Want to learn the secrets to finding the cheapest Ford Thunderbird insurance in Seattle? If you are new to online auto insurance, it’s easy to get bewildered due to the large number of companies all offering big savings in Seattle.
Astonishing but true, over 70% of consumers kept buying from the same company for over three years, and about 40% of consumers have never even compared rates from other companies. The average driver in Seattle could save 40% each year just by shopping around, but they won’t spend time to find cheaper rates by getting comparison quotes.
It is always a good idea to check auto insurance prices at least once a year because prices change regularly. Even if you got the best rates on Ford Thunderbird insurance in Seattle on your last policy you can probably find a lower rate today. Forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the fastest way to find great coverage at a great price.
Seattle insurance discounts for a Ford Thunderbird
Car insurance is easily one of your largest bills, but there could be available discounts that could drop your premiums quite a bit. Many discounts should be triggered when you complete an application, but some discounts are required to be inquired about prior to receiving the credit. If you are not receiving all the discounts you qualify for, you are throwing money away.
- Professional Organizations – Affiliation with qualifying clubs or civic groups can get you a small discount on your next renewal.
- Accident-Free Discounts – Seattle drivers who stay claim-free have much lower rates as compared to insureds who have frequent claims or accidents.
- Paperwork-free – Some companies provide a small discount get Seattle car insurance on their website.
- Drivers Ed for Students – Have your child enroll in driver’s education as it can save substantially.
- Waiver for an Accident – Not a discount per se, but a handful of insurance companies will allow you to have one accident before your rates go up so long as you haven’t had any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time rather than paying monthly you can avoid the installment charge.
- New Car Discount – Insuring a vehicle that is new can get you a discount compared to insuring an older model.
- Life Insurance – Some car insurance companies give a small discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
- Distant Student Discount – Children living away from Seattle attending college and do not take a car to college may be able to be covered for less.
You should keep in mind that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the whole policy. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates adding up those discounts means a free policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.
Popular car insurance companies and a partial list of their discounts are shown below.
- American Family includes discounts for bundled insurance, multi-vehicle, accident-free, mySafetyValet, good student, and early bird.
- State Farm has savings for driver’s education, Steer Clear safe driver discount, Drive Safe & Save, safe vehicle, and anti-theft.
- 21st Century has discounts for 55 and older, driver training, good student, teen driver, and automatic seat belts.
- Travelers offers discounts including early quote, student away at school, multi-car, driver training, and home ownership.
- GEICO offers premium reductions for seat belt use, anti-theft, air bags, emergency military deployment, and driver training.
If you need lower rates, check with all the companies the best way to save money. Depending on the company, some discounts may not be offered in Seattle.
How to lower your Ford Thunderbird insurance cost in Seattle, Washington
To find low cost prices, there are a couple of ways to compare prices from many insurance companies in Washington. The easiest way by far to lower the rate you pay for Ford Thunderbird insurance is to get quotes online. Just keep in mind that having more price comparisons increases the chance that you will find more affordable rates. Some regional insurers cannot provide rate quotes online, so you should also compare quotes from the smaller companies as well.
The following companies offer comparison quotes in Seattle, WA. If multiple companies are listed, it’s a good idea that you visit several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Insurance agent or online?
Some people just want to visit with an insurance agent and that is not a bad decision One of the great benefits of price shopping on the web is you can get cheap rate quotes and still have a local agent.
For easy comparison, once you complete this quick form, your insurance data is transmitted to companies in Seattle who will give competitive quotes for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to contact any agents since rate quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. You can find the lowest rates AND a local agent. If for some reason you want to compare rates from one company in particular, don’t hesitate to find their quoting web page and fill out the quote form the provide.
Finding the right insurance company should depend on more than just a low price. Any agent in Seattle should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Can you use your own choice of collision repair facility?
- Can they give you a list of client referrals?
- How long has their agency been in business in Seattle?
- Is working in the agency their full-time job?
