Have you had enough of not being able to afford each month for car insurance? Your situation is no different than most other car owners in Washington.
There are many car insurance companies to choose from, and though it is a good thing to be able to choose, it can be more challenging to find the best rates.
This article will instruct you on how car insurance quotes work and some money-saving tips. If you have car insurance now, you will most likely be able to cut costs considerably using this strategy. Although Washington consumers do need to learn the way companies market on the web and apply this information to your search.
Quick Pullman Car Insurance Quotes
There are multiple methods you can shop for car insurance but some are more efficient than others. You can waste hours talking to insurance agencies in Pullman, or you can utilize the internet to quickly compare rates.
The majority of car insurance companies participate in an industry program where prospective buyers submit one quote, and at least one company can provide price quotes for coverage. This eliminates the need for quote requests to each individual car insurance company. To get comparison pricing now click here (opens in new window).
The one disadvantage to using this type of form is you are unable to specify the insurers to get quotes from. So if you want to select specific providers to compare rates, we put together a list of car insurance companies in Washington. Click here for list of insurance companies in Washington.
Whichever method you choose, double check that you are using identical coverages and limits with each company. If you have differing limits it will be impossible to decipher which rate is best in Pullman. Slightly different coverages can result in a big premium difference. It’s important to know that having more price comparisons gives you a better chance of getting a lower rate.
Do you qualify for a discount?
The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but companies offer discounts to cut the cost considerably. Some trigger automatically when you complete an application, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked about prior to getting the savings.
- Use Seat Belts – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt can save up to 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
- Drive Safe and Save – Insureds without accidents may save up to 50% more than less cautious drivers.
- Drive Less and Save – Low mileage vehicles can earn lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
- Accident Waiver – A few companies will allow you to have one accident before your rates go up so long as you haven’t had any claims for a certain period of time.
- Life Insurance – Select insurance companies reward you with a break if you buy life insurance.
- Military Rewards – Being deployed with a military unit may qualify for rate reductions.
- Auto/Home Discount – If you have multiple policies with one company you could get a discount of up to 20% off your total premium.
- Clubs and Organizations – Being a member of a civic or occupational organization may earn a discount on car insurance.
- Accident Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay much less compared to drivers who are more careless.
Consumers should know that some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. So even though they make it sound like it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies wouldn’t make money that way. But all discounts will reduce your premiums.
Specifics of your car insurance policy
Understanding the coverages of your policy aids in choosing which coverages you need for your vehicles. Car insurance terms can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Shown next are the normal coverages found on the average car insurance policy.
Comprehensive protection
Comprehensive insurance pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive can pay for claims like falling objects, theft and damage from flooding. The maximum payout your car insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Uninsured or underinsured coverage
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.
Due to the fact that many Washington drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (which is 25/50/10), their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Usually the UM/UIM limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
Collision coverage protection
Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision insurance covers things such as backing into a parked car, hitting a parking meter, crashing into a ditch and sustaining damage from a pot hole. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. You can also choose a higher deductible to bring the cost down.
Coverage for liability
Liability insurance protects you from injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people in an accident. This coverage protects you from claims by other people. Liability doesn’t cover 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 limit of $100,000 per injured person, $300,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Occasionally you may see one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which combines the three limits into one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.
Liability can pay for claims such as medical expenses, legal defense fees, bail bonds, funeral expenses and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but buy as large an amount as possible. Washington state law requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/10,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy better liability coverage.
Medical expense coverage
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for short-term medical expenses like X-ray expenses, ambulance fees and doctor visits. They can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover both the driver and occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states and may carry a deductible
Summing up your car insurance search
We just showed you a lot of information how to get a better price on car insurance. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may be surprised to find that the lowest priced car insurance comes from an unexpected company. Smaller companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than their larger competitors like Allstate and Progressive.
When trying to cut insurance costs, never buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In many instances, an insured dropped collision coverage only to discover later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The ultimate goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price.
More sites with car insurance information
Much more information about car insurance in Washington can be read on the website for the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner located here. Washington consumers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, view a list of available companies, and download brochures.