Comparing Cheap Washington Auto Insurance

Have you had enough of being strong-armed each month for car insurance? Your situation is no different than millions of other consumers. There are many to buy insurance from, and although it's a good thing to be able to choose, it makes it harder to compare rates.

It's important to check auto insurance prices once or twice a year since insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you think you had the best price six months ago you can probably find a better price now. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because we're going to demonstrate how to quote online to reduce your cost while improving coverage.

Buying car insurance in Washington is not that difficult. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using these methods. Iowa consumers only need to know the most efficient way to get comparison rates on the web.

What determines how much you pay?

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that play a part in calculating auto insurance rates. Knowing what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

Shown below are a few of the "ingredients" companies use to determine rates.

Men are more aggressive - The statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. Now that doesn't mean women are better drivers. Both sexes tend to get into accidents in similar percentages, but the males tend to have more serious accidents. They also get cited for more serious violations like reckless driving and DUI.
Theft deterrents lower rates - Driving a car with an alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Theft prevention devices like GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all hinder your car from being stolen.
Extra add-on coverages are wasting money - There are quite a few extra bells and whistles that you can buy if you aren't careful. Coverages for roadside assistance, towing coverage and motor club memberships are examples of these. These may sound like a good investment when you first buy your policy, but if you don't need them eliminate them to save money.
Choose a safe vehicle and save - Vehicles with high crash test scores are cheaper to insure. These vehicles result in less severe injuries and better occupant protection translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and thus lower rates.
Proper usage rating affects rates - The higher the mileage driven every year the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most companies price each vehicle's coverage based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles used primarily for pleasure use qualify for better rates than those used for commuting. Double check that your auto insurance declarations sheet shows the correct usage for each vehicle.
Don't skimp on liability - Your policy's liability coverage will protect you if ever a jury decides you are liable for damages from an accident. It will provide for a legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. This coverage is very inexpensive as compared to coverage for physical damage, so buy as much as you can afford.
Marriage brings a discount - Having a spouse helps lower the price when buying auto insurance. It is viewed as being more responsible and it's proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.

Save big with these discounts

Car insurance companies do not advertise all their discounts very clearly, so we took the time to find some of the best known as well as the least known auto insurance savings. If you're not getting every credit available, you are paying more than you should be.

Senior Discount - If you're over the age of 55, you may receive reduced rates.
Drivers Education - Cut your cost by having your teen driver complete a driver education course if offered at their school.
Safety Course Discount - Successfully completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could save 5% or more if your company offers it.
Military Rewards - Having a deployed family member could be rewarded with lower premiums.
Discount for Life Insurance - Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase life insurance.
Organization Discounts - Affiliation with a qualifying organization could qualify you for a break on auto insurance.
Sign Online - A few companies give back up to $50 for buying your policy over the internet.

A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Some only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when the math indicates adding up those discounts means a free policy, you won't be that lucky.

To choose companies with discount auto insurance rates in Iowa, follow this link.

Auto insurance ads bend the truth

Iowa drivers can't ignore all the ads for the lowest price auto insurance by companies like Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm. They all seem to say the same thing about savings if you change to them.

How does each company say the same thing?

Insurance companies can use profiling for the type of driver that makes them money. For example, a desirable insured might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, has no tickets, and has a high credit rating. A propective insured who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will save when switching.

Drivers who fall outside these standards will have to pay higher premiums which usually ends up with business not being written. The ad wording is "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save money. That's why companies can truthfully state the savings. Because of the profiling, you should get as many comparisons as possible. It's not possible to predict the company that will have the lowest rates.

More Iowa auto insurance information

Even more information can be found at the Iowa Insurance Division website. Iowa drivers can learn about insurance regulations, view a list of available companies, discover disciplinary actions, and find disaster information.

And the best car insurance company is...

As you restructure your insurance plan, it's very important that you do not buy poor coverage just to save money. There are many occasions where an insured dropped physical damage coverage only to discover later that they should have had better coverage. Your aim should be to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford.

The cheapest auto insurance is attainable on the web and with local Washington insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies do not offer online price quotes and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.