A recent survey discovered that nearly 70% of drivers have bought auto insurance from the same company for well over three years, and roughly 40% of drivers have never compared rates to find cheaper insurance. With the average auto insurance premium being $1,700, Portland drivers can save almost $970 each year just by shopping around, but they assume it’s a waste of time to shop their coverage around.
Really, the only way to get cheaper Honda HR-V insurance in Portland is to do an annual price comparison from insurers in Oregon.
First, gain an understanding of how insurance works and the measures you can control to prevent expensive coverage. Many factors that increase rates like speeding tickets, careless driving and a poor credit rating can be rectified by making minor changes in your lifestyle. This article gives tips to help find cheaper rates and find possible discounts that are available.
Second, get rate quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can provide rates from a single company like GEICO and State Farm, while independent agents can provide rate quotes for many different companies. Compare rates
Third, compare the new rate quotes to your current policy to see if a cheaper rate is available. If you can save money and switch companies, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
Fourth, notify your agent or company of your intention to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit payment and a completed application to your new company or agent. When you receive it, place the new certificate verifying proof of insurance somewhere easily accessible.
A tip to remember is to try to use similar deductibles and liability limits on every quote and and to analyze as many companies as possible. This guarantees the most accurate price comparison and a thorough price selection.
If you’re already insured, you should be able to reduce the price you pay using the techniques covered below. Buying affordable insurance in Portland can be made easier if you know where to look. But Oregon consumers do need to learn how companies determine prices because rates are impacted by many factors.
Best companies for cheap Honda HR-V insurance in Oregon
The auto insurance companies shown below offer price quotes in Portland, OR. In order to find cheap auto insurance in Portland, we recommend you visit two to three different companies in order to find the most competitive rates.
Verify you’re getting every discount
Some companies don’t always publicize every discount very well, so the list below details both well-publicized as well as the least known credits available to lower your premiums when you buy Portland car insurance online.
- Seat Belt Discounts – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt can save up to 15% on the premium charged for medical payments and/or PIP.
- First Accident Forgiveness – Not really a discount, but companies like State Farm and GEICO may permit one accident without getting socked with a rate hike so long as you haven’t had any claims for a specific time period.
- Driver Training Discounts – Successfully completing a driver safety course could possibly earn you a 5% discount depending on where you live.
- Good Grades Discount – A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
- Braking Control Discount – Vehicles that have anti-lock braking systems have fewer accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Memberships – Affiliation with qualifying employment or professional organizations is a good way to get lower rates on your next auto insurance statement.
- Driving Data Discount – Insureds that choose to allow driving data collection to scrutinize when and where they use their vehicle remotely such as Drivewise from Allstate or Snapshot from Progressive may see discounts as long as the data is positive.
- Senior Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you may be able to get a small decrease in premiums.
- Portland Homeowners Discount – Being a homeowner may earn you a small savings because it is proof of financial responsibility.
Don’t be shocked that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, you aren’t that lucky. But any discount should definitely cut your overall bill.
Larger auto insurance companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts include:
- GEICO offers discounts including anti-lock brakes, federal employee, daytime running lights, multi-policy, driver training, multi-vehicle, and seat belt use.
- SAFECO includes discounts for multi-car, teen safety rewards, teen safe driver, bundle discounts, and accident prevention training.
- State Farm has savings for multiple autos, good driver, passive restraint, safe vehicle, defensive driving training, anti-theft, and accident-free.
- MetLife may include discounts for good student, good driver, defensive driver, claim-free, multi-policy, and accident-free.
- 21st Century may offer discounts for early bird, good student, student driver, homeowners, theft prevention, anti-lock brakes, and 55 and older.
- Progressive policyholders can earn discounts including multi-policy, continuous coverage, online quote discount, multi-vehicle, homeowner, and online signing.
If you are trying to find the cheapest Honda HR-V rate quotes, ask every prospective company the best way to save money. All car insurance discounts may not apply to policies in your state. To choose insurance companies who offer discounts in Oregon, click here to view.
What Impacts Honda HR-V Insurance Rates?
One of the most helpful ways to save on auto insurance is to to have a grasp of some of the elements that play a part in calculating your premiums. If you have a feel for what determines base rates, this helps enable you to make changes that may result in much lower annual insurance costs. Many different elements are used in the calculation when premium rates are determined. A few of the factors are predictable such as your driving record, but some are not quite as obvious like your vehicle usage or your financial responsibility.
- Extra policy coverages can cost a lot – There are many additional extra coverages that you can buy when buying auto insurance. Add-on coverages like rental car reimbursement, better glass coverage, and term life insurance could be just wasting money. You may think they are a good idea at first, but if they’re wasting money eliminate them to save money.
