Are you sick and tired of paying out the nose to insure your Mazda every month? You are no different than millions of other drivers.
Inconceivable but true, over 70% of drivers renewed their policy with the same company for at least four years, and almost half have never shopped around. Seattle insurance shoppers could save $427 each year by just shopping around, but they mistakenly think it’s difficult to shop their coverage around. Numerous insurers battle to insure your vehicles, so it’s not easy to compare every company and get the best coverage at the lowest rate possible on Mazda 3 insurance in Seattle.
Consumers should take time to shop coverage around once or twice a year because insurance prices are usually higher with each renewal. Despite the fact that you may have had the lowest price on Mazda 3 insurance in Seattle last year you can probably find a better rate quote now. Ignore everything you know about insurance because you’re about to learn the right way to find great coverage at a great price.
Seattle insurance discounts
Auto insurance companies do not advertise every discount available very well, so the below list has both well-publicized and also the lesser-known credits available to bring down your rates.
- Waiver for an Accident – This isn’t a discount exactly, but companies like Progressive and Allstate will forgive one accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don’t have any claims for a specific time period.
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Maintaining low annual mileage could be rewarded with lower insurance rates due to less chance of an accident.
- Student Driver Training – Require your teen driver to enroll and complete driver’s education in school.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts may get savings of 20% or more.
- Smart Student Discounts – This discount can earn a discount of 20% or more. The discount lasts up to age 25.
- Defensive Driver Discount – Passing a safe driver class could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
As is typical with insurance, most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. Despite the appearance that all those discounts means the company will pay you, you aren’t that lucky.
Insurance companies that may offer these discounts include:
When comparing rates, check with each insurance company what discounts are available to you. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts may not be available in Seattle. To locate companies with discount rates in Seattle, click here to view.
All the larger auto insurance companies allow you to get pricing direct online. Doing online price comparisons for Mazda 3 insurance in Seattle is pretty easy because it’s just a matter of typing in the amount of coverage you want into the form. Upon sending the form, the quote system automatically retrieves credit information and your driving record and provides a quote. Being able to quote online for Mazda 3 insurance in Seattle simplifies rate comparisons, and it’s absolutely necessary to have as many quotes as possible in order to find affordable prices.
To save time and compare rates now, compare quotes from the companies shown below. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended you copy the coverages as close as possible to your current policy. This way, you will get an apples-to-apples comparison using the same coverage and limits.
The companies shown below provide quotes in Washington. If more than one company is shown, it’s highly recommended you get rate quotes from several of them to get the most competitive price.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 I Sport 4-Dr Sedan | $254 | $458 | $294 | $18 | $88 | $1,112 | $93 |
| 3 I SV 4-Dr Sedan | $136 | $272 | $384 | $22 | $114 | $928 | $77 |
| 3 I Touring 4-Dr Sedan | $160 | $284 | $386 | $22 | $116 | $968 | $81 |
| 3 S Sport 4-Dr Hatchback | $222 | $444 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $1,120 | $93 |
| 3 S Sport 4-Dr Sedan | $144 | $262 | $304 | $18 | $90 | $818 | $68 |
| 3 S Grand Touring 4-Dr Hatchback | $182 | $284 | $386 | $22 | $116 | $990 | $83 |
| 3 S Grand Touring 4-Dr Sedan | $246 | $556 | $334 | $20 | $100 | $1,256 | $105 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Price data assumes single male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and Washington minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, multi-vehicle, claim-free, homeowner, and safe-driver. Premium amounts do not factor in garaging location in Seattle which can decrease or increase rates significantly.
Careless drivers pay higher rates
The chart below demonstrates how traffic citations and at-fault collisions impact Mazda 3 premium costs for different age categories. The premiums assume a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.
Rate comparison of males versus females in Seattle
The chart below visualizes the comparison of Mazda 3 insurance premiums for male and female drivers. The prices are based on no claims, a clean driving record, full physical damage coverage, $250 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Price comparison of only insuring for liability
The information below illustrates the difference between Mazda 3 insurance rates with and without physical damage coverage, medical payments, and uninsured/under-insured motorist coverage. The premium estimates are based on a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, single female driver, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
When to stop buying comprehensive and collision coverage
There is no clear-cut formula of when to eliminate comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of having full coverage is 10% or more of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
For example, let’s assume your Mazda 3 claim settlement value is $8,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, you would only receive $7,000 after the deductible is paid. If you are currently paying more than $700 a year for your policy with full coverage, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
There are some situations where dropping full coverage is not in your best interest. If you haven’t satisfied your loan, you have to maintain full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should not buy liability only.
Auto insurance is available from your local insurance agencies
Many people still prefer to talk to an insurance agent and that can be a smart move Good agents can make sure you are properly covered and will help you if you have claims. A nice benefit of getting free rate quotes online is the fact that you can find cheaper rates and also buy local.
To find an agent, once you fill out this simple form, your information is submitted to agents in your area that can give you free Seattle auto insurance quotes for your business. You never need to leave your computer because quoted prices will be sent immediately to your email address. If you need to get a rate quote from a particular provider, you would need to visit that company’s website and complete a quote there.
