Scraping up a payment for overpriced car insurance can dwindle your bank account, especially in this economy. Doing a price comparison is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to help make ends meet. Having so many choices of insurance companies, it can be hard to locate the right provider.
Buying cheaper car insurance coverage in Shoreline is easy if you know what you’re doing. If you have insurance now or need a new policy, you can use these tips to get lower rates while maximizing coverage. Washington vehicle owners just need to understand the best way to shop for car insurance over the internet.
More discounts equal less premium
The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but you may find discounts that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you purchase, but some may not be applied and must be requested specifically prior to receiving the credit. If you’re not getting every credit available, you are paying more than you should be.
- Drive Less and Save – Low mileage vehicles can earn better rates on cars that stay parked.
- Passive Restraints – Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings of 20% or more.
- Senior Citizens – Older drivers may receive better car insurance rates.
- Anti-theft System – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts could save 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- E-sign – A handful of insurance companies may give you up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up online.
- Payment Discounts – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of monthly or quarterly installments you can actually save on your bill.
- Multi-car Discount – Having more than one vehicle on the same car insurance policy could earn a price break for each car.
- Accident Waiver – Certain companies will forgive one accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you haven’t had any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
A little note about advertised discounts, some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when it seems like you could get a free car insurance policy, companies don’t profit that way. But all discounts will help reduce the amount you have to pay.
It’s not one size fits all
When it comes to choosing the best car insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For example, these questions may help you determine if your insurance needs might need professional guidance.
- If my vehicle is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
- Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
- Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
- What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?
- Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
- Am I covered when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- Am I covered if I crash into my own garage door?
- Is a new car covered when I drive it off the dealer lot?
- Should I file a claim if it’s only slightly more than my deductible?
- Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It is quick, free and can provide invaluable advice.
Can you really save $484 a year?
Consumers in Washington can’t ignore all the ads for cheaper car insurance by State Farm and Allstate. All the companies have a common claim that you’ll save big after switching to their company.
But how can every company claim to save you money?
All companies can use profiling for the driver they prefer to insure. For example, a profitable customer might be between 30 and 50, has no tickets, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Any driver who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably cut their rates substantially.
Consumers who are not a match for this ideal profile will have to pay more money and this can result in the customer not buying. The ads state “customers that switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. That is how companies can advertise the savings.
Because of the profiling, drivers must get quotes from several different companies. You cannot predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.
Additional car insurance information is located on the website for the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner found here. Washington consumers can download brochures, view a list of available companies, view agent and company licensing information, and read state legal mandates and laws.
Additional helpful sites include this page for car insurance prices in Washington and this list of insurance agents in Shoreline.
Final considerations
As you prepare to switch companies, it’s a bad idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. Too many times, someone sacrificed full coverage only to regret that they should have had better coverage. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.
We just presented a lot of information how to save on car insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even find the biggest savings come from a lesser-known regional company. These smaller insurers can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than their larger competitors like Geico and State Farm.