Sick and tired of wondering where the money will come from to buy car insurance? You have the same problem as millions of other drivers.
A recent study showed that a large majority of consumers kept their policy with the same company for over three years, and nearly half have never shopped around. Most drivers in Washington could pocket almost 40% a year, but they won’t spend time to find affordable car insurance rates.
Multiple insurers compete for your hard-earned dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates and get the definite best rates possible on Tesla Model 3 insurance in Seattle.
Verify you’re earning every discount
Companies offering auto insurance do not advertise their entire list of discounts in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list some of the best known and the harder-to-find discounts that you may qualify for.
- Federal Government Employee – Active or former government employment could cut as much as 10% off but check with your company.
- Life Insurance Discount – Some insurance companies give a small discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
- Discount for New Cars – Buying a new car model is cheaper because new vehicles are generally safer.
- Military Rewards – Being deployed with a military unit could mean lower prices.
- Theft Deterrent – Vehicles that have factory alarm systems and tracking devices can help prevent theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Multiple Cars – Drivers who insure all your vehicles on the same car insurance policy can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
- Policy Bundle Discount – If you combine your auto and homeowners policies with one insurance company you could save as much as 10 to 15 percent.
- Claim Free – Good drivers with no accidents are rewarded with significantly better rates on Seattle car insurance quote compared to policyholders that have many claims.
- Braking Control Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles prevent accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
Drivers should understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. If you do the math and it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.
For a list of insurers offering car insurance discounts in Washington, click here to view.
Buy Seattle Tesla Model 3 insurance online
All major car insurance companies like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO provide price estimates on the web. This process is fairly straightforward because you just enter your coverage preferences into the form. When complete, the system automatically retrieves your driving record and credit report and generates a price based on these factors. The ability to get online rate quotes for Tesla Model 3 insurance in Seattle makes it easy to compare insurance prices and it’s necessary to have as many quotes as possible in order to find lower-cost rates.
To save time and compare rates using this form now, take a look at the companies shown below. To compare your current rates, we recommend you replicate the insurance coverages as shown on your current policy. This helps ensure you’re receiving a price comparison based on identical coverages.
The companies in the list below are our best choices to provide price quotes in Washington. If more than one company is shown, we recommend you visit as many as you can to get the best price comparison.
Insurance Price Influencing Factors
It’s important that you understand some of the things that play a part in calculating the price you pay for insurance. If you understand what determines premiums, this allows you to make good choices that can help you get lower insurance prices.
The factors shown below are some of the factors used by your company to calculate your rate level.
- Performance makes a difference – The type of car you are insuring makes a huge difference in your auto insurance rates. The lowest base rates are usually for small economy passenger vehicles, but that’s not the only thing that factors into the final price. Since the Tesla Model 3 falls in the luxury sedan class, insuring your vehicle will cost more than the average rate where you live in Seattle.
- More people means more accidents – Residing in areas with lower population has it’s advantages when buying insurance. Fewer drivers and short commutes translates into fewer accident claims and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. Residents of big cities tend to have traffic congestion and longer commutes to work. Spending more time driving means a statistically higher chance of an accident.
- Do thieves like your car? – Purchasing a vehicle with advanced anti-theft systems can save you a little every year. Anti-theft devices like OnStar found on GM vehicles, advanced tracking like LoJack, and vehicle immobilization systems all help stop auto theft.
- Combine policies to earn discounts – Most major insurers will award a discount to insureds that buy multiple policies in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even if you already get this discount, you still need to comparison shop to guarantee you are still saving the most. You may still be able to find a better deal by buying insurance from more than one company.
- When should you file a insurance claims? – If you file claims often, don’t be surprised to see either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Insurance companies in Washington award the lowest premiums to policyholders who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Your car insurance is meant to be used in the event of more catastrophic claims.
- Do safer cars cost less to insure? – Safe vehicles tend to have better insurance rates. Safe vehicles have better occupant injury protection and lower injury rates translates directly to fewer claims which can mean better rates for you. If your Tesla Model 3 scored at minimum four stars on Safercar.gov or an “acceptable” rating on iihs.org you are probably receiving a discount.
- Only buy add-on coverages you need – There are a lot of additional coverages that sound like a good idea at the time on your insurance policy. Coverages for roadside assistance, towing coverage, and motor club memberships could be just wasting money. These may sound like a good investment when you first buy your policy, but your needs may have changed so get rid of them and save.
- Does your occupation raise your rates? – Jobs like lawyers, airline pilots, and dentists usually pay the highest rates due to intense work situations and extremely grueling work hours. On the other hand, occupations such as farmers, students and retirees have the lowest average rates.
