Having to pay for expensive auto insurance can diminish your accounts and force you to make sacrifices. Comparison shopping can save money and help to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket.
Drivers have so many auto insurance companies to pick from, and although it’s a good thing to be able to choose, it can be more challenging to adequately compare rates.
It’s a good habit to quote other rates at least once a year because auto insurance prices are usually higher with each renewal. Even if you got the best deal a few years ago a different company probably has better rate quotes today. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because we’re going to demonstrate how to use the internet to find better coverage at a better price.
Pricing affordable coverage in Fife is simple if you know the tricks. Basically, every driver who is shopping for auto insurance should be able to lower their premiums. But Washington car owners must learn how big insurance companies market on the web and take advantage of how the system works.
Rate influencing factors
Lots of things are used in the calculation when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are obvious like an MVR report, although others are more transparent like your continuous coverage or your commute time.
The list below includes some of the most common factors companies use to determine your rate level.
- Keep premiums low by being claim-free – Companies in Washington give most affordable rates to insureds who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can expect either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Auto insurance is designed for claims that you cannot pay yourself.
- Premiums are impacted by vehicle performance – The performance of the car you are trying to find cheaper insurance for makes a huge difference in your car insurance bill. The lowest base rates are usually found on smaller low performance passenger cars, but many other things help determine your insurance rates.
- Getting married equates to better rates – Having a wife or husband can actually save you money on auto insurance. Marriage usually means you are more mature and statistics show married drivers tend to file fewer claims.
- Safety first – Cars with high safety ratings tend to have lower insurance rates. These vehicles result in less severe injuries and lower injury rates means lower claim amounts and cheaper rates on your policy. If your vehicle has at least four stars on Safercar.gov or an “acceptable” rating on iihs.org it may be receiving lower rates.
- Females tend to cost less – Statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, don’t assume that men are worse drivers. They both cause auto accidents at about the same rate, but men tend to have more serious accidents. Men also tend to get more serious tickets like driving under the influence (DUI). Male drivers age 16 to 19 are most likely to cause an accident and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
- Liability insurance limits should be high – The liability section of your policy kicks in if ever you are found liable for physical damage or personal injury to other. Liability insurance provides you with a defense in court to attempt to prove you were not liable. This coverage is relatively inexpensive when compared to the cost of physical damage coverage, so drivers should buy more than the minimum limits required by law.
- Avoid unnecessary add-on coverages – There are a ton of optional add-on coverages that you can buy if you don’t pay attention. Coverages for rental car reimbursement, death and dismemberment, and Farm Bureau memberships may not be needed and are just wasting money. These coverages may sound good when discussing your needs, but your money might be better spent on other coverage so eliminate them to save money.
Auto insurance quotes and discounts
Auto insurance is not cheap nor is it fun to buy but companies offer discounts that may help make it more affordable. Many discounts should be triggered when you get a quote, but some need to be specifically requested prior to receiving the credit.
- Discount for Low Mileage – Fewer annual miles could be rewarded with discounted auto insurancerates on garaged vehicles.
- ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Cars and trucks with anti-lock braking systems can stop better under adverse conditions so you can save 10 percent or more.
- Discounts for Federal Employees – Active or former government employment can earn a discount up to 10% but check with your company.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Cars and trucks optioned with advanced anti-theft systems can help prevent theft so companies will give you a small discount.
- Full Payment Discount – If you can afford to pay the entire bill instead of paying each month you could save 5% or more.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you can bundle your homeowners and auto insurance with one company you may save up to 20% off your total premium.
- Accident Forgiveness Coverage – Not a discount per se, but companies like Libery Mutual, Geico and Allstate permit an accident without raising rates if your claims history is clear before the accident.
- Discount for Passive Restraints – Factory options such as air bags could see savings of 20% or more.
- Active Service Discounts – Having a family member in the military could mean lower premium rates.
