If you are new to online price comparisons, by this point your are probably bewildered by the vast assortment of online auto insurance companies and websites all claiming to have the lowest rates for Honda Ridgeline insurance in Seattle.
A study showed that a large majority of consumers have purchased from the same company for over three years, and 38% of customers have never quoted auto insurance rates at all. With the average auto insurance premium being $1,200, Washington drivers could save as much as 40% each year just by shopping around, but they just assume it’s a time-consuming process to compare other rate quotes.
If you have insurance now, you will definitely be able to reduce premiums using these methods. We hope to introduce you to how car insurance companies work and some money-saving tips. Although Washington consumers do need to understand the way insurance companies determine premium rates and apply this information to your search.
Find Cheap Insurance with These Tips
Lots of factors are used in the calculation when you quote your car insurance policy. A few of the factors are predictable such as traffic violations, although others are not quite as obvious like your vehicle usage or how safe your car is.
- Premiums increase with driving tickets – Attentive drivers have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Just one ticket can increase the cost of insurance twenty percent or more. Drivers unfortunate enough to have careless tickets like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may find they need to submit a SR-22 form with their state DMV in order to drive a vehicle legally.
- Rural vs Urban Areas – Choosing to live in a rural area can save you money when shopping for auto insurance. Fewer people means less chance of accidents and lower theft and vandalism rates. Drivers in populated Washington areas have to deal with traffic congestion and more time behind the wheel. Spending more time driving means more chance of being in an accident.
- Decrease rates by maintaining coverage – Driving without insurance is against the law and your next policy will cost more because you let your coverage cancel without a new policy in place. And not only will insurance be more expensive, failure to provide proof of insurance can result in fines or a revoked license. You may then have to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the Washington motor vehicle department.
- Excellent credit scores equal low premiums – Having a bad credit history is a large factor in calculating your insurance rates. Therefore, if your credit is lower than you’d like, you could save money insuring your Honda Ridgeline by spending a little time repairing your credit. Drivers who have good credit tend to be less risk to insure than drivers who have worse credit.
- Cheaper rates after marriage – Having a wife or husband can actually save you money when shopping for insurance. It may mean you are more financially stable and insurance companies reward insureds because married drivers tend to file fewer claims.
- Does your job raise your rates? – Careers such as lawyers, architects and miners usually pay higher rates than the rest of us attributed to high stress levels and long work days. On the flip side, occupations such as professors, students and homemakers get better rates.
- Safeguard your assets with liability – Your policy’s liability coverage will afford coverage if you are found liable for damages caused by your negligence. Liability insurance provides for a legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. This coverage is relatively inexpensive compared to physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.
When comparison shopping, there are several ways to compare prices from different companies. The recommended way to find affordable Honda Ridgeline insurance rates is to jump online and get quotes.
Just remember that comparing a wide range of rates helps increase your odds of locating a lower rate.
The companies in the list below are our best choices to provide price comparisons in Seattle, WA. If the list has multiple companies, it’s highly recommended you click on several of them to get the best price comparison.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgeline RT 4WD | $196 | $396 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,102 | $92 |
| Ridgeline RTS 4WD | $200 | $350 | $434 | $26 | $130 | $1,140 | $95 |
| Ridgeline RTL 4WD | $278 | $530 | $340 | $20 | $102 | $1,270 | $106 |
| Ridgeline RTL W/Navigation 4WD | $180 | $358 | $350 | $20 | $104 | $1,012 | $84 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data assumes married female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Washington minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, claim-free, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, and homeowner. Premium amounts do not factor in specific garaging location which can impact price quotes significantly.
How accidents and tickets impact rates
The example below demonstrates how traffic citations and at-fault fender-benders can raise Honda Ridgeline insurance rates for each age group. The costs are based on a married male driver, comp and collision included, $500 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Should you raise deductibles?
A question often asked by Seattle drivers is how high should the physical damage coverage deductibles be. The following insurance rates may help to illustrate the rate differences of buying low and high insurance deductibles. The first pricing table uses a $100 deductible and the second price chart uses a $1,000 deductible.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgeline RT 4WD | $254 | $458 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $1,191 | $99 |
| Ridgeline RTS 4WD | $286 | $458 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $1,223 | $102 |
| Ridgeline RTL 4WD | $286 | $540 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $1,305 | $109 |
| Ridgeline RTL W/Navigation 4WD | $286 | $540 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $1,305 | $109 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgeline RT 4WD | $140 | $242 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $836 | $70 |
| Ridgeline RTS 4WD | $158 | $242 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $854 | $71 |
| Ridgeline RTL 4WD | $158 | $284 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $896 | $75 |
| Ridgeline RTL W/Navigation 4WD | $158 | $284 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $896 | $75 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data variables include married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Washington minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, homeowner, safe-driver, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Rate information does not factor in your specific Seattle location which can revise price quotes considerably.
Based on the above data, using a $100 deductible will cost you about $32 more each month or $384 each year than requesting the higher $1,000 deductible. Since the policyholder would be required to pay $900 more out-of-pocket with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you tend to average at least 28 months between claims, you would save money if you choose the higher deductible.
Three main reasons to buy insurance
Despite the high insurance cost for a Honda Ridgeline in Seattle, insurance may be required for several reasons.
- The majority of states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry a specific level of liability insurance coverage in order to drive the car. 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 Honda Ridgeline, more than likely the lender will require you to carry insurance to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you let the policy lapse, the bank will be required to insure your Honda at an extremely high rate and force you to pay the higher premium.
