One of the more important components used to determine the policy price is where you live in Washington. More populated areas like Federal Way, Tacoma, and Renton tend to pay higher rates, whereas areas with lower crime rates and fewer weather claims have the luxury of lower rates.
The next table displays the higher priced cities in Washington for seniors to purchase car insurance in.
Rank | City | Average Per Year |
---|---|---|
1 | Federal Way | $1,421 |
2 | Seattle | $1,405 |
3 | Tacoma | $1,399 |
4 | Kent | $1,391 |
5 | Renton | $1,389 |
6 | Auburn | $1,380 |
7 | Lakewood | $1,378 |
8 | South Hill | $1,354 |
9 | Shoreline | $1,352 |
10 | Marysville | $1,258 |
11 | Everett | $1,250 |
12 | Bellevue | $1,243 |
13 | Sammamish | $1,220 |
14 | Kirkland | $1,207 |
15 | Redmond | $1,201 |
16 | Vancouver | $1,157 |
17 | Olympia | $1,116 |
18 | Spokane Valley | $1,098 |
19 | Spokane | $1,093 |
20 | Lacey | $1,078 |
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Annual rates are comparative as specific location information can lower or raise coverage rates noticeably.
The type of vehicle driven is probably the most important factor when looking for cheap auto insurance for seniors in Washington. Vehicles with limited speed and performance, a great safety record, or a positive history of liability claims will cost much less to insure than high performance models.
The next table shows insurance prices for a selection of the most cost-effective automobiles to buy insurance for.
Vehicle Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
---|---|
Honda CR-V EX 2WD | $510 |
Honda Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan | $520 |
Ford Escape XLT 4WD | $522 |
Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $556 |
Subaru Forester X Premium AWP AWD | $568 |
Toyota Prius | $576 |
Chevrolet Traverse LT AWD | $568 |
Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer 2WD | $572 |
Honda Civic DX 4-Dr Sedan | $593 |
Hyundai Tucson Limited 2WD | $605 |
Toyota Camry LE | $615 |
Volkswagen Jetta LE 4-Dr Sedan | $605 |
Chevrolet Malibu LS | $613 |
Toyota RAV4 2WD | $605 |
Subaru Outback 3.6R | $617 |
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Data rating is based on married male driver age 60, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Washington minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, claim-free, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle. Estimates do not factor in specific zip code location which can affect prices noticeably.
Based upon these rates, models like the Honda CR-V, Honda Accord, Ford Escape, Hyundai Elantra, and Subaru Forester are the less-costly vehicles to insure for senior citizens.
In a perfect world, the ideal way to receive good auto insurance prices in Washington for senior citizens is to drive safe and avoid tickets and accidents. The example below demonstrates how speeding tickets and at-fault collisions drive up insurance premiums for different ages of insureds. The price estimates are based on a married male driver, full coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
google.charts.setOnLoadCallback(drawVioqcibChart);function drawVioqcibChart() {var data = google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([[‘Age of Insured’, ‘No Violations or Accidents’, ‘One Speeding Ticket and No Accidents’, ‘One Speeding Ticket and Two Accidents’],[‘Age 20’, 2501,2715,4503],[‘Age 30’, 1321,1533,3321],[‘Age 40’, 1267,1479,3269],[‘Age 50’, 1157,1369,3159],[‘Age 60’, 1137,1351,3137],[‘Age 70’, 1305,1517,3305]]);var options = {title: ‘Impact of Violations and Accidents on Washington Auto Insurance Prices’,titleTextStyle: {color: ‘#333’, fontSize: 17, bold: true},width: ‘100%’,height: 600,’chartArea’: {left:100,top:50,’width’: ‘100%’, ‘height’: ‘70%’},legend: {position: ‘bottom’,textStyle: {fontSize: 12}},colors:[‘#b2da64′,’#eed355′,’#e39e71’],hAxis: {title: ‘Annual Auto Insurance Cost for Average Vehicle in Washington’,minValue: 0,format: ‘$###,###’},vAxis: {title: ‘Age of Insured’}};var formatter = new google.visualization.NumberFormat({fractionDigits: 0,prefix: ‘$’});formatter.format(data,1);formatter.format(data,2);formatter.format(data,3);var chart = new google.visualization.BarChart(document.getElementById(‘qcibvio’));chart.draw(data, options);}
The data charted above shows the average cost of auto insurance in Washington per year with a clean driving record and no accidents is $1,448. Get one speeding ticket and the average cost rises to $1,661, an increase of $213 each year. Now get two accidents along with the one speeding ticket and the annual cost of auto insurance for seniors jumps again to an average of $3,449. That’s an increase of $2,001, or $167 per month, just for not being a responsible driver!
