Is Your Bremerton, WA Car Insurance Leaving a Hole in Your Pocket?

Confused by the number of car insurance choices in Bremerton? You have a lot of company. Drivers have so many options available that it can be a ton of work to find the perfect company for you.

If you have a current car insurance policy or need new coverage, you can use these tips to reduce the price you pay while maintaining coverages. This information will teach you how to get online quotes. Washington drivers just need to know how to shop online.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that go into determining the price you pay for car insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to better car insurance rates.

Listed below are some of the factors companies use to determine prices.

• Don’t sacrifice liability coverage – Liability insurance provides coverage in the event that you are found to be at fault for personal injury or accident damage. Liability provides for a legal defense starting from day one. Liability is cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so drivers should carry high limits.
• Pay less after the wedding – Getting married can get you a discount on your car insurance policy. Marriage is viewed as being more responsible and statistics show being married results in fewer claims.
• Lower deductibles cost more – Insurance for physical damage to your car, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, protects your car from damage. Examples of covered claims are a windshield shattered by a rock, damage caused by hail, or theft. Deductibles for physical damage are the amount of money you are willing to pay before your car insurance pays a claim. The more you’re willing to pay, the bigger discount you will receive.
• Theft deterrents lower rates – Purchasing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can save you a little every year. Theft prevention devices such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all aid in stopping your vehicle from being stolen.
• Too many car insurance claims drive up costs – Auto insurance companies in Washington give cheaper rates to drivers who do not file claims often. If you frequently file small claims, you can look forward to either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Your insurance policy is designed for larger claims.
• Men pay higher rates – Statistics have proven women tend to be less risk to insure than men. Now that doesn’t mean women are better drivers. Women and men have accidents at about the same rate, but the men tend to have more serious accidents. Men also statistically have more aggressive citations such as DWI and reckless driving.

Discounts are great for lower rates

Companies that sell car insurance don’t list every available discount very well, so we researched both well-publicized and also the lesser-known ways to save on car insurance. If you don’t get every credit you deserve, you are paying more than you should be.

• Low Mileage Discounts – Driving fewer miles can earn a substantially lower rate.
• E-sign – A handful of insurance companies will give a small break just for signing your application on their website.
• Drivers Ed for Students – Cut your cost by having your teen driver enroll in driver’s education if offered at their school.
• Organization Discounts – Being a member of a civic or occupational organization may earn a discount when buying car insurance.
• Defensive Driving Course – Taking a defensive driving course can save you 5% or more depending on where you live.
• No Charge for an Accident – Certain companies allow you one accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don’t have any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
• Anti-lock Brake Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
• Homeowners Pay Less – Owning a house in Bremerton can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home shows financial diligence.
• Use Seat Belts – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt could save 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. So when the math indicates adding up those discounts means a free policy, you won’t be that lucky.

For a list of companies who offer car insurance discounts in Bremerton, follow this link.

You may need specialized coverage

When it comes to buying coverage, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.

For instance, these questions can aid in determining if your situation would benefit from professional advice.

• Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
• Is my vehicle covered for flood damage?
• Do I need rental car coverage?
• Do I qualify for additional discounts?
• Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?
• Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
• What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
• Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
• Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
• Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.

Even more information can be found at the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner website. Visitors are able to read consumer alerts, read state legal mandates and laws, and file complaints about a company.

Affordable insurance is out there

When you buy insurance online, it’s a bad idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many cases where drivers have reduced physical damage coverage only to find out that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The proper strategy is to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.

Drivers who switch companies do it for many reasons like policy cancellation, not issuing a premium refund, delays in responding to claim requests or denial of a claim. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a new company is actually quite simple.

You just read a lot of ways to get a better price on car insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Drivers may discover the lowest priced car insurance comes from a small mutual company.