How Much is Seattle Auto Insurance for Drivers with Accidents?

The words “affordable” and “insurance” really shouldn’t be used together, especially when you are trying to find the best coverage prices for drivers with accidents. Because of the high cost, let’s familiarize you with a few of the factors that influence auto insurance rates, and come up with some ways to take the sting out of your next policy.

One of the more important components that determine the cost of insurance is where you call home in Seattle. Areas with a lot of weather claims or more people likely pay more, whereas areas with fewer weather claims and lower vehicle theft rates tend to receive slightly lower rates.

The information below ranks the most expensive places in Washington for drivers with accidents in which to buy car insurance. Seattle makes the list at #6 with the annual price of $1,363 for the average insured, which is about $114 monthly.

Table data uses estimated as vehicle location can impact prices noticeably.

The type of vehicle that needs insurance is probably the biggest factor that determines whether or not you can buy the best cheap car insurance for drivers with accidents. Vehicles with lower acceleration and performance, an excellent safety record, or a low likelihood of having liability claims will cost quite a bit less to insure than high performance models. The next table shows car insurance premiums for the most budget-friendly vehicles to buy coverage for.

Premium data assumes single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, two at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Washington minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, and multi-policy. Price estimates do not factor in specific garaging location which can decrease or increase coverage prices significantly.

Based upon the rates shown, you can figure that models like the Honda Accord, Honda CR-V, and Ford Escape will be a few of the cheapest vehicles to insure for drivers with at-fault accidents. The price for car insurance will tend to be higher just due to the fact that there is more exposure for drivers with accidents, but generally speaking those specific models will probably have the cheapest rates compared to all other vehicles.

Poor driving habits will raise your auto insurance rates

In a perfect world, the ideal way to score affordable auto insurance premiums in Washington for drivers with at-fault accidents is to drive attentively and avoid traffic citations and accidents. The chart below shows how traffic citations and fender-benders can raise yearly insurance costs for different age groups. Data assumes a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.

The data above shows the average cost of a car insurance policy in Seattle per year with a clean driving record and no accidents is $1,034. Receive one speeding ticket and the average cost jumps to $1,205, an increase of $171 each year. Now include one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the 12-month cost of auto insurance for drivers with accidents increases to an average of $1,681. That’s an increase of $647, or $54 per month, just for not being attentive to the road!

The chart below shows how different deductible levels can affect yearly insurance costs when searching for cheap insurance for drivers with accidents. The data assumes a single female driver, full coverage, and no policy discounts are applied.

The chart above illustrates that a 40-year-old driver could save $280 a year by increasing from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $422 by switching to a $1,000 deductible. Younger drivers, such as the 20-year-old chart data, could lower their rates as much as $710 or even more by choosing larger deductibles on their policy. If you do raise deductibles, it will be important to have spare funds to enable you to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense that comes with higher deductibles.

You are probably paying too much for car insurance

Seattle auto insurance rates are impacted by many factors which can substantially decrease or increase the price of coverage. Turning one year older, becoming a homeowner, or getting a driving violation may prompt premium changes resulting in some companies being much cheaper than others.

In addition, companies modify pricing at least once a year in order to remain profitable. Higher than normal claims can result in more expensive prices, while a better loss history may result in lower-cost Seattle car insurance rates.

The data below analyzes the cheapest car insurance in Seattle, WA for a 30-year-old female driver with no prior claims, no tickets, and good credit. When quoting prices based on her current risk factors, Capital might quote the cheapest car insurance rates in Seattle at $1,066 annually. This is $346 less than the average rate paid by Washington drivers of $1,412. Grange, Nationwide, PEMCO, and Travelers are the remainder of the most affordable Seattle, WA auto insurance companies.

The example below compares rates after we give the driver from the above example a couple of claims, poor credit, and a blemish on her driving record. Because each company uses their own formula for setting rates, comparing insurance quotes may now present a different set of the cheapest companies as shown below.

The Hartford now has the lowest price on auto insurance in Seattle with USAA, Allied, California Casualty, and Grange also having competitive pricing. This illustrates why consumers need to take the time to shop around with many companies when trying to find cheap insurance quotes for drivers with accidents.

Rates can be altered by many risk factors and can increase or decrease at any time, so the lowest-price company when you bought your policy may now be one of the more expensive options.

How to find cheaper insurance for drivers with accidents

It’s not impossible to find cheaper rates, and here are some of the recommended money-saving suggestions that can help drivers buy cheap coverage.

• Older vehicles may not need full coverage
• Do not get into accidents that are your fault
• Drive a car with a high safety rating
• Insure your home and auto with the same company
• Increase your credit rating
• Comparison shop at least every other year

That last idea is notably critical, as we emphasized in the prior information. Car insurance rates adjust frequently, so don’t be unwilling to buy a policy from a new company if a lower price can be found. Brand loyalty is great, but it isn’t a good idea if that devotion results in you overpaying a wad of cash every year. In just a couple of minutes you could compare prices and find cheaper car insurance for drivers with accidents in Seattle.

If you aren’t sure which coverage to buy and prefer to get some professional input when shopping for the best coverage for drivers with accidents, the professional agents shown below can help you make a decision which car insurance policy is best. To locate a Seattle car insurance agency in your neighborhood, click the link after the list.

More Seattle, WA insurance agents