We don’t have to point out that fact that insurance companies don’t want you to look at other companies. Insureds who compare rates at least once a year are highly likely to switch companies because there is a high probability of finding a lower rate. Remarkably, a study showed that people who compared price quotes annually saved on average $860 a year as compared to drivers who never shopped around for cheaper prices.
If finding low prices for car insurance in Portland is your objective, then having an understanding of the best ways to shop for auto insurance can help simplify the task of finding more affordable coverage.
The preferred way to find low-cost Volkswagen Atlas insurance is to compare quotes once a year from providers that sell auto insurance in Portland. You can shop around by completing these steps.
First, read about how your policy works and the measures you can control to keep rates in check. Many policy risk factors that drive up the price like accidents, careless driving, and a negative credit score can be rectified by paying attention to minor details. Later in this article we will cover more ideas to get low prices and get discounts that may be overlooked.
Second, get rate 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 Allstate, while independent agencies can quote rates for a wide range of insurance providers.
Third, compare the new rate quotes to your existing coverage to see if switching to a new carrier will save money. If you can save some money, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
Fourth, tell your current company of your intent to cancel your current coverage and submit payment and a signed application to your new insurance company. As soon as coverage is bound, keep your new certificate verifying proof of insurance with the vehicle registration.
A good tip to remember is that you’ll want to make sure you compare identical deductibles and limits on every quote request and and to compare as many different insurance providers as possible. Doing this ensures an apples-to-apples comparison and maximum price selection.
Cheap Portland Volkswagen Atlas insurance quotes
Just keep in mind that getting more free quotes helps you find more affordable rates. Not every company does Portland Atlas insurance quotes online, so you need to compare rates on coverage from those companies, too.
The companies shown below provide price comparisons in Oregon. To locate cheaper auto insurance in OR, we suggest you visit two to three different companies in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Insuring your Atlas just makes sense
Despite the high cost, insuring your vehicle serves several important purposes.
First, the majority of states have mandatory insurance requirements which means state laws require specific limits of liability protection 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.
Second, if you have a lien on your car, almost every bank will require you to carry insurance to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the bank may buy a policy for your Volkswagen at an extremely high rate and require you to fork over the higher premium.
Third, car insurance preserves not only your Volkswagen but also your assets. Insurance will pay for many types of medical costs that are the result of an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, also pays expenses related to your legal defense in the event you are sued. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, comprehensive and collision coverage will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance are definitely more than the cost, especially when you need to use it. An average driver in America overpays as much as $820 a year so compare rate quotes at least once a year to ensure rates are competitive.
How to Lower Your Insurance Prices
One of the most helpful ways to save on auto insurance is to to have a grasp of a few of the rating criteria that play a part in calculating auto insurance rates. When you understand what controls the rates you pay, this enables you to make decisions that will entitle you to better auto insurance rates. Many different elements are taken into consideration when you get a price on insurance. Some are obvious like a motor vehicle report, but other factors are more transparent like your continuous coverage or your financial responsibility.
- Rates can drop if you have more than one policy – Lots of auto insurance companies will award discounts to clients that have more than one policy, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, you still need to check prices from other companies to make sure you are getting the best deal. Drivers may still save more without the discount by splitting coverages up.
- Incidental coverages you don’t need – Insurance policies have a lot of extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you don’t pay attention. Coverages for rental car coverage, better glass coverage, and additional equipment coverage are examples of these. They may sound like good ideas when buying your policy, but if you don’t need them remove them from your policy.
- Accidents drive up costs – Drivers who don’t get tickets receive lower rates as compared to careless drivers. Even a single citation can bump up the cost by twenty percent. Drivers unfortunate enough to have dangerous violations like DUI or willful reckless driving are required to file a SR-22 with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to legally drive a vehicle.
- Small claims can cost you – If you’re an insured who likes to file claims you can expect increased rates or even have your policy non-renewed. Car insurance companies in Oregon award the best rates to drivers that do not abuse their auto insurance. Insurance coverage is meant to be used in the event of major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- Males pay higher premiums – Statistics show that females tend to be a little less risky than males. It does not mean females are better at driving than males. Both sexes have at-fault accidents at a similar rate, but the males tend to have more serious accidents. Men also statistically have more aggressive citations like DUI and reckless driving. Male teenagers are most likely to cause an accident and therefore pay the highest rates.
- Do you have enough liability protection? – The liability section of your policy will afford coverage in the event that you are determined to be liable for an accident. Liability provides you with a defense in court starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so insureds should have plenty of protection for their assets.
