Easy Techniques to Pay Less on Gates Auto Insurance

Price shopping your Gates auto insurance is nearly impossible for consumers new to shopping for insurance online. Drivers have so many options available that it can quickly become a challenge to compare prices in Gates.

Finding the best rates in Gates is not that difficult. If you have car insurance now, you will most likely be able to save some money using this strategy. Although Oregon drivers do need to know the methods companies use to sell online and take advantage of how the system works.

These discounts can lower your rates

Companies that sell car insurance don't always list every discount very clearly, so here is a list both well-publicized and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using.

Drivers Education - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully complete driver's ed class if it's offered in school.
Payment Method - If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may reduce your total bill.
One Accident Forgiven - Certain companies will allow you to have one accident before your rates go up if your claims history is clear prior to the accident.
Life Insurance - Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
Driver Safety - Completing a course in driver safety could save 5% or more if you qualify.
Save over 55 - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get better auto insurance rates.
Service Members Pay Less - Being on active duty in the military may qualify for rate reductions.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like you can get free auto insurance, you won't be that lucky.

Gates Rates are Influenced by These Factors

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.

The following are some of the factors auto insurance companies consider when setting prices.

Too many auto insurance claims drive up costs - Companies in Oregon award lower rates to insureds who are claim-free. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can look forward to either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Auto insurance is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Lower rates with optional equipment - Driving a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Theft prevention features like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all hinder car theft.
Pay less if you're married - Being married can get you a discount on your policy. Having a significant other means you're more responsible it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married are more cautious.
Lower miles equals lower premium - Driving more miles every year the higher your rate. Most insurance companies apply a rate based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars and trucks left parked in the garage can get a lower rate than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Make sure your auto insurance coverage shows the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.
Do you need those extra coverages? - There are a ton of extra bells and whistles that can waste your money on your auto insurance policy. Coverages for rental car reimbursement, accident forgiveness and term life insurance may be costing you every month. These may sound like a good investment when talking to your agent, but if they're wasting money eliminate them to save money.
Women pay lower rates - The statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. However, this does not mean men are worse drivers. Women and men are in accidents at about the same rate, but the men have costlier accidents. Men also statistically receive more costly citations such as DWI and reckless driving. Youthful male drivers tend to get in the most accidents and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
Choose a safe vehicle and save - Cars with high safety ratings can get you lower premiums. The safest vehicles reduce injuries and lower injury rates translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and thus lower rates.

Are you falling for claims of savings?

Auto insurance providers like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO continually stream ads on television and other media. They all make an identical promise about savings after switching to their company. How does each company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.

All companies can use profiling for the driver that earns them a profit. An example of a driver they prefer could possibly be over the age of 40, has no tickets, and drives newer vehicles. A driver who meets those qualifications will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably save when switching.

Potential insureds who are not a match for these standards will be quoted more money and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ad wording is "drivers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much. That's why companies can truthfully claim big savings. This emphasizes why drivers should get quotes from several different companies. It is impossible to predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.

Even more information is available at the Oregon Insurance Division website. Oregon consumers can download brochures, view a list of available companies, and get help finding coverage.

Also read more on this site for auto insurance rates in Oregon and this list of insurance agents in Gates, OR.

Affordable insurance is out there

People change insurance companies for any number of reasons including extreme rates for teen drivers, unfair underwriting practices, an unsatisfactory settlement offer and even delays in paying claims. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, switching auto insurance companies is less work than it seems.

The cheapest auto insurance can be sourced online and also from your neighborhood Gates agents, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. A few companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and these smaller companies work with independent agents.

When trying to cut insurance costs, make sure you don't skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many situations where an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that it was a big mistake. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.