New Tricks for Saving Money on on Beaverton, OR Auto Insurance

Are you overwhelmed by the sheer number of auto insurance choices in Beaverton? You’re not alone. There are so many options that it can be more work than you anticipated to find the lowest price.

If you have a current auto insurance policy or are looking for a new policy, you can learn to reduce the price you pay and still get good coverage. Locating the lowest cost auto insurance in Beaverton can be fairly easy. Oregon drivers just need to understand the tricks to shop online.

More discounts equal less premium

Companies that sell car insurance don’t always publicize every discount in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of both the well known and the more hidden ways to save on auto insurance. If they aren’t giving you every credit available, you’re paying more than you need to.

Defensive Driver – Taking a course in driver safety could possibly earn you a 5% discount if you qualify.
Sign Early and Save – Some insurance companies reward drivers for buying a policy before your current expiration date. It can save you around 10%.
Drive Less and Save – Keeping the miles down could qualify for a substantially lower rate.
Anti-lock Brake Discount – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems prevent accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Accident Forgiveness – A few companies allow you one accident before your rates go up as long as you don’t have any claims for a certain period of time.
Seat Belt Usage – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt can save 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
Club Memberships – Affiliation with a civic or occupational organization may earn a discount when shopping for auto insurance.
Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts of 20% or more.
Federal Government Employee – Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount with select insurance companies.
New Car Discount – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can save up to 30% since new cars are generally safer.

It’s important to note that many deductions do not apply the the whole policy. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So even though they make it sound like it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies wouldn’t make money that way.

To see a list of insurers who offer auto insurance discounts in Beaverton, click here to view.

Low Cost Beaverton Auto Insurance

Effectively comparing auto insurance prices can be challenging if you don’t utilize the easiest way. You could waste time driving to insurance agencies in Beaverton, or you could use online quoting to quickly compare rates.

Many companies participate in a marketplace that allows shoppers to submit their information once, and each company then gives them pricing. This prevents consumers from doing quotation requests for every auto insurance company.

To enter your information into the quoting system, click to open in new window.

One minor caviat to doing it this way is that you can’t choose which providers you want pricing from. If you prefer to choose specific providers to compare rates, we put together a list of auto insurance companies in Oregon. View list of Oregon insurance companies.

Whichever way you use, ensure you are comparing identical deductibles and coverage limits for every quote you compare. If you enter different limits and deductibles on each one it will be very difficult to determine the lowest rate in Beaverton.

Save Money with These Tips

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in much lower annual insurance costs. save money image

More miles equals more premium – The more miles you rack up on your car in a year the higher your rates will be. Almost all companies apply a rate based upon how you use the vehicle. Autos that are left in the garage get more affordable rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Verify your auto insurance policy shows how each vehicle is driven.
Don’t get talked into coverage you don’t need – There are a ton of add-on coverages you can purchase when buying auto insurance. Coverages for roadside assistance, better glass coverage and additional equipment coverage may be wasting your money. These may sound like a good investment when you first buy your policy, but now you might not need them so eliminate them to save money.
Performance influences rates – The make and model of the vehicle you are buying insurance for makes a substantial difference in how high your rates are. The cheapest insurance rates are usually for small economy passenger vehicles, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
Multi-policy discounts can save money – Some insurance companies give discounts to insureds who consolidate policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount, it’s in your best interest to shop around to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
Better credit scores mean better rates – Credit score is a huge factor in determining your rates. So if your credit score is lower than you’d like, you could save money insuring your by repairing your credit. Drivers who have high credit ratings tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers who have poor credit.
Liability coverage is peace of mind – The liability section of your policy is the coverage that protects you when a jury decides you are liable for personal injury or accident damage. It will provide legal defense coverage starting from day one. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
How’s your driving record? – Drivers who don’t get tickets tend to pay less for car insurance than people who have multiple driving citations. Only having one moving violation can bump up the cost twenty percent or more. If you have severe violations like DUI or reckless driving may find they need to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to drive a vehicle legally.

Which policy gives me the best coverage?

When it comes to choosing adequate coverage, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.

Here are some questions about coverages that might point out if your situation could use an agent’s help.

Why is insurance for a teen driver so high in Beaverton?
Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
At what point should I drop full coverage?
What are the best liability limits?
Does coverage extend to a rental car in a foreign country?
Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
Are rental cars covered under my policy?

If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.

But buying car insurance online seems impersonal

Some consumers prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is a personal choice. Agents can answer important questions and help submit paperwork. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is you may find the best rates but also keep your business local.

For easy comparison, once you complete this simple form, your insurance coverage information is instantly submitted to insurance agents in Beaverton who will return price quotes for your coverage. You never need to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. How cool is that?!

Picking an insurer should depend on more than just a cheap price. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:

What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
Do they regularly work with personal auto policies?
Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
What insurance company do they write the most business with?

The difference between Beaverton insurance agencies

If you’re trying to find an insurance agent, you need to know there are two types of insurance agents that you can select. Agencies in Beaverton can either be independent or captive. Both properly insure your vehicles, but it’s worth mentioning how they are different since it can impact your agent selection.

Agency Captives

This type of agents are contracted to one company like Liberty Mutual, Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They generally cannot shop your coverage around so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agents are usually quite knowledgeable on the products they sell which can be an advantage. Consumers sometimes choose to use a captive agent partially due to high brand loyalty and solid financial strength.

The following are captive agencies in Beaverton that can give you price quotes.

American Family Insurance – 4400 SW 110th Ave # 201 – Beaverton, OR 97005 – (503) 469-8855
State Farm Insurance – 12852 SW Canyon Rd – Beaverton, OR 97005 – (503) 644-3151
Allstate Insurance – 16157 NW Cornell Rd # 109 – Beaverton, OR 97006 – (503) 690-4994
Farmers Insurance Group – 14845 SW Murray Scholls Dr – Beaverton, OR 97007 – (503) 646-1174

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent agencies are not required to write business for one company but rather can write business with lots of companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To transfer your coverage to a different company, the agent simply finds a different carrier without you having to go to a different agency. When shopping rates, it’s recommended you include at least one independent agent for the best price selection.Most can insure with lesser-known insurance companies who may have lower rates.

Shown below is a list of independent agencies in Beaverton who can help you get price quotes.

Ayala Insurance Svc – 7717 SW Cirrus Dr – Beaverton, OR 97008 – (503) 644-4108
John L Mc Nassar Agency – 5725 SW Hall Blvd – Beaverton, OR 97005 – (503) 644-7954
Charles Jackson Agency – 4800 SW Griffith Dr – Beaverton, OR 97005 – (503) 601-8600
Nationwide Insurance – 4130 SW 117th Ave # M – Beaverton, OR 97005 – (503) 644-5400
Sherry A Warshauer Agency – 3815 SW Hall Blvd – Beaverton, OR 97005 – (503) 643-8507

To view a complete directory of auto insurance agents in Beaverton, please click here.

Upon getting positive responses to any questions you have and a low price estimate, most likely you have located an auto insurance agent that is a good match to service your policy.

One last thing

When shopping online for auto insurance, it’s a bad idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. Too many times, consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage only to find out that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your aim should be to purchase plenty of coverage at the best price.

Cheaper auto insurance is attainable online and also from your neighborhood Beaverton agents, so you should compare both to have the best selection. Some companies may not provide online price quotes and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.

We covered a lot of information how to shop for auto insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more rate comparisons you have, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Consumers may even find the best prices are with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.

Additional Oregon consumer information

Even more information is located at the Oregon Insurance Division website. Visitors are able to read enforcement actions against agents and companies, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and find disaster information.