Would you prefer to buy cheaper Toyota Matrix insurance in Seattle? Trying to find better insurance prices for a Toyota Matrix in Washington can turn out to be an all-consuming task, but you can follow our auto insurance buying tips and make it easy.
There is a right way and a wrong way to compare auto insurance rates and you need to know the best way to get price quotes for your Toyota and obtain the cheapest rates.
It’s a good habit to do rate comparisons before your next renewal because prices are constantly changing. Despite the fact that you may have had the lowest rate on Toyota Matrix insurance in Seattle two years ago you can probably find a lower rate today. There is a lot of bad information regarding Matrix insurance online, but in this article, you’re going to get some tested techniques to lower your auto insurance rates in Seattle.
If you have a current car insurance policy or are shopping for new coverage, you can use these tips to get lower rates while maintaining coverages. Shopping around for the best-priced coverage in Seattle is not as hard as you may think. Comparison shoppers only need to know the least time-consuming way to quote multiple rates on the web.
Car insurance providers offering low-cost rates in Washington
The companies shown below can provide price comparisons in Washington. If the list has multiple companies, we recommend you get rates from several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matrix 2WD | $94 | $200 | $278 | $16 | $82 | $670 | $56 |
| Matrix S 2WD | $224 | $520 | $356 | $22 | $106 | $1,228 | $102 |
| Matrix S AWD | $228 | $452 | $294 | $18 | $88 | $1,080 | $90 |
| Matrix XRS 2WD | $182 | $420 | $356 | $22 | $106 | $1,086 | $91 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Prices above based on single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Washington minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-vehicle, claim-free, homeowner, and multi-policy. Information does not factor in your specific Seattle location which can influence premium rates noticeably.
Should you buy full coverage?
The example below examines Toyota Matrix car insurance costs with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying liability only. The data is based on no claims, a clean driving record, $500 deductibles, married female driver, and no other discounts are factored in.
Are you wasting money on full coverage?
There isn’t a steadfast formula of when to drop full coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can use. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is more than around 10% of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
For example, let’s say your Toyota Matrix replacement value is $3,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, the most you would receive is $2,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If you are paying over $200 a year for full coverage, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
There are some situations where dropping physical damage coverage is not recommended. If you haven’t paid off your loan, you must maintain physical damage coverage in order to prevent your loan from defaulting. Also, if your savings is not enough to buy a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should maintain full coverage.
Cheap Toyota Matrix insurance in Seattle
Not too many consumers would say insurance is affordable, but there are discounts available that can dramatically reduce your bill. A few discounts will be applied when you complete an application, but occasionally some discounts must be specially asked for before you will receive the discount. If you do not check that you are getting every discount possible, you may be paying too high a price.
- Telematics Data – Insureds who allow their company to study driving patterns by using a small device installed in their vehicle such as Allstate’s Drivewise and State Farm’s In-Drive system might get better premium rates if they show good driving skills.
- Good Students Pay Less – Being a good student may save you up to 25%. Most companies allow this discount until age 25.
- Military Rewards – Having an actively deployed family member may qualify for rate reductions.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Low mileage vehicles may enable drivers to earn substantially lower rates.
- Resident Student – Any of your kids who are enrolled in a college that is more than 100 miles from Seattle and do not take a car to college may qualify for this discount.
- Bundled Policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles and insure them with the same company you could get a discount of at least 10 to 15 percent or more.
- Driver Training Discounts – Participating in a driver safety course could possibly earn you a 5% discount depending on where you live.
- Organization Discounts – Having an affiliation with qualifying clubs or civic groups could trigger savings on your next renewal.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Drivers who always wear seat belts and also require passengers to wear their seat belts could save 15% off the PIP or medical payment premium.
- New Car Discount – Buying a new car model is cheaper since new model year vehicles have better safety ratings.
Keep in mind that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the whole policy. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.
Larger insurance companies and some of their more popular discounts are shown below.
- Farm Bureau policyholders can earn discounts including safe driver, renewal discount, good student, multi-vehicle, 55 and retired, and youthful driver.