Insurance companies that offer coverage for seniors could also offer premium discounts that may potentially lower prices by 25% or more if you meet eligibility requirements. The best auto insurance companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are detailed below.
Discount | Progressive | State Farm | Allstate | Geico | Farmers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bundle discount | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Multiple vehicles | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Anti-theft | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Anti-lock brakes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Passive restraint | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Running lights | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
New vehicle | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Accident-free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Defensive driver training | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Armed forces | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Affinity/occupation | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Paid in full | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Email statements | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Brand loyalty | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Early sign-up | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Good student | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Student away from home | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Own your home | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
Seat belt use | No | No | No | Yes | No |
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The illustration below shows the comparison of insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the rates. The information is based on a male driver, no tickets, no at-fault accidents, Washington state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with marriage, accident-free, safe-driver, passive restraint, defensive driving course, and vehicle safety discounts applied. When taking advantage of discounts, the average savings per year on auto insurance for seniors is % or $.
google.charts.setOnLoadCallback(drawDiscqcibChart);function drawDiscqcibChart() {var data = google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([[‘Age of Insured’, ‘Male Driver No Discounts’, ‘Male Driver with Discounts’],[‘Age 20’, 3917,1267],[‘Age 30’, 1993,2817],[‘Age 40’, 1993,1447],[‘Age 50’, 1809,1441],[‘Age 60’, 1751,1309],[‘Age 70’, 2135,1267]]);var options = {title: ‘Comparison of Insurance Rates for Seniors’,titleTextStyle: {color: ‘#333’,fontSize: 17,bold: true},width: ‘100%’,height: 500,’chartArea’:{left:100,top:50,’width’: ‘100%’, ‘height’: ‘70%’},legend: {position: ‘bottom’},colors: [‘#6791b9’, ‘#98bee2’],hAxis: {title: ‘Annual Auto Insurance Cost for Average Vehicle’,minValue: 0,format: ‘$###,###’},vAxis: {title: ‘Age of Insured’}};var formatter = new google.visualization.NumberFormat({fractionDigits: 0,prefix: ‘$’});formatter.format(data,1);formatter.format(data,2);var chart = new google.visualization.BarChart(document.getElementById(‘qcibdisc’));chart.draw(data, options);}
When comparing car insurance for senior citizens, the companies with the most market share are Allstate, Geico, Progressive, and State Farm. Each one has different features and discounts that may influence which company you choose. The data below shows pricing and service ratings, as well as optional policy coverages that are available from each company.
Allstate | Geico | Progressive | State Farm | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Client Satisfaction | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | 4th |
Discounts Available | 1st | 2nd | 4th | 3rd |
Claims Rank | 1st | 3rd | 4th | 2nd |
Overall Cost | 4th | 1st | 3rd | 2nd |
Rideshare coverage | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Breakdown insurance | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Accident forgiveness coverage | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Usage-based rating | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Roadside service | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
New car replacement | Yes | No | No | No |
Available in Washington | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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Consumers have many ways to compare auto insurance quotes in Washington, but the most prevalent are through an independent or non-exclusive agent, an exclusive insurance agent like Allstate or Auto-Owners, or buying direct from a company like Progressive or Geico.
Each way has the same basic process, but buyers should know the differences in how they give price quotes.
Independent insurance agents work with multiple companies and can get rate quotes from every one. These agents have the ability to give you more rates, which can give you the best shot at cutting your rates. If a cheaper rate is found, an independent agent can move your coverage and you can remain with the same agent.
Exclusive agencies are contracted to one insurance company, a couple examples are Allstate or State Farm agents. Exclusive agencies are unable to provide rates from more than one company, so you need to shop around if the rates are high.
Choosing to buy auto insurance direct means you skip either of the other two types of agents and buy direct either online or via phone. This option may be good for consumers who do not need advice for asset protection and have knowledge of what auto insurance covers.
Which method works best to find cheap auto insurance for seniors in Washington? It would be easy to say shopping direct results in the best prices since there isn’t an agent involved, but that is generally not the case. We could also assume that using an independent agent guarantees the best prices since they have more companies to choose from, but that’s not always true, either. For some people, exclusive agencies have price quotes that are well below what direct and independents offer.
Since auto insurance rates vary so much, the best method to get the lowest rate is to get as many comparison quotes as possible. It’s recommended that drivers get rate quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies to get a good idea who is cheapest. For a list of companies offering online discounts, click here to view.