I’m buying a car soon and I want to find out how I can get good car insurance rates for it. Any tips?

Grey

Seattle, WA

Those who have bought car insurance before would tell you that having to call up many different agents or consulting brokers is not the most fun way to spend an afternoon. Luckily times have changed and it is now much easier to find the best car insurance rates for you. Here are some tips:

1. Compare Rates Online – Use car insurance comparison websites. You get free access to the latest car insurance quotes and are able to compare offers coming from many different car insurers simultaneously. This is the quickest way to maximize your chances of finding the best rates out there in very little time at all.

2. Visit Rating Agency Websites – You want to spend some time on the websites of agencies like Moodys, A.M. Best and J.D. Powers. These are independent rating agencies that can tell you which companies have the best scores when it comes to customer service, pricing, claims handling, etc. This will help you identify the best car insurers to go with.

3. Get Some Discounts – Getting cheap quotes is one thing, being able to reduce your total insurance rates is another. Discounts are an excellent way to do this. There are a lot available so there’s a good chance you’ll qualify for at least one. Always ask an insurer about discount options.

4. Optimize Your Coverage – Go on a yearly payment plan if you can, this will reduce your rates or make you eligible for discounts. Remove unnecessary coverage items on your policy as well. You also probably don’t need full comprehensive coverage if you drive an old vehicle as well.

I had recently been convicted of DUI and my insurer here in Washington canceled my current policy and they said I should get a DUI SR22 Insurance. I felt very bad about this for I have been insured with them for several years already and now that I had a problem they suddenly canceled my policy. Are they right in doing this to me and what is DUI SR22 Insurance and how does this work?

Bryan

Tacoma, WA

Once a driver is convicted of DUI in Washington, most car insurers will either cancel your current policy or they will never renew it even if you have been having business with them for many years. A DUI SR22 Insurance is a policy that is designed for those who have been convicted of driving under influences’ offense. There are car insurance companies that can give you DUI SR22 Insurance but since you are labelled as a high risk driver it could create more problems in time that’s why you should get a DUI SR22 Insurance.

When a driver is convicted of DUI, they usually want you to present a proof that you have car insurance with DUI for around three to five years with Washington’s Department of Motor Vehicle. Your insurers will file an SR22 form to DMV in order for your driver’s license suspension to be lifted. The car insurance company will charge you the rate depends on your policy and state rules. Every states has a different length of time on how long your DUI conviction remain on the record and as long as the record remains then that is also how long your premium is affected. If you have a DUI SR22 Insurance and had another conviction, the process would be easier and faster and this is something you should get as a responsible driver for we don’t know when accident strikes.

I was advised that if I will have a loan on my car here in Washington, I need to get gap coverage for it along with my insurance. What exactly is this gap coverage and what does it have to do with having a loan on my car?

Marc

Lakewood, WA

The horrid fall of your new vehicle’s value the moment you drive it away from the seller’s area can have shocking and unwarranted burden on your pocket if your vehicle will be declared a total loss in an accident. In case you are eligible for a payment on your totaled vehicle on your car insurance in Washington, your insurer will give you the actual cash value of your automobile. Then again, the total payment your car insurance provider estimates as the vehicle’s actual cash value could be thousands of dollars further than what you have a loan from the bank or finance company. Because you will be accountable to pay the rest of your loan even if your vehicle is totaled, you may need to produce hundreds, possibly thousands in cash, except if you purchased gap coverage.

Your gap insurance coverage would pay the disparity between the approximation of your car insurance provider’s actual cash value of your vehicle and the money that you still have a loan from the bank or financial company. You may think that when your vehicle is totaled because of an accident, you will recoup the amount you owe on the vehicle or the money you paid for it if it is new enough. Apparently, vehicles do not cling to their value similar to what you think. When you drive away the vehicle, you have immediately lost some of the fees that you paid for.

I may have to dispute the figure that my auto insurance company here in Washington gave me regarding the value of my car which has been totaled. How can I argue against their offer and tell them that my car’s worth is more than what they are saying?

Garth

Tacoma, WA

If you do not agree with the figure that your car insurance provider in Washington gave you as the replacement value of your totalled vehicle, there several points that you need to remember. Car insurance companies have exclusive software to find out how much is the amount to replace your vehicle, with its present mileage and its form before the accident, at a dealership in your neighborhood. This may mean that your insurer acquires a bid for the lowest amount the dealer agrees to for your vehicle and not the amount the dealer may charge you. A lot of insurers would search as well within 100-mile range to compare prices.

To argue against the offer of your car insurance provider, you have to obtain price quotes from dealers within an acceptable distance in your area. You may ask Washington’s insurance department to figure out that ‘acceptable’ distance. The figures that you have to come up with should be higher than the offer of your car insurance provider. You should have a proof in writing that the replacement value of your car is more than the amount that the car insurance provider agrees to pay.

My parents own three cars and I drive each of them once in a while. How would I know if I am covered under their car insurance here in Washington?

Orin

Bellevue, WA

These days, a lot of families own more than one vehicle because most family members are always on the go. Most families register each of their vehicles under only one name since car insurance providers normally check the driving record of the vehicle owner before selling car insurance policy. The other family members then become named drivers on the insurance policy and this procedure is legally accepted and could be able to save money on your premiums. To determine if you are part of your family’s car insurance policy in Bellevue, Washington and have sufficient coverage, here are some things to follow:

–You may ask every family member if your vehicles’ insurance is under one name.

–You may request the registered family member to inform your insurer to include your name in the policy.

–You may contact the insurance provider to verify that you name is included in the policy.

–You may obtain a copy of the policy and verify all the names and be sure that your name has been added properly.

–Examine the kind of coverage you have because in some instances, you could not be covered comprehensively.

–You should drive the car only after getting affirmation that you are included in the policy and make sure that you have a photocopy of the policy when you drive one of your vehicles.

Will my current auto insurance company find out I have had a DUI conviction here in Tacoma, Washington?

Margarita

Tacoma, WA

Auto insurance companies can sometimes miss DUI convictions so it’s possible that your current insurance company will not find out you have had a DUI conviction in Tacoma, Washington if they don’t check your motor vehicle report and if you are not required to file an SR22 insurance with them. Computer error and human error, as you know, happen all the time. If your current auto insurance company doesn’t find out about your DUI conviction, one way to keep your current policy is to buy minimum liability with another provider with an SR22 insurance.

That way, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) would be satisfied because you have made your filing and since you current auto insurance company has not found out about your DUI offense, you’re able to keep your current policy. This would be especially helpful when you have full coverage, higher liability limits, other family members/vehicles or coverage on a valuable vehicle, where the rates on a standard policy could be very high. This website can gladly provide a free online rate quote for you.