Nobody I know cherishes buying auto insurance, in particular when the cost is way too high. Having so many choices, it’s nearly impossible to choose the best company.
Buying car insurance in Puyallup is quite easy. If you have car insurance now, you will be able to save some money using these tips. Washington consumers just need to learn the tricks to compare prices on the web.
How your Puyallup rates are determined
Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels enables informed choices that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.
Listed below are some of the items auto insurance companies consider when setting prices.
- Rate your vehicle for proper use – The more you drive in a year’s time the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most insurance companies rate vehicles based on their usage. Autos used primarily for pleasure use receive lower rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Double check that your auto insurance policy is rated on the correct driver usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
- Clean credit earns discounts – Your credit history is a important factor in calculating your auto insurance rates. So if your credit rating is not that good, you could potentially save money when insuring your by spending a little time repairing your credit. People with high credit scores tend to be more responsible than those with lower credit scores.
- Safer cars are cheaper to insure – Cars with high safety ratings are cheaper to insure. The safest vehicles have better occupant injury protection and lower injury rates means lower claim amounts passed on to you as lower rates.
- Men fork out a little more – Statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. That doesn’t necessarily mean that men are WORSE drivers than women. Both sexes tend to get into accidents in similar percentages, but men cause more damage. Men also have more aggressive citations such as DWI and reckless driving. Teenage male drivers are the most expensive to insure and therefore have the most expensive auto insurance rates.
- Performance influences rates – The performance level of the car you drive makes a substantial difference in determining your rates. Economy passenger models usually have the lowest rates, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
- Do you have enough liability coverage? – Your policy’s liability coverage is the coverage that protects you if ever a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability provides legal defense starting from day one. This coverage is very inexpensive as compared to coverage for physical damage, so buy as much as you can afford.
Cut your premium with discounts
Companies offering auto insurance don’t necessarily list all available discounts very well, so here is a list both the well known and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using. If you don’t get every credit you deserve, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Own a Home – Owning a house in Puyallup may earn you a small savings due to the fact that maintaining a home shows financial diligence.
- Club Memberships – Participating in a civic or occupational organization could trigger savings when shopping for auto insurance.
- Senior Citizens – If you’re over the age of 55, you may be able to get reduced rates.
- No Claims – Good drivers with no accidents pay less compared to drivers who are more careless.
- Government Employees – Simply working for the federal government can earn a discount up to 10% with a few auto insurance companies.
- Drive Less and Save – Low mileage vehicles could qualify for better rates on cars that stay parked.
- Pay Upfront and Save – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.
- Multi-policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with the same insurance company you may earn at least 10% off all policies.
It’s important to note that most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like you can get free auto insurance, companies don’t profit that way.
To choose insurers offering auto insurance discounts in Washington, follow this link.
Comparing rates from local agents
A small number of people just want to buy from a local agent and that is a personal choice. Agents can answer important questions and help submit paperwork. One of the best bonuses of getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find the lowest rates but also keep your business local.
After filling out this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is submitted to local insurance agents in Puyallup who will compete for your business. There is no need to drive around since price quotes are sent to your email. How’s that for easy!
Deciding on an insurance company requires more thought than just a low price. These questions are important to ask:
- Can glass repairs be made at your home?
- How are claims handled?
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
- Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
What types of car insurance agents are in Puyallup?
When searching for a reputable insurance agent or broker, you need to know there are two types of agencies to choose from. Agents are either captive or independent (non-captive). Both properly insure your vehicles, but it’s important to know how they differ because it can impact your selection of an agent.
Agency Captives
Captive agents can only place business with one company like State Farm, AAA, Farmers Insurance or Allstate. They generally cannot place coverage with different providers so they have to upsell other benefits. Captive agents are very knowledgeable in insurance sales which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
Below are Puyallup captive agents willing to provide comparison quotes.
State Farm Insurance – 10202 149th St E # 102 – Puyallup, WA 98374 – (253) 848-2362
Allstate Insurance – 16714 Meridian E # 12 – Puyallup, WA 98375 – (253) 864-6169
Farmers Insurance Group – 2819 E Main Ave – Puyallup, WA 98372 – (253) 845-8211
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agents are not required to write business for one company but rather can write business with multiple insurance companies depending on which coverage is best. To transfer your coverage to a different company, your agent can switch companies and you don’t have to find a new agent. When shopping rates, it’s a good idea to include price quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to get the best comparison.
Listed below is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Puyallup that can give you price quote information.
Great Northern Insurance Co – 2701 E Main Ave – Puyallup, WA 98372 – (253) 848-9900
Alan R Rencowski Insurance Inc – 12815 Canyon Rd E # G2 – Puyallup, WA 98373 – (253) 536-1000
Nancy Bishop Agency – 10211 128th St E – Puyallup, WA 98374 – (253) 848-7777
For a full directory of licensed insurance agents in Puyallup, visit this site.
Upon getting reasonable responses in addition to an acceptable price estimate, chances are good that you have found a car insurance agent that meets your needs to service your policy.
It’s not one size fits all
When choosing the best auto insurance coverage, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s so this has to be addressed. Here are some questions about coverages that might help in determining if you might need professional guidance.
- How many claims can I have before being cancelled?
- Where can I get insurance after a DUI in Washington?
- Do no-fault laws apply in Washington?
- Do I have coverage for damage caused while driving under the influence?
- What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
- Does my vehicle need full coverage?
- Should I buy more coverage than the required Washington minimum liability coverage?
- When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
- Can I afford low physical damage deductibles?
- Is borrowed equipment or tools covered if stolen or damaged?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.
To learn even more about auto insurance
Even more information is available at the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner website. Washington drivers can find disaster information, view a list of available companies, and find out which companies have the most complaints.
Other useful links include BankRate.com’s Car Insurance: When not to Skimp and QuoteClickSave.com.
A little work can save a LOT of money
Cheap auto insurance can be found from both online companies and with local Puyallup insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best selection. Some companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
In this article, we covered quite a bit of information on how to lower your auto insurance rates. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the higher the chance of saving money. You may be surprised to find that the most savings is with a small local company. Regional companies may cover specific market segments cheaper compared to the large companies like Allstate and Progressive.