Tightwads Guide to Saving on Enumclaw Auto Insurance

No one in their right mind enjoys paying for auto insurance, in particular when their premiums are through the roof.

Because you have many choices of insurance companies, it is hard for the average consumer to choose the cheapest insurance company.

Finding the best rates in Enumclaw is not that difficult. If you have car insurance now, you will be able to lower your premiums substantially using this strategy. Although Washington drivers do need to know the way companies sell online and use this information to your advantage.

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

Most major insurance companies provide prices online. Getting online rates is quite easy as you just enter your personal and coverage information as detailed in the form. Behind the scenes, the company's rating system will obtain information on your driving record and credit history and returns pricing information determined by many factors. This simplifies rate comparisons, but the time it takes to visit different websites and complete many quote forms is repetitive and time-consuming. But it's very important to do this if you want to find better auto insurance pricing.

A less time-consuming method to compare rates uses one simple form to get prices from a bunch of companies at once. The form is fast, requires much less work on your part, and makes quoting online much more efficient. Immediately after submitting the form, it gets priced and you can select any or none of the returned quotes. If you find a better price you simply finish the application and purchase coverage. The whole process takes less than 15 minutes and you will find out if you're overpaying now.

To save time and find out what other companies charge, click here to open in new window and enter your information. To compare your current rates, we recommend you input your coverages as close as possible to your current policy. This way, you will receive a price comparison based on similar coverages.

You have some control over your rates

It's important that you understand the factors that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels enables informed choices that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

The following are a few of the "ingredients" auto insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

  • What are your deductibles? - The deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend in the event of a claim. Coverage for physical damage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply could be colliding with a building, damage caused by hail, and burglary. The higher the amount you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.
  • Traffic violations increase rates - Only having one moving violation can boost insurance rates twenty percent or more. Careful drivers get better rates compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers with flagrant tickets like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence are required to submit a SR-22 form with their state DMV in order to keep their license.
  • Women pay lower rates - Statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, this does not mean men are worse drivers. Women and men are in accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species have costlier accidents. Men also tend to get more serious tickets such as DWI and reckless driving. Youthful male drivers are the most expensive to insure and thus pay the highest rates.
  • Extra coverages can waste money - There are a ton of additional coverages that you can get tricked into buying on your auto insurance policy. Things like rental car reimbursement, accidental death and term life insurance are some examples. These may sound like a good investment initially, but if they're wasting money remove them from your policy.

These discounts can lower your rates

Companies that sell car insurance don't always advertise all available discounts very well, so we break down both well-publicized and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving.

  • Homeowners Savings - Owning a home in Enumclaw can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.
  • Good Student - Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
  • Accident Forgiveness - Some insurance companies allow you one accident without raising rates so long as you haven't had any claims prior to the accident.
  • Passive Restraints - Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts of 20% or more.
  • Driver Safety - Completing a course in driver safety can save you 5% or more depending on where you live.
  • Discount for New Cars - Buying coverage on a new vehicle can save up to 30% since new cars are generally safer.
  • No Accidents - Good drivers with no accidents can save substantially when compared with frequent claim filers.

A little note about advertised discounts, some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won't be that lucky.

For a list of insurers who offer auto insurance discounts in Washington, click here.

Different people need different coverages

When it comes to choosing adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is no one size fits all plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else's and your policy should reflect that. For instance, these questions may help highlight whether you might need an agent's assistance.

  • When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
  • Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Washington?
  • Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?
  • Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
  • Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
  • Can I still get insurance after a DUI?

If you can't answer these questions then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Even more information can be found at the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner website. Washington consumers can report car insurance fraud, file complaints about a company, learn about insurance regulations, and discover disciplinary actions.

Other useful links include this page for Washington auto insurance and this page for help finding agents in Enumclaw, WA.

Washington auto insurance

Shop smart and save

The cheapest auto insurance can be sourced online and also from your neighborhood Enumclaw agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. A few companies may not provide online quoting and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

In this article, we presented a lot of techniques to lower your auto insurance rates. The most important thing to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers could even find that the lowest rates come from a small mutual company. Smaller companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than the large multi-state companies such as .

When trying to cut insurance costs, don't be tempted to reduce needed coverages to save money. In too many instances, someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that it was a big mistake. Your focus should be to get the best coverage possible at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.