How to Save on Toyota 4Runner Insurance in Seattle

Trying to come up with a payment for expensive insurance can take a big chunk out of your family’s budget and make it tough to pay other bills.

Remarkably, a study showed that the majority of drivers have stayed with the same insurance company for over three years, and approximately 38% of consumers have never even compared quotes to find cheaper rates. Many drivers in Seattle could save themselves up to 40% a year just by shopping around, but they just don’t want to save money by comparing rate quotes. Companies like Allstate, Liberty Mutual and State Farm all claim big savings with advertising and it is difficult to sift through the bull and do the work needed to find the best deal.

Companies offering Toyota 4Runner insurance in Seattle

The following companies offer comparison quotes in Seattle, WA. If several companies are displayed, we recommend you visit several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.

Data based on single female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Washington minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, homeowner, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, and multi-policy. Table data does not factor in specific zip code location which can increase or decrease rates substantially.

Cost difference between full coverage and liability

The illustration below visualizes the comparison of Toyota 4Runner yearly insurance costs with and without full coverage. The data assumes no tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, single female driver, and no other discounts are factored in.

When to drop full coverage

There is no set guideline that works best for making the decision to drop physical damage insurance, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than around 10% of replacement cost minus your deductible, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.

For example, let’s pretend your Toyota 4Runner settlement value is $9,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most your company will settle for is $8,000 after you pay the deductible. If it’s costing you more than $800 a year for physical damage coverage, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.

There are a few cases where only buying liability is not in your best interest. If you haven’t satisfied your loan, you have to maintain full coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not drop full coverage.

Discounts can help lower rates on Toyota 4Runner insurance in Seattle

Auto insurance is expensive, but there may be some discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Many discounts should be triggered when you purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be manually applied before being credited.

• Distant Student Discount – Kids who live away from home at college and do not take a car to college may qualify for this discount.
• Good Grades Discount – This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. Most companies allow this discount up until you turn 25.
• Telematics Discount – Insureds who allow companies to track vehicle usage by installing a telematics device like Allstate’s Drivewise may get a rate reduction if their driving habits are good.
• Accident Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories have much lower rates in comparison with insureds who have frequent claims or accidents.
• Use Seat Belts – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to buckle up before driving could cut 10% or more off PIP or medical payments premium.
• Discounts for Responsible Drivers – Insureds who avoid accidents can save as much as half off their rates than drivers with accidents.

As a sidenote, most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Even though it appears you could get a free auto insurance policy, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.

If you would like to view insurers offering auto insurance discounts in Seattle, click here to view.

Tailor your auto insurance coverage to you

When quoting and choosing coverage online or from an agent for your personal vehicles, there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all type of policy. Every insured’s situation is different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply.
Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine whether you might need professional guidance.

• Is coverage enough to protect my assets?
• Does my insurance cover my expensive audio equipment?
• Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
• Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
• Can my babysitter drive my car?
• Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and you can get the answers you need.

Compare rates but buy from a local neighborhood Seattle car insurance agent

Some people just prefer to get advice from a local agent and that is just fine! Insurance agents are very good at helping people manage risk and help submit paperwork. The best thing about getting free rate quotes online is that drivers can save money and get lower rates and still choose a local agent.

To help locate an agent, after submitting this short form, the coverage information is immediately sent to participating agents in Seattle that can provide free Seattle auto insurance quotes to get your business. It makes it easy because there is no need to do any legwork as quotes are delivered to you directly. In the event you want to get a rate quote from a particular provider, feel free to find their quoting web page and complete a quote there.

Selecting an company should depend on more than just the quoted price. Any agent in Seattle should have no problem answering these questions:

• Is the coverage adequate for your vehicle?
• How many years have they been established?
• Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
• Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
• If independent agents, which companies do they recommend?
• Will the company cover a rental car if your car is getting fixed?

Choose an insurance agent wisely

If you want a local insurance agency, it’s helpful to know the types of agencies and how they differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies in Seattle may be either independent agents or exclusive agents. Both types of agents can sell and service insurance coverage, but we need to point out the subtle differences because it can factor into the selection process.

Exclusive Agencies

These type of agents write business for a single company and some examples include Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They usually cannot provide other company’s prices so they really need to provide good service. Exclusive insurance agents are trained well on sales techniques which helps offset the inability to provide other markets.

Shown below are exclusive agents in Seattle that can give you price quote information.

View more Seattle agents

Independent Insurance Agents

Agents that choose to be independent are not employed by any specific company and that gives them the ability to insure through lots of different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you won’t have to switch agencies.

When shopping rates, you will want to include rate quotes from a couple of independent agencies in order to compare the most rates.

Listed below are independent agencies in Seattle who can help you get price quote information.

View more Seattle agents

Auto insurance coverage information

Having a good grasp of your policy can be of help when determining appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. Auto insurance terms can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Shown next are typical coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since many Washington drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (25/50/10 in Washington), their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important.

Medical expense insurance

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for immediate expenses for things like nursing services, EMT expenses and dental work. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers you and your occupants as well as if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP coverage is not universally available and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Liability insurance

This coverage protects you from damage that occurs to a person or their property. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see limits of 25/50/10 that means you have $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and $10,000 of coverage for damaged property.

Liability coverage protects against claims such as repair bills for other people’s vehicles, pain and suffering, repair costs for stationary objects, structural damage and legal defense fees. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible. Washington requires drivers to carry at least 25/50/10 but you should consider buying more coverage.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision)

This coverage will pay to fix damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive insurance covers things like damage from a tornado or hurricane, fire damage and hitting a deer. The highest amount you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.

Collision coverage

This coverage pays for damage to your 4Runner caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision coverage protects against claims like crashing into a building, colliding with a tree and scraping a guard rail. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. It’s also possible to raise the deductible on your 4Runner to get cheaper collision coverage.

Don’t give up on cheap rates

As you shop your coverage around, make sure you don’t buy poor coverage just to save money. There are too many instances where an accident victim reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to find out that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate.

We just showed you a lot of tips how to reduce Toyota 4Runner insurance prices online in Seattle. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even find the biggest savings come from a lesser-known regional company. These smaller insurers often have lower rates on specific markets than their larger competitors like Allstate or State Farm.

For more information, take a look at the following helpful articles:

• Side Impact Crash Tests (iihs.org)
• Who Has Affordable Seattle Car Insurance Rates for Low Credit Scores? (FAQ)
• How Much is Seattle Auto Insurance for Real Estate Agents? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for Teenagers in Seattle? (FAQ)
• What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Electric Cars in Seattle? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Rates for Handicapped Drivers in Seattle? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes for a Chevrolet Silverado in Seattle? (FAQ)
• What Insurance is Cheapest for Police Officers in Seattle? (FAQ)
• What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Retired Military in Seattle? (FAQ)
• What Car Insurance is Cheapest for College Graduates in Seattle? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Seattle Auto Insurance Quotes for Homeowners? (FAQ)
• Should I Buy a New or Used Car? (Allstate)
• Insurance losses by make and model (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
• When is the Right Time to Switch Car Insurance Companies? (Allstate)