- Insurance safeguards both your assets and your car. It also can pay for medical bills for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also pays expenses related to your legal defense in the event you are sued. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, comprehensive and collision coverage will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of insuring your Ridgeline are without a doubt worth the cost, especially for larger claims. The average driver in America is overpaying more than $865 each year so it’s recommended you shop around at every renewal to be sure current rates are still competitive.
Lower rates by qualifying for discounts
Some providers do not list all possible discounts very well, so the below list has some of the more common and the more hidden discounts that may be available.
- Discount for New Cars – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can be considerably cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
- Military Rewards – Having an actively deployed family member can result in better insurance rates.
- Professional Memberships – Participating in a professional or civic organization could trigger savings when getting a Seattle auto insurance quote.
- Onboard Data Collection – People who choose to allow driving data collection to spy on driving patterns by using a telematic data system such as In-Drive from State Farm or Allstate’s Drivewise system might get better premium rates as long as they are good drivers.
- Early Switch Discount – A few companies give discounts for signing up before your current expiration date. This discount can save up to 10%.
- Discount for Home Ownership – Simply owning a home can help you save on insurance because maintaining a house shows financial diligence.
- Discounts for Multiple Vehicles – Drivers who insure multiple cars or trucks on the same insurance policy qualifies for this discount.
- College Student – Kids who attend college more than 100 miles from Seattle and don’t have a car may be insured at a cheaper rate.
- Safety Restraint Discount – Drivers who require all occupants to buckle up before driving can save up to 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
- Good Student Discount – Maintaining excellent grades can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
As a footnote on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. Just because it seems like you could get a free insurance policy, companies don’t profit that way.
A few companies that may have some of the above discounts possibly include:
If you are trying to find inexpensive Seattle auto insurance quotes, ask all the companies which discounts they offer. Depending on the company, some discounts may not apply to policies in every state. To see insurance companies with significant discounts in Seattle, click here.
Shop online but buy locally
Some people would rather have an agent’s advice and that is just fine! A nice benefit of getting online price quotes is that drivers can save money and get cheap car insurance rates and still have an agent to talk to. Supporting neighborhood insurance agencies is definitely important in Seattle.
After completing this quick form, the quote information is immediately sent to insurance agents in Seattle that provide free Seattle auto insurance quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to search for an agent due to the fact that quote results will go to you. You can find better rates and a licensed agent to work with. If you want to compare rates from a specific insurance company, don’t hesitate to find their quoting web page to submit a rate quote request.
If you prefer to buy car insurance from a local insurance agency, it’s helpful to know the types of agencies and how they operate. Car insurance agents can be classified as either independent agents or exclusive agents.
Independent Car Insurance Agencies
Agents that elect to be independent can sell policies from many different companies and that gives them the ability to insure with a variety of different insurance companies depending on which coverage is best. If they find a lower price, an independent agent can move your coverage without you having to go to a different agency.
If you need cheaper car insurance rates, you definitely need to compare prices from at least one independent agent to get the most accurate price comparison. Most have the option of insuring with smaller mutual companies that can offer cheaper rates than bigger companies.
Below is a list of independent insurance agents in Seattle who may be able to give you free price quotes.
- Cairns Insurance Agency
13751 Lake City Way NE #214 – Seattle, WA 98125 – (206) 368-8117 – View Map - BGI Agency Network Inc
4634 E Marginal Way S C 140 – Seattle, WA 98134 – (206) 682-9990 – View Map - Sound Insurance Agency, Inc.
9627 Aurora Ave N – Seattle, WA 98103 – (206) 527-0888 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Exclusive agencies work for only one company and some examples include AAA, State Farm, Farmers Insurance, and Allstate. They usually cannot shop your coverage around so they have no alternatives for high prices. Exclusive agencies receive a lot of sales training on their company’s products which aids in selling service over price. Some people will only buy from the same agent for years primarily because of high brand loyalty rather than low rates.
Shown below is a short list of exclusive insurance agencies in Seattle willing to provide rate quotes.
- Paulla Suy – State Farm Insurance Agent
900 S Jackson St #213 – Seattle, WA 98104 – (206) 381-3733 – View Map - George Fu – State Farm Insurance Agent
9026 Roosevelt Way NE – Seattle, WA 98115 – (206) 524-0330 – View Map - Youkie Chambers – State Farm Insurance Agent
2505 3rd Ave #120 – Seattle, WA 98121 – (206) 441-5630 – View Map
Choosing an insurance agent requires you to look at more than just the quoted price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- How is replacement cost determined on your vehicle?
- Are they giving you every discount you deserve?
- Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
- Will you get a loaner vehicle if you car is being repaired?
- What are their preferred companies if they are an independent agency?
- Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
After getting good answers to any questions you may have and a low price estimate, it’s a good possibility that you have found an insurance agency that can be trusted to properly service your car insurance policy.
Don’t give up on affordable premiums
Insureds who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including policy non-renewal, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, delays in responding to claim requests or lack of trust in their agent. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a new insurance company is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.
When searching for low cost Seattle auto insurance quotes, it’s a bad idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There have been many situations where someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to discover later that the savings was not a smart move. The goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at the lowest possible cost, not the least amount of coverage.
We covered a lot of information how to reduce Honda Ridgeline insurance rates online in Seattle. The key thing to remember is the more quotes you get, the better likelihood of getting affordable Seattle auto insurance quotes. Consumers could even find that the best price on insurance is with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.
More detailed insurance information is available in the articles below:
- Vehicle Insurance (Wikipedia)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Government Employees in Seattle? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes for a Nissan Altima in Seattle? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for a Chevrolet Equinox in Seattle? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Rates for Business Use in Seattle? (FAQ)
- Speed and Speed Limit FAQ (iihs.org)
- Can I Drive Legally without Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Insurance losses by make and model (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)