Truthfully, the best way to get cheaper Volvo S60 insurance is to start doing a yearly price comparison from insurers in Portland.
- It will benefit you to learn about how car insurance works and the steps you can take to keep rates low. Many rating factors that result in higher rates such as traffic citations, accidents, and a low credit score can be remedied by paying attention to minor details.
- Request rate estimates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only quote rates from a single company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agencies can provide rate quotes for a wide range of companies. Click to view companies
- Compare the new rate quotes to your existing policy to see if a cheaper rate is available. If you find better rates and change companies, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
One thing to remember is that you’ll want to compare the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on each quote request and and to get prices from as many different companies as possible. Doing this helps ensure a level playing field and the best price selection.
It’s an obvious conclusion that car insurance companies don’t want their customers to go rate shopping. People who compare rates annually are likely to buy a different policy because of the good chance of finding a policy with more affordable rates. A recent survey discovered that drivers who compared rate quotes regularly saved approximately $3,500 over four years as compared to drivers who never shopped around for cheaper prices.
If finding low prices for car insurance is your goal, then knowing how to compare insurance coverage can save time, money, and frustration.
Shopping for the best protection in Portland is easy to do. Practically everyone who carries car insurance stands a good chance to be able to cut their insurance bill. Although Oregon consumers need to learn the way companies charge you for coverage.
Compare quotes for Portland Volvo S60 insurance
To find more affordable rates, there are a couple of ways to compare rate quotes from local Portland auto insurance companies. The easiest way by far to compare rates is to use the internet to compare rates.
Just remember that comparing all the rates in your area helps increase your odds of locating the best rates. Some insurance companies are not set up to provide rate quotes online, so it’s important to compare prices from them as well.
The companies shown below provide comparison quotes in Portland, OR. In order to find the cheapest car insurance in OR, we recommend you get rate quotes from several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Three reasons to insure your vehicle
Even though Portland S60 insurance rates can get expensive, insurance may be required and benefits you in several ways.
- Almost all states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific minimum amounts of liability insurance coverage in order to license the vehicle. 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 took out a loan on your Volvo, almost every bank will make it a condition of the loan that you carry insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the bank may insure your Volvo at an extremely high rate and force you to pay much more than you were paying before.
- Insurance preserves both your Volvo and your personal assets. It also can pay for medical transport and hospital expenses incurred in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also covers legal expenses in the event you are sued. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance more than offset the price you pay, especially when you need to use it. According to a 2015 survey, the average American driver is overpaying over $825 a year so it’s recommended you shop around every year to save money.
Save a ton by taking advantage of these five discounts
Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not even be aware of. Some trigger automatically when you complete an application, but a few must be asked for in order for you to get them.
- Military Deployment Discount – Being deployed in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
- Pay Early and Save – If you can afford to pay the entire bill instead of paying each month you could save 5% or more.
- Driver Training Discounts – Taking a course in defensive driving could cut 5% off your bill if you qualify.
- Multi-car Discount – Buying insurance for multiple cars or trucks on a single policy can get a discount for every vehicle.
- Driver’s Ed – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver’s education as it can save substantially.
You should keep in mind that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like you can get free auto insurance, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.
To see auto insurance companies who offer free Volvo S60 insurance quotes in Oregon, click here.
There’s no such thing as the perfect car insurance policy
When buying coverage, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s situation is unique and your car insurance should unique, too.
Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine if your insurance needs might need professional guidance.
- When can my company non-renew my policy?
- What does medical payments cover?
- What if I total my Volvo S60 and owe more than it’s worth?
- What is an umbrella policy?
- Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
- Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
- Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
- Who is covered by my policy?
- What can I do if my company denied a claim?
- Can good grades get a discount?
If you can’t answer these questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier
Shop online but buy locally
A lot of people prefer to go talk to an agent and that is just fine! A good thing about getting free rate quotes online is that you can obtain lower rates but still work with a licensed agent. And buying from local agencies is especially important in Portland.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this quick form, your information is sent to local insurance agents that give free quotes to get your business. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to contact any insurance agencies due to the fact that quote results will go to your email. You can get cheaper car insurance rates without a big time investment. If you have a need to get a comparison quote from a specific car insurance provider, you can always search and find their rate quote page and complete a quote there.
If you are wanting to purchase car insurance from a reliable insurance agent, you should know the types of insurance agents and how they operate. Car insurance policy providers can be described as either independent or exclusive.
Independent Car Insurance Agents (or Brokers)
Independent insurance agents are appointed with more than one company and that gives them the ability to insure with an assortment of companies and find you the best rates. If premiums increase, they simply move your policy to a different company and you don’t have to switch agencies.
When comparison shopping, we highly recommend that you compare quotes from at least one independent agent for maximum quote selection. Most independent agents also contract with smaller companies that may provide cheaper car insurance rates.
