Best Auto Insurance Exclusively for Longview Residents

Are you intimidated by the number of auto insurance choices in Longview? Many other consumers are too. People have so many options that it can easily become a real challenge to find the best price.

How your Longview rates are determined

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to big savings.

The following are a few of the “ingredients” that factor into prices.

Sex matters – Statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, this does not mean women are BETTER drivers than men. Both sexes cause accidents at about the same rate, but men have costlier accidents. Men also get more serious tickets like reckless driving and DUI. Male drivers age 16 to 19 tend to get in the most accidents and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.
What are your deductibles? – Physical damage coverage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. A few examples of covered claims are collision with another vehicle, vandalism, or theft. Physical damage deductibles are how much you are willing to pay out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. The more money you have to pay, the less your auto insurance will be.
Your location is important – Being located in a rural area can be a good thing when it comes to auto insurance. Urban drivers tend to have much more traffic and longer commute times. Fewer drivers means reduced accidents.
Small claims can cost you – If you are a frequent claim filer, you can look forward to either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Companies in Washington provide better rates to insureds who are claim-free. Auto insurance is meant to be used in the event of larger claims.
Tickets mean higher rates – A bad driving record impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Even one citation can increase rates by as much as thirty percent. Good drivers tend to pay less for car insurance compared to drivers with tickets. If you have flagrant violations like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may find they need to submit a SR-22 form with their state DMV in order to keep their license.
Performance makes a difference – The performance of the vehicle you are insuring makes a substantial difference in determining your rates. The most favorable rates tend to be for lower performance four cylinder passenger models, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.

Finding Auto Insurance Deals in Longview, Washington

The are a couple different ways of comparing rate quotes from local in Longview, Washingtonauto insurance companies. By far the easiest way to find competitive insurance rates is to get quotes online. This can be done in several different ways.

One of the best ways to find the lowest comparison rates is a comparison rater form (click to open form in new window). This form keeps you from doing repetitive form submissions to each individual auto insurance company. One form submission will return price quotes .It’s the quickest way to get rates.

A harder way to analyze rates requires visiting the website for every company you want to comare to request a price quote. For examples sake, let’s say you want to compare Farmers, GEICO and Allstate. To find out each rate you need to go to every website and enter your policy data, which is why most consumers use the first method.

For a list of links to insurance companies in Longview, click here.

Which method you use is up to you, but make darn sure you compare identical information for every company. If you are comparing higher or lower deductibles it’s impossible to determine the best price in Longview. Slightly different insurance coverages could mean much higher rates. Just keep in mind that obtaining a wide range of quotes will improve the odds of getting better pricing. Longview insurance prices

Pay less by taking advantage of discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don’t always publicize all available discounts very well, so the following is a list of both well-publicized and also the lesser-known ways to save on auto insurance.

Driver Safety – Completing a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount if you qualify.
Good Student Discount – Performing well in school can save 20 to 25%. This discount can apply up to age 25.
Passive Restraint Discount – Cars that have air bags or automatic seat belts can receive discounts of up to 25% or more.
Resident Student – Any of your kids living away from home attending college and don’t have a car may be able to be covered for less.
New Vehicle Savings – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can save up to 30% due to better safety requirements for new cars.
Seat Belts Save – Drivers who require all occupants to use a seat belt could cut 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
55 and Retired – Mature drivers may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
Low Mileage Discounts – Fewer annual miles could be rewarded with better rates on cars that stay parked.
Lower Rates for Military – Being deployed with a military unit can result in better rates.
Student Driver Training – Have your child complete a driver education course if it’s offered in school.

A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won’t be that lucky.

To see a list of insurance companies with the best auto insurance discounts in Washington, click this link.

Your coverage should be tailored to you

When choosing the right insurance coverage, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s situation is a little different.

Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight whether you might need professional guidance.

Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
Does my personal auto insurance policy cover using my vehicle for business use?
When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
Is my custom paint covered by insurance?
Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
What are Washington no-fault laws?
Which companies will insure high-risk drivers?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.

Additional detailed information is available at the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner website. Visitors are able to find disaster information, learn about specific coverages, and learn about insurance regulations.

In the end, you save

Cheap auto insurance is attainable on the web in addition to many Longview insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best selection. A few companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

When shopping online for auto insurance, make sure you don’t buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many cases, someone sacrificed collision coverage only to find out they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your strategy should be to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.

Drivers change insurance companies for any number of reasons including not issuing a premium refund, policy cancellation, high prices and lack of trust in their agent. It doesn’t matter what your reason, switching companies can be pretty painless.