Shopping for affordable Portland car insurance on the internet may be impossible for consumers not familiar with comparing rates online. Because there are so many companies in the marketplace, how can Portland drivers effectively compare them all to find the best available price?
It’s smart to take a look at other company’s rates at least once a year because insurance rates are variable and change quite frequently. Just because you found the lowest rates a few years ago you can probably find a lower rate today. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the fastest and easiest way to reduce your cost while improving coverage.
Buying car insurance in Portland is not that difficult. If you have insurance now or are looking for a new policy, you can learn to reduce the price you pay and possibly find even better coverage. Oregon drivers only need an understanding of the most effective way to buy car insurance on the web.
Compare Car Insurance Today
Finding lower Portland car insurance rates isn’t really that difficult. All you need to do is invest a little time to compare quotes online with multiple companies. This is very easy and can be done using a couple different methods.
- The best way to compare a lot of rates at once is an all-inclusive rate comparison click here to open form in new window. This form prevents you from having to do multiple quote forms for each company. Just one form gets rate comparisons from multiple companies.It’s the quickest way to get rates.
- A harder way to analyze rates is going to each company’s website to complete their respective quote request forms. For sake of this example, let’s say you want to compare Progressive, State Farm and Geico. You would have to spend time on each company’s site and enter your policy data, and that’s why the first method is more popular.
For a handy list of car insurance company links in Portland, click here.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just compare identical coverages for every quote you compare. If your comparisons have differing limits you can’t possibly make a fair comparison in Portland.
These eight discounts can slash car insurance rates
Companies do not list all available discounts very clearly, so we break down both well-publicized as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Air Bag Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can receive discounts up to 30%.
- Accident Waiver – A handful of insurance companies allow you one accident before your rates go up if you are claim-free for a particular time prior to the accident.
- Paperless Signup – Certain companies may give you up to $50 simply for signing over the internet.
- Anti-theft System – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Auto/Life Discount – Larger companies have lower rates if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
- Student in College – Youth drivers who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Discount for New Cars – Insuring a new car can cost up to 25% less compared to insuring an older model.
- Government Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job could cut as much as 10% off with select insurance companies.
It’s important to note that most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like it’s possible to get free car insurance, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.
To see a list of insurance companies with the best car insurance discounts in Oregon, follow this link.
When might I need the advice of an agent?
When it comes to choosing coverage, there really is no “perfect” insurance plan. Every situation is different.
For instance, these questions might point out whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.
- Do I qualify for additional discounts?
- What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
- Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
- When would I need rental car insurance?
- Should I buy only the required Oregon minimum liability coverage?
- Do I have coverage if my license is suspended?
- Can I afford to pay high deductible claims out of pocket?
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
- Am I covered if I crash into my own garage door?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form. It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.
Additional detailed information can be found at the Oregon Insurance Division website. Oregon consumers can download brochures, discover disciplinary actions, and find out which companies have the most complaints.
Other informative sites include Wikipedia and see this list of insurance agents in Portland.
Car insurance coverages explained
Understanding the coverages of a car insurance policy aids in choosing which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. Car insurance terms can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Liability – This coverage provides protection from damage or injury you incur to other people or property by causing an accident. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see values of 50/100/50 which stand for a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery.
Liability can pay for claims like bail bonds, attorney fees, court costs and medical expenses. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying higher limits if possible. Oregon state law requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/20,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy higher limits.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers – This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.
Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits (Oregon limits are 25/50/20), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important.
Collision coverage – This coverage pays for damage to your vehicle caused by collision with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage pays for claims such as rolling your car, crashing into a building, hitting a mailbox and backing into a parked car. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. Another option is to bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Comprehensive car insurance – This pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things such as hitting a deer, hail damage and a broken windshield. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Coverage for medical expenses – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for short-term medical expenses for funeral costs, surgery, dental work and pain medications. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not available in all states and may carry a deductible
Smart shoppers get results
As you prepare to switch companies, make sure you don’t skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are a lot of situations where an insured dropped liability coverage limits and found out when filing a claim that it was a big error on their part. The aim is to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford.
Consumers who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as being labeled a high risk driver, not issuing a premium refund, denial of a claim or high prices. Regardless of your reason, finding the right car insurance provider is not as difficult as it may seem.
We’ve covered a lot of ways to shop for car insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may even discover the best prices are with a smaller regional carrier.