Easy Ways to Cut Costs on The Dalles Auto Insurance

Purchasing the most affordable The Dalles auto insurance over the internet may be impossible for people who are new to shopping for insurance online. With so many choices of insurers available, how can consumers possibly compare them all to find the best pricing?

It's important to compare prices yearly since insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the best rates on your last policy the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. There is too much inaccurate information about auto insurance on the web, but I'm going to show you some great ways to save money.

The purpose of this post is to teach you the most effective way to quote insurance and some money-saving tips. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will most likely be able to reduce your rates substantially using these methods. Oregon vehicle owners just need to know the most effective way to get comparison rates over the internet.

Save big with these discounts

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not know about. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time you complete a quote, but some may not be applied and must be inquired about prior to getting the savings. If you're not getting every credit you deserve, you're paying more than you need to.

Life Insurance - Select insurance companies reward you with a discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
Sign Online - A handful of insurance companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up over the internet.
Claim Free - Drivers who don't have accidents pay less as compared to bad drivers.
Own a Home - Owning a house in The Dalles can help you save on auto insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home demonstrates responsibility.
Early Switch Discount - Some companies give discounts for signing up before your current expiration date. It's a savings of about 10%.
Good Student Discount - A discount for being a good student can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The good student discount can last well after school through age 25.
Accident Waiver - Certain companies allow you 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 - Factory air bags or automatic seat belts may earn rate discounts of more than 20%.
Drivers Education - Have your child complete a driver education course if it's offered in school.
Government Employees - Being employed by or retired from a federal job may qualify you for a discount with select insurance companies.

Drivers should understand that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies wouldn't make money that way. But all discounts will bring down your overall premium however.

To see a list of companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Oregon, click here to view.

How to Get Cheap Auto Insurance in The Dalles, OR

Finding cheaper auto insurance prices isn't really that difficult. You just have to invest a few minutes to get quotes provided by online insurance companies. This can be done using a couple different methods.

The best way to compare a lot of rates at once is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This easy form eliminates the need for separate quote forms to each individual auto insurance company. A single, simple form gets you price quotes from many national carriers. Recommended for those who want to invest the least amount of time.
A harder way to get quotes online requires visiting the website for each individual company and request a quote. For instance, let's assume you want comparison quotes from , and . To find out each rate you need to go to every website and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is quicker. To view a list of companies in The Dalles, click here.

It's up to you which method you use, but make sure you use identical quote information with every price quote. If you use mixed coverages then you won't be able to find the best deal in The Dalles.

How to Lower your Auto Insurance Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that help determine auto insurance rates. Knowing what controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with big savings.

The following are some of the items used by your company to calculate rates.

Your location affects your rates - Residing in less populated areas can be a good thing when buying auto insurance. Drivers who live in large cities have much more traffic and longer commute times. Fewer people means a lower chance of having an accident and a lower car theft rate.
Where do you drive? - Driving more miles in a year's time the more you will pay for auto insurance. Almost all companies price each vehicle's coverage based on how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks not used for work or commuting get more affordable rates than those used for commuting. Ask your agent if your auto insurance coverage shows the proper vehicle usage.
Pay less if you're married - Getting married can get you a discount on your policy. It translates into being more mature than a single person and statistics show married drivers get in fewer accidents.
Women pay lower rates - Statistics have proven that women are safer drivers than men. However, this does not mean women are BETTER drivers than men. They both tend to get into accidents at a similar rate, but the males have costlier accidents. They also receive more costly citations like reckless driving and DUI. Teenage male drivers are the most expensive to insure and therefore have the most expensive auto insurance rates.
Occupation reflects on rates - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Jobs such as real estate brokers, business owners and financial analysts have higher average rates due to stressful work requirements and lots of time spent at work. Conversely, professions such as pilots, engineers and performers get better rates.

But I don't know anything about car insurance

When choosing coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn't really a single plan that fits everyone. Every situation is different.

These are some specific questions can help discover if your situation would benefit from professional advice.

When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
What are the financial responsibility laws in Oregon?
Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
Does my car insurance cover rental cars?

If you're not sure about those questions, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form. It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.

Auto insurance ads bend the truth

Oregon drivers can't get away from ads for car insurance savings from the likes of GEICO, State Farm and Progressive. They all seem to make an identical promise that you'll save big after switching your coverage to them.

How does each company say the same thing? It's all in the numbers.

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that is profitable for them. A good example of a desirable insured might be profiled as a mature driver, has no prior claims, and has great credit. A propective insured who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and most likely will save when switching.

Potential customers who fall outside these standards will have to pay a more expensive rate and ends up with business not being written. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" not "people who quote" save that much money. This is how companies can advertise the savings.

Because of the profiling, drivers must quote coverage with many companies. It's not possible to predict which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

In the end, you save

When you buy insurance online, it's very important that you do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, consumers will sacrifice full coverage and found out when filing a claim that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage at the best price.

Budget-conscious auto insurance can be sourced on the web as well as from independent agents in The Dalles, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who don't offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.

People change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including delays in paying claims, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, high rates after DUI convictions or lack of trust in their agent. Whatever your reason, finding a new auto insurance company is actually quite simple.

Learn more about auto insurance in Oregon

Much more information about auto insurance in Oregon can be read on the Oregon Insurance Division website found here. Oregon drivers can view agent and company licensing information, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and get help finding coverage.