Consumer Tested Strategies for Comparing Low-Cost Bend Oregon Auto Insurance

Price shopping your Bend auto insurance can be nearly impossible for consumers not familiar with buying insurance online. Consumers have so many choices that it can quickly become a ton of work to compare prices in Bend.

Smart consumers take time to do rate comparisons occasionally because rates tend to go up over time. Even if you got the best rates a few years ago you can probably find a better price now. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to one of the easiest ways to buy cheaper auto insurance.

Auto Insurance Prices in Bend, Oregon

Effectively comparing auto insurance prices is a ton of work if you don’t utilize the fastest way to get free quotes. You can spend your afternoon talking to insurance agencies in Bend, or you can stay home and use online quoting to maximize your effort.

Many companies belong to an insurance system that enables customers to only type in their quote data once, and each company returns a competitive quote based on that data. This prevents consumers from doing quote forms for every auto insurance company. To access this free quoting program, click here to open in new window.

The single downside to pricing coverage this way is you cannot specify which companies to get pricing from. So if you prefer to pick individual companies to compare, we have assembled a list of auto insurance companies in Oregon. Click to view list.

It’s up to you which method you use, but be sure to compare the exact same coverages and limits for each price quote. If your comparisons have different limits and deductibles on each one it will be impossible to determine the best price in Bend. Having just a slight variation in coverage limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. It’s important to know that obtaining a wide range of quotes helps locate lower pricing.

You have some control over your rates

It’s important that you understand the rating factors that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

Marriage pays dividends – Having a spouse helps lower the price on auto insurance. Having a significant other usually means you are more mature it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married are more cautious.
Teen drivers pay high rates – Teenage drivers in Oregon have a tendency to be more careless in a vehicle so they pay higher auto insurance rates. Mature drivers are viewed as being more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers.
Your job and insurance rates – Careers like judges, business owners and stock brokers are shown to have the highest rates due to high stress levels and long work days. On the other hand, occupations such as farmers, students and the unemployed pay the least.
Tickets mean higher rates – Your driving citation history has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Just one citation may increase your cost forty percent or more. Drivers with clean records have lower premiums than people who have multiple driving citations. Drivers who have severe citations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with the DMV in their state in order to drive a vehicle legally.
Extra add-on coverages are wasting money – There are a lot of extra bells and whistles that you can buy on your policy. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, towing coverage and additional equipment coverage may be wasting your money. These may sound like a good investment initially, but now you might not need them so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
Your location affects your rates – Residing in less populated areas can be a good thing when insuring your vehicles. Fewer drivers means reduced accidents and a lower car theft rate. City drivers regularly have much more traffic to deal with and longer commutes to work. Higher commute times can result in more accidents.
Choose a safe vehicle and save – Vehicles with good safety scores can get you lower premiums. These vehicles reduce injuries and lower injury rates translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders.

These discounts can slash auto insurance rates

Companies don’t necessarily list every available discount very well, so we researched both well-publicized and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving.

New Vehicle Savings – Insuring a new car can be considerably cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
Bundle and Save – When you have multiple policies with the same company you may earn approximately 10% to 15%.
Student Driver Training – Have your child enroll in driver’s education in high school.
Drive Less and Save – Keeping the miles down can earn discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts can receive discounts of 20% or more.
Memberships – Participating in certain professional organizations may earn a discount when shopping for auto insurance.
Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can avoid accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
Life Insurance Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with a discount if you purchase life insurance from them.

It’s important to note that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though it sounds like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.

For a list of companies with discount auto insurance rates in Bend, click here.

When might I need the advice of an agent?

When buying coverage, there isn’t really a perfect coverage plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.

Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover whether or not you might need professional guidance.

What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
If my vehicle is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?
Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
Do I have coverage for damage caused while driving under the influence?
What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?
Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?

If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form.

Best coverage at the best price

When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s very important that you do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are too many instances where an accident victim reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits and discovered at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.

Drivers who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including poor customer service, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, delays in paying claims and denial of a claim. Whatever your reason, finding a new auto insurance company is not as hard as you think.

We just showed you a lot of techniques to reduce auto insurance prices online. It’s most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the higher the chance of saving money. Drivers may discover the lowest priced auto insurance comes from an unexpected company.

To find out more about Oregon auto insurance

More tips and info about auto insurance is located at the Oregon Insurance Division website. Consumers can read industry bulletins, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and view agent and company licensing information.

Other useful links include this resource for Oregon auto insurance prices and this resource to find Bend, OR insurance agents.