Are you irritated from robbing Peter to pay Paul to buy car insurance? You have the same problem as many other Washington consumers.
Unimaginable but true, almost 70% of insureds renewed their policy with the same company for a minimum of four years, and almost 40% of drivers have never even shopped around for lower-cost coverage. Washington consumers could save as much as 40% every year by just comparing quotes, but they feel it’s too difficult to go online and compare rates. Lots of car insurance companies contend for your hard-earned dollar, so it can be very hard to choose a insurance company and uncover the absolute lowest rate possible on Lincoln Continental insurance in Seattle.
If you have insurance now or are shopping for new coverage, you will benefit by learning to cut your premiums without reducing protection. Finding the cheapest insurance coverage in Seattle is much easier if you know where to start. Consumers just have to use the most efficient way to compare price quotes online.
The providers in the list below can provide comparison quotes in Washington. If multiple companies are listed, it’s a good idea that you get price quotes from several of them to find the most affordable auto insurance rates.
Why you need quality insurance for your Continental
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Lincoln Continental in Seattle, maintaining insurance is required for several reasons.
- Most states have minimum liability requirements which means you are required to carry specific minimum amounts of liability in order to be legal. 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, it’s most likely the lender will have a requirement that you buy full coverage to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you default on your policy, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Lincoln at a significantly higher premium and require you to pay for the much more expensive policy.
- Insurance safeguards both your vehicle and your personal assets. It will also provide coverage for many types of medical costs for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. One policy coverage, liability insurance, also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of buying enough insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, particularly for liability claims. But the average driver in Washington is currently overpaying as much as $869 every year so it’s recommended you shop around at least once a year to ensure rates are inline.
Smart Consumers Know How to Find Insurance for Less
Many things are part of the calculation when you get a price on insurance. Most are fairly basic like an MVR report, but other factors are less apparent like where you live and annual miles driven.
Gaps in coverage mean higher prices – Not having insurance is not a good idea and companies may charge more for letting your coverage lapse. And not only will insurance be more expensive, getting caught without coverage could result in a revoked license or a big fine.
Infrequent drivers can save – Driving a lot of miles in a year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Most insurance companies calculate prices based upon how the vehicle is primarily used. Cars and trucks that are left in the garage qualify for better rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Having the wrong rating on your Continental can result in significantly higher rates. Verify your insurance declarations sheet is showing the correct driver usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
Your stress level may be raising your rates – Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Careers like lawyers, social workers and accountants have higher premiums than the average policyholder due to stressful work requirements and lengthy work days. Other jobs such as farmers, students and retirees have the lowest average rates.
Is car insurance cheaper for males or females? – Over the last 30 years, statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, this does not mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Both genders tend to get into at-fault accidents in similar numbers, but the men tend to have more serious accidents. They also receive more major tickets such as driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving recklessly.
Discounts for multiple policies – The majority of insurance companies provide a discount for people that have more than one policy in the form of a multi-policy discount. The discount can add up to as much as ten percent or more Even if you already get this discount, it’s always a smart idea to compare Lincoln Continental rates in Seattle to make sure you are getting the best deal. It’s possible to still find a better deal by buying insurance from a different company.
File claims and pay more – Car insurance companies in Washington award the lowest premiums to policyholders that do not abuse their auto insurance. If you frequently file small claims, you can expect either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of the large, substantial claims.
Safer vehicles cost less to insure – Safe vehicles tend to have lower insurance rates. Safer cars reduce injuries and lower rates of occupant injuries means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders. If your Lincoln Continental is rated at least four stars on Safercar.gov it may be receiving lower rates.
Don’t neglect these rate reducing discounts
Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but there could be significant discounts that could help you make your next renewal payment. Most are applied at the time of purchase, but some need to be asked about before you get the savings.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Drivers who always wear seat belts and also require passengers to buckle up can save up to 15% on medical payment and PIP coverage.
