Learn How to Buy Kent Washington Car Insurance Like a Pro

I can’t think of a single person who looks forward to buying car insurance, especially when their premiums are through the roof. Since consumers have many car insurance companies to choose from, it’s difficult to find the lowest cost car insurance company.

Finding Car Insurance Deals in Kent, WA

Getting a lower price on insurance is surprisingly easy. All that’s required is to take time to compare rate quotes online with multiple companies. This can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.

1. One of the best ways to get quotes for comparison is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This form keeps you from doing repetitive form entry for each company. In just a few minutes this one form will get you price quotes from multiple companies.
2. A less efficient way to get comparison quotes is going to each company’s website and request a quote. For instance, let’s say you want comparison quotes from Allstate, Progressive and Liberty Mutual. To get rate quotes you would need to visit each site and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is more popular.

   For a list of links to insurance companies in Kent, click here.

However you get your quotes, make darn sure you compare apples-to-apples information with every price quote. If you use different deductibles it will be impossible to make an equal comparison in Kent.

Can you really save that much by switching?

Consumers in Washington constantly see and hear ads for the lowest price auto insurance from the likes of GEICO, State Farm and Progressive. All the ads say the same thing about savings after switching your coverage to them.

How do they all claim to save you money?

All companies can use profiling for the type of driver that earns them a profit. An example of a desirable insured could be between 25 and 40, owns a home, and has a short commute. A customer getting a price quote who meets those qualifications will get very good rates and most likely will save quite a bit of money when switching.

Potential customers who are not a match for the “perfect” profile will be quoted a more expensive rate and this can result in business not being written. The ads say “drivers who switch” not “people who quote” save money. This is how insurance companies can confidently make those claims. This emphasizes why drivers must get quotes from several different companies. You cannot predict which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Don’t overlook these discounts

Auto insurance companies don’t always list all their discounts very well, so here is a list both the well known as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving. If you don’t get every credit available, you’re just leaving money on the table.

• Drivers Education – Have your child complete a driver education course if offered at their school.
• New Vehicle Savings – Adding a new car to your policy is cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
• Senior Citizens – If you’re over the age of 55, you may qualify for reduced rates.
• Auto/Life Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with better rates if you take out auto and life insurance together.
• Multi-car Discount – Buying insurance for more than one vehicle on the same car insurance policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
• No Charge for an Accident – Some insurance companies allow you one accident before your rates go up as long as you don’t have any claims for a set time period.
• Defensive Driving Course – Completing a course in driver safety can save you 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
• Braking Control Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can avoid accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.

Keep in mind that most discount credits are not given the the whole policy. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, you’re out of luck.

Is my situation unique?

When it comes to buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance needs to address that. For example, these questions may help you determine whether or not you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
• Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in Washington?
• Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Kent?
• Are all vehicle passengers covered by medical payments coverage?
• When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
• Does my insurance cover my expensive audio equipment?
• What vehicles should carry emergency assistance coverage?
• Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It is quick, free and can provide invaluable advice.

More detailed Washington car insurance information is located at the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner website. Consumers can find out which companies have the most complaints, file complaints about a company, learn about insurance regulations, and view agent and company licensing information.

Additional helpful sites include this Car Insurance FAQ and this list of agents in Kent, WA.

Summing up your car insurance search

Lower-priced car insurance is possible both online in addition to many Kent insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

As you restructure your insurance plan, don’t be tempted to buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many situations where an accident victim reduced physical damage coverage only to discover later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The aim is to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.

We just showed you some good ideas how you can shop for car insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the lowest priced car insurance comes from an unexpected company. Regional companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than their larger competitors like State Farm and Allstate.