- More miles driven equals more premium – The more you drive your Volkswagen every year the higher your rate. The majority of insurers price each vehicle’s coverage based on their usage. Cars and trucks that are left in the garage qualify for better rates than those that get driven frequently. It’s always a good idea to double check that your auto insurance declarations sheet shows the proper vehicle usage, because improper ratings can cost you money. An improperly rated Atlas may be costing you.
- Your stress level may be raising your premiums – Occupations such as fire fighters, air traffic controllers, and dentists generally have higher rates than average in part from stressful work requirements and lots of time spent at work. On the other hand, jobs like scientists, engineers and the unemployed have the lowest average rates.
Earn discounts on Portland car insurance
Some insurers don’t always publicize every available discount very well, so the list below contains some of the best known as well as some of the hidden discounts that may be available. If you’re not getting every credit you deserve, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Include Life Insurance and Save – Some companies give a break if you buy life insurance from them.
- Discount for Good Grades – Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you up until you turn 25.
- Professional Organizations – Having an affiliation with a professional or civic organization is a simple method to lower premiums on your next renewal.
- Senior Citizens – Mature drivers may be able to get lower premium rates.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you can bundle your home and auto insurance and insure them both with the same insurance company they may give you a discount of up to 20% and get you affordable Volkswagen Atlas insurance rates in Portland.
- Passive Restraints – Options like air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may qualify for discounts of 25 to 30%.
- Accident Forgiveness Coverage – Not a discount per se, but a few companies such as GEICO and Allstate will turn a blind eye to one accident before hitting you with a surcharge with the catch being you have to be claim-free prior to being involved in the accident.
- Savings for New Vehicles – Buying a new car model can cost up to 25% less due to better safety requirements for newer vehicles.
You can save money using discounts, but most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Most cut individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So even though you would think all those discounts means the company will pay you, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy. But any discount will help reduce your premiums.
A few of the larger companies and a partial list of their discounts are outlined below.
- State Farm has discounts for multiple autos, passive restraint, Steer Clear safe driver discount, good driver, and anti-theft.
- Progressive has savings for online quote discount, homeowner, online signing, continuous coverage, multi-policy, and good student.
- Travelers may include discounts for multi-policy, student away at school, hybrid/electric vehicle, payment discounts, and new car.
- American Family offers premium reductions for TimeAway discount, bundled insurance, Steer into Savings, defensive driver, good driver, accident-free, and multi-vehicle.
- Liberty Mutual offers discounts for safety features, newly retired, exclusive group savings, multi-policy, preferred payment discount, and teen driver discount.
When getting free Portland car insurance quotes, it’s a good idea to all the companies to give you their best rates. A few discounts may not be available in Portland. To choose companies who offer car insurance discounts in Oregon, click here.
Compare rate quotes but still have a local Portland insurance agency
A lot of people still prefer to buy from a local agent and that is recommended in a lot of cases The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is you can get cheap insurance quotes but still work with a licensed agent. Buying from and supporting small agencies is especially important in Portland.
After filling out this simple form, your coverage information is submitted to participating agents in Portland who want to provide quotes for your insurance coverage. You never need to do any legwork because prices are sent to the email address you provide. It’s the lowest rates AND a local agent. If you have a need to get a rate quote for a specific company, just visit that company’s website and fill out the quote form the provide.
Deciding on an provider shouldn’t rely on just the quoted price. Below are some questions you should ask.
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Oregon?
- What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
- If they are an independent agency in Portland, which companies do they recommend?
- Does the quote include credit and driving reports?
- Do they get extra compensation for selling add-on coverages?
- Can glass repairs be made at your home?
Do the work, save more money
You just read a lot of ways to find affordable Volkswagen Atlas insurance in Portland. The key concept to understand is the more you quote Portland car insurance, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the best price on car insurance is with a lesser-known regional company. They may cover specific market segments cheaper as compared to the big name companies such as Progressive or GEICO.
Cheap Volkswagen Atlas insurance in Portland can be bought online in addition to many Portland insurance agents, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance providers may not offer rates over the internet and usually these smaller providers only sell through independent insurance agents.
More learning opportunities
- Determining Auto Insurance Rates (GEICO)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Ride Shares in Portland? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Homeowners in Portland? (FAQ)
- How Much are Portland Car Insurance Quotes for Drivers with a Bad Driving Record? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes for a Jeep Wrangler in Portland? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for Unemployed Drivers in Portland? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates for a Honda CR-V in Portland? (FAQ)
- Understanding Car Crashes Video (iihs.org)
- New Honda safety features benefit drivers of all ages (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)