Finding the right insurer shouldn’t rely on just the price. A good agent in Seattle will have answers to these questions.
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in Washington?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- Is auto insurance their primary focus in Seattle?
- Can you contact them at any time?
- Where would your vehicle be repaired?
- Is every driver in your family covered?
Best car insurance agent in Seattle
When searching for an insurance agent, it’s important to understand the types of insurance agents and how they operate. Agents in Seattle can be described as either exclusive or independent. Both types can write policy coverage, but it’s important to point out how they are different since it can affect which type of agent you select.
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Agents in the exclusive channel have only one company to place business with such as Allstate, State Farm and Farmers Insurance. They are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. They are well schooled in insurance sales which helps offset the inability to provide other markets.
Shown below are exclusive insurance agencies in Seattle who may provide you with price quotes.
Raymond Insurance-Pemco and Progressive
6011 California Ave SW – Seattle, WA 98136 – (206) 933-8812 – View Map
Kent Christianson – State Farm Insurance Agent
1705 N 45th, Ste A – Seattle, WA 98103 – (206) 632-8000 – View Map
Paulla Suy – State Farm Insurance Agent
900 S Jackson St #213 – Seattle, WA 98104 – (206) 381-3733 – View Map
Independent Auto Insurance Agencies
Independent insurance agents are not employed by any specific company and that allows them to write policies through many companies and potentially find a lower price. If you want to switch companies, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you stay with the same agent.
If you are trying to find cheaper rates, we recommend you compare quotes from a couple of independent agencies for maximum quote selection.
Below is a list of independent agents in Seattle willing to provide comparison quotes.
Northwest Insurance Group
6055 California Ave SW – Seattle, WA 98136 – (206) 932-2500 – View Map
Cairns Insurance Agency
13751 Lake City Way NE #214 – Seattle, WA 98125 – (206) 368-8117 – View Map
Grange Insurance Association
200 Cedar St – Seattle, WA 98121 – (800) 247-2643 – View Map
Auto insurance just makes sense
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Mazda 3 in Seattle, buying auto insurance may be required for several reasons.
- The majority of states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means the state requires a specific level of liability if you want to drive legally. 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 have a loan on your vehicle, most lenders will require that you have insurance to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totalled. If the policy lapses, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Mazda at a much higher rate and require you to fork over much more than you were paying before.
- Auto insurance protects not only your vehicle but also your assets. It will also cover most medical and hospital costs for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, also pays for attorney fees and expenses in the event you are sued. If you have damage to your Mazda as the result of the weather or an accident, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of buying auto insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, especially with large liability claims. The average driver in America is currently overpaying as much as $700 annually so you should quote and compare rates at every policy renewal to ensure rates are inline.
Specific coverage details
Knowing the specifics of your car insurance policy can help you determine the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The terms used in a policy can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. These are the normal coverages available from car insurance companies.
Collision coverage
This pays for damage to your 3 resulting from a collision with another car or object. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage protects against claims like rolling your car, colliding with a tree and colliding with another moving vehicle. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from older vehicles. Another option is to bump up the deductible on your 3 in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Coverage for medical payments
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP pay for short-term medical expenses like ambulance fees, nursing services, chiropractic care and EMT expenses. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers both the driver and occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states and may carry a deductible
Comprehensive coverages
Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for claims such as rock chips in glass, theft, damage from a tornado or hurricane, hitting a deer and damage from flooding. The highest amount your car insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Auto liability insurance
This coverage protects you from injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people that is your fault. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have limits of 25/50/10 that translate to a limit of $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 for the entire accident, and $10,000 of coverage for damaged property.
Liability coverage pays for things like attorney fees, repair costs for stationary objects, pain and suffering, funeral expenses and legal defense fees. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a personal decision, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford. Washington requires drivers to carry at least 25/50/10 but drivers should carry more coverage.
Uninsured and underinsured coverage
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your Mazda 3.
Since many Washington drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (which is 25/50/10), their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.
Get the best coverage at the most affordable price
Budget-friendly auto insurance in Seattle can be purchased from both online companies in addition to local insurance agencies, so you should compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some companies may not offer price quotes online and many times these regional carriers prefer to sell through independent insurance agencies.
We’ve covered some good ideas how to reduce Mazda 3 insurance car insurance rates online in Seattle. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the better likelihood of getting affordable Seattle auto insurance quotes. You may even find the biggest savings come from a small local company. Some small companies can often provide lower premium rates in certain areas as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm and Allstate.
Helpful information
- Preventing Carjacking and Theft (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for High Mileage Drivers in Seattle? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes for Nurses in Seattle? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Uber Drivers in Seattle? (FAQ)
- Teen Driver Licensing Information (iihs.org)
- Young Drivers: The High Risk Years Video (iihs.org)
- How to Avoid Common Accidents (State Farm)
- Speed and Speed Limit FAQ (iihs.org)