You have most likely seen the captivating ads from car insurance companies like The General, Farmers, and Liberty Mutual guaranteeing enormous savings. So drivers should just choose one randomly, right?
It’s just not that easy, however, as there are a whole slew of unknowns such as when you were born, whether you are married or single, and the number of miles you drive each year, that all impact the cost of your policy. This article goes into detail about the different scenarios that increase car insurance cost and will hopefully give you a jump start in finding the best auto insurance in Oregon.
The make and model of vehicle that needs insurance is probably the most important factor when comparing affordable insurance for state employees. Vehicles with lower performance, modern passenger safety features, or a track record of few liability claims will cost less to insure than fast, unsafe models. The next list outlines car insurance costs for a selection of the cheaper automobiles to insure in Oregon.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLS 4WD | $1,355 |
| Honda CR-V EX 4WD | $1,387 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $1,632 |
| Hyundai Elantra GLS Touring Station Wagon | $1,661 |
| Toyota Corolla LE | $1,688 |
| GMC Sierra 2500HD SLT Crew Cab 4WD | $1,799 |
| Ford F-150 XLT Regular Cab 2WD | $1,823 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LS AWD | $1,836 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 2WD | $1,842 |
| Chevrolet Impala LT | $1,836 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,844 |
| Ford Explorer XLT 2WD | $1,862 |
| GMC Sierra 3500HD SLT Crew Cab 2WD | $1,871 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SE | $1,862 |
| Ford Edge SEL 2WD | $1,926 |
| Ford F-250 XL Super Cab 4WD | $1,939 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD LT Extended Cab Diesel 2WD | $1,947 |
| GMC Sierra SL Extended Cab 2WD | $1,965 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LT Crew Cab 4WD | $1,968 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 2WD | $1,974 |
| Ford Fusion SEL 4-Dr Sedan | $1,968 |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara 2WD 4-Dr | $2,021 |
| Honda Civic SI 4-Dr Sedan | $2,029 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | |
Data rating is based on single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Oregon minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, claim-free, multi-policy, safe-driver, and multi-vehicle. Rate information does not factor in specific garaging location which can alter coverage rates greatly.
Based upon these rates, you can conclude that vehicles like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Toyota Tacoma, and Hyundai Elantra are the less-costly vehicles to insure for state workers.
For state workers, one of the largest factors that are used to help calculate the price you pay for insurance is your address. Areas with more people or even just a higher incidence of claims tend to have higher rates, whereas areas that tend to be more rural have the benefit of cheaper car insurance.
The table below shows the most expensive places in Oregon for state employees to purchase auto insurance in. Portland is ranked at #2 with the yearly price of $1,544 on average, which is about $129 per month.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gresham | $1,622 |
| 2 | Portland | $1,544 |
| 3 | Lake Oswego | $1,420 |
| 4 | Oregon City | $1,402 |
| 5 | Hillsboro | $1,380 |
| 6 | Keizer | $1,365 |
| 7 | Forest Grove | $1,360 |
| 8 | Salem | $1,360 |
| 9 | Woodburn | $1,359 |
| 10 | Beaverton | $1,356 |
| 11 | Tualatin | $1,352 |
| 12 | Aloha | $1,349 |
| 13 | Newberg | $1,337 |
| 14 | Tigard | $1,322 |
| 15 | West Linn | $1,308 |
| 16 | McMinnville | $1,286 |
| 17 | Bend | $1,224 |
| 18 | Redmond | $1,223 |
| 19 | Roseburg | $1,196 |
| 20 | Grants Pass | $1,191 |
| 21 | Corvallis | $1,167 |
| 22 | Springfield | $1,158 |
| 23 | Medford | $1,157 |
| 24 | Albany | $1,153 |
| 25 | Eugene | $1,123 |
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Annual rates are comparative as zip code location can lower or raise rates considerably.
How to get discounts on Portland auto insurance
Insurers that offer quotes for state employees may have policy discounts that could lower prices by as much as 35% if you are eligible to receive them. The best insurance companies and a partial list of their discounts are:
- AAA offers premium reductions for education and occupation, AAA membership discount, good student, multi-car, and multi-policy.
- Progressive offers discounts for online signing, multi-vehicle, good student, online quote discount, continuous coverage, multi-policy, and homeowner.
- State Farm discounts include Steer Clear safe driver discount, multiple autos, student away at school, accident-free, and anti-theft.
- Esurance may include discounts for online shopper, anti-lock brakes, Switch & Save, DriveSense, claim free, anti-theft, and multi-car.
- Nationwide may offer discounts for business or organization, anti-theft, easy pay, accident-free, and multi-policy.
The chart below illustrates the difference between insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the policy rates. The rates are based on a male driver, no claims or violations, Oregon state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $1,000 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows insurance cost with no discounts. The lower bar shows the rates with safe-driver, claim-free, anti-theft, homeowner, passive restraint, and vehicle safety discounts applied. When discounts are factored in, theaverage amount saved on insurance for state employees is 28% or $502.
Does full coverage make sense?
Finding the cheapest insurance should be important to the majority of vehicle owners, and one good way to pay less for insurance for state employees is to not insure for full coverage. The example below illustrates the comparison of auto insurance costs when comparing full coverage to liability only. The premiums are based on no tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
On average, physical damage coverage on your policy costs $2,455 per year over liability only. That is a big expense that brings up the question when is the right time to remove full coverage. There is no definitive guideline to eliminate comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than 10% of replacement cost minus your deductible, then you might consider buying liability only.
There are a few cases where buying only liability insurance is not recommended. If you haven’t satisfied your loan, you are required to maintain full coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle in case of an accident, you should not buy liability only.
How to find more affordable insurance for state employees
Below you’ll find some of the recommended thrifty solutions that can help drivers buy lower-cost coverage.
- Do not waste money insuring older vehicles for full coverage
- The safer your car, the less it costs to insure
- Prevent rate increases by staying accident-free
- Drivers with good credit often pay less
- Buying car and homeowners insurance together can save money
- Compare rate quotes frequently
The last item on the list is remarkably critical, as we emphasized in the article above. Rates adjust frequently, so don’t hesitate to switch companies if a better deal can be had.
Brand loyalty is not necessarily bad, but it’s not recommended if that faithfulness ends up costing you a lot of money every month. Now is a great time to compare rates and find cheaper auto insurance for state employees in Portland.
The Portland auto insurance agencies shown below can help you decide which policy is best, since lots of people like to get some help when trying to find the best insurance rates for state workers. It can be hard to find the best coverage on your own, so getting advice from a licensed Oregon insurance agent can bring comfort knowing you have adequate coverage when you need it most. To find an agent by location nearest to you, click the link after the list.
- Michael Holton – State Farm Insurance Agent
7113 SW Macadam Ave – Portland, OR 97219 – (503) 517-9090 - Steve Ching – State Farm Insurance Agent
1018 NW 13th Ave – Portland, OR 97209 – (503) 222-7771 - Gustavo Soares – State Farm Insurance Agent
650 NE Holladay St Ste 1600 – Portland, OR 97232 – (503) 287-0027