Nobody I know cherishes buying car insurance, especially knowing they are paying too much.
Big-name insurance companies like Geico, Farmers Insurance and State Farm continually bombard you with ad campaigns and it is difficult to see past the geckos and flying pigs and take the time to shop coverage around.
Get Cheaper Rates by Understanding Pricing
An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.
- Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? – Most insurance companies provide better rates to customers who buy several policies from them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. This can amount to 10 percent or more. Even if you’re getting this discount it’s still a good idea to shop around to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
- Teen drivers pay high rates – Teen drivers in Washington have a tendency to get distracted easily when driving so they pay higher car insurance rates. Parents adding a young driver onto your car insurance can break the bank. More mature drivers are more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and get fewer tickets.
- Lower deductibles cost more – Insurance for physical damage to your car, also known as collision and other-than-collision, protects your car from damage. A few examples of covered claims could be a windshield shattered by a rock, collision with an animal, and rolling your vehicle. Your deductibles are the amount of money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket before your car insurance pays a claim. The more you have to pay, the lower your rates will be.
- Don’t get talked into coverage you don’t need – There are a ton of extra bells and whistles that you can get tricked into buying when buying car insurance. Coverages for vanishing deductibles, accidental death and term life insurance may be wasting your money. These coverages may sound good initially, but if they’re wasting money eliminate them to save money.
- Big city or small town – Being located in a small town is a positive aspect when it comes to car insurance. Urban drivers tend to have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Less people living in that area means fewer accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
- Protect yourself with liability coverage – Liability insurance provides coverage if you are found to be at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It provides legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so drivers should carry high limits.
- Drive less and save money – The more you drive in a year the higher your rate. Almost all companies apply a rate based on their usage. Cars that are left in the garage receive lower rates compared to those used for work or business. Verify your car insurance policy is showing the correct driver usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
- Your car’s features help determine rates – Driving a car with an alarm system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Anti-theft features like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all hinder your vehicle from being stolen.
How to Compare Car Insurance in Bothell
Effectively comparing car insurance prices can be a daunting task if you aren’t aware of the best way to get rate quotes. You can waste a few hours (or days) discussing policy coverages with insurance agencies in Bothell, or you could use the internet to maximize your effort.
Most of the best insurance companies are enrolled in a marketplace where insurance shoppers only type in their quote data once, and every company then returns a price quote based on the submitted data. This eliminates the need for quote requests for each company you want a rate for.
To compare rates using this form now click here to start a free quote.<img class="alignright" style="padding-top:15px;" src="https://www.carinsurancediy.com/wp-content/uploads/ci175-53.jpg" alt="Washington car insurance prices”/>
The one disadvantage to using this type of system is that you can’t choose which providers to get pricing from. If you would rather choose specific providers to compare prices, we put together a list of low cost car insurance companies in Washington. Click here to view list.
Whichever method you choose, make sure you use exactly the same coverage limits and deductibles for every company. If you are comparing mixed coverages it’s not possible to decipher which rate is best in Bothell. Just a small difference in limits may cause a big price difference. Just remember that comparing more company’s prices will enable you to find the best price.
Pay less by taking advantage of discounts
Auto insurance companies don’t necessarily list every available discount very well, so we took the time to find both well-publicized and the more hidden savings tricks you should be using.
- Resident Student – Kids in college who are attending college and don’t have a car may be able to be covered for less.
- Anti-theft Discount – Anti-theft and alarm systems are stolen less frequently and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Claim Free – Claim-free drivers pay less when compared to drivers who are more careless.
- Driver Safety – Completing a driver safety course could cut 5% off your bill depending on where you live.
- Military Discounts – Having a family member in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
- Good Students Pay Less – This discount can save 20 to 25%. The good student discount can last up until you turn 25.
- Federal Employees – Active or retired federal employment can earn a discount up to 10% depending on your company.
- Discount for New Cars – Insuring a new car can be considerably cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
It’s important to understand that most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to individual premiums such as comp or med pay. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
To see a list of providers offering car insurance discounts in Bothell, click here.
More tips and info about car insurance can be read at the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner website. Visitors are able to find out which companies have the most complaints, get help finding coverage, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and find disaster information.
More quotes mean more savings
Budget-conscious car insurance can be bought online as well as from independent agents in Bothell, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies don’t offer you the ability to get quotes online and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.
Throughout this article, we presented some good ideas how you can lower your car insurance rates. It’s most important to understand that the more times you quote, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may be surprised to find that the lowest rates come from a lesser-known regional company. These companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than their larger competitors like Progressive or Geico.
As you shop your coverage around, you should never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are too many instances where an accident victim reduced full coverage only to discover later that they should have had better coverage. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at the best price while still protecting your assets.