How to Know You're Spending Too Much for Car Insurance in Yamhill

Paying for high-priced car insurance can take a big chunk out of your savings account and make it impossible to make ends meet. Comparison shopping is free and is an excellent way to help make ends meet.

Insurance companies such as GEICO and Progressive continually bombard you with TV and radio ads and it is difficult to sift through the bull and find the best price available.

It's important to do rate comparisons yearly due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best deal last year a different company probably has better rates today. Starting now, ignore everything you know about car insurance because I'm going to teach you the proper way to remove unneeded coverages and save money.

Save big with these discounts

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but you may find discounts to reduce the price significantly. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you complete an application, but some must be asked for before they will apply.

  • Accident Waiver - A handful of insurance companies will forgive one accident before your rates go up as long as you don't have any claims for a certain period of time.
  • Auto/Life Discount - Companies who offer life insurance give better rates if you take out life insurance from them.
  • Save with a New Car - Buying coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
  • Government Employees - Active or retired federal employment can earn a discount up to 10% with select insurance companies.
  • College Student - Any of your kids who live away from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle may qualify for this discount.
  • Anti-theft System - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems help deter theft and will save you 10% or more.

A little note about advertised discounts, many deductions do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like you could get a free car insurance policy, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will reduce your overall premium however.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Yamhill

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that help determine the rates you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with better car insurance rates.

  • Being married can save on car insurance - Being married can get you a discount on your car insurance policy. It is viewed as being more responsible and it's proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
  • Where you live can impact rates - Residing in a small town can be a good thing when talking about car insurance. Less people living in that area means fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. City drivers have much more traffic to deal with and longer commute times. More time commuting means more change of being in an accident.
  • Rate your vehicle for proper use - Driving more miles in a year's time the more you will pay for car insurance. Most companies charge to insure your cars based upon how you use the vehicle. Autos that are left in the garage can get a lower rate than those used for commuting. Verify your car insurance coverage is rated on the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.
  • Do you have a high stress job? - Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for car insurance? Jobs such as doctors, executives and dentists tend to pay the highest average rates because of high stress levels and long work hours. Other professions such as pilots, historians and performers have the lowest average rates.
  • Older drivers pay less - More mature drivers are viewed as being more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and receive fewer citations. Youthful drivers are known to be more careless when driving and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher.

But I don't know anything about car insurance

When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so this has to be addressed. These are some specific questions can help discover if your situation would benefit from professional advice.

  • I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
  • When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
  • Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
  • Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
  • What are Oregon no-fault laws?
  • Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
  • Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?

If it's difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. If you don't have a local agent, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Car insurance ads bend the truth

Car insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive continually stream ads on TV and radio. They all seem to make the same claim about savings after switching to them. How can each company claim to save you money?

Different companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that earns them a profit. An example of a desirable insured might be a mature driver, has no prior claims, and drives newer vehicles. Any driver who matches those parameters will get very good rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Consumers who fall outside the requirements will have to pay higher rates which leads to the customer not buying. The ads say "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save money. This is how companies can truthfully claim big savings.

Because of the profiling, drivers should get quotes from several different companies. You cannot predict which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

Additional information is available on the website for the Oregon Insurance Division located here. Visitors are able to get help finding coverage, view agent and company licensing information, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and read industry bulletins.

Oregon car insurance quotes

Affordable insurance is out there

Cheaper car insurance can be purchased both online and with local Yamhill insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to get a complete price analysis. A few companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

When trying to cut insurance costs, it's a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many cases, consumers will sacrifice liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that it was a big mistake. Your aim should be to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford.