Silverton Auto Insurance For Less Than You're Paying Now

If you've never shopped for auto insurance online, it's easy to get confused because of the huge number of auto insurance companies all offering big savings in Silverton.

How much can you save with discounts?

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but companies offer discounts that many people don't even know exist. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be specifically requested prior to getting the savings.

Homeowners Savings - Owning a home in Silverton may earn you a small savings because owning a home is proof that your finances are in order.
Early Signing - Some companies give discounts for switching policies prior to your current policy expiring. This can save 10% or more.
Theft Prevention System - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems help deter theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver's education in school.
Military Discounts - Having a family member in the military could mean lower rates.

Keep in mind that many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it just doesn't work that way. But any discount will reduce the amount you have to pay.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that could result in big savings.

Listed below are a few of the "ingredients" that factor into premiums.

What are your deductibles? - Physical damage deductibles represent how much money you are willing to pay before your auto insurance pays a claim. Coverage for physical damage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, protects your car from damage. Some examples of claims that would be covered could be colliding with a building, collision with an animal, and burglary. The higher the amount the insured has to pay upfront, the lower your rates will be.
Traffic violations increase rates - Only having one moving violation may increase your cost forty percent or more. Drivers with clean records get better rates than bad drivers. Drivers with serious tickets like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions are required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to continue driving.
How many coverages with the same company - Most auto insurance companies will award you with lower prices to customers who have multiple policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. This can amount to ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. Even with this discount, it's still a good idea to compare other company rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
Special features that cut premiums - Owning a car with a theft deterrent system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft features such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can help prevent your vehicle from being stolen.

How much car insurance do I need?

When it comes to buying adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Every situation is different.

For example, these questions may help highlight if your insurance needs would benefit from professional advice.

When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?

If it's difficult to answer those questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. If you don't have a local agent, complete this form.

Save 15 percent in 15 minutes? Is it for real?

Allstate, GEICO and Progressive constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. All the companies make the same claim that you can save if you switch your policy. How can each company make almost identical claims? It's all in the numbers.

All the different companies have a certain "appetite" for the right customer that earns them a profit. For example, a profitable customer could possibly be a mature driver, a clean driving record, and has excellent credit. A driver who matches those parameters will get very good rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who don't meet the requirements must pay a higher premium which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say "customers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. That is how insurance companies can make those claims.

This illustrates why drivers should get as many comparisons as possible. It is impossible to predict which company will have the lowest rates.

Additional Oregon consumer information

More information can be found on the Oregon Insurance Division website found here. Oregon consumers can report car insurance fraud, file complaints about a company, and read consumer alerts.

Affordable insurance is out there

Affordable auto insurance can be found online in addition to many Silverton insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. Some companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

In this article, we presented many ideas to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even find the best price on auto insurance is with some of the smallest insurance companies.

While you're price shopping online, it's not a good idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. In too many instances, someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret they didn't purchase enough coverage. Your focus should be to find the BEST coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.