Uncover Consumer Tested Strategies to Save on Puyallup, WA Car Insurance

Tired of being strong-armed to buy car insurance? You are no different than many other drivers in Washington.

Many auto insurance companies compete to insure your vehicles, so it’s not easy to compare every insurer to find the absolute lowest rate

Factors that affect insurance rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that help determine your car insurance rates. Understanding what determines base rates enables informed choices that will entitle you to lower car insurance prices.

Add-on coverages can add up – There are a lot of extra coverages that you can buy when buying car insurance. Coverages for personal injury protection, towing coverage and additional equipment coverage are some examples. They may seem good when talking to your agent, but now you might not need them so eliminate them to save money.
A lapse in coverage is a bad thing – Driving your car without having proper coverage is illegal and you will pay a penalty because you let your insurance expire. And not only will insurance be more expensive, failure to provide proof of insurance will get you a steep fine or even jail time.
Do you know your deductibles? – Your deductibles define the amount you are required to spend before your car insurance pays a claim. Physical damage insurance, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, protects your car from damage. A few examples of covered claims could be running into the backend of another car, damage caused by hail, and burglary. The more you have to pay, the less your car insurance will be.
How’s your driving record? – Careful drivers have lower premiums than their less careful counterparts. Even a single speeding ticket can boost insurance rates by as much as thirty percent. Drivers with dangerous tickets such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence are required to file a SR-22 with their state motor vehicle department in order to prevent a license revocation.
Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance – Vehicles with high crash test scores are cheaper to insure. Safer cars protect occupants better and any reduction in injury severity translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and lower rates for you.
Optional equipment can affect rates – Driving a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Theft prevention devices like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder auto theft.
High credit ratings translate to low rates – A driver’s credit history is a important factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. Therefore, if your credit rating is not that good, you could save money insuring your by spending a little time repairing your credit. Drivers with high credit scores tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records as compared to drivers with lower credit scores.

Verify you’re getting all your discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don’t always publicize all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the following is a list of both the well known and the harder-to-find car insurance savings.

Federal Government Employee – Active or retired federal employment can earn a discount up to 10% depending on your company.
Claim Free – Good drivers with no accidents pay much less compared to bad drivers.
Discount for Life Insurance – Companies who offer life insurance give lower rates if you buy auto and life insurance together.
Good Students Pay Less – Getting good grades can earn a discount of 20% or more. This discount can apply up until you turn 25.
College Student – Kids in college who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle may be able to be covered for less.
Pay Upfront and Save – If you pay your bill all at once rather than paying monthly you may reduce your total bill.
Early Signing – Some companies give discounts for switching policies before your current policy expires. This can save 10% or more.
Homeowners Discount – Owning a house in Puyallup may trigger a car insurance policy discount due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.

It’s important to understand that some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Most cut individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. Just because you may think all the discounts add up to a free policy, you’re out of luck.

To see a list of insurers offering car insurance discounts in Washington, follow this link.

Don’t I need to talk to an agent?

A small number of people just want to visit with an insurance agent and that is OK! The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is the fact that you can find the lowest rates and still have an agent to talk to.

For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), the quote information is transmitted to agents in your area who will return price quotes for your coverage. You don’t have to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent to your email. How cool is that?! You can find better rates AND an agent nearby.

Deciding on an insurance company requires more thought than just the premium amount. Some important questions to ask are:

Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
How long has their agency been in business in Puyallup?
Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
Can glass repairs be made at your home?
What insurance company do they write the most business with?
How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?

Types of insurance agents

When researching a good insurance agency, there are a couple of types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies in Puyallup can either be captive or independent (non-captive).

Agency Captives

Captive agents are contracted to one company like State Farm, Allstate and AAA. They are unable to shop your coverage around so it’s a take it or leave it situation. They are usually quite knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques which can be an advantage.

Below are Puyallup captive agencies that can give you comparison quotes.

Allstate Insurance – 10116 116th St E # 203 – Puyallup, WA 98373 – (253) 841-3106
State Farm Insurance – 10202 149th St E # 102 – Puyallup, WA 98374 – (253) 848-2362
Farmers Insurance Group – 10211 128th St E # A – Puyallup, WA 98374 – (253) 445-4497

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent insurance agents do not work for one specific company so they can insure your vehicles with multiple insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If you are not satisfied with one company, your agent can switch companies without you having to go to a different agency. When comparing rates, it’s a good idea to contact at least one independent agent for the best price selection.

The following is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Puyallup willing to provide price quote information.

Mark Mullins Insurance – 1118 E Main – Puyallup, WA 98372 – (253) 845-7575
Nancy Bishop Agency – 10211 128th St E – Puyallup, WA 98374 – (253) 848-7777
Brian Parlari Insurance – 5608 112th St E # A – Puyallup, WA 98373 – (253) 315-1357

For a full directory of licensed insurance agents in Puyallup, visit this site.

After getting positive responses and an affordable coverage quote, most likely you have located an auto insurance agent that can adequately provide car insurance.

Don’t believe everything you hear

Car insurance companies such as Progressive, Allstate and GEICO consistently run ads in print and on television. They all seem to make an identical promise that you’ll save big if you change to them. How do they all claim to save you money?

All companies have a preferred profile for the driver they prefer to insure. A good example of a driver they prefer might be between 30 and 50, has no tickets, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A driver who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and therefore will save when they switch companies.

Consumers who fall outside the “perfect” profile will be quoted a more expensive rate and ends up with business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much. That is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the way they do. This emphasizes why it is so important to get as many quotes as possible. You cannot predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

How much car insurance do I need?

When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Every insured’s situation is different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For example, these questions may help you determine if you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
Do I get a pro-rated refund if I cancel my policy early?
What vehicles should carry emergency assistance coverage?
Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
Do I have coverage when making deliveries for my home business?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

More Washington car insurance resources

More detailed Washington car insurance information is available at the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner website. Consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find out industry alerts, learn about specific coverages, and learn about insurance regulations.

Compare but don’t skimp

Budget-conscious car insurance is possible on the web and with local Puyallup insurance agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. A few companies do not offer online price quotes and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.

While you’re price shopping online, you should never buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many cases where someone dropped full coverage only to regret at claim time that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your aim should be to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.

In this article, we presented a lot of techniques to lower your car insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more quotes you get, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may even discover the biggest savings come from a small local company. Regional companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than their larger competitors like Progressive or GEICO.