Proven Techniques to Save on Snoqualmie Auto Insurance

Sick and tired of not being able to afford each month for car insurance? You are in the same boat as most other car owners in Washington.

Big companies like GEICO and Progressive all promote huge savings with ads and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and do the work needed to find the best deal.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will most likely be able to lower your premiums substantially using this information. Finding affordable coverage in Snoqualmie is quite easy. Nevertheless, Washington vehicle owners do need to know how the larger insurance companies price insurance differently and use this information to your advantage.

How much can you save with discounts?

Companies offering auto insurance don't list every discount in a way that's easy to find, so we break down some of the best known and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using.

Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully complete driver's ed class if it's offered in school.
Payment Method - If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may reduce your total bill.
New Vehicle Savings - Putting insurance coverage on a new car is cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
Seat Belts Save - Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could cut 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
Employee of Federal Government - Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off with a few auto insurance companies.
Senior Discount - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get better auto insurance rates.
Low Mileage Discounts - Fewer annual miles can earn discounted rates on garaged vehicles.

It's important to understand that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it doesn't quite work that way.

Snoqualmie Rates are Influenced by These Factors

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that help determine auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates enables informed choices that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.

Keep rates low by being claim-free - Companies in Washington award cheaper rates to policyholders who are claim-free. If you file claims often, you can expect either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Your insurance policy is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Your car's features help determine rates - Driving a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all hinder car theft.
Drive less and save money - Driving more miles every year the higher your rate. Most insurance companies price each vehicle's coverage determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks used primarily for pleasure use qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. Double check that your auto insurance coverage is rated on the proper vehicle usage.
Never go without insurance - Letting your insurance expire will be a guaranteed way to bump up your auto insurance costs. Not only will rates go up, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance may earn you a revoked license or a big fine.
Do you have a high stress job? - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Careers like lawyers, business owners and dentists tend to have the highest average rates in part from job stress and long work days. Other occupations like farmers, historians and performers receive lower rates.
Do men or women drive better? - The statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, this does not mean men are worse drivers. Both sexes have accidents in similar percentages, but the men have costlier accidents. Men also statistically receive more costly citations like reckless driving and DUI. Male drivers age 16 to 19 tend to get in the most accidents and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
Policy add-ons can waste money - There are a ton of extra bells and whistles that can waste your money if you aren't careful. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, accident forgiveness and term life insurance may be costing you every month. They may seem good when talking to your agent, but if they're wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.

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

Auto insurance providers like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO continually stream television and radio advertisements. They all make an identical promise of big savings after switching to their company. How can each company say the same thing? This is how they do it.

Insurance companies can use profiling for the driver that earns them a profit. For example, a driver they prefer might be profiled as between the ages of 40 and 55, has no tickets, and has great credit. A propective insured who meets those qualifications receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who don't meet the requirements will be quoted higher prices and ends up with business not being written. Company advertisements say "drivers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much. That's why insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings. This emphasizes why drivers should get as many quotes as possible. It's not possible to predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.

More Washington auto insurance information

More tips and info about auto insurance can be found at the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner website. Washington drivers can download brochures, view a list of available companies, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and find a variety of consumer forms.

Do the work, save more money

As you prepare to switch companies, it's a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many situations where an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.

Low-cost auto insurance can be purchased on the web and also from your neighborhood Snoqualmie agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.