- Liberty Mutual offers discounts including new move discount, new graduate, multi-car, hybrid vehicle, preferred payment discount, good student, and newly retired.
- State Farm discounts include anti-theft, defensive driving training, good student, good driver, safe vehicle, and Steer Clear safe driver discount.
- Auto-Owners Insurance offers premium reductions for company car, multi-policy, teen driver, mature driver, good student, multiple vehicles, and safe vehicle.
- GEICO has savings for good student, membership and employees, seat belt use, military active duty, and anti-theft.
- SAFECO may include discounts for safe driver, teen safe driver, anti-lock brakes, anti-theft, multi-car, and teen safety rewards.
Before purchasing a policy, check with every prospective company how many discounts you can get. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts may not apply to policies in Seattle. To see a list of insurers who offer cheap Toyota Matrix insurance quotes in Seattle, follow this link.
Decisions You Make Can Impact Your Insurance Prices
Many things are part of the calculation when you quote your car insurance policy. Some factors are common sense like your driving record, but others are more obscure such as your marital status or how financially stable you are. A large part of saving on insurance is knowing some of the elements that are used to determine the rates you pay for insurance. If you have some idea of what controls the rates you pay, this enables you to make decisions that may reward you with lower premium levels.
The factors shown below are some of the most common factors used by your company to calculate rates.
More than one policy can earn a discount – Most insurance companies will give better rates to people that buy multiple policies. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. This can amount to ten or even fifteen percent. Even if you’re getting this discount you may still want to get quotes from other companies to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still be able to save more without the discount by buying insurance from a different company.
Where you live plays a part – Being located in less populated areas of the country can save you money if you are looking for the lowest rates. Urban drivers tend to have more traffic problems and much longer commute distances. Fewer drivers means less chance of accidents and a lower car theft rate.
Alarms and GPS tracking lower premiums – Buying a car that has a built-in theft deterrent system can earn a premium discount. Advanced theft deterrents like OnStar, LoJack tracking, and tamper alarms all help stop car theft and help bring rates down.
Don’t let your insurance policy lapse – Driving any period of time without insurance is not a good idea and any future policy may cost more because you let your insurance lapse for non-payment. In addition to paying higher premiums, getting caught without coverage could earn you a license revocation or jail time. You could then be forced to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the Washington department of motor vehicles.
Do you save by driving less? – Driving a lot of miles each year the higher the price you pay to insure it. Many insurance companies charge to insure your cars based upon how the vehicle is primarily used. Autos that do not get driven very much receive lower rates than vehicles that have high annual mileage. An incorrectly rated Matrix is just wasting money. Verify your insurance policy is rated on how each vehicle is driven.
Cars with good safety ratings lower rates – Safer cars get lower rates. Safer cars have better occupant injury protection and lower rates of occupant injuries means your insurance company pays less passed on to you as lower rates.
When should you not file a policy claims? – If you file a lot of claims you can definitely plan on much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Car insurance companies in Washington provide cheaper rates to policyholders that do not abuse their auto insurance. Your insurance policy is intended to be relied upon for larger claims.
Accidents are costly – Being a careful driver has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Just one speeding ticket can increase rates by twenty percent. Careful drivers get better rates as compared to careless drivers. Drivers who get serious violations such as reckless driving or DUI might be required by their state to prove financial responsibility with the DMV in their state in order to prevent a license revocation.
What if I want to buy from local Seattle auto insurance agents?
Certain consumers still like to talk to an insurance agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Licensed agents are trained risk managers and give you someone to call. One of the benefits of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find cheaper auto insurance rates and still choose a local agent. Supporting local agents is definitely important in Seattle.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this form (opens in new window), your insurance coverage information is immediately sent to participating agents in Seattle who will gladly provide quotes to get your business. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to search for any insurance agencies since price quotes are sent directly to your email. If you have a need to get a rate quote for a specific company, you just need to search and find their rate quote page and submit a quote form there.
If you are wanting to purchase car insurance from a reliable insurance agent, you must know there are a couple types of agencies and how they are distinctly different. Car insurance agents in Seattle are categorized either exclusive or independent. Either one can write car insurance policies, but it’s worth mentioning the difference in the companies they write for since it can impact the kind of agent you use.
