{"id":4229,"date":"2021-11-05T08:20:25","date_gmt":"2021-11-05T15:20:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/?p=4229"},"modified":"2021-11-05T08:20:27","modified_gmt":"2021-11-05T15:20:27","slug":"ways-tocut-auto-insurance-costs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/car-insurance\/ways-tocut-auto-insurance-costs\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Ways Seattle Drivers Can Cut Their Auto Insurance Costs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019ve paid car insurance<\/a> for someone like your teenager, they\u2019re likely appreciative –but not necessarily thrilled. Auto insurance, after all, is something you only truly appreciate when you need it. That\u2019s why Seattle drivers like you want to find the cheapest car insurance so you can save as much as possible . <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it\u2019s the reason we have compiled these seven tips for cutting your car insurance costs. You might not take advantage of every single one of them, but even if you only use one or two of these ideas, your savings could be dramatic. Let\u2019s get started. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buy minimum coverage if it makes sense in your situation.\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As with motorists in most U.S. states, Washington drivers\u00a0must have at least minimal insurance<\/a>, or\u00a0liabillity. The state\u2019s\u00a0mandatory coverage<\/a>\u00a0is mostly intended to protect other drivers, passengers, and property in case\u00a0you cause\u00a0an accident.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s missing, of course, is coverage for damage to your own vehicle. If you own a new $40,000 automobile, it could be a significant financial setback if your car is totaled, stolen, or heavily damaged. In that case, you certainly should carry collision and comprehensive coverage to protect your wallet. If you\u2019ve borrowed money to buy that new car, your loan company will almost certainly require you to carry full coverage auto insurance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also keep in mind that Seattle roads and highways can be quite congested, especially during morning and evening rush hours. That could increase the risk being involved in a fender bender, at the least. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what if your car is old, not worth much and you\u2019re hoping to replace it soon anyway? At a certain point, it might make more sense to buy minimum coverage and take the not particularly significant hit to your bank account if your ride is damaged. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider a high deductible.\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your insurance policy deductible is the amount of money you\u2019ll pay before your insurance company starts to pay for loss or damages to your vehicle. If you accept a higher deductible, your insurer will have to pay less when you\u00a0file a claim<\/a>. That\u2019s why if you take a higher deductible–maybe $1,000 or more–you\u2019ll pay less in insurance premiums.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The possible downside, of course, is that you\u2019ll have to come up with that higher amount out of your pocket if an accident occurs or your car is otherwise damaged or lost. Try to set aside that deductible amount if you can. By saving a few dollars a month, you\u2019ll have a separate fund to cover the deductible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Always drive responsibly.\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"caucasian<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Insurance companies consider many factors in setting your cost for coverage. That includes your age, the make, model, and age of your vehicle and also your gender, and where you live. Some of those factors you have little or no control over. But the top reason your rates are high or relatively low is totally within your control: your driving record.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Insurance company underwriters will consider your history of getting into car accidents<\/a> or having moving violations before they set your rates. They know statistically that a reckless or unsafe driver is much likelier than a careful and responsible driver to get into a car accident that will cost the insurer money. That\u2019s why points on your record for speeding tickets or other infractions can literally cost you money. By the same token, safe drivers will pay less. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If this good advice came too late to help you (you\u2019ve already had a lot of accidents or speeding tickets or a DUI<\/a>, which is often even costlier in terms of insurance), at least know that points on your record go away with time. If you start driving safer now, it will eventually reduce the cost of your auto insurance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get a cost quote\u00a0before<\/em>\u00a0buying your car.\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re not really getting a \u201cdeal\u201d in a car if the model costs more than you were expecting in car insurance rates. Some cars cost more than others to insure because they get stolen more often, they\u2019re more expensive to repair, or for other reasons. The safest decision you can make in this area is to place a\u00a0quick call<\/a>\u00a0to your insurance agent before you seal the deal at the dealership.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stick with your current insurer.\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some insurance companies will issue discounts on a second vehicle if they\u2019re already covering another family vehicle. You might even be able to get a better rate from the company that insures your house, health, boat, or life if they also offer auto insurance.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep your credit score as high as possible.\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What?<\/em>\u00a0What does your credit report have to do with the price you pay for car insurance? It doesn\u2019t seem like your score should have much to do with the other, but it does. Insurance underwriters take the attitude that Seattle drivers who are responsible with their finances are likelier to be equally responsible behind the wheel\u2026 and vice versa.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your credit score is high, keep it that way. If it\u2019s low or mediocre, go online where you can find good advice on improving your score. Do all you can to pay your bills on time, limit credit card use, and try to pay off big balances. Your score will improve. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ask an expert.\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What we mean by that is to simply\u00a0talk<\/a>\u00a0with your insurance agent. They can point you toward additional ways to pay less,\u00a0keep your premiums low\u00a0and find cheap car insurance in Seattle. For instance, students with good grades can sometimes earn rate reductions, which could make a big difference for any Seattle parent.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These little piles of savings can really add up. And only your insurance agent might know all of the ways you can save. That\u2019s why your first step should always be to consult your independent insurance representative before buying coverage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make Good Decisions About Car Insurance in Seattle.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seattle drivers\u00a0can find a quick\u00a0online quote<\/a>\u00a0for discount auto insurance, or they can call\u00a0(800)\u00a0455-8276<\/a>\u00a0or pay a\u00a0visit<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0discuss their\u00a0specifics and find out how much\u00a0they\u00a0can save on car insurance.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
Get a Quote<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
Call Us<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
Find Your Office<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve paid car insurance for someone like your teenager, they\u2019re likely appreciative –but not necessarily thrilled. Auto insurance, after all, is something you only truly appreciate when you need it. That\u2019s why Seattle drivers like you want to find the cheapest car insurance so you can save as much as possible .  And it\u2019s the reason we have compiled […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":4231,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4229","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-car-insurance"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4229","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4229"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4229\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4233,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4229\/revisions\/4233"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4231"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4229"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4229"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernfonk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4229"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}