Best Seattle Honda Fit Insurance

No normal person fancies paying their premiums for auto insurance, especially knowing they are paying too much.

A recent study showed that over 70% of drivers have been with the same company for at least the last four years, and 38% of drivers have never compared rate quotes at all. Most drivers in Washington could pocket $430 a year just by comparing rates, but they don’t believe the benefits if they swap their current policy for a cheaper one. Due to the abundance of different company options, it can be diffult for people to pick the most cost effective company.

The providers in the list below are ready to provide comparison 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 best price comparison.

Data assumes single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and Washington minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, claim-free, and safe-driver. Premium amounts do not factor in specific Seattle garaging location which can lower or raise prices greatly.

Should you raise deductibles?

The chart below shows how choosing a deductible and can affect Honda Fit yearly insurance costs for each age group. The prices are based on a married male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

Higher deductibles lower rates

One of the more difficult decisions when buying car insurance is the level to set your comp and collision deductibles. The comparison tables below determine the premium difference when you select higher and lower physical damage coverage deductibles. The first rate quote example uses a $250 comprehensive and collision deductible and the second price grid uses a $1,000 deductible.

Prices based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Washington minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, homeowner, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and safe-driver. Price estimates do not factor in specific location information which can revise rates substantially.

We can estimate from the data above that using a $250 deductible could cost the average driver approximately $22 more each month or $264 annually than selecting the higher $1,000 deductible. Since you would pay $750 more to file a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to go at least 34 months between claims, you would probably save some money by selecting a higher deductible.

Discounts for lower-cost auto insurance rates

Some companies do not advertise every discount in a way that’s easy to find, so the below list has some of the best known as well as the least known credits that you can use to lower your rates. If you do not check that you are getting every discount you qualify for, you’re paying more than you need to.

• Service Members Pay Less – Being deployed in the military could trigger a small discount.
• Defensive Driving Course – Passing a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
• Payment Method – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of paying each month you can avoid monthly service charges.
• Safety Restraint Discount – Forcing all vehicle occupants to buckle up before driving may be able to save a few bucks on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
• Theft Deterrent System – Vehicles that have factory anti-theft systems can help prevent theft and earn discounts up to 10% off your Seattle auto insurance quote.
• Renewal Discounts – A few larger companies offer discounts for buying a policy before your current expiration date. This discount can save up to 10%.
• Passenger Safety Discount – Options like air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.
• Low Mileage Discounts – Low annual miles can earn better auto insurance rates on cars that stay parked.
• Home Ownership Discount – Just being a homeowner may earn you a small savings because it demonstrates responsibility.

It’s important to understand that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. Just because you may think you can get free auto insurance, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.

If you would like to choose from a list of insurers with the best discounts in Washington, click this link.

Car insurance agents are professional risk managers

Some people just want to sit down and talk to an agent and that is not a bad decision Professional agents are highly skilled in risk management and help you file claims. A nice benefit of comparing insurance prices online is you may find cheap car insurance rates and still choose a local agent.

To find an agent, once you fill out this short form, the coverage information is transmitted to local insurance agents in Seattle who can give free rate quotes for your business. You don’t have to find an agent on your own due to the fact that quote results will go to you instantly. If you want to compare prices from a specific company, you would need to find their quoting web page and fill out their quote form.

Choosing the best provider should include more criteria than just the bottom line cost. These are some questions your agent should answer.

• Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
• Can glass claims be handled at your home?
• Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
• Where are claims handled?
• Which companies can they place coverage with?

If you want to use a local Seattle insurance agency, it helps to know the two types of insurance agents that you can choose from. Car insurance agents can either be exclusive agents or independent agents. Either one can insure your vehicles, but it’s worth learning why they differ since it may influence the selection process.

Exclusive Car Insurance Agents

Agents in the exclusive channel can only provide pricing for a single company like Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. Exclusive agencies are unable to place coverage with different providers so they really need to provide good service. They are well trained in insurance sales and that can be a competitive advantage.

Shown below are exclusive agencies in Seattle that are able to give rate quotes.

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Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent insurance agents can quote rates with many companies so they can insure your vehicles with lots of companies and find the cheapest rate. If you want to switch companies, they simply move your policy to a different company and you won’t have to switch agencies.

When comparing car insurance prices, it’s recommended you compare prices from multiple independent agents in order to have the best price comparison.

The following are Seattle independent insurance agents that are able to give comparison quotes.