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Independent insurance agents can quote rates with many companies so they can insure your vehicles with many different companies and get the cheapest rates. If they quote lower rates, an independent agent can move your coverage and you can keep the same agent. When comparing car insurance prices, we recommend you check rates from a couple of independent agencies to maximize your price options. Most also write with smaller mutual companies which may have better rates.
Listed below are Seattle independent agencies who can help you get free price quotes.
- Gurry and Rogers Insurance Inc
1200 5th Ave #1825 – Seattle, WA 98101 – (206) 621-6444 – View Map - Propel Insurance: Marinkovich Stephen
925 4th Ave #3200 – Seattle, WA 98104 – (206) 676-4216 – View Map - Johnson Insurance Agency
9200 Holman Rd NW – Seattle, WA 98117 – (206) 789-5940 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Exclusive agencies normally can only provide a single company’s rates and some examples include American Family, State Farm, and AAA. They usually cannot provide rate quotes from other companies so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. These agents receive extensive training in insurance sales and that can be a competitive advantage. Consumers frequently buy insurance from these agents mainly due to the brand name rather than having low rates.
Below are Seattle exclusive insurance agencies willing to provide price quotes.
- Charles Cohen – State Farm Insurance Agent
9750 Greenwood Ave N #104 – Seattle, WA 98103 – (206) 784-5151 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: Carmelita Strong
5959 Martin Luther King Jr Way S – Seattle, WA 98118 – (206) 725-8969 – View Map - Jeffrey Taylor – State Farm Insurance Agent
4850 Rainier Ave S – Seattle, WA 98118 – (206) 725-8008 – View Map
Choosing an insurance agency requires more thought than just a cheap price. Agents should be asked these questions:
- How much experience to they have in personal lines coverages?
- Which companies can they place coverage with?
- Are they full-time agents?
- How often do they review policy coverages?
- Will the agent or a CSR service your policy?
- Do they reduce claim amounts on high mileage vehicles?
- Are all drivers listed on the coverage quote?
If you receive reasonable responses to any questions you have as well as a price you’re happy with, it’s a good possibility that you have found an insurance agency that is reliable enough to properly service your car insurance policy. Keep in mind it’s your policy and you can terminate your policy whenever you want so don’t think that you are obligated to any particular company indefinitely.
Insurance companies are expert advertisers
Consumers can’t avoid all the ads that claim the best rates from the likes of Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm. They all seem to seem to make the promise that people will save just by switching your coverage.
How does every insurance company have lower policy pricing? It’s all in the words they use.
Insurance companies quote their best rates for the type of customer that earns them a profit. A good example of this type of driver might have to be a mature driver, has never had a policy lapse, and drives a lower-performance vehicle. A customer that fits those parameters will get very good Seattle premium rates and will probably save when they switch companies.
Insureds who do not match the ideal profile may be required to pay more expensive rates and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state “people who switch” not “everyone who quotes” save the amount stated. That is how insurance companies can confidently state the savings.
Because each company has a different risk profile, it is so important to get Seattle auto insurance quotes as often as possible. It’s just too difficult to predict which company will fit you best based on your risk profile.
A little work can save a LOT of money
People change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including policy non-renewal, policy cancellation, not issuing a premium refund or even poor customer service. Regardless of your reason, choosing a new company is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.
More affordable auto insurance in Seattle can be purchased both online in addition to local insurance agencies, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some auto insurance companies may not have online rate quotes and usually these small, regional companies only sell coverage through local independent agents.
As you restructure your insurance plan, it’s a bad idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In many instances, drivers have reduced physical damage coverage and found out when filing a claim that the savings was not a smart move. Your strategy should be to buy enough coverage at the best cost, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.
Helpful information
- Eight Auto Insurance Myths (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers Under 21 in Seattle? (FAQ)
- Side Impact Crash Tests (iihs.org)
- Insurance losses by make and model (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Auto Insurance Basics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Speed and Speed Limit FAQ (iihs.org)