9 Discounts Washington Consumers Forget when Shopping for Car Insurance

I can't think of anyone who looks forward to paying for car insurance, especially when they are paying too much.

Big companies like State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive persitently shower you with advertising and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and do the work needed to find the best deal.

It's important to take a look at other company's rates periodically since rates are constantly changing. If you had the best rates a couple years back there may be better deals available now. There is a lot of bad advice regarding car insurance online but I'm going to show you some great ways to stop overpaying for insurance.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will be able to reduce your rates substantially using these methods. Buying car insurance in Washington is quite easy. Nevertheless, Kansas car owners do need to know the way insurance companies determine prices.

Washington car insurance comparison

Take advantage of discounts

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you can get discounts to help offset the cost. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you quote, but some may not be applied and must be asked about prior to getting the savings.

  • New Car Discount - Putting insurance coverage on a new car can save up to 30% because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
  • Passive Restraints and Air Bags - Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
  • Drivers Ed for Students - Require your teen driver to complete a driver education course in high school.
  • Service Members Pay Less - Being deployed with a military unit can result in better rates.
  • Anti-lock Brakes - Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems prevent accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
  • College Student - Youth drivers living away from home attending college without a vehicle on campus may qualify for this discount.
  • Homeowners Savings - Owning a house in Washington can save you money because of the fact that having a home demonstrates responsibility.
  • Theft Prevention Discount - Vehicles with anti-theft systems help deter theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
  • Good Student - Getting good grades can earn a discount of 20% or more. The good student discount can last up to age 25.

It's important to understand that some credits don't apply to the entire policy premium. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it doesn't quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will reduce your overall premium however.

For a list of companies with the best car insurance discounts in Washington, click here.

Washington Car Insurance Comparisons

There are several ways to compare rate quotes from different Washington insurance companies. The recommended way to find competitive insurance rates consists of obtaining rate quotes online. This can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.

One of the best ways to get quotes for comparison is to use a rate comparison form like this one (opens in new window). This type of form eliminates the need for a different quote for each company you want a rate for. Just one form will return price quotes .

A different way to compare rate quotes consists of visiting each company's website to complete their respective quote request forms. For example, we'll pretend you want to compare , and . To get each rate you have to visit each site to enter your coverage information, and that's why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in Washington, click here.

Whichever method you choose, be sure to compare exactly the same deductibles and coverage limits on every quote you get. If you compare different values for each quote it will be very difficult to determine which rate is truly the best in Washington. Slightly different coverage limits may cause a big price difference. Keep in mind that obtaining a wide range of quotes will increase your chances of finding better pricing.

How to know if you need help

When it comes to choosing coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a "perfect" insurance plan. Everyone's situation is unique and your policy should reflect that. These are some specific questions may help highlight whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.

  • Should I file a claim if it's only slightly more than my deductible?
  • Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
  • Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
  • Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
  • Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in Kansas?
  • Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Washington?

If you can't answer these questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you don't have a local agent, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Final considerations

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it's not a good idea to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are many occasions where someone dropped collision coverage and discovered at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. Your aim should be to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price.

You just learned a lot of ways to get a better price on car insurance. The key concept to understand is the more times 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 car insurance is with a smaller regional carrier. These companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas than their larger competitors like .