Is Your Roseburg Car Insurance Breaking the Bank?

Price shopping your Roseburg car insurance is always challenging for people who are new to comparison shopping online. People have so many companies to choose from that it can turn into a big hassle to locate the lowest price in Roseburg.

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

Cutting your Roseburg car insurance rates is a fairly straight forward process. All that’s required is to take the time comparing rate quotes provided by online insurance companies. This is very easy and can be done using a couple different methods.

  • One of the best ways to find the lowest comparison rates is an all-inclusive rate comparison like this one (opens in new window). This easy form eliminates the need for separate quotes for every car insurance company. A single form gets you coverage quotes from all major companies. It’s the fastest way to compare.
  • A different way to compare prices consists of going to the website for every company you want to comare to complete a price quote. For examples sake, let’s say you want to compare rates from Nationwide, State Farm and Progressive. To get rate quotes you would need to spend time on each company’s site and enter your information, which is why most consumers use the first method. For a handy list of car insurance company links in Roseburg, click here.
  • The hardest way to get comparison rates to insurance agents’ offices. Buying insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you require the professional guidance of a local agent. Drivers can get the lowest quotes online and get advice from an agent in your area and you’ll learn how to do that later.

Whichever way you use, make sure you use identical coverages and limits with every price quote. If your comparisons have different limits and deductibles on each one it will be very difficult to make an equal comparison in Roseburg.

Do you qualify for a discount?

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but there are discounts available that you may not even be aware of. Some trigger automatically when you purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be specially asked for before being credited. If you’re not getting every credit possible, you are throwing money away.

  • Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts can get savings of up to 25% or more.
  • Safe Driver Discount – Insureds without accidents may save up to 50% more than their less cautious counterparts.
  • Accident Free – Claim-free drivers pay much less when compared with bad drivers.
  • Discount for Good Grades – Performing well in school can save 20 to 25%. The good student discount can last until age 25.
  • Distant Student – Children who live away from home and do not have a car may qualify for this discount.

Consumers should know that some credits don’t apply the the whole policy. Most cut individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it just doesn’t work that way. But any discount will reduce the cost of coverage.

Your insurance agent down the street

A small number of people just want to sit down with an agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Agents can answer important questions and give you someone to call. One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is that you can obtain better rates but still work with a licensed agent. And supporting small agencies is important particularly in Roseburg.

For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is emailed to local insurance agents who will battle to get your business. You never need to leave your computer since price quotes are sent immediately to your email address. How cool is that?!

Captive or Independent: There is a difference

When finding a good insurance agency, there are a couple of types of agencies from which to choose. Agencies in Roseburg can either be independent (non-captive) or captive. Either one can properly insure your vehicles, but it’s worth mentioning how they are different since it can impact your selection of an agent.

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent agencies are not locked into one company so they can insure your vehicles with any number of different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To transfer your coverage to a different company, your agent can switch companies without you having to go to a different agency. When searching for an agent, it’s recommended you contact several independent insurance agents to have the most options to choose from.Most can insure with smaller regional carriers which can save you money.

The following is a list of independent agencies in Roseburg that may be able to provide price quotes.<img class="alignright" style="padding-top:15px;" src="https://www.findnewcarinsurance.com/wp-content/uploads/ci175-3.jpg" alt="Oregon auto insurance“/>

  • Lighthouse Insurance – 1225 W Harvard Ave – Roseburg, OR 97470 – (541) 677-8700
  • Pacific Ridge Insurance – – Roseburg, OR 97470 – (541) 677-9343
Agency Captives

Captive agencies can only write with one company and some examples include Liberty Mutual, State Farm, Allstate and AAA. Captives cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they have to upsell other benefits. These agents are well schooled on the products they sell which helps them compete with independent agents. Some consumers prefer to purchase coverage from captives mostly because of high brand loyalty and strong financial ratings.

Listed below are Roseburg captive agencies that are able to give rate quotes.

  • Farmers Insurance Group – 780 NW Garden Valley Blvd #110 – Roseburg, OR 97470 – (541) 673-8062
  • State Farm Insurance – 250 NE Garden Valley Blvd # 22 – Roseburg, OR 97470 – (541) 957-1831
  • American Family Insurance – 2349 NW Stewart Pkwy – Roseburg, OR 97470 – (541) 673-5744
  • Allstate Insurance – 780 NW Garden Valley Blvd # 38 – Roseburg, OR 97470 – (541) 672-4381

For a complete listing of Roseburg captive agencies, please click here.

Deciding on an insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just the premium amount. These questions are important to ask:

  • Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
  • Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
  • What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
  • What insurance companies do they work with?
  • Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?

Upon receiving acceptable answers to your questions as well as a affordable price, it’s possible that you found an auto insurance agent that will adequately provide car insurance.

Why you might pay higher rates in Roseburg

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that help determine car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels enables informed choices that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

The following are a partial list of the pieces car insurance companies consider when setting rates.

  • Where do you drive? – Driving more miles every year the higher your rates will be. Most companies charge to insure your cars based on how the vehicle is used. Autos left parked in the garage qualify for better rates than those used for commuting. Make sure your car insurance coverage is showing the proper vehicle usage.
  • Performance level impacts rates – The type of vehicle you drive makes a significant difference in the rate you pay. The lowest rates are generally reserved for economy passenger models, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
  • Never go without insurance – Not having insurance is against the law and you will pay a penalty because you let your insurance expire. Not only will rates go up, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance can result in a revoked license or a big fine.You may then be required to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the Oregon DMV.
  • Theft deterrents lower rates – Owning a car with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft devices such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can help prevent your vehicle from being stolen.
  • Frequent car insurance claims increase rates – Companies in Oregon give lower rates to people who do not file claims often. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can expect either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Your insurance policy is designed for larger claims.
  • Better credit means lower rates – Credit score is a important factor in your rate calculation. Drivers who have good credit tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with poor credit. If your credit score is low, you could be paying less to insure your by improving your credit score.

Are you falling for claims of savings?

Consumers in Oregon can’t get away from ads that promise big savings from the likes of Allstate, GEICO and Progressive. All the ads say the same thing that you can save if you change your coverage to them.

How do they all claim to save you money?

Insurance companies can use profiling for the type of customer that makes them money. For example, a profitable customer could be between 30 and 50, has no prior claims, and has great credit. Any new insured who matches those parameters will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Drivers who fall outside this ideal profile will have to pay higher rates which usually ends up with business not being written. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much. That’s the way companies can truthfully state the savings.

lower rates in Roseburg OR

Because of the profiling, you should get a wide range of price quotes. You cannot predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

In conclusion

People switch companies for a number of reasons such as an unsatisfactory settlement offer, lack of trust in their agent, denial of a claim and even delays in responding to claim requests. Whatever your reason, choosing a new insurance company can be pretty painless.

When shopping online for car insurance, do not buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many instances, someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits and learned later that it was a big mistake. The ultimate goal is to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.

We just covered some good ideas how you can get a better price on car insurance. The key concept to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even find the biggest savings come from a small mutual company.

Additional car insurance information is located on the Oregon Insurance Division website. Click here for link. Consumers can view agent and company licensing information, find a variety of consumer forms, and read industry bulletins.