Comparing Cheap Leavenworth Auto Insurance

Are you tired of trying to scrape together enough money each month for car insurance? Your situation is no different than many other drivers in Washington.

Consumers have many to pick from, and although it's nice to have a choice, it can be more difficult to compare rates.

Finding the best rates in Leavenworth is not that difficult. If you are paying for car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to cut costs considerably using this strategy. Although Washington vehicle owners do need to know how companies price online insurance because it can help you find the best coverage.

Comparison of Auto Insurance in Leavenworth

Most major insurance companies like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm provide prices on the web. Getting online quotes is quite easy as you just enter as detailed in the form. Behind the scenes, their system will obtain your driving and credit reports and generates a price based on these and other factors. This simplifies rate comparisons, but the time required to go to multiple sites and type in the same information is not the best way to spend an afternoon. But it's very important to have as many quotes as possible if you want to find better auto insurance pricing.

A less time-consuming method to lower your auto insurance bill requires only one form that gets prices from several different companies. The form is fast, eliminates repetitive work, and makes online shopping much simpler. As soon as you send your information, it gets priced and you can choose any one of the returned quotes. If you find a better price you can simply submit the application and purchase the new policy. The whole process just takes a couple of minutes and you will find out if you're overpaying now.

To quickly find out what other companies charge, click here to open in new window and input your coverage information. If you have coverage now, it's recommended you complete the form with deductibles and limits as close as possible to your current policy. This way, you will be getting a rate comparison based on similar coverages.

auto insurance in Leavenworth

You have some control over your rates

It's important that you understand some of the elements that go into determining auto insurance rates. Knowing what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that could result in big savings.

Listed below are a partial list of the pieces auto insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

  • Safer occupants lowers premiums - Vehicles with good safety scores are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles reduce injuries and better occupant protection translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and thus lower rates.
  • High numbers of claims are not good - Auto insurance companies in Washington provide lower rates to insureds who are claim-free. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can pretty much guarantee either higher rates or even cancellation. Insurance coverage is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • How credit affects auto insurance rates - A driver's credit score is a big factor in your rate calculation. If your credit is lower than you'd like, you could be paying less to insure your by spending a little time repairing your credit. Drivers who have good credit tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers who have poor credit.
  • Where do you drive? - The more miles you rack up on your car every year the more you'll pay to insure your vehicle. Most insurance companies price each vehicle's coverage based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles not used for work or commuting receive lower rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Ask your agent if your auto insurance policy shows how each vehicle is driven, because improper ratings can cost you money.
  • Equipment add-ons that lower auto insurance rates - Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft features like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all hinder your car from being stolen.
  • Your job and insurance rates - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupations such as judges, architects and financial analysts tend to have higher average rates due to high stress levels and lots of time spent at work. Conversely, occupations such as farmers, engineers and homemakers receive lower rates.
  • Performance makes a difference - The make and model of the car you are insuring makes a significant difference in how high your rates are. The lowest base rates are generally reserved for small economy passenger vehicles, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
  • Traffic citations inflate rates - Whether or not you get tickets has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Only having one citation can boost insurance rates by as much as thirty percent. Careful drivers get better rates than bad drivers. Drivers with serious tickets like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence are required to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.

These discounts can lower your rates

Companies do not advertise all available discounts very clearly, so we researched some of the best known and also the lesser-known auto insurance savings.

  • Service Members Pay Less - Having a deployed family member could mean lower rates.
  • Employee of Federal Government - Simply working for the federal government may qualify you for a discount depending on your company.
  • Anti-lock Brake Discount - Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems are safer to drive and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
  • New Vehicle Savings - Buying coverage on a new vehicle can save up to 30% due to better safety requirements for new cars.
  • Payment Discounts - If you pay your bill all at once rather than paying monthly you may reduce your total bill.
  • No Accidents - Claim-free drivers pay much less when compared with frequent claim filers.
  • Early Signing - Some companies give discounts for signing up before your current policy expires. This can save 10% or more.

A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire cost. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So despite the fact that it appears all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won't be that lucky.

For a list of insurers offering auto insurance discounts in Washington, follow this link.

Even more information is located at the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner website. Washington drivers can find disaster information, download brochures, find out industry alerts, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.

Other useful links include this page for auto insurance prices in Washington and this page of Leavenworth insurance agents.

Shop smart and save

The cheapest auto insurance can be found on the web and also from your neighborhood Leavenworth agents, so you should compare both to have the best rate selection. Some auto insurance companies may not provide online quoting and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When shopping online for auto insurance, make sure you don't reduce needed coverages to save money. There are a lot of situations where an accident victim reduced liability coverage limits only to discover later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.