It takes a few minutes, but the best way to get the cheapest auto insurance rates is to regularly compare quotes from different companies that insure vehicles in Portland.
First, learn about how car insurance works and the modifications you can make to keep rates low. Many rating factors that result in higher rates such as distracted driving and a not-so-good credit rating can be amended by making minor changes to your lifestyle.
Second, get rate quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can give quotes from one company like GEICO or Allstate, while independent agencies can give you price quotes from many different companies. View a list of agents
Third, compare the quotes to your current policy premium and see if there is a cheaper rate in Portland. If you can save some money, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
Fourth, provide written notification to your current company to cancel your existing policy and submit any necessary down payment along with the completed application to your new insurance company. As soon as you can, put the new certificate verifying coverage along with your vehicle registration.
The key thing to remember is that you’ll want to make sure you compare identical coverages on each quote and to quote with as many companies as feasibly possible. This guarantees a fair price comparison and plenty of rates choose from.
It’s safe to assume that auto insurance companies don’t want their policyholders to compare prices. Insureds who shop around for better prices are highly likely to buy a new policy because there is a high probability of finding a more affordable policy premium. A recent insurance study discovered that drivers who shopped around saved $865 annually compared to policyholders who never shopped around for better prices.
If finding discount rates on Subaru Forester insurance in Portland is your intention, then having a grasp of how to shop and compare coverage rates can help make the process easier.
Reduce Insurance Rates with These Tips
Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the things that play a part in calculating auto insurance rates. If you understand what controls the rates you pay, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that can earn you lower auto insurance prices. Lots of things are part of the calculation when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are pretty understandable such as your driving record, but other factors are more transparent such as your credit history or your commute time.
High insurance claims frequency drives up rates – If you are a frequent claim filer, you should expect higher rates. Car insurance companies in Oregon award the best rates to policyholders that do not abuse their auto insurance. Your insurance policy is intended to be relied upon for claims that pose a financial burden.
Pay more out-of-pocket – Comp and collision deductibles state the amount of money you are willing to pay before your auto insurance pays a claim. Insurance for physical damage to your car, also known as collision and other-than-collision, protects your car from damage. Examples of some claims that would be covered are rear-ending another vehicle, vandalism, or theft of your vehicle. The more of the claim you pay before a claim is paid (deductible), the bigger discount you will receive.
Experienced drivers pay less – Young drivers in Oregon are known to be careless and easily distracted when behind the wheel so auto insurance rates are higher. Older people are viewed as being more responsible, cause fewer claims and accidents, and are safer drivers.
The chart below uses these assumptions: single driver, full coverage with $500 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.
Small coverages can add up – There are quite a few extra bells and whistles that sound like a good idea at the time but may not be useful. Coverages like coverage for rental cars, towing, and motor club memberships are some examples. They may sound like good ideas when talking to your agent, but if you have no use for them eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
High credit equals lower prices – A driver’s credit rating is a large factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. Consumers who have high credit ratings tend to be more responsible as compared to drivers with poor credit. So if your credit score is lower than you’d like, you could save money insuring your Subaru Forester by improving your credit score.
Get better rates if married – Having a significant other helps lower the price on auto insurance. It may mean you are more mature than a single person and it’s proven that married drivers tend to have fewer serious accidents.
Subaru Forester insurance loss probability – Companies use data from past claims when they calculate premium rates for each model. Vehicles that statistically have higher claim amounts or frequency will cost more for coverage. The data below shows the loss history for Subaru Forester vehicles.
For each coverage category, the statistical loss for all vehicles averaged together is equal to 100. Values that are 100 or less indicate better than average losses, while percentage values above 100 indicate higher probability of having a loss or an increased chance of larger losses than average.
| Specific Subaru Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subaru Forester 4dr 4WD | 71 | 80 | 108 | 72 | 76 | 68 |
| Subaru Forester 4dr 4WD with Eyesight | 74 | 66 | 118 | 77 | 78 | 53 |
Data Source: iihs.org (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) for 2013-2015 Model Years
How to buy Portland Subaru Forester insurance online
When price shopping your coverage, getting more free quotes increases your odds of finding a lower rate than you’re paying now.
