Comparing and finding cheap premium rates for Port Orchard auto insurance is kind of frustrating for people who have little experience comparison shopping online. There are so many companies to choose from that it can easily become a difficult situation to find the best premium rates.
You should take the time to take a look at other company’s rates once or twice a year due to the fact that insurance prices change quite often. Just because you found the best deal at your last renewal you may be paying too much now. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because we’re going to demonstrate the easiest way to reduce your cost while improving coverage.
Auto insurance quotes and discounts
Auto insurance companies don’t list every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so we researched some of the best known as well as some of the hidden discounts that you can inquire about if you .
- Senior Citizens – Mature drivers may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
- Pay Early and Save – If paying your policy premium upfront as opposed to paying monthly you can avoid monthly service charges.
- Student Discounts – A discount for being a good student can save 20 to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you well after school through age 25.
- Multiple Cars – Buying a policy with more than one vehicle on one policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Cars with anti-theft systems have a lower chance of being stolen and will qualify for a discount on a .
- Distant Student Discount – Kids who live away from home at college and leave their car at home may qualify for this discount.
- Passenger Safety Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings of up to 25% or more.
- E-sign – A handful of companies will give a small break just for signing your application digitally online.
- Driver’s Education for Students – Require your teen driver to enroll and complete driver’s education as it can save substantially.
- No Charge for an Accident – Not a discount per se, but a few companies such as Progressive, Allstate, and Liberty Mutual will turn a blind eye to one accident before they charge you more for coverage if you are claim-free before the accident.
It’s important to understand that some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think all the discounts add up to a free policy, nobody gets a free ride. Any qualifying discounts should help lower your policy premium.
A few popular companies and some of the discounts are outlined below.
- Geico may include discounts for membership and employees, military active duty, seat belt use, good student, federal employee, and defensive driver.
- MetLife policyholders can earn discounts including multi-policy, claim-free, accident-free, defensive driver, good student, and good driver.
- Progressive offers premium reductions for multi-vehicle, homeowner, online signing, online quote discount, good student, and continuous coverage.
- Travelers may have discounts that include home ownership, driver training, multi-policy, continuous insurance, and payment discounts.
- SAFECO has savings for anti-lock brakes, multi-car, homeowner, drive less, teen safe driver, safe driver, and anti-theft.
- AAA has discounts for good student, multi-car, education and occupation, good driver, anti-theft, AAA membership discount, and pay-in-full.
When getting a coverage quote, ask every insurance company the best way to save money. Some credits may not apply to policyholders in Port Orchard.
Everyone needs different auto insurance coverages
When it comes to buying coverage for your vehicles, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Each situation is unique.
These are some specific questions may help highlight if you would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Washington?
- Am I covered when driving a rental car?
- Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
- At what point should I drop full coverage?
- Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
- Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?
- Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my vehicle is totaled?
- Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- Should I file a claim if it’s only slightly more than my deductible?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form.
Independent versus captive car insurance agents
Some consumers just want to get advice from a local agent. One of the great benefits of comparing rates online is the fact that drivers can get cheap auto insurance rates but still work with a licensed agent.
For easy comparison, once you complete this quick form, your insurance data is sent to agents in your area who want to provide quotes for your coverage. There is no reason to leave your house since price quotes are sent directly to your email. You can most likely find cheaper rates without requiring a lot of work. In the event you want to get a price quote from one company in particular, you can always search and find their rate quote page and complete a quote there.
Picking the best insurance company needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. Any agent should be willing to answer these questions.
- Are there any discounts for paying up front?
- When do they do policy reviews?
- What is the financial rating for the quoted company?
- Will high miles depreciate repair valuations?
- How long has their agency been open in Port Orchard?
- In the event of vehicle damage, can you pick the collision repair facility?
- Will one accident increase rates?
Two different types of car insurance agents
If you want to use a reliable insurance agent, you need to know there are two types of insurance agents and how they operate. Agencies in Port Orchard can either be captive agents or independent agents.
Captive Agents
These type of agents normally can only provide a single company’s rates and examples are Farmers Insurance, Allstate, or State Farm. Captive agencies are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so always compare other rates. Captives are usually well trained in insurance sales which helps overcome the inability to quote other rates. Some insured continue to use the same agent primarily because of the prominence of the brand and solid financial strength.
Listed below are captive agencies in Port Orchard who can help you get price quote information.
- State Farm Insurance – 3480 Bethel Rd SE – Port Orchard, WA 98366 – (360) 876-0324
- Allstate Insurance – 1622 Bay St – Port Orchard, WA 98366 – (360) 876-0620
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Agents that elect to be independent are appointed with more than one company so as a result can place your coverage with any number of different companies and get you the best rates possible. If they find a lower price, they simply move your policy to a different company and the insured can keep the same agent.
If you are comparing auto insurance prices, you should always check rates from at least one independent agent to ensure the widest selection of prices. Many independent agencies also insure through additional companies that you may not be familiar with that many times have cheaper rates.
Below is a short list of independent agents in Port Orchard that can give you comparison quotes.
- Frank Haberlach Insurance – 225 Sidney Ave – Port Orchard, WA 98366 – (360) 876-3279
- Dee Fitzgerald Insurance Inc – 4273 SE Mile Hill Dr – Port Orchard, WA 98366 – (360) 871-1828
- Dent Agency Inc – 1752 Village Ln SE – Port Orchard, WA 98366 – (360) 769-0424
To view additional licensed insurance agents in Port Orchard, view this list of Port Orchard Washington auto insurance providers.
Auto insurance savings promises
Well-known auto insurance companies like Allstate, Geico and Progressive regularly use ads on TV and radio. They all seem to say the same thing about how much you will save after switching your auto insurance coverage to their company. How does every company charge you a lower premium? It’s all in how they say it.
Companies quote their cheapest rates for the type of customer that earns them a profit. An example of a profitable customer might be described as a mature driver, has no claims, and has a short commute. Anybody who fits those characteristics is entitled to the best price and have a good chance to save some money.
People who cannot meet this ideal profile will see higher premium rates and this can result in the customer buying from someone else. Company advertisements say “customers that switch” but not “all drivers who get quotes” save that much. This is how companies can truthfully lure you into getting a quote. Because of this risk profiling, it is so important to compare price quotes frequently. It’s just not possible to know which insurance companies will have the lowest rate quotes.
To find out more about Washington auto insurance
Even more information can be read at the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner website. Washington consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find a variety of consumer forms, and get help finding coverage.
Don’t give up on affordable coverage
We’ve covered many ways to reduce auto insurance premium rates online. The most important thing to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a smaller regional carrier.
When trying to cut insurance costs, do not buy poor coverage just to save money. There are too many instances where an accident victim reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that it was a big error on their part. Your focus should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best possible price, but do not skimp to save money.
Lower-priced auto insurance is definitely available from both online companies in addition to local insurance agencies, and you need to price shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance providers don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and many times these smaller providers prefer to sell through local independent agents.