Car Insurance in Bellingham - 7 Discounts to Save Money

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an overpriced car insurance policy? Believe me when I say there are many people just like you.

Drivers have multiple to buy insurance from, and although it's nice to have multiple companies, it can be more challenging to compare rates.

It's important to compare prices at least once a year since rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best deal six months ago a different company probably has better rates today. Starting right now, block out anything you think you know about car insurance because we're going to show you the proper way to find lower rates on car insurance.

More discounts equal less premium

Companies offering auto insurance don't necessarily list all their discounts very clearly, so here is a list both the well known as well as the least known car insurance savings.

  • Senior Citizens - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get better car insurance rates.
  • Driver Safety - Successfully completing a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount if you qualify.
  • Discount for Life Insurance - Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase life insurance.
  • No Charge for an Accident - Certain companies will forgive one accident before your rates go up as long as you don't have any claims for a set time period.
  • Sign Online - A few companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy over the internet.
  • Homeowners Discount - Owning a house in Bellingham may trigger a car insurance policy discount due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
  • Federal Government Employee - Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off with select insurance companies.

A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Most only reduce individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you won't be that lucky.

Bellingham car insurance comparison

Switch companies and save? Really?

Car insurance companies such as Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm continually stream ads in print and on television. They all seem to say the same thing about savings after switching to their company. How does each company claim to save you money?

Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that earns them a profit. An example of a desirable insured might be between the ages of 40 and 55, has no tickets, and has a high credit rating. Any new insured who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and therefore will save when switching.

Potential customers who do not match these standards will have to pay higher prices which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ads state "customers that switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that much. That's the way companies can truthfully state the savings. Because of the profiling, drivers should get a wide range of price quotes. It's just too difficult to predict which car insurance company will have the lowest rates.

Find out more about car insurance

Even more information is available at the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner website. Visitors are able to learn about insurance regulations, discover disciplinary actions, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and get help finding coverage.

car insurance in Bellingham

Do the work, save more money

As you restructure your insurance plan, never skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are many occasions where an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that they should have had better coverage. Your aim should be to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford.

Cheaper car insurance can be purchased both online and also from your neighborhood Bellingham agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.