Free Guide to Saving Money on Oroville Auto Insurance Online

Are you sick and tired of paying out the nose each month for car insurance? You are in the same boat as many other drivers in Washington.

Popular companies such as State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive increase brand awareness with catchy ads and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and take the time to shop coverage around.

It's important to compare rates before your policy renews because prices are constantly changing. Just because you had the best deal a year ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Starting right now, forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because you're going to get a crash course in the proper way to properly buy coverages and cut your premium.

If you are paying for car insurance now, you should be able to save some money using these methods. Buying car insurance in Oroville is quite easy. Nevertheless, Washington drivers do need to know the way insurance companies sell insurance online and take advantage of how the system works.

You have some control over your rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates enables informed choices that can help you get big savings.

Listed below are some of the factors auto insurance companies consider when setting your rates.

  • How credit affects auto insurance rates - Your credit score is a huge factor in your rate calculation. So if your credit history is lower than you'd like, you could save money insuring your by improving your credit score. Drivers who have high credit ratings tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers with poor credit.
  • More claims means more premium - Insurance companies in Washington give cheaper rates to policyholders who are claim-free. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can look forward to either higher rates or even cancellation. Insurance coverage 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 help bring down rates. Anti-theft features like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all hinder your vehicle from being stolen.
  • Lower miles equals lower premium - The more miles you rack up on your car every year the higher your rates will be. Most insurance companies apply a rate determined by how the vehicle is used. Autos not used for work or commuting can get a lower rate than those used for commuting. Ask your agent if your auto insurance policy is rated on how each vehicle is driven, because it can save money.
  • Don't let your coverage lapse - Letting your insurance expire is a guaranteed way to pay more for auto insurance. Not only will you pay more, getting caught without coverage might get you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
  • Your occupation can affect rates - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Occupations like doctors, executives and dentists tend to have the highest average rates in part from job stress and lots of time spent at work. Other professions such as farmers, historians and homemakers receive lower rates.
  • Protect your assets with liability insurance - Liability insurance will protect you in the event that a court rules you are at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide legal defense coverage which can cost thousands of dollars. Liability is cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so drivers should carry high limits.
  • Drive a safer car and pay less - Vehicles with good safety scores tend to have better insurance rates. Safer cars reduce injuries and lower injury rates translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders.

Washington auto insurance

Compare Oroville Auto Insurance Costs

There are several ways of comparing price quotes and find the best price. One of the best ways to compare insurance prices is to use the internet to compare rates. This is very easy and can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

  1. The fastest way to find the lowest comparison rates is to use a rate comparison form click to view form in new window. This form prevents you from having to do repetitive form submissions to each individual auto insurance company. In just a few minutes this one form will return quotes from multiple companies.
  2. A more difficult way to compare rate quotes is to take the time to go to each company website to complete their respective quote request forms. For examples sake, we'll pretend you want rates from , and . To find out each rate you need to take the time to go to each site and enter your information, and that's why the first method is more popular.

    To view a list of companies in Oroville, click here.
  3. The hardest way to compare rates is driving to local insurance agencies. Buying insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you have a need for the professional guidance only provided by licensed agents. Drivers can find lower rates online and still use a local agent. We'll cover that shortly.

It doesn't matter which method you choose, just ensure you're using exactly the same coverages and limits on every quote you get. If the quotes have different deductibles it will be very difficult to determine which rate is truly the best in Oroville. Having just a slight variation in coverage limits may result in a large different in cost. And when price shopping your coverage, getting more free quotes will increase your chances of finding a lower rate.

Take advantage of discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don't necessarily list every available discount in a way that's easy to find, so here is a list both well-publicized and the harder-to-find ways to save on auto insurance.

  • Passive Restraints and Air Bags - Vehicles with factory air bags can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
  • Employee of Federal Government - Employees or retirees of the government may qualify you for a discount with certain companies.
  • Payment Discounts - If paying your policy premium upfront instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.
  • Discount for New Cars - Putting insurance coverage on a new car can cost up to 25% less due to better safety requirements for new cars.
  • Seat Belts Save more than Lives - Drivers who require all occupants to use their safety belts can save up to 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
  • No Accidents - Claim-free drivers can earn big discounts compared to accident-prone drivers.
  • Organization Discounts - Participating in a civic or occupational organization could trigger savings on your policy.
  • Drivers Ed for Students - Cut your cost by having your teen driver take driver's ed class in school.

Consumers should know that many deductions do not apply to the entire cost. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. Just because it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies don't profit that way.

To choose providers offering auto insurance discounts in Oroville, click this link.

Are auto insurance companies telling the truth?

Companies like State Farm and Allstate constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. All the ads make the same claim of big savings if you switch to their company. How can each company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.

All the different companies can use profiling for the driver that makes them money. An example of a preferred risk could possibly be a mature driver, is a homeowner, and has excellent credit. A customer getting a price quote who matches those parameters will get the preferred rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Drivers who don't qualify for the requirements will be charged a higher premium which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state "drivers who switch" not "people who quote" save that much. That's why insurance companies can confidently make those claims. That is why you need to get as many quotes as possible. It's impossible to know the company that will have the lowest rates.

More tips and info about auto insurance is available at the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner website. Washington consumers can find out industry alerts, download brochures, view a list of available companies, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.

Shop smart and save

You just read many ideas to compare auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the best price on auto insurance is with a smaller regional carrier. These smaller insurers may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than their larger competitors like .

Cost effective auto insurance is available online and also from your neighborhood Oroville agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best selection. Some companies may not provide online price quotes and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.