The providers in the list below provide quotes in Portland, OR. If you want the best cheap car insurance in Oregon, we suggest you visit as many as you can in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Subaru Forester insurance coverage information
The rate table shown next outlines a range of insurance coverage prices for Subaru Forester models. Understanding more about how insurance rates are figured can help customers make informed purchases.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forester X AWD | $354 | $496 | $356 | $22 | $106 | $1,334 | $111 |
| Forester X Premium AWD | $354 | $496 | $356 | $22 | $106 | $1,334 | $111 |
| Forester X Premium AWP AWD | $354 | $496 | $356 | $22 | $106 | $1,334 | $111 |
| Forester X Limited Edition AWD | $394 | $496 | $356 | $22 | $106 | $1,374 | $115 |
| Forester X Limited Edition W/Navigation AWD | $394 | $586 | $356 | $22 | $106 | $1,464 | $122 |
| Forester XT AWD | $394 | $586 | $356 | $22 | $106 | $1,464 | $122 |
| Forester XT Limited Edition AWD | $394 | $586 | $356 | $22 | $106 | $1,464 | $122 |
| Forester XT Limited Edition W/Navigation AWD | $394 | $586 | $356 | $22 | $106 | $1,464 | $122 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Price data assumes single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and Oregon minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-policy, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, and homeowner. Premium amounts do not factor in vehicle garaging location which can change auto insurance rates considerably.
Accidents and violations increase rates
The diagram below demonstrates how traffic citations and accident claims can drive up Subaru Forester yearly insurance costs for each different age category. The rate quotes are based on a single female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $500 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Price comparison of only insuring for liability
The chart below illustrates the comparison of Subaru Forester insurance costs when comparing full coverage to state minimum liability only. The data assumes no accidents or driving violations, $100 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are factored in.
When to stop buying full coverage
There isn’t a steadfast formula of when to drop comp and collision coverage, but there is a broad guideline. If the yearly cost of full coverage is 10% or more of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.
For example, let’s say your Subaru Forester book value is $6,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, you would only receive $5,000 after paying your deductible. If it’s costing you more than $500 a year for comprehensive and collision coverage, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.
There are some situations where buying only liability insurance is not in your best interest. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you have to keep full coverage as part of the loan requirements. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle in case of an accident, you should not opt for liability only.
It may be expensive, but it’s not optional
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Subaru in Portland, insurance is not optional due to several reasons.
First, most states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry specific minimum amounts of liability coverage in order to get the vehicle licensed. 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 your Forester has a lienholder, most banks will make it a condition of the loan that you have comprehensive coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the lender will be forced to insure your Subaru at an extremely high rate and require you to pay the higher price.
Third, auto insurance preserves both your Subaru Forester and your personal assets. It also can pay for medical bills for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also pays for attorney fees and expenses in the event you are sued. If you have damage to your Subaru as the result of the weather or an accident, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will pay to have it repaired.
The benefits of insuring your Forester greatly outweigh the cost, especially for larger claims. The average driver in Oregon overpays as much as $820 a year so compare quotes from several companies at least once a year to be sure current rates are still competitive.
Reduce your car insurance rates with discounts
Not too many consumers would say car insurance is affordable, but you might already qualify for some discounts that you may not even know about. Some discounts apply automatically when you complete an application, but lesser-known reductions have to be manually applied before you get the savings. If you do not check that you are getting every discount possible, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Multiple Vehicles – Insuring all your vehicles on one policy can reduce rates for all insured vehicles.
- Save with a New Car – Adding a new car to your policy can save you some money compared to insuring an older model.
- Driver Safety – Taking part in a defensive driver course can save you 5% or more depending on where you live.
- Government Employees – Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off depending on your car insurance provider.
- One Accident Forgiven – Not a discount per se, but some insurance companies may permit one accident without the usual rate increase if you have no claims for a set time period.
- Accident-Free Discounts – Good drivers with no accidents have much lower rates when compared to drivers who are more careless.
- Auto/Life Discount – Select insurance carriers reward you with a small discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
- Senior Citizens – If you’re over the age of 55, you can possibly qualify for lower premium rates.
A little disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it may seem like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any qualifying discounts will help reduce your premiums.
The chart below illustrates the comparison of Subaru Forester yearly insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the rates. The costs are based on a male driver, no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, Oregon state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, safe-driver, multi-car, marriage, claim-free, and multi-policy discounts applied.
Large car insurance companies and a selection of discounts are:
- GEICO policyholders can earn discounts including anti-theft, good student, multi-policy, military active duty, daytime running lights, five-year accident-free, and defensive driver.
- USAA may offer discounts for driver training, family discount, safe driver, multi-vehicle, good student, and loyalty savings.
- Progressive may have discounts that include multi-policy, good student, homeowner, multi-vehicle, continuous coverage, and online signing.
- American Family offers discounts for TimeAway discount, accident-free, good student, bundled insurance, defensive driver, multi-vehicle, and good driver.