- Defensive Driver Discount – Taking a class that teaches driver safety techniques could possibly earn you a 5% discount and also improve your driving technique.
- Switch and Save Discount – A few insurance companies offer discounts for switching companies before your current coverage expires. This discount can save up to 10%.
- Save with a New Car – Buying a new car instead of a used Continental can save up to 30% compared to insuring an older model.
- Senior Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you may qualify for reduced rates.
- Service Members Pay Less – Having an actively deployed family member can result in better prices.
- Employee of Federal Government – Employees or retirees of the government could provide a small rate reduction with select insurance companies.
- Accident Free – Insureds with no claims or accidents pay much less in comparison to insureds who have frequent claims or accidents.
- Professional Memberships – Being a member of qualifying employment or professional organizations could trigger savings on your next renewal.
- Payment Method – By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.
A little disclaimer on discounts, many deductions do not apply to the whole policy. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. So when the math indicates you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you aren’t that lucky.
A list of companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are:
- GEICO offers discounts including driver training, membership and employees, defensive driver, multi-vehicle, emergency military deployment, federal employee, and multi-policy.
- Travelers has discounts for continuous insurance, multi-policy, IntelliDrive, multi-car, new car, and early quote.
- Farm Bureau offers premium reductions for youthful driver, safe driver, good student, multi-vehicle, renewal discount, 55 and retired, and multi-policy.
- Liberty Mutual includes discounts for safety features, multi-car, hybrid vehicle, teen driver discount, new vehicle discount, and good student.
- American Family may include discounts for defensive driver, TimeAway discount, mySafetyValet, bundled insurance, good driver, air bags, and multi-vehicle.
- Progressive may have discounts that include continuous coverage, multi-policy, good student, online signing, and homeowner.
Double check with each company or agent how many discounts you can get. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not be available to policyholders in your state. If you would like to view companies that provide some of the discounts listed above in Washington, click this link.
Different people need different insurance coverages
When it comes to choosing the best insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s needs are different.
Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine if you would benefit from professional advice.
- Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
- Is pleasure use cheaper than using my Lincoln Continental to commute?
- Are there any extra discounts I can get?
- What does UM/UIM cover?
- How do I file an SR-22 for a DUI in Washington?
- Does coverage follow the driver or the vehicle?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form. It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.
Compare rates but work with a local Seattle insurance agent
Certain consumers still like to buy from a local agent and that is just fine! Good insurance agents can help determine the best coverages and help in the event of a claim. One of the great benefits of comparing rates online is that drivers can save money and get lower rates and still choose a local agent. And supporting local insurance agents is important particularly in Seattle.
Once you complete this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is emailed to local insurance agents in Seattle who will give you bids for your coverage. There is no need to contact any insurance agencies because quoted prices will be sent directly to you. In the event you want to get a rate quote from a specific insurance company, you just need to jump over to their website and complete a quote there.
Finding a good company shouldn’t rely on just a cheap quote. Here are some questions to ask:
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- What discounts might you be missing?
- Do they have adequate Errors and Omissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
Affordable insurance premiums are out there
When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s not a good idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits and found out when filing a claim that the savings was not a smart move. Your goal should be to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest cost and still be able to protect your assets.
Insureds change insurance companies for many reasons like denial of a claim, high rates after DUI convictions, policy non-renewal or even unfair underwriting practices. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a great new company can be pretty painless.
Budget-friendly insurance in Seattle can be found from both online companies and from local agencies, so you need to shop Seattle car insurance with both to have the best rate selection. A few companies may not have the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these smaller providers sell through independent agencies.
Helpful learning opportunities
- Five Tips to Save on Auto Insurance (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Much is Seattle Auto Insurance for Real Estate Agents? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Uber Drivers in Seattle? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Safe Drivers in Seattle? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Seattle Auto Insurance for Inexperienced Drivers? (FAQ)
- How Much Auto Coverage do I Need? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Teen Driving and Texting (State Farm)