Expert Advice on Lower Renton Car Insurance

Are you a victim of overpriced car insurance? Trust us, you’re not the only one. Drivers have multiple auto insurance companies to buy insurance from, and although it’s a good thing to be able to choose, it can be more challenging to find the lowest rates.

It’s a good idea to compare prices quite often because prices are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Just because you found the best deal last year you can probably find a better price now. You’ll find quite a bit of inaccurate information about car insurance online, so with this article, you’re going to get some proven techniques to find cheap car insurance.

Finding the cheapest coverage in Renton is quite easy. If you are insured now or need a new policy, you can learn to shop for the lowest rates while maximizing coverage. Washington consumers just need to learn the most effective way to compare rates over the internet.

Do you qualify for discounts?

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but there could be available discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Most are applied at the time you complete a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be inquired about in order for you to get them. If you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you are throwing money away.

• Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Requiring all passengers to use their safety belts could cut 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
• Government Employees – Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount depending on your company.
• Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory air bags may earn rate discounts of more than 20%.
• Homeowners Savings – Owning a home in Renton may trigger a car insurance policy discount because of the fact that having a home requires personal responsibility.
• Discount for Swiching Early – Some companies give discounts for buying a policy before your current policy expires. The savings is around 10%.
• Safe Drivers – Safe drivers can pay as much as 50% less than their less cautious counterparts.
• Multi-car Discount – Buying insurance for more than one vehicle on one policy qualifies for this discount.

It’s important to note that some credits don’t apply to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. Even though it may seem like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies don’t profit that way. Any amount of discount will bring down the cost of coverage.

For a list of insurers who offer car insurance discounts in Washington, follow this link.

What if I want to buy from a local Renton agent?

Some consumers just want to visit with an insurance agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Insurance agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help you file claims. One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is that you can obtain lower rates and still have an agent to talk to. Buying from local agencies is important especially in Renton.

To find an agent, once you fill out this short form, your coverage information is emailed to participating agents in Renton who will return price quotes to get your business. You won’t need to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent to the email address you provide. How cool is that?!

Shown below are agents in Renton that can give you price quote information.

Farmers Insurance Group – 433 Park Ave N, Renton, WA 98055 – (425) 430-8666
Chuck Rubin Agency – 326 Union Ave NE, Renton, WA 98059 – (425) 644-2676
Hub Insurance – 1102 Bronson Way N, Renton, WA 98055 – (425) 255-2486
Allstate Insurance – 364 Renton Center Way SW # 62a, Renton, WA 98055 – (425) 271-8398
Integrity Insurance – 222 Williams Ave S # 21, Renton, WA 98055 – (425) 277-9922

Selecting an insurer shouldn’t rely on just the price. Agents should be asked these questions:

• What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
• Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
• If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
• If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
• How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
• Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
• Does the agency support the community they serve?

Upon receiving acceptable answers to any questions you have and a good coverage price, you may have just found an provider that is a good match to properly insure your vehicles.

Car insurance ads bend the truth

Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements that promise big savings from companies such as Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm. All the companies make an identical promise about savings if you switch your policy.

How can each company make the same claim? This is how they do it.

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the driver that earns them a profit. For instance, a preferred risk might be between the ages of 40 and 55, has no prior claims, and drives newer vehicles. Any new insured who meets those qualifications will get the preferred rates and as a result will probably pay quite a bit less when switching companies.

Consumers who don’t measure up to the “perfect” profile will be charged higher premiums which usually ends up with business not being written. Company advertisements say “people who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. That is how companies can truthfully advertise the savings.

That is why it is so important to quote coverage with many companies. It’s not possible to predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.

For more Washington car insurance information

Additional car insurance information is available on the website for the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner located here. Consumers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, find out industry alerts, and view a list of available companies.

Quote often and quote early

Cheap car insurance is available on the web and with local Renton insurance agents, so compare prices from both to get a complete price analysis. Some car insurance companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

As you shop your coverage around, make sure you don’t skimp on coverage in order to save money. In too many instances, someone sacrificed liability coverage limits to discover at claim time that it was a big mistake. Your goal should be to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.