- Do you need full coverage on every vehicle?
- Will one accident increase rates?
If you would like to find a reputable agency, there are a couple of different types of agents and how they can quote your rates. Agents in Seattle can be classified as either independent agents or exclusive agents depending on their employer.
Exclusive Agents
Agents that elect to be exclusive generally can only insure with one company such as American Family, State Farm, and Allstate. These agents are not able to shop your coverage around so they have no alternatives for high prices. They receive a lot of sales training on their products and sales techniques which can be an advantage. Some people will only buy from the same agent for years primarily because of the brand instead of buying on price only.
Shown below is a short list of exclusive agents in Seattle that can give you price quote information.
- Chuck McFarland – State Farm Insurance Agent
9776 Holman Rd NW #107 – Seattle, WA 98117 – (206) 788-4640 – View Map - Raymond Insurance-Pemco and Progressive
6011 California Ave SW – Seattle, WA 98136 – (206) 933-8812 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: Carmelita Strong
5959 Martin Luther King Jr Way S – Seattle, WA 98118 – (206) 725-8969 – View Map
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
These agents do not write with just one company and that allows them to write policies with many different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If they find a cheaper price, your agent can just switch to a different company and you won’t have to switch agencies.
When comparing car insurance prices, you will definitely want to get insurance quotes from a few independent agents in order to have the best price comparison. They also have the ability to place coverage with mutual insurance companies that can offer cheaper rates than bigger companies.
Shown below are Seattle independent insurance agents that can give you price quote information.
- Michael Wong Insurance
1200 Westlake Ave N #607 – Seattle, WA 98109 – (206) 284-0171 – View Map - C. Don Filer Agency
4201 Roosevelt Way NE #200 – Seattle, WA 98105 – (800) 701-5909 – View Map - Grange Insurance Association
200 Cedar St – Seattle, WA 98121 – (800) 247-2643 – View Map
The coverage is in the details
Having a good grasp of car insurance can be of help when determining the right coverages for your vehicles. Car insurance terms can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your Ford Thunderbird.
Due to the fact that many Washington drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (Washington limits are 25/50/10), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage is very important.
Medical payments coverage and PIP – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for expenses such as X-ray expenses, nursing services and pain medications. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Auto liability – Liability insurance will cover damage or injury you incur to other people or property. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have values of 25/50/10 which stand for a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, $50,000 for the entire accident, and $10,000 of coverage for damaged property.
Liability coverage protects against things like loss of income, pain and suffering and emergency aid. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as much as you can afford. Washington state minimum liability requirements are 25/50/10 but you should consider buying more coverage.
Collision coverage – Collision coverage covers damage to your Thunderbird resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision insurance covers claims like hitting a parking meter, driving through your garage door, hitting a mailbox and colliding with a tree. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible on your Thunderbird to save money on collision insurance.
Comprehensive coverage – Comprehensive insurance pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for things such as vandalism, damage from flooding, hitting a bird, damage from a tornado or hurricane and theft. The most a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Shop around and save
When buying insurance coverage, make sure you don’t buy poor coverage just to save money. In too many instances, drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits and discovered at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
People leave their current company for many reasons like being labeled a high risk driver, policy non-renewal, questionable increases in premium or delays in paying claims. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a new auto insurance company can be less work than you think.
We just presented some good ideas how to compare Ford Thunderbird insurance premium rates in Seattle. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even discover the best premium rates are with some of the smallest insurance companies.
Even more information is available at these sites:
- Distracted Driving (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Rates for Handicapped Drivers in Seattle? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Ride Shares in Seattle? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Rates for a Company Car in Seattle? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for a Nissan Rogue in Seattle? (FAQ)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for 18 Year Olds in Seattle? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Uber Drivers in Seattle? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest in Seattle, Washington? (FAQ)
- Higher speed limits cause more fatalities (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Older Drivers FAQ (iihs.org)
- How to Avoid Common Accidents (State Farm)