- Data Collection Discounts – Drivers who elect to allow their insurance company to look at where and when they drive remotely like Allstate’s Drivewise may see discounts as long as they are good drivers.
Drivers should understand that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So even though it sounds like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it’s just not the way it works.
Car insurance companies that may offer some of the above discounts possibly include:
If you are trying to find , ask all companies you are considering which credits you are entitled to. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not apply everywhere. To choose providers that offer many of these discounts in Fife, click here.
Auto insurance is available from your local insurance agencies
A small number of people just want to sit down and talk to an agent and often times that is recommended An additional benefit of comparing insurance prices online is the fact that you can find cheap auto insurance quotes and still choose a local agent. And buying from local insurance agencies is definitely important in Fife.
For easy comparison, once you complete this quick form, your coverage information is sent to agents in your area that give free quotes for your insurance coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to leave your house since rate quotes are delivered to you directly. You’ll get the best rates and work with a local agent. If you want to get a rate quote from a specific company, you can always find their quoting web page and give them your coverage information.
When finding a reliable insurance agent, it can be helpful to understand the types of insurance agents and how they work. Agents in Fife are either captive or independent.
Independent Auto Insurance Agents
Agents of this type are appointed with more than one company and that allows them to write policies with a variety of different insurance companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If premiums increase, your policy is moved internally and you can keep the same agent.
When comparison shopping, you will want to get insurance quotes from a few independent agents so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare.
Listed below are independent agencies in Fife that may be able to give comparison quotes.
SAV-On Insurance – 4500 Pacific Hwy E – Fife, WA 98424 – (253) 922-7778
Sandra Price Insurance – 1514 54th Ave E – Fife, WA 98424 – (253) 922-1117
Captive Auto Insurance Agencies
Agents in the captive channel can only quote rates from one company and some examples include State Farm, Allstate and AAA. These agents are not able to compare rates from other companies so always compare other rates. These agents are usually well trained on sales techniques which helps them sell on service rather than price.
The following are Fife captive insurance agencies willing to provide price quotes.
State Farm Insurance – 5580 Pacific Hwy E # G – Fife, WA 98424 – (253) 922-8746
To view agents in your area, click for a complete selection of auto insurance providers in Fife, WA.
Selecting a insurance agency should include more criteria than just the quoted price. Any agent should be willing to answer these questions.
- Will one accident increase rates?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- What company do they have the most business with?
- Can you get a list of referrals?
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Washington?
- Is there a Errors and Omissions policy in force?
- Do they prorate repair cost based on vehicle mileage?
If you receive positive responses to any questions you may have and a good coverage price, most likely you have located an insurance agency that is a good match to service your policy.
Auto insurance ads bend the truth
Auto insurance providers like Geico, State Farm and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. All the companies advertise the message of big savings if you move to their company. How do they all claim to save you money? This is the way they can do it.
Auto insurance companies have strict underwriting profiles for the right customer that earns them the highest profit. A good example of a preferred risk might be described as between the ages of 30 and 45, has few claims, and has a high credit rating. Any new insured who matches that profile will get low rates and as a result will probably save money with a new company.
Consumers who do not match this stringent profile must pay higher premiums and this can result in business going elsewhere. If you listen closely, the ads state “drivers who switch” but not “all drivers who get quotes” will save that much if they switch. That is how insurance companies can confidently make claims that they all have the best prices.
Because each company has a different risk profile, drivers must do a price quote comparison at every renewal. It’s just not possible to know which insurance companies will have the best premium rates.
Much more information about auto insurance in Washington is located on the located here. Washington drivers can read state legal mandates and laws, read industry bulletins, learn about specific coverages, and learn about insurance regulations.
Online plus local equals savings
While you’re price shopping online, you should never skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are too many instances where consumers will sacrifice liability limits or collision coverage and found out when filing a claim that they should have had better coverage. Your objective should be to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate.
We’ve covered many ideas to get a better price on auto insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the lowest prices are with a small mutual company. These companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm or Progressive.