Sick and tired of being strong-armed to buy car insurance? You are no different than many other drivers in Oregon.
Drivers have multiple insurers to pick from, and though it is a good thing to be able to choose, so many choices can make it hard to compare company pricing.
It is always a good idea to compare prices quite often because rates are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Even if you got the lowest price a few years ago other companies may now be cheaper. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to one of the best ways to buy cheaper auto insurance.
Decisions you make can impact your rates
Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.
- Your occupation can affect rates – Jobs such as judges, social workers and dentists are shown to have the highest average rates because of job stress and lengthy work days. Other jobs such as pilots, historians and the unemployed pay the least.
- Bundling policies can get discounts – Many insurance companies will give a discount to insureds who consolidate policies with them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. This can amount to 10 percent or more. Even though this discount sounds good, you may still want to shop around to ensure the best deal. You may still find a better deal by buying insurance from more than one company.
- Never let your coverage lapse – Driving your car without having proper coverage is a misdemeanor and your next policy will cost more because you let your insurance lapse. Not only will rates go up, but not being able to provide proof of insurance may earn you a license revocation or jail time.
- Performance level impacts rates – The make and model of the car you drive makes a significant difference in determining your rates. The lowest rates are generally reserved for small economy passenger cars, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
Discounts are available to cut your rates
The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but you can get discounts that can drop the cost substantially. A few discounts will automatically apply when you purchase, but some must be asked for before you get the savings.
- Pay Upfront and Save – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
- Military Rewards – Having a family member in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents may receive a discount up to 45% less than their less cautious counterparts.
- 55 and Retired – Mature drivers can possibly qualify for a small decrease in premiums.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can avoid accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Early Switch Discount – Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching to them prior to your current policy expiration. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- Federal Government Employee – Simply working for the federal government may qualify you for a discount depending on your company.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Cars that have air bags or automatic seat belts can get savings of more than 20%.
Keep in mind that most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like you could get a free auto insurance policy, it just doesn’t work that way. Any amount of discount will reduce the amount you have to pay.
To see a list of insurance companies with discount auto insurance rates in Roseburg, click here to view.
Your local neighborhood insurance agent
Certain consumers would rather visit with an insurance agent and there is nothing wrong with that. One of the great benefits of comparing insurance prices online is you can get the lowest rates and still choose a local agent. And supporting local agencies is especially important in Roseburg.
By using this form (opens in new window), your insurance coverage information is emailed to companies in Roseburg who will give you bids for your coverage. You don’t have to leave your computer because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. How cool is that?! Get lower rates and a licensed agent to work with.
Car insurance agents in Roseburg come in two varieties
If you’re trying to find a local agent, you must know there are a couple types of insurance agents to choose from. Agents are categorized either independent or captive.
Independent Agencies or Brokers
These agents are not locked into one company so they have the ability to put coverage with any number of different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If you are not satisfied with one company, the business is moved internally and that require little work on your part.
When shopping rates, we recommend you contact multiple independent agents for maximum quote selection.
Below is a list of independent insurance agents in Roseburg who can help you get competitive price quotes.
Gordon Wood Insurance – 709 SE Kane St – Roseburg, OR 97470 – (541) 672-4466
Umpqua Insurance – 808 SE Lane Ave – Roseburg, OR 97470 – (541) 672-3348
Captive Agents
Captive agencies can only write with one company and some examples include State Farm, AAA and Liberty Mutual. These agents are unable to shop your coverage around so always compare other rates. Captive agents are very knowledgeable in insurance sales which can be an advantage.
Below is a list of captive agents in Roseburg who can help you get rate quotes.
Allstate Insurance – 3000 NW Stewart Pkwy # 104 – Roseburg, OR 97470 – (541) 440-3704
Farmers Insurance Group – 780 NW Garden Valley Blvd #110 – Roseburg, OR 97470 – (541) 673-8062
State Farm Insurance – 250 NE Garden Valley Blvd # 22 – Roseburg, OR 97470 – (541) 957-1831
American Family Insurance – 2349 NW Stewart Pkwy – Roseburg, OR 97470 – (541) 673-5744
To view a full list of captive insurance agencies in Roseburg, view this link.
Deciding on a car insurance agent requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. These questions are important to ask:
- What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
- What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
- Do they regularly work with personal auto policies?
- Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
- Is assistance available after office hours?
After receiving acceptable answers to these questions and a good coverage price, you may have just found a car insurance agent that will properly insure your vehicles.
Auto insurance myths debunked
Auto insurance providers like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm continually stream ads on television and other media. They all make the same claim about savings after switching to them. How do they all make the same claim?
All the different companies have a certain “appetite” for the right customer they prefer to insure. For instance, a desirable insured might be between 25 and 40, owns a home, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A propective insured who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and most likely will pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Potential customers who don’t measure up to the requirements will be charged a more expensive rate which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ad wording is “drivers who switch” not “people who quote” save money. This is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do.
That is why you need to quote coverage with many companies. Because you never know which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.
Is my situation unique?
When it comes to buying coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance should reflect that These are some specific questions might help in determining if you will benefit from professional help.
- Do I need rental car coverage?
- Does coverage extend to a rental car in a foreign country?
- Is my custom paint covered by insurance?
- Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
- Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
- How do I file an SR-22 for a DUI in Oregon?
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Additional resources for Oregon consumers
More information can be read on the website for the Oregon Insurance Division located here. Oregon drivers can find out which companies have the most complaints, read consumer alerts, and get help finding coverage.
Also read more on Auto Insurance 101 and QuoteClickSave.com.
In conclusion
When you buy insurance online, never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are a lot of situations where drivers have reduced liability coverage limits and found out when filing a claim that it was a big mistake. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.
You just learned a lot of techniques to reduce auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more times you quote, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may even find the lowest rates come from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. Smaller companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like State Farm or Progressive.