How to Know You're Paying Too Much for Auto Insurance in Covington

I can't think of anyone who looks forward to paying for auto insurance, in particular when they are paying too much.

Big-name insurance companies like GEICO and Progressive increase brand awareness with fancy advertisements and it is difficult to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

If you have car insurance now, you should be able to cut costs considerably using this strategy. Finding the best rates in Covington is easy if you know what you're doing. But Washington drivers do need to know how insurance companies price insurance differently because it can help you find the best coverage.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Companies that sell car insurance don't list every discount in a way that's easy to find, so we researched both well-publicized and the harder-to-find ways to save on auto insurance.

Service Members Pay Less - Having a family member in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
Good Student - A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you well after school through age 25.
Discount for New Cars - Adding a new car to your policy can be considerably cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
No Accidents - Good drivers with no accidents pay much less when compared to bad drivers.
Multiple Vehicles - Buying coverage for multiple vehicles on the same auto insurance policy qualifies for this discount.
Save over 55 - Mature drivers may be able to get better auto insurance rates.
Payment Method - If paying your policy premium upfront instead of paying each month you may reduce your total bill.
Paperwork-free - Certain companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.
Federal Employees - Being employed by or retired from a federal job can save as much as 8% with a few auto insurance companies.

Consumers should know that many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don't profit that way.

To see a list of insurance companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Covington, click this link.

Auto Insurance Comparison Rates in Covington, WA

Most companies give coverage prices online. This process is pretty painless as you simply type in your personal and coverage information as detailed in the form. Once you submit the form, the company's rating system will obtain your driving record and credit report and generates pricing information. Online quotes helps simplify price comparisons, but the time it takes to visit several different sites and complete many quote forms can be a bit tiresome and repetitive. But it's very important to do this in order to get the best price on auto insurance.

The easy way to compare rates

The preferred way to compare rates uses one form that gets prices from many companies. The form is fast, requires less work, and makes comparison shopping much more enjoyable and efficient. Immediately after submitting the form, your coverage is rated and you can select your choice of the price quotes you receive. If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you simply finish the application and purchase coverage. This process can be completed in a matter of minutes and may result in a nice savings.

To find out if lower rates are available, click here to open in new window and submit the form. If you have coverage now, it's recommended you input the limits and deductibles identical to your current policy. This makes sure you are getting rate comparison quotes based on the exact same insurance coverage.

Covington Rates are Influenced by These Factors

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.

Safe vehicles cost less to insure - Cars with high safety ratings tend to have better insurance rates. The safest vehicles reduce injuries and lower injury rates means less money paid by your insurance company and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Careful drivers pay lower rates - Even one citation can boost insurance rates forty percent or more. Careful drivers tend to pay less for car insurance compared to drivers with tickets. If you have flagrant violations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may find they need to submit a SR-22 form with their state DMV in order to keep their license.
Drive less and save money - Driving more miles each year the higher your rate. Most insurance companies apply a rate based on how the vehicle is used. Autos left parked in the garage receive lower rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Make sure your auto insurance coverage is rated on the proper vehicle usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
Do you have a high stress job? - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Careers like judges, executives and dentists tend to have the highest average rates in part from stressful work requirements and lengthy work days. Other occupations such as scientists, historians and performers receive lower rates.

Tailor your coverage to you

When choosing the best auto insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Every insured's situation is different so this has to be addressed. For instance, these questions may help highlight whether you may require specific advice.

Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
Should I buy only the required Washington minimum liability coverage?
Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my vehicle is totaled?
Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?

If it's difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

How can State Farm, Allstate and GEICO save drivers who switch?

Auto insurance providers like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO continually stream ads on television and other media. They all make the same claim that you'll save big after switching to their company. How can each company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.

All companies have a certain "appetite" for the driver that is profitable for them. For instance, a driver they prefer could possibly be over the age of 50, a clean driving record, and drives newer vehicles. A customer getting a price quote who matches those parameters will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Consumers who are not a match for the requirements will be quoted higher rates which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ad wording is "drivers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much. That is how companies can claim big savings. This emphasizes why drivers must get quotes from several different companies. It's impossible to know which company will give you the biggest savings.

Shop smart and save

You just read many ideas to compare auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from a lesser-known regional company. These smaller insurers may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than the large multi-state companies such as .

When trying to cut insurance costs, it's a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where someone dropped collision coverage and learned later that it was a big mistake. The proper strategy is to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.

Additional Washington consumer information

More detailed Washington auto insurance information is located at the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner website. Washington consumers can find disaster information, file complaints about a company, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and read industry bulletins.