- Esurance offers discounts including defensive driver, DriveSense, online quote, claim free, good student, and safety device.
- Farmers Insurance discounts include bundle discounts, teen driver, youthful driver, homeowner, alternative fuel, good student, and mature driver.
- State Farm has discounts for driver’s education, Steer Clear safe driver discount, student away at school, Drive Safe & Save, and multiple policy.
Check with each insurance company which credits you are entitled to. Discounts might not be available to policyholders in your state. For a list of insurance companies that offer multiple discounts in Portland, click this link.
Do I need an insurance agent?
A lot of people still prefer to buy from a licensed agent and we recommend doing that An additional benefit of comparing rates online is you can get better rates and also buy local. Buying from neighborhood insurance agencies is important especially in Portland.
Upon completion of this form (opens in new window), your insurance coverage information is sent to local insurance agents that provide free Portland car insurance quotes for your insurance coverage. It makes it easy because there is no need to visit any agencies due to the fact that quote results will go straight to your inbox. It’s the lowest rates without requiring a lot of work. If for some reason you want to get a rate quote from a specific insurance provider, don’t hesitate to visit that company’s website and give them your coverage information.
The difference between Portland auto insurance agents
When narrowing the list to find a good Portland insurance agent, you must know there are a couple types of agencies and how they can service your needs differently. Insurance agents in Portland are categorized either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for.
Independent Insurance Agents (or Brokers)
These type of agents do not write with just one company and that allows them to write policies with an assortment of companies and get you the best rates possible. To transfer your coverage to a different company, the business is moved internally and you can keep the same agent.
If you are comparing rate quotes, you should always check rates from at a minimum one independent agency to get the best comparison.
Below is a partial list of independent insurance agencies in Portland that may be able to give free insurance quotes.
Oregon Insurance Advisor – Mark Strauss
5201 SW Westgate Dr #300 – Portland, OR 97221 – (503) 922-4847 – View Map
Peninsula Insurance
12700 NW Cornell Rd – Portland, OR 97229 – (503) 644-5333 – View Map
Vern Fonk
9955 SE Washington St #103 – Portland, OR 97216 – (971) 213-1015 – View Map
Exclusive Agents
These agents can usually just insure with one company such as State Farm or Allstate. They generally cannot compare other company’s rates so you might not find the best rates. Exclusive agencies are usually well trained on their products and sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
Listed below is a short list of exclusive agencies in Portland who can help you get rate quotes.
Chris Lawson – State Farm Insurance Agent
3118 NE Broadway St – Portland, OR 97232 – (503) 282-4569 – View Map
Chris Shobe – State Farm Insurance Agent
2900 SE Stark St b – Portland, OR 97214 – (971) 242-8981 – View Map
John Freeman – State Farm Insurance Agent
8519 SE Woodstock Blvd – Portland, OR 97266 – (503) 228-1311 – View Map
Selecting an car insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just the quoted price. Any agent in Portland should have no problem answering these questions:
- Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
- Do you work with a CSR or direct with the agent?
- Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
- Does the company have a solid financial rating?
- Is the agent properly licensed in Oregon?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- Is auto insurance their primary focus in Portland?
If you feel you receive answers to your satisfaction to any questions you may have and a low price estimate, you may have found an auto insurance agent that is a good match to properly service your insurance policy. Just keep in mind policyholders can cancel coverage for any reason so don’t think that you’re stuck with a policy with no way to switch.
One last thing about your coverage
When getting Portland car insurance quotes online, it’s very important that you do not buy poor coverage just to save money. There are many occasions where an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage to discover at claim time that it was a big mistake. The aim is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best possible price, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.
You just learned many ideas to compare Subaru Forester insurance auto insurance rates in Portland. The key concept to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the biggest savings come from a smaller regional carrier. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower premium rates on certain market segments than their larger competitors like State Farm and Allstate.
Some insurance companies may not provide online price quotes and most of the time these smaller companies provide coverage only through independent insurance agents. Low-cost Subaru Forester insurance in Portland can be found both online and from local agencies, so you should compare both to have the best chance of lowering rates.
Additional car insurance information can be read on the following sites:
- Steps to Take After an Auto Accident (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for High Risk Drivers in Portland? (FAQ)
- How Much is Auto Insurance for Teenagers in Portland? (FAQ)
- How Much is Portland Auto Insurance for Police Officers? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for a GMC Sierra in Portland? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers with Accidents in Portland? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for Low Mileage Drivers in Portland? (FAQ)
- How Much Auto Coverage do I Need? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Determining Auto Insurance Rates (GEICO)