Insider Advice on Cheaper Hillsboro, OR Auto Insurance

Overpriced auto insurance can dwindle your bank account and put the squeeze on your family’s finances. Comparing price quotes is free and is an excellent way to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket.

Having so many companies and agents to choose from, it can be hard to pick the best company.

Finding affordable coverage in Hillsboro is not rocket science. If you are paying for car insurance now, you should be able to reduce your rates substantially using these methods. But Oregon drivers must comprehend how big insurance companies market on the web and apply this information to your search.

You probably qualify for some discounts

Companies don’t list every discount very clearly, so we researched some of the more common and also the lesser-known savings tricks you should be using.

  • Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles on the same auto insurance policy could earn a price break for each car.
  • Federal Employees – Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount with select insurance companies.
  • Seat Belt Usage – Requiring all passengers to use a seat belt could cut 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
  • Multi-policy Discount – When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same company you may earn up to 20% off your total premium.
  • Accident Free – Good drivers with no accidents can save substantially when compared with drivers who are more careless.
  • One Accident Forgiven – Certain companies will allow you to have one accident without raising rates if your claims history is clear for a particular time prior to the accident.
  • Early Switch Discount – Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching to them prior to your current policy expiring. It’s a savings of about 10%.
  • Save over 55 – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may receive a small decrease in premiums.
  • Theft Prevention System – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and will save you 10% or more.

Drivers should understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. Just because it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.

To see a list of providers with discount auto insurance rates in Oregon, click this link.

Hillsboro Auto Insurance Quote Comparison

There are several ways of comparing rate quotes from different in Hillsboro, Oregoninsurance companies. By far the easiest way to find the cheapest insurance rates is to perform an online rate comparison. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.

  1. The single most time-saving way consumers can make multiple comparisons would be an industry-wide quote request form click here to open form in new window. This type of form keeps you from doing separate quote forms for each company you want a rate for. In just a few minutes this one form gets you coverage quotes from auto insurance companies with the best prices.
  2. A harder way to find lower rates is to take the time to go to the website of each company to request a price quote. For examples sake, we’ll pretend you want to compare Allstate, State Farm and Farmers. To get each rate you have to take the time to go to each site and enter your information, which is why most consumers use the first method.

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

However you get your quotes, make darn sure you compare identical coverage information on every quote you get. If the quotes have different limits and deductibles on each one you can’t possibly find the best deal in Hillsboro. Slightly different coverages may result in large price differences. Just keep in mind that obtaining a wide range of quotes will improve the odds of getting lower pricing.price insurance in Hillsboro OR

Components of your insurance rates

It’s important that you understand the factors that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in big savings.

The list below includes some of the items used by your company to calculate premiums.

  • What type of vehicle do you drive? – The performance of the car you are buying insurance for makes a huge difference in how high your rates are. Economy passenger vehicles receive the most favorable rates, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
  • Cautious drivers pay less – Your driving record impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Even a single moving violation can boost insurance rates by twenty percent. Careful drivers have lower premiums than bad drivers. Drivers who get serious violations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may be required to file a SR-22 with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
  • Where you live – Choosing to live in less populated areas is a positive aspect when buying auto insurance. Fewer drivers translates into fewer accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft. Drivers in populated Oregon areas tend to have more traffic problems and much longer commute distances. Longer commute distances translates into higher accident risk.
  • Younger drivers pay higher rates – Mature drivers are more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and are safer drivers. Teenage drivers have a tendency to be careless and easily distracted in a vehicle therefore auto insurance rates are much higher.
  • Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? – Most companies will award you with lower prices to policyholders who consolidate policies with them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even if you’re getting this discount you may still want to shop around to verify if the discount is saving money. You may still be able to find better rates by insuring with multiple companies.
  • The more you drive the more you pay – The more miles you rack up on your car in a year’s time the more you will pay for auto insurance. Almost all companies apply a rate based on how the vehicle is used. Vehicles not used for work or commuting qualify for better rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Ask your agent if your auto insurance policy properly reflects how each vehicle is driven.

There’s no such thing as the perfect policy

When buying the best auto insurance coverage, there really is no “best” method to buy coverage. Each situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover whether or not you may require specific advice.

  • Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
  • Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
  • How much liability do I need to cover my assets?
  • Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
  • Which companies will insure high-risk drivers?
  • Is my vehicle covered for flood damage?
  • Do all my vehicles need collision coverage?
  • Can I afford low physical damage deductibles?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

Misconceptions in auto insurance advertisements

Auto insurance providers like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm consistently run television and radio advertisements. They all make the same claim of big savings if you change to them. How can each company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.

Different companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver they prefer to insure. For example, a driver they prefer might be a mature driver, owns a home, and has great credit. Any driver that hits that “sweet spot” receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to pay quite a bit less when switching companies.

Potential customers who don’t qualify for the requirements must pay higher premiums and this can result in the customer not buying. The ad wording is “customers that switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much money. This is how insurance companies can advertise the savings. This illustrates why drivers should compare as many rates as you can. It’s impossible to know which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

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Summing up your auto insurance search

As you shop your coverage around, never skimp on coverage in order to save money. In too many instances, someone dropped collision coverage only to find out that they should have had better coverage. The aim is to buy enough coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.

Throughout this article, we presented many ways to compare auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers could even find that the biggest savings come from a lesser-known regional company. They may only write in your state and offer lower rates than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.

More tips and info about auto insurance is available at the Oregon Insurance Division website. Consumers can view a list of available companies, learn about insurance regulations, find a variety of consumer forms, and read state legal mandates and laws.

Also read more on this site for Oregon auto insurance information and this resource to find Hillsboro, OR insurance agents.