10 Must-Know Tips When Buying Olympia, WA Auto Insurance

Nobody I know cherishes buying auto insurance, in particular when they are paying too much.

Multiple car insurance companies compete for your business, and it can be difficult to compare rates to find the absolute lowest rate possible.

It’s smart to price shop coverage before your policy renews because prices change regularly. Even if you think you had the best rates six months ago you can probably find a lower rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to how to use online quotes to find great coverage at a great price.

More discounts equal less premium

Car insurance companies don’t always list every discount very well, so here is a list some of the more common and also the lesser-known auto insurance savings.

• No Charge for an Accident – Some insurance companies permit an accident before hitting you with a surcharge if you are claim-free for a set time period.
• Safe Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents can pay as much as 50% less than their less cautious counterparts.
• Homeowners Discount – Owning a house in Olympia can help you save on auto insurance because owning a home shows financial diligence.
• Clubs and Organizations – Participating in a professional or civic organization is a good way to get lower rates on auto insurance.
• No Accidents – Drivers who don’t have accidents can save substantially compared to drivers who are more careless.
• Auto/Home Discount – If you have multiple policies with the same company you may save up to 20% off your total premium.
• Safety Course Discount – Successfully completing a defensive driving course could save 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
• Pay Now and Pay Less – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may reduce your total bill.
• Anti-theft System – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems help deter theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
• Student Driver Training – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully complete driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.

Drivers should understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it may seem like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies wouldn’t make money that way.

To see a list of companies with the best auto insurance discounts in Washington, click here to view.

How to Compare Olympia Auto Insurance Rates

All major auto insurance companies allow you to get pricing online. This process doesn’t take much effort as you just enter the amount of coverage you want into the quote form. After you complete the form, their rating system requests your driving and credit reports and returns a price based on these factors. Quoting online helps simplify price comparisons, but the work required to visit a lot of sites and enter the same data into a form can be a bit repetitive. But it’s very important to do this if you are searching for the lowest price.

The easy way to compare rates

An easier way to find better auto insurance pricing makes use of a single form that obtains quotes from several different companies. It’s a real time-saver, requires less work, and makes comparison shopping much easier. Immediately after you send the form, it gets priced and you can choose any of the returned quotes. If you find a better price you can click and sign and buy the policy. This process only takes a few minutes and may save quite a bit of money.

In order to find out if lower rates are available, simply click here to open in new window and complete the simple form. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended that you enter coverages and limits exactly as shown on your declarations page. Doing this assures you will be getting a rate comparison for similar insurance coverage.

Your coverage should be tailored to you

When choosing coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no best way to insure your cars. Each situation is unique so your insurance needs to address that. For example, these questions may help highlight if you could use an agent’s help.

• Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
• Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
• Where can I get insurance after a DUI in Washington?
• Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
• What are the financial responsibility laws in Washington?
• Is borrowed equipment or tools covered if stolen or damaged?
• What discounts do I qualify for?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but one or more may apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

In Summary

Cheaper auto insurance is definitely available online and also from your neighborhood Olympia agents, so compare prices from both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

When buying insurance coverage, you should never buy poor coverage just to save money. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced liability coverage limits to discover at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. The proper strategy is to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.