It’s an obvious assumption that auto insurance companies don’t want you shop around. Consumers who shop around at least once a year will most likely buy a new policy because there is a good chance of finding a policy with better rates. A recent survey discovered that drivers who routinely compared quotes saved an average of $860 a year compared to people who never shopped around for lower prices.
If finding the lowest rates on Audi SQ5 insurance is your ultimate objective, knowing how to quote prices and compare car insurance can save time and money.
To save the most money, the best way to save on auto insurance rates in Portland is to start comparing prices regularly from companies who sell insurance in Oregon.
- Gain an understanding of how companies price auto insurance and the measures you can control to keep rates in check. Many risk factors that drive up the price like getting speeding tickets and a low credit score can be controlled by making minor changes to your lifestyle. This article provides tips to lower rates and get additional discounts that may be available.
- Obtain price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only give prices from a single company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agencies can quote rates from multiple insurance companies.
- Compare the price quotes to your existing policy and see if you can save money. If you can save some money and make a switch, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
- Give proper notification to your current agent or company to cancel your current auto insurance policy. Submit the application along with any required down payment to the newly selected company. Don’t forget to place your new certificate of insurance along with the vehicle’s registration papers.
A good piece of advice is to try to compare similar deductibles and liability limits on every quote request and to quote with all possible companies. This enables a fair rate comparison and the best rate selection.
When shopping for affordable Audi SQ5 insurance quotes, there are a couple of ways to compare quotes from all the different companies. The simplest method to compare Audi SQ5 insurance prices consists of shopping online.
Comparing price quotes online is fast and free, and it makes it a waste of time to drive around to different Portland agent offices. Buying insurance online makes this unnecessary unless you require the peace of mind only provided by licensed Portland agents. Drivers can comparison shop online but have a local agent actually write the policy. Just remember that more quotes will increase your chances of finding the best rates. Some companies don’t provide online Portland SQ5 insurance quotes, so you need to compare price estimates from them, too.
The companies shown below provide quotes in Portland, OR. If multiple companies are listed, it’s highly recommended you get price quotes from several of them in order to find the cheapest rates.
Don’t neglect these nine discounts
Auto insurance companies don’t always advertise every discount in an easy-to-find place, so we break down a few of the more well known and the more hidden credits available to you.
- Driver’s Education for Students – Teen drivers should enroll in driver’s education as it can save substantially.
- Switch and Save Discount – Some companies reward drivers for switching to them prior to your current SQ5 insurance policy expiration. It could save around 10% when you buy Portland auto insurance online.
- Full Payment Discount – If you can afford to pay the entire bill rather than spreading payments over time you may have a lower total premium amount.
- Employee of Federal Government – Federal government employees could cut as much as 10% off with some auto insurance companies.
- No Charge for an Accident – This one is not really a discount per se, but companies like Allstate and State Farm allow you one accident before they charge you more for coverage so long as you haven’t had any claims before the accident.
- Discounts for Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to buckle their seat belts could save 15% off the medical payments premium.
- Passenger Safety Discount – Cars that have air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings of more than 20%.
- Life Insurance Discount – If the company offers life insurance, you could get a break if you buy life insurance.
- Driver Training Discounts – Passing a course teaching driver safety skills could earn you a small percentage discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
Discounts lower rates, but most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like you could get a free auto insurance policy, nobody gets a free ride.
Insurance companies that may offer most of these discounts possibly include:
If you need lower rates, check with each company or agent the best way to save money. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not be offered in every state. If you would like to choose from a list of insurers that offer discounts in Portland, follow this link.
Car insurance agents near you
Certain consumers still like to have an agent’s advice. One of the benefits of price shopping on the web is you may find cheap insurance rates and still have an agent to talk to. And buying from local insurance agencies is still important in Portland.
To find an agent, once you fill out this quick form, the quote information is immediately sent to insurance agents in Portland who will return price quotes for your business. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to find an agent because prices are sent directly to your email. You can find lower rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. If you wish to compare rates from a specific insurance provider, you can always navigate to their website to submit a rate quote request.
Compare rates from both independent and exclusive car insurance agents
If you want to buy insurance from a local Portland insurance agent, you need to know there are two different types of agents that you can choose from. Insurance agents can be classified as either independent agents or exclusive agents depending on their employer.
Independent Insurance Agents
Agents that choose to be independent are not employed by one company so as a result can place your coverage with multiple insurance companies and potentially find a lower price. If you want to switch companies, they can switch companies in-house without you having to go to a different agency.
When comparison shopping, you should always get several quotes from a couple of independent agencies for the best price selection.
Shown below are Portland independent insurance agents who may provide price quote information.
Peninsula Insurance
12700 NW Cornell Rd – Portland, OR 97229 – (503) 644-5333 – View Map
Pibal Insurance Brokers of Oregon
1314 NW Irving St – Portland, OR 97209 – (503) 287-8808 – View Map
Cundari Insurance
8309 SW 22nd Ave – Portland, OR 97219 – (503) 292-0075 – View Map
Exclusive Agents
Agents that elect to be exclusive can only place business with one company and some examples include State Farm, AAA, and Liberty Mutual. Exclusive agents cannot compare other company’s rates so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive insurance agents are highly trained on sales techniques and that enables them to sell even at higher rates.