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The Honda Fit Insurance Premium Equation

It’s important that you understand the rating factors that are used to determine the price you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates, this allows you to make good choices that could help you find lower rates. Many different elements are part of the equation when you get a price on insurance. A few of the factors are predictable such as traffic violations, but others are more transparent such as your marital status or how safe your car is.

Shown below are just a few of the factors used by companies to determine your premiums.

• Drive lots and pay more – Driving a lot of miles every year the more you’ll pay to insure it. Many insurance companies apply a rate based on how the vehicle is used. Autos left parked in the garage cost less to insure than those used for commuting. An improperly rated Fit is throwing money out the window. Make sure your policy states annual mileage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
• Premiums are lower the older you get – Inexperience drivers are known to get distracted easily with other occupants in the car so they pay higher car insurance rates. Older drivers are shown to be more cautious, tend to cause fewer accidents, and are generally more financially stable.
• Insurance rates in urban areas – Residing in less populated areas of the country is a positive aspect if you are looking for the lowest rates. Fewer people means reduced accidents in addition to lower liability claims Urban drivers have traffic congestion and longer commutes to work. Higher commute times statistically corresponds to a higher accident and claim rate.
• Liability protection is important – The liability section of your policy is the coverage that protects you when you are determined to be liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability insurance provides you with a defense in court to attempt to prove you were not liable. It is affordable coverage compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so drivers should buy more than the minimum limits required by law.
• Your vocation and car insurance rates – Did you know your job can affect your rates? Occupational choices like judges, air traffic controllers, and emergency personnel usually pay the highest rates attributed to high stress and extremely grueling work hours. Other professions such as scientists, historians and the unemployed pay the least.
• Traffic violations will cost you – Your driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Drivers who don’t get tickets get better rates compared to drivers with tickets. Getting just one speeding ticket or other violation may increase your cost by as much as thirty percent. People who have dangerous violations like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may find they need to maintain a SR-22 with their state motor vehicle department in order to legally drive.
• Honda Fit claim probability – Insurers analyze past claim statistics when setting rates for each model. Models that the statistics show to have higher losses will have higher rates for specific coverages. The table below illustrates the historical loss data for Honda Fit vehicles.

  For each coverage type, the claim amount for all vehicles, regardless of manufacturer or model, is represented as 100. Values that are below 100 represent a good loss history, while values that are 100 or greater point to more losses or a tendency for losses to be larger than average.

  Insurance Loss Ratings for Honda Fit Vehicles

  Specific Honda Model	Collision	Property Damage	Comp	Personal Injury	Medical Payment	Bodily Injury
  Honda Fit	89	78	90	99	97	92

  BETTER

  AVERAGE

  WORSE

  Data Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years

Buying the right Honda vehicle insurance in Washington is an important decision

Even though Seattle Fit insurance rates can get expensive, buying auto insurance is mandatory in Washington but it also protects more than you think.

• Almost all states have minimum liability requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific minimum amounts of liability insurance in order to drive the car. 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 your vehicle has a lien holder, it’s guaranteed your bank will require you to buy insurance to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If the policy lapses, the bank may buy a policy for your Honda at an extremely high rate and force you to pay for the expensive policy.
• Auto insurance protects both your Honda and your assets. Insurance will pay for most medical and hospital costs for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, will also pay to defend you if you cause an accident and are sued. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.

The benefits of insuring your Fit more than cancel out the cost, especially if you ever need it. The average driver in America is currently overpaying as much as $855 a year so it’s very important to do a rate comparison each time the policy renews to ensure rates are inline.

Cheaper insurance is a realistic goal

In this article, we covered a lot of techniques to compare Honda Fit insurance rates in Seattle. The key thing to remember is the more you quote Seattle auto insurance, the higher your chance of finding affordable Honda Fit insurance quotes. Consumers may even find the biggest savings come from the least-expected company. Some small companies often have lower car insurance rates on specific markets than the large multi-state companies such as Progressive or GEICO.

As you prepare to switch companies, it’s not a good idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are a lot of situations where consumers will sacrifice collision coverage only to regret at claim time that they should have had better coverage. Your goal is to find the BEST coverage at the best possible price, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.

Additional detailed information can be found by following these links:

• What does Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Cover? (Allstate)
• What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Welfare Recipients in Seattle? (FAQ)
• What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers Under 25 in Seattle? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates After a Speeding Ticket in Seattle? (FAQ)
• Safety Tips for Teen Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)
• Side Impact Crash Tests (iihs.org)
• Vehicle Size and Weight FAQ (iihs.org)