It takes a few minutes, but the best way to find affordable Chevy SS insurance is to start comparing rates regularly from different companies who sell insurance in Portland. Rates can be compared by following these steps.
- Spend some time learning about coverages and the measures you can take to drop your rates. Many factors that cause rate increases like traffic violations and a low credit rating can be remedied by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes. Later in this article we will cover the details to get lower rates and get discounts that may be overlooked.
- Compare rates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive agents and direct companies can give quotes from a single company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agents can provide price quotes from multiple companies.
- Compare the new rates to your existing policy and see if you can save money. If you find a better price, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Tell your current agent or company to cancel your current coverage. Submit the application along with any required down payment for your new coverage. As soon as you have the new policy, store the certificate of insurance in your glove compartment.
A tip to remember is to make sure you enter the same deductibles and limits on every price quote and and to get prices from all possible companies. Doing this helps ensure a fair price comparison and a thorough price selection.
Smart shoppers know that car insurance companies don’t want policyholders to compare prices from other companies. Drivers who shop around for better prices will most likely buy a new policy because the odds are good of finding coverage at a cheaper rate. A study showed that drivers who did price comparisons regularly saved $850 each year compared to those who don’t regularly compare prices.
If finding discount rates on insurance in Portland is the reason for your visit, then understanding the best ways to shop for insurance premiums can save time, money, and frustration.
Five discounts for cheap car insurance quotes
Companies offering auto insurance don’t always list every possible discount in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list some of the more common as well as some of the hidden car insurance savings.
- Pay Early and Save – If you can afford to pay the entire bill as opposed to paying monthly you could save up to 5%.
- Safety Restraint Discount – Drivers who require all occupants to use a seat belt can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) off the personal injury premium cost.
- Online Discount – Certain larger companies provide a small discount shop Portland car insurance digitally online.
- Discounts for Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for primary and secondary vehicles with the same car insurance company can get a discount for every vehicle.
- Club Memberships – Having an affiliation with specific professional or occupational memberships or organizations is a simple method to lower premiums on your next car insurance statement.
Consumers should know that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. If you do the math and it seems like you could get a free car insurance policy, companies don’t profit that way.
To see insurers with discount car insurance rates in Portland, click here.
Information about specific coverages
Having a good grasp of your policy can help you determine which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)
Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things like damage from getting keyed, fire damage, rock chips in glass and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Liability auto insurance
Liability insurance protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property in an accident. This insurance protects YOU against other people’s claims. Liability doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show limits of 25/50/20 which stand for a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and a total limit of $20,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability coverage protects against claims such as funeral expenses, attorney fees, legal defense fees, emergency aid and medical services. How much liability should you purchase? That is a personal decision, but consider buying as large an amount as possible. Oregon requires drivers to carry at least 25/50/20 but it’s recommended drivers buy higher limits.
The illustration below demonstrates why buying minimum limits may not be adequate coverage.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance
This coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your Chevy SS.
Since many Oregon drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (25/50/20), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is very important.
Collision coverage
Collision insurance covers damage to your SS from colliding with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision can pay for things such as driving through your garage door, hitting a mailbox and scraping a guard rail. This coverage can be expensive, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to increase the deductible on your SS to bring the cost down.
Insurance for medical payments
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for immediate expenses such as EMT expenses, nursing services and X-ray expenses. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. It covers you and your occupants and will also cover if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Best auto insurance in Oregon
Buying coverage from the highest-rated auto insurance provider is hard considering how many different companies sell coverage in Portland. The ranking information in the next section may help you choose which insurers to look at purchasing coverage from.
Top 10 Portland Car Insurance Companies Overall
- USAA
- American Family
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- AAA Insurance
- GEICO
- The General
- Titan Insurance
- Progressive
- Mercury Insurance
Affordable auto insurance premiums are possible
We just covered a lot of ways to compare Chevy SS insurance premium rates in Portland. The most important thing to understand is the more companies you get prices for, the better your chances of lowering your prices. Consumers may even find the most savings is with the least-expected company.
People change insurance companies for any number of reasons including delays in paying claims, high rates after DUI convictions, denial of a claim and even unfair underwriting practices. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, switching companies can be pretty painless.
Some auto insurance companies do not provide rates over the internet and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agencies. Cost effective Chevy SS insurance is definitely available from both online companies and from local insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to get a complete price analysis.
More information can be read below:
- What is Full Coverage? (Allstate)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Ride Shares in Portland? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Portland Auto Insurance for Drivers Over Age 70? (FAQ)
- How Much is Car Insurance for a Subaru Forester in Portland? (FAQ)
- Prepare your Teens for Safe Driving (InsureUonline.org)
- Frontal Crash Tests (iihs.org)