6 Methods to Save on Car Insurance in Sammamish

Purchasing affordable Sammamish car insurance over the internet can be somewhat difficult for consumers new to comparison shopping online. With so many choices of insurers available, how can you possibly compare the different rates to find the lowest price?

It's important to compare prices on a regular basis since rates are constantly changing. Despite the fact that you may have had the best deal a few years ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. So ignore everything you know about car insurance because we're going to show you the proper way to find lower rates on car insurance.

How to Lower Your Car Insurance Cost in Sammamish, Washington

There are several ways to compare rate quotes from local Sammamish car insurance companies. One of the best ways to compare insurance prices involves getting comparison quotes online. This is very easy and can be done using a couple different methods.

The fastest way to compare a lot of rates at once is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This easy form prevents you from having to do repetitive form entry for every car insurance company. One form submission will get you rate comparisons direct from many companies. Just one form and you're done.
A different way to compare rate quotes requires you to visit the website for each individual company to request a price quote. For sake of this example, we'll pretend you want comparison quotes from , and . To get rate quotes you would need to spend time on each company's site and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in Sammamish, click here.
The least recommended way to get comparison rates is driving to different Sammamish agent offices. Shopping for car insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you require the professional advice of a local Sammamish agent. However, consumers can find lower rates online and still use a local agent and we'll cover that in a bit.

It's up to you which method you use, but ensure you are comparing apples-to-apples coverage information for each price quote. If each company quotes unequal deductibles or liability limits it will be impossible to truly determine the lowest rate in Sammamish. Quoting even small variations in limits can result in a big premium difference. Just remember that comparing a large number of companies gives you a better chance of getting the best offered rates.

Take advantage of discounts

Car insurance is not cheap, but discounts can save money and there are some available to cut the cost considerably. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you get a quote, but some must be manually applied before you will receive the discount.

Anti-theft Discount - Cars that have factory anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
E-sign - Certain companies will give a small break just for signing your application online.
New Car Discount - Insuring a new car can cost up to 25% less since new cars are generally safer.
Early Switch Discount - Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching to them prior to your current policy expiration. It's a savings of about 10%.
Organization Discounts - Belonging to a professional or civic organization is a good way to get lower rates on your policy.
55 and Retired - If you're over the age of 55, you may be able to get a small decrease in premiums.

It's important to note that most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you're out of luck. But any discount will help reduce your overall premium however.

To choose providers who offer car insurance discounts in Washington, click here to view.

Are car insurance companies telling the truth?

Companies like Allstate and Progressive continually stream ads on TV and radio. All the ads make an identical promise that you can save after switching your coverage to them. But how can every company make the same claim?

All companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that makes them money. An example of a preferred risk could be a mature driver, insures multiple vehicles, and has a short commute. Any new insured who meets those qualifications will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will save a lot of money.

Drivers who don't qualify for this ideal profile will be charged higher premiums and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ad wording is "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save that much money. This is how insurance companies can make the claims of big savings.

That is why you need to get a wide range of price quotes. It's just too difficult to predict which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

More information is available on the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner website located here. Consumers can read consumer alerts, get help finding coverage, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.

Other informative sites include BankRate.com's Car Insurance: When not to Skimp and this Sammamish agent directory.

Affordable insurance is out there

As you shop your coverage around, don't be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The aim is to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

Lower-priced car insurance can be bought from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Sammamish, and you need to price shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance providers don't offer online price quotes and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

You just learned some good ideas how you can compare car insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even discover the best price on car insurance is with a small local company.