- How old are your drivers? – Older people tend to be more responsible, file fewer claims, and tend to be get fewer driving tickets. Drivers with little experience tend to be more careless when at the wheel of a vehicle therefore auto insurance rates are much higher.
- Cheaper rates by consolidating – Some companies give discounts to insureds that purchase more than one policy. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. The discount can add up to five, ten or even twenty percent. Even if you already get this discount, it’s still a good idea to compare other Portland HR-V insurance rates to help ensure you have the lowest rates.
- Marriage is a factor – Getting married actually saves money on your policy. Marriage usually means you are more responsible and it’s statistically proven that married couples file fewer claims.
- Men tend to take more risk – Statistics have proven that females take fewer risks when driving. This data doesn’t prove that men are WORSE drivers than women. Women and men cause auto accidents in similar percentages, but guys tend to have higher claims. They also get cited for more serious violations such as reckless driving. Male teenagers tend to get in the most accidents and therefore have the most expensive auto insurance rates.
Which is the best auto insurance?
When buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a “perfect” insurance plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.
For instance, these questions could help you determine whether or not you might need an agent’s assistance.
- Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
- Do I pay less for low miles?
- Should I buy full coverage?
- Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
- When should I buy a commercial auto policy?
- Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
- Who is covered by my policy?
- What does medical payments cover?
If you don’t know the answers to these 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, fill out this quick form.
Car insurance agents are professional risk managers
Some people just prefer to go talk to an agent and that is not a bad decision The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is the fact that drivers can get cheap rate quotes and still buy from a local agent.
For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, the coverage information is emailed to participating agents in Portland who will give you bids for your business. There is no reason to even leave your home since price quotes are sent to you instantly. You can find the lowest rates and work with a local agent. If you want to get a rate quote from a specific company, you just need to visit that company’s website and submit a quote form there.
Selecting an insurer needs to be determined by more than just the premium amount. Any agent in Portland should have no problem answering these questions:
- What company do they have the most business with?
- What insurance companies do they work with in Portland?
- Where would glass claims be handled in Portland?
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
- How often do they review coverages?
- How is replacement cost determined on your vehicle?
If you are wanting to purchase insurance from an insurance agent, there are a couple of types of insurance agents and how they operate. Insurance agents in Portland can either be independent agents or exclusive agents depending on their employer.
Exclusive Agents
These type of agents can only quote rates from one company such as State Farm, Allstate and AAA. They generally cannot compare rates from other companies so you might not find the best rates. These agents are well schooled on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents.
Shown below are Portland exclusive insurance agents willing to provide rate quotes.
Ernest J Hill Jr – State Farm Insurance Agent
4946 N Vancouver Ave – Portland, OR 97217 – (503) 286-1103 – View Map
Doug Menely – State Farm Insurance Agent
8606 SE 17th Ave – Portland, OR 97202 – (503) 238-1903 – View Map
Todd Houser – State Farm Insurance Agent
7515 SW Barnes Rd #101 – Portland, OR 97225 – (503) 297-3788 – View Map
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Independent agencies do not sell for just one brand and that is an advantage because they can write policies with many different companies and potentially find a lower price. If your agent finds better pricing, an independent agent can move your coverage and the insured can keep the same agent. If you need cheaper insurance rates, you need to check rates from at least one independent agent for the best price selection.
Shown below are independent agents in Portland that are able to give price quotes.
WelPland Insurance, SE Portland and Clackamas County
5845 SE 82nd Ave – Portland, OR 97266 – (503) 777-5406 – View Map
Fox Insurance Agency
1819 SW 5th Ave – Portland, OR 97201 – (503) 277-2300 – View Map
Chet Hill Insurance
10402 NE Sandy Blvd – Portland, OR 97220 – (503) 256-2020 – View Map
Quote more and you will save more
Insureds change insurance companies for many reasons like being labeled a high risk driver, not issuing a premium refund, high prices or lack of trust in their agent. No matter why you want to switch, finding a new auto insurance company is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.
We’ve covered many tips how you can get a better price on Honda HR-V insurance in Portland. It’s most important to understand that the more times you quote, the better chance you’ll have of finding low cost Portland car insurance quotes. Drivers may even discover the lowest premium rates come from the smaller companies.
As you prepare to switch companies, make sure you don’t reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits and found out when filing a claim that it was a big error on their part. The proper strategy is to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
Much more information about auto insurance in Oregon is available below:
- How to Avoid Staged Accidents (State Farm)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Chevrolet Silverado in Portland? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Portland Auto Insurance Rates for a 20 Year Old Female? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes for a Jeep Wrangler in Portland? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Portland Auto Insurance for Drivers Over Age 70? (FAQ)
- Comprehensive Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
- Side Impact Crash Tests (iihs.org)