The following is a short list of exclusive agents in Portland who can help you get price quote information.
John Lokting – State Farm Insurance Agent
307 SE 102nd Ave – Portland, OR 97216 – (503) 252-5581 – View Map
Lidia Mazun – State Farm Insurance Agent
11916 SE Division St – Portland, OR 97266 – (503) 761-1444 – View Map
Roland Havens – State Farm Insurance Agent
6720 NE Glisan St – Portland, OR 97213 – (503) 252-1608 – View Map
Picking the best auto insurance agent should include more criteria than just a low price. Any agent in Portland should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Who are their largest clients?
- Do they have designations such as AIC, CPCU, or CIC?
- Can they help ensure a fair claim settlement?
- Can you choose the body shop in case repairs are needed?
- Can you contact them at any time?
- Which companies do they recommend if they are an independent agency?
After talking to the agent and getting satisfactory answers to these questions and cheaper SQ5 insurance quotes, you’ve probably found a car insurance agent that can be relied on to provide insurance coverage. Just be aware that it’s your coverage and you can terminate your policy for any reason so never feel that you are permanently stuck with any particular company for any length of time.
Insurance is not optional but you don’t have to overpay
Despite the high insurance cost for a Audi SQ5 in Portland, insurance serves an important purpose.
- Almost all states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a specific minimum amount of liability insurance coverage in order to drive the car. In Oregon these limits are 25/50/20 which means you must have $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $20,000 of property damage coverage.
- If you have a lien on your SQ5, more than likely the lender will make it mandatory that you buy full coverage to guarantee loan repayment. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Audi for a lot more money and make you pay the higher premium.
- Insurance safeguards both your Audi and your personal assets. It also can pay for most medical and hospital costs for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, also pays for attorney fees and expenses if you are sued as the result of your driving. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, comprehensive and collision coverage will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of having insurance definitely exceed the price paid, especially when you need to use it. Unknowingly, the average driver is wasting up to $869 every year so you should quote and compare rates once a year at a minimum to be sure current rates are still competitive.
Insurance coverages and their meanings
Learning about specific coverages of insurance aids in choosing which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement. Below you’ll find the normal coverages available from insurance companies.
Liability car insurance – This protects you from damage or injury you incur to people or other property that is your fault. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have policy limits of 25/50/20 which stand for a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a total of $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $20,000 of coverage for damaged property. Occasionally you may see one number which is a combined single limit which combines the three limits into one amount without having the split limit caps.
Liability coverage protects against things like court costs, funeral expenses, bail bonds, emergency aid and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but consider buying as much as you can afford. Oregon requires drivers to carry at least 25/50/20 but you should consider buying better liability coverage.
The chart below shows why buying minimum limits may not be enough coverage.
Uninsured and underinsured coverage – Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your Audi SQ5.
Due to the fact that many Oregon drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (25/50/20), their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Usually the UM/UIM limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Collision coverage – This covers damage to your SQ5 from colliding with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage pays for things such as crashing into a ditch, damaging your car on a curb, sideswiping another vehicle and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible on your SQ5 to save money on collision insurance.
Coverage for medical payments – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for immediate expenses for chiropractic care, rehabilitation expenses, hospital visits, funeral costs and nursing services. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not an option in every state but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Comprehensive coverages – This pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as theft, damage from flooding, a broken windshield and hitting a deer. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Which auto insurance company is best in Oregon?
Selecting the top auto insurance provider is hard considering how many choices there are in Oregon. The ranking information in the next section can help you choose which auto insurance companies to look at when shopping around.
Top 10 Portland Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Claims Service
- State Farm
- Esurance
- AAA Insurance
- Progressive
- Liberty Mutual
- GEICO
- Allstate
- Titan Insurance
- The Hartford
- Mercury Insurance
Top 10 Portland Car Insurance Companies by A.M. Best Rank
- USAA – A++
- Travelers – A++
- GEICO – A++
- State Farm – A++
- The Hartford – A+
- Esurance – A+
- Nationwide – A+
- Allstate – A+
- Mercury Insurance – A+
- Titan Insurance – A+
Persistence is the key to cheap rates
As you quote Portland auto insurance, you should never reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, an insured dropped collision coverage only to discover later that it was a big error on their part. The aim is to buy enough coverage at the best possible price while not skimping on critical coverages.
In this article, we presented a lot of techniques to get a better price on Audi SQ5 insurance in Portland. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the better likelihood of getting cheaper Portland auto insurance quotes. Drivers may even discover the best price on car insurance is with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. These smaller insurers can often insure niche markets at a lower cost as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.
More articles
- Self-driving cars won’t replace humans (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Ride Shares in Portland? (FAQ)
- How Much is Auto Insurance for Teenagers in Portland? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers Over Age 50 in Portland? (FAQ)
- Car Insurance: When not to Skimp (BankRate.com)
- Tools for Teen Driving Safety (State Farm)
- How to Avoid Buying a Flooded Car (Insurance Information Institute)
- Dangers of fake or stolen airbags (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)