If you want to save money, the best way to find low-cost prices for Toyota Echo insurance is to begin comparing prices regularly from companies that insure vehicles in Portland. Price quotes can be compared by following these guidelines.
- Read and learn about the coverage provided by your policy and the measures you can control to prevent rate increases. Many rating criteria that drive up the price such as speeding tickets, accidents and an imperfect credit history can be eliminated by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility. Continue reading for instructions to keep prices down and find discounts that may have been missed.
- Compare rates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only give prices from a single company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can provide rate quotes for a wide range of insurance providers. Start a quote
- Compare the price quotes to your existing rates to see if cheaper Echo coverage is available in Portland. If you can save money and change companies, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
- Give notification to your current company of your decision to cancel the current policy. Submit a completed policy application and payment to your new agent or company. As soon as you can, store the certificate verifying coverage in an easily accessible location in your vehicle.
One piece of advice is to compare identical deductibles and limits on each price quote and and to get rate quotes from as many companies as possible. This helps ensure a fair rate comparison and the best price quote