Below is a partial list of independent insurance agents in Portland that may be able to give you comparison quotes.
- Focus 1 Insurance
1500 NW 18th Ave #107 – Portland, OR 97209 – (503) 206-6588 – View Map - Oregon Insurance Advisor – Mark Strauss
5201 SW Westgate Dr #300 – Portland, OR 97221 – (503) 922-4847 – View Map - Fournier Group
510 SW 5th Ave #701 – Portland, OR 97204 – (503) 251-2255 – View Map
Exclusive Car Insurance Agents
Agents in the exclusive channel can usually just insure with one company such as Farmers Insurance, State Farm, or Allstate. Exclusive agents cannot compare other company’s rates so it’s a take it or leave it situation. These agents are usually quite knowledgeable on sales techniques and that enables them to sell even at higher rates. Some consumers prefer to use the same agent partially due to loyalty to the company rather than having low rates.
Listed below are Portland exclusive agents that are able to give price quotes.
- Reggie Guyton – State Farm Insurance Agent
8180 N Lombard St – Portland, OR 97203 – (503) 289-3601 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: Peggy Romero
7825 SE Foster Rd – Portland, OR 97206 – (503) 255-7828 – View Map - Donna Tallman – State Farm Insurance Agent
6305 SE Powell Blvd – Portland, OR 97206 – (503) 771-2579 – View Map
Deciding on an car insurance agent requires you to look at more than just the bottom line cost. Here are some questions you might want to ask.
- What companies can they write with?
- Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
- If independent agents, which companies do they recommend?
- Does the company have a solid financial rating?
- Do they get extra compensation for selling add-on coverages?
Once you have received answers to your satisfaction to your questions and a good coverage price, you’ve probably found a car insurance agent that meets your needs to properly insure your vehicles. Just keep in mind you can always cancel a policy for any reason so don’t assume you’re contractually obligated to any specific agency for any length of time.
Car insurance coverage breakdown
Having a good grasp of a car insurance policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. Shown next are the normal coverages offered by car insurance companies.
Comprehensive or Other Than Collision
Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive can pay for things such as falling objects, hitting a deer, fire damage, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and theft. The highest amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
UM/UIM Coverage
This coverage protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your Volvo S60.
Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits (25/50/20 in Oregon), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Most of the time these limits are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.
Liability
Liability coverage can cover injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people in an accident. It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show values of 25/50/20 that means you have $25,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $20,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Alternatively, you may have a combined limit which combines the three limits into one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.
Liability insurance covers claims like medical services, funeral expenses and court costs. How much liability coverage do you need? That is up to you, but consider buying higher limits if possible. Oregon state minimum liability requirements are 25/50/20 but it’s recommended drivers buy higher limits.
The next chart demonstrates why low liability limits may not provide adequate coverage.
Collision coverage protection
Collision insurance pays for damage to your S60 from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage pays for things like hitting a parking meter, crashing into a ditch, colliding with a tree and sustaining damage from a pot hole. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from older vehicles. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible on your S60 to get cheaper collision coverage.
Medical costs insurance
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for short-term medical expenses like ambulance fees, chiropractic care, X-ray expenses, pain medications and prosthetic devices. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover both the driver and occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Which car insurance company is best in Oregon?
Finding a high-quality auto insurance company can be challenging considering how many choices you have in Portland. The company ratings in the next section can help you pick which car insurance companies to look at comparing rate quotes with.
Top 10 Portland Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Service
- GEICO
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- Mercury Insurance
- The General
- Progressive
- Allstate
- AAA Insurance
- American Family
- Nationwide
Top 10 Portland Car Insurance Companies Overall
- USAA
- American Family
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- AAA Insurance
- GEICO
- The General
- Titan Insurance
- Progressive
- Mercury Insurance
Persistent drivers can save
As you restructure your insurance plan, it’s not a good idea to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There have been many cases where consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage and found out when filing a claim that the savings was not a smart move. Your goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at the lowest possible cost while not skimping on critical coverages.
In this article, we covered some good ideas how you can shop for Volvo S60 insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the better likelihood of getting affordable Volvo S60 insurance quotes. You may even be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from the least-expected company. They may cover specific market segments cheaper compared to the large companies like Allstate or State Farm.
More information
- Airbag FAQ (iihs.org)
- How Much are Portland Car Insurance Rates for a Learners Permit? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for High Risk Drivers in Portland? (FAQ)
- How Much are Portland Car Insurance Rates for a Honda Accord? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Quotes for a Hyundai Elantra in Portland? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Inexperienced Drivers in Portland? (FAQ)
- How Much are Portland Car Insurance Quotes for Drivers Under 21? (FAQ)
- Uninsured Motorist Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Get the Right Protection (InsureUonline.org)
- Uninsured Motorists: Threats on the Road (Insurance Information Institute)
- Teen Driver Licensing Information (iihs.org)