when you quote, but some must be manually applied prior to getting the savings.
- Theft Deterent Discount – Cars and trucks equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are less likely to be stolen and can earn a small discount on your policy.
- Distant College Student Discount – Older children who attend college more than 100 miles from home and don’t have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Early Switch Discount – Some larger companies reward drivers for renewing your policy before your current policy expires. You could save around 10% when you .
- Club Memberships – Having an affiliation with qualifying employment or professional organizations can get you a small discount on your bill.
- Telematics Data – Centralia drivers who agree to allow their insurance company to spy on where and when they drive through the use of a telematics system such as In-Drive from State Farm or Allstate’s Drivewise system could see a rate decrease if they are good drivers.
- Mature Driver Discount – Mature drivers are able to get a slight reduction on a .
- ABS Braking Discount – Cars equipped with ABS or steering control can avoid accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Federal Employees – Simply working for the federal government could cut as much as 10% off depending on your company.
- No Charge for an Accident – This one is not really a discount per se, but companies like Progressive, State Farm and Geico will turn a blind eye to one accident without getting socked with a rate hike if you have no claims for a specific time period.
Consumers should know that some credits don’t apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So even though they make it sound like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies don’t profit that way. Any qualifying discounts will reduce your premiums.
Car insurance companies who may offer some of the discounts shown above include:
When quoting, ask each insurance company which credits you are entitled to. Some discounts listed above may not be available in your area. To see a list of insurers who offer online auto insurance quotes in Centralia, click here to view.
Smart buyers can lower your rates
Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the factors that help calculate your premiums. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates, this allows you to make good choices that can earn you big savings. Many different elements are part of the calculation when premium rates are determined. A few of the factors are predictable such as traffic violations, although some other factors are not as apparent like where you live and annual miles driven.
- Your liability protection limits – Liability coverage provides coverage in the event that a jury decides you are liable for an accident. This coverage provides legal defense starting from day one. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so drivers should make sure they buy enough to cover all assets.
- Bump up physical damage deductibles to lower rates – Physical damage coverage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Examples of covered claims are a windshield shattered by a rock, collision with an animal, or theft. Comp and collision deductibles represent how much money you are required to pay if the claim is covered. The more damage repair cost you pay before a claim is paid (deductible), the lower your rates will be.
- Long commutes cost more – The higher the miles on your car annually the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Almost all companies apply a rate partially by how you use the vehicle. Autos left parked in the garage receive lower rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Ask your agent if your auto insurance policy reflects the correct usage, because it can save money.
- Cheaper rates for prior coverage – Letting your insurance expire will be a sure-fire way to increase your rates. Not only will rates go up, the inability to provide proof of insurance could earn you a license revocation or jail time.
- Theft deterrents lowers prices – Selecting a car model with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features such as vehicle immobilizer systems, OnStar, and tracking devices like LoJack all help prevent your vehicle from being stolen.
- Cars with good safety ratings cost less to insure – Vehicles that have high safety ratings tend to be cheaper to insure. Vehicles engineered for safety protect occupants better and lower rates of occupant injuries means lower claim amounts and thus lower rates. If your car, truck, or SUV scored at minimum four stars on Safercar.gov or an “acceptable” rating on iihs.org you may be receiving a better rate.
- City traffic equals higher rates – Residing in less populated areas of the country is a good thing when shopping for auto insurance. Residents of big cities tend to have more road rage incidents and more severe claims. Fewer drivers on the road corresponds to lower accident rates in addition to lower liability claims
- Gender is a factor – Over time, data shows that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. That doesn’t necessarily mean that females are better drivers. Women and men are responsible for auto accidents in similar numbers, but the men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also statistically get more serious tickets like reckless driving and DUI. Teenage male drivers are most likely to cause an accident and therefore have the most expensive auto insurance rates.
Compare rate quotes but still have a local Centralia insurance agency
Certain consumers still like to buy from a licensed agent and there is nothing wrong with that. The biggest benefit of comparing rate quotes online is that you can find lower premium rates and still choose a local agent.
For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, your coverage information is instantly submitted to companies in Centralia who want to provide quotes for your auto insurance coverage. You won’t need to find an agent due to the fact that quote results will go directly to your email. You’ll get the best rates AND an agent nearby. In the event you want to quote rates from a specific auto insurance provider, feel free to go to their quote page to submit a rate quote request.
Deciding on an insurer shouldn’t rely on just the premium amount. You should also get answers to these questions.
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- How does the company pay claims for a total loss?
- Is the coverage adequate for your vehicle?
- Do you qualify for any additional discounts?
- Which family members are covered?
- Are they involved in claim handling?
If you are wanting to find a reputable agency, it helps to know the two different types of agents that you can choose from. Auto insurance agencies are categorized either captive agents or independent agents.
Captive Agencies
Agents that elect to be captive work for only one company like AAA, Allstate, State Farm, or Farmers Insurance. These agents are not able to compare rates from other companies so they have to upsell other benefits. Captive agencies are very knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques and that enables them to sell even at higher rates.
Listed below is a list of captive agents in Centralia that can give you comparison quotes.
State Farm Insurance – 1222 Harrison Ave – Centralia, WA 98531 – (360) 807-9000
Allstate Insurance – 612 W Main St – Centralia, WA 98531 – (360) 736-9911
Independent Agents
These type of agents are appointed with more than one company so they have the ability to put coverage with any number of different companies and find you the best rates. If you are not satisfied with one company, they simply switch companies in-house and the insured can keep the same agent. If you are trying to find cheaper rates, you definitely need to include rate quotes from multiple independent agents in order to compare the most rates.
The following is a short list of independent agents in Centralia willing to provide comparison quotes.
Gary Baker Insurance – 1641 Kresky Ave # 3 – Centralia, WA 98531 – (360) 748-9988
Norberg and Hizon Insurance Svc – 417 W Main St # A – Centralia, WA 98531 – (360) 330-2001
To choose from more licensed insurance agents in Centralia, visit this list of auto insurance agents in Centralia, WA.
Upon receiving good answers to any questions you may have as well as a price you’re happy with, you’ve probably found a car insurance agent that is a good match to insure your vehicles.
Additional detailed information is located at the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner website. Visitors are able to discover disciplinary actions, read consumer alerts, read industry bulletins, and download brochures.
Other useful links include this site for rates in Washington and this link which helps you find a Centralia agent.
Why you might not save $399 a year
Progressive, Allstate and Geico seem to constantly run ads on television and other media. They all seem to say the same thing of big savings if you switch your policy. How is it plausible that every one can give you a better price? You have to listen carefully.
Auto insurance companies have specific criteria for the type of driver that will generate a profit. For instance, a profitable customer could be a mature driver, is a homeowner, and insures a new vehicle. Someone that matches those criteria may get the lowest prices in Centralia and is almost guaranteed to save money with a new company.
Drivers who may not quite match this stringent profile will probably have to pay higher prices and the prospect going elsewhere. If you listen to the ad wording, they say “people who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much money. This is how insurance companies can make those statements. Because each company has a different risk profile, you absolutely need to compare rate quotes every year. Because you cannot predict with any certainty which company will give you lower car insurance rates than your current company.
Persistent drivers can save
We just presented many ideas to reduce auto insurance car insurance rates online. It’s most important to understand that the more rate comparisons you have, the better likelihood of getting . You may even find the lowest car insurance rates come from the smaller companies. Some small companies can often provide lower premium rates in certain areas as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm and Allstate.
There are still a few companies who do not provide online quoting and many times these small insurance companies sell through independent agencies. More affordable auto insurance can be found from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Centralia, so you need to compare both to have the best chance of lowering rates.