You are unique and your insurance should be too
When it comes to coverage online or from an agent for your vehicles, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Each situation is unique.
For instance, these questions might help in determining if your situation could use an agent’s help.
- Is a fancy paint job covered?
- What if an uninsured driver hits me?
- Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
- What is an adequate liability insurance limit?
- How long can I keep a teen driver on my policy?
- Should I carry comprehensive and collision coverage?
- How high should my medical payments coverage be?
- Will filing a claim cost me more?
If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.
Exclusive versus independent insurance agencies
Some people would prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is not a bad decision The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is you can get lower premium rates and still have a local agent.
For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is submitted to companies in Seattle who will give you bids and help you find cheaper coverage. There is no need to leave your computer since rate quotes are delivered directly to you. It’s the lowest rates AND a local agent. If you wish to compare prices for a specific company, you just need to find their quoting web page and submit a quote form there.
Picking the best company needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price. Any good agent in Seattle should know the answers to these questions.
- Is there any savings for paying the full premium?
- Is there a Errors and Omissions policy in force?
- Are they paid to recommend certain coverages?
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- Can they help ensure a fair claim settlement?
- Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
If you want to buy car insurance from a reliable insurance agent, it’s helpful to know the different types of agencies and how they function. Car insurance agents are categorized either exclusive or independent.
Exclusive Car Insurance Agencies
Agents that choose to be exclusive can only write with one company and examples are Allstate, Farmers Insurance, State Farm, and AAA. They generally cannot compare other company’s rates so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. These agents are highly trained in insurance sales and that can be a competitive advantage.
Below are exclusive agencies in Seattle who may provide you with rate quotes.
Brian Chambers – State Farm Insurance Agent
3206 16th Ave W – Seattle, WA 98119 – (206) 285-3003 – View Map
David Lo – State Farm Insurance Agent
12705 Renton Ave S – Seattle, WA 98178 – (206) 772-3388 – View Map
Terry Gangon – State Farm Insurance Agent
4727 44th Ave SW Ste 100 – Seattle, WA 98116 – (206) 935-9955 – View Map
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Independent agents are not employed by any specific company and that allows them to write policies with an assortment of companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If premiums increase, an independent agent can move your coverage and you don’t have to do anything. When comparing rate quotes, you need to compare prices from several independent agencies so that you can do a thorough price comparison.
The following are independent agencies in Seattle willing to provide price quotes.
Adams Insurance
8613 35th Ave NE – Seattle, WA 98115 – (206) 523-8660 – View Map
BGI Agency Network Inc
4634 E Marginal Way S C 140 – Seattle, WA 98134 – (206) 682-9990 – View Map
Grange Insurance Association
200 Cedar St – Seattle, WA 98121 – (800) 247-2643 – View Map
Three reasons car insurance is important
Even though Seattle Model 3 insurance rates can get expensive, car insurance is not optional due to several reasons.
- Most states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means state laws require a specific minimum amount of liability protection in order to license the vehicle. In Washington these limits are 25/50/10 which means you must have $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $10,000 of property damage coverage.
- If you took out a loan on your Model 3, almost all lenders will require you to have full coverage to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totalled. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the bank will be required to insure your Tesla at a significantly higher premium and force you to reimburse them for the expensive policy.
- Insurance protects not only your Tesla Model 3 but also your assets. Insurance will also pay for hospital and medical expenses incurred in an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit in the event you are sued. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of buying car insurance definitely exceed the price paid, especially if you ever need it. As of last year, the average driver in Washington overpays as much as $825 a year so we recommend shopping around at every renewal to save money.
Quote more and you will save more
Consumers switch companies for a number of reasons such as unfair underwriting practices, policy non-renewal, questionable increases in premium or policy cancellation. No matter why you want to switch, switching companies can be less work than you think.
Lower-priced Tesla Model 3 insurance in Seattle can be bought on the web and with local Seattle insurance agents, and you should compare rates from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. A few companies may not offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small, regional companies only sell through local independent agents.
While you’re price shopping online, it’s not a good idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There have been many situations where drivers have reduced physical damage coverage and learned later they didn’t have enough coverage. The aim is to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford, but do not skimp to save money.
Helpful learning opportunities
- Steps to Take After an Auto Accident (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers with Bad Credit in Seattle? (FAQ)
- How Much is Seattle Auto Insurance for Drivers Over Age 70? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for 16 Year Olds in Seattle? (FAQ)
- A Tree Fell on Your Car: Now What? (Allstate)
- Frontal Crash Tests (iihs.org)
- Determing Auto Insurance Rates (GEICO)