Easy Techniques to Cut Costs on Chelan Auto Insurance

Finding the lowest price for Chelan auto insurance can be complicated if you're new to online price comparisons. But don't be discouraged because finding affordable coverage online is easier than you think.

It's important to do rate comparisons periodically since insurance rates are constantly changing. If you had the best rates a couple years back the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Don't believe everything you read about auto insurance online but I'm going to show you some great ways to save money.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Companies that sell car insurance don't list all their discounts very clearly, so the following is a list of some of the best known and the harder-to-find auto insurance savings.

  • Accident Forgiveness - Certain companies will allow you to have one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don't have any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
  • Passive Restraints and Air Bags - Factory air bags or motorized seat belts may earn rate discounts of 20% or more.
  • Pay Upfront and Save - If you pay your bill all at once instead of paying each month you can actually save on your bill.
  • New Vehicle Savings - Buying coverage on a new vehicle can be considerably cheaper due to better safety requirements for new cars.
  • Federal Employees - Being employed by or retired from a federal job may qualify you for a discount with select insurance companies.
  • Theft Prevention System - Anti-theft and alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.

A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won't be that lucky.

To see a list of companies with the best auto insurance discounts in Washington, follow this link.

Chelan Auto Insurance Comparisons

The are a couple different ways to compare rate quotes from different Chelan insurance companies. The best method to find competitive insurance rates is to perform an online rate comparison. This can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

  • The best way to get the best comparison quotes is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This method eliminates the need for a different quote to each individual auto insurance company. Just one form will return price quotes . It's definitely the quickest method.
  • A harder way to shop for auto insurance online consists of visiting each individual company website and request a quote. For instance, let's assume you want to compare , and . To find out each rate you need to go to every website to enter your coverage information, and that's why the first method is more popular.

    For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Chelan, click here.

Which method you use is up to you, but be sure to compare identical deductibles and coverage limits with every price quote. If your comparisons have different values for each quote it will be very difficult to find the best deal in Chelan. Just a small difference in coverages can mean a large discrepancy in price. Keep in mind that more quotes helps you find better pricing.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Chelan

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. Knowing what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with big savings.

The list below includes some of the items companies use to determine rates.

  • Sex matters - Statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. However, don't assume that women are better drivers. They both have accidents at a similar rate, but the males cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. They also get cited for more serious violations like reckless driving and DUI.
  • Your credit rating is important - Credit rating is a huge factor in determining your rates. Drivers with high credit scores tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records as compared to drivers with lower credit ratings. If your credit can use some improvement, you could pay less to insure your by spending a little time repairing your credit.
  • Equipment add-ons that lower auto insurance rates - Owning a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft devices like GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can help prevent your car from being stolen.
  • Lower miles equals lower premium - The more you drive each year the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most companies price each vehicle's coverage based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles not used for work or commuting get more affordable rates compared to those used for work or business. Ask your agent if your auto insurance policy shows the correct driver usage.

Insurance agents can help

When choosing coverage for your vehicles, there isn't really a single plan that fits everyone. Everyone's situation is unique.

For example, these questions may help highlight whether your personal situation would benefit from an agent's advice.

  • Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?
  • Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
  • Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
  • Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
  • Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
  • Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?

If you don't know the answers to these questions, you may need to chat with an agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Auto insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive regularly use television and radio advertisements. They all seem to say the same thing about savings if you move to them. How does each company say the same thing? This is how they do it.

All the different companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of driver that is profitable for them. A good example of a desirable insured might be profiled as between 25 and 40, a clean driving record, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A propective insured who fits that profile receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Potential customers who don't qualify for these standards will have to pay a more expensive rate which usually ends up with business not being written. Company advertisements say "drivers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save money. That is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do. Because of the profiling, drivers must get quotes from several different companies. It's not possible to predict which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Affordable insurance is out there

Cheaper auto insurance is possible on the web and with local Chelan insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best rate selection. Some auto insurance companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.

Throughout this article, we presented a lot of information how to compare auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the most savings is with a smaller regional carrier.

Consumers who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including denial of a claim, poor customer service, unfair underwriting practices or delays in paying claims. No matter why you want to switch, switching auto insurance companies is actually quite simple.

Washington auto insurance

Additional Washington consumer information

Even more information can be read at the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner website. Washington drivers can learn about insurance regulations, find out industry alerts, and view a list of available companies.

Additional helpful sites include this site for Washington auto insurance information and see this list of insurance agents in Chelan.