Are you drained from being strong-armed to pay auto insurance each month? You are in the same boat as many other consumers in Oregon. Consumers have many insurers to buy insurance from, and though it is a good thing to be able to choose, too many choices makes it more difficult to compare rates and cut insurance costs.
It’s a great practice to price shop coverage quite often due to the fact that insurance rates fluctuate regularly. If you had the best rate a year ago the chances are good that you can find a lower price today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because it’s time to teach you how to use the internet to find better rates and still maintain coverage.
Buying car insurance in Stayton is not rocket science. If you currently have car insurance, you should be able to cut costs considerably using this information. Oregon drivers just need to learn how to shop online.
There are several ways to shop for auto insurance, but one way is less labor-intensive and much quicker. You could spend your day talking to local insurance agents in Stayton, or you can utilize online quoting to accomplish the same thing much quicker.
The majority of car insurance companies enroll in a system that enables customers to only type in their quote data once, and every company then returns a price quote based on that information. This system prevents you from having to do quote forms for each company. To use this form to compare rates click here to open in new window.
The one downside to doing it this way is you cannot specify which companies you will receive quotes from. So if you prefer to choose individual companies to compare prices, we have a listing of companies who write auto insurance in Oregon. View list of Oregon insurance companies.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just be sure to compare exactly the same deductibles and coverage limits with each company. If you compare different coverage information you can’t possibly make a fair comparison in Stayton.
Auto insurance companies are expert advertisers
Consumers in Oregon can’t avoid all the ads that claim the lowest premium rates by companies like Allstate and Progressive. All the ads tend to make the same promise that you can save just by switching your coverage to them.
How is it plausible that every one can say the same thing? It’s all in how they say it.
Insurance companies require specific criteria for the type of insured that will most likely be profitable. A good example of a driver they prefer may need to be between the ages of 40 and 55, has never had a claim, and the vehicle is rated for pleasure use. Any person that meets those criteria will get the preferred premium rates and most likely will save a lot of money.
Consumers who are not a match for the “perfect” profile will get higher rates which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say “customers that switch” but not “all drivers who get quotes” save the amount stated. This is how companies can make claims like that. This illustrates why it is so important to compare as many as you can. It is impossible to guess with any certainty which company will give you the biggest savings.
Discounts to earn lower Stayton auto insurance rates
Companies offering auto insurance don’t always list every discount in an easy-to-find place, so the list below details a few of the more common and also the more inconspicuous discounts that you can inquire about if you .
- Discounts for Cautious Drivers – Accident-free drivers may receive a discount up to 45% compared to rates paid by drivers with frequent claims.
- Student Discounts – Maintaining excellent grades may save as much as 25% on a . You can use this discount normally up to age 25.
- 55 and Retired – Seniors may be able to get a small decrease in premiums.
- Driver Education Discount – Have your child enroll in driver’s education as it can save substantially.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Select insurance carriers reward you with a break if you buy some life insurance too.
- Renewal Discounts – Some auto insurance companies provide a discount for signing up prior to the expiration date on your current policy. You may see this discount when you get .
- Theft Deterent Discount – Cars equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems are less likely to be stolen and that can save you a little bit as well.
- Seat Belts Save – Forcing all vehicle occupants to buckle up can save a little off the PIP or medical payment premium.
As a footnote on discounts, some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it just doesn’t work that way.
Some companies that may include most of the discounts above include:
When comparing rates, check with all companies you are considering how many discounts you can get. Discounts may not apply to policies everywhere.
Buying auto insurance from Stayton car insurance agents
A small number of people would prefer to sit down and talk to an agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Good agents can point out coverage gaps and help you file claims. The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain cheap auto insurance quotes and still buy from a local agent.
For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, the coverage information is emailed to companies in Stayton who will gladly provide quotes to get your business. It’s much easier because you don’t need to find an agent on your own due to the fact that quote results will go instantly to you. If you wish to get a price quote from a specific auto insurance provider, you just need to navigate to their website and complete a quote there.
Deciding on an provider requires you to look at more than just a cheap price. These questions are important to ask:
- If independent agents, which companies do they recommend?
- How much experience to they have in personal lines coverages?
- Can glass repairs be made at your home?
- Is the agent CPCU or CIC certified?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
Different types of Stayton car insurance agents
If you are wanting to find a reliable insurance agency, it helps to know the two different types of agencies and how they differ in how they quote coverages. Agents are classified as either independent agents or captive agents depending on their employer. Both types of agents can sell affordable auto insurance policies, but we need to point out the subtle differences since it can impact the kind of agent you use.
Captive Auto Insurance Agents
Agents that choose to be captive can only provide pricing for a single company such as Farmers Insurance, State Farm, Allstate, and AAA. Captive agencies are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Captives are very knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques which helps them compete with independent agents.
Listed below is a list of captive insurance agents in Stayton who can help you get price quotes.
Allstate Insurance – 219 N 1st Ave – Stayton, OR 97383 – (503) 769-7444
Independent Agents
Independent insurance agents are appointed with more than one company and that enables them to quote your coverage with many different companies and potentially find a lower price. If premiums increase, your agent can switch companies which is easy for the insured. When searching for an agent, you definitely need to get several quotes from independent agents to have the best price comparison.
Shown below are Stayton independent insurance agents that are able to give price quotes.
Dave Valencia Insurance – 1203 N 1st Ave – Stayton, OR 97383 – (503) 769-1800
Davis-Darley Insurance Inc – 318 N 3rd Ave – Stayton, OR 97383 – (503) 769-2151
To view more licensed insurance agents in Stayton, view this page of Stayton Oregon insurance agencies.
Additional detailed information is available at the Oregon Insurance Division website. Consumers can view a list of available companies, view agent and company licensing information, and get help finding coverage.
Other informative sites include Wikipedia and this link where you can make Stayton auto insurance comparisons.
You can find cheaper coverage
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, make sure you don’t buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many instances, drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to regret at claim time that they should have had better coverage. The goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best price and still be able to protect your assets.
Throughout this article, we presented many ideas to shop for auto insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even discover the lowest prices are with a lesser-known regional company. Regional companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than the large multi-state companies such as Progressive and Geico.
Budget-conscious auto insurance can be purchased both online and also from your neighborhood Stayton agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some companies may not have rates over the internet and usually these regional carriers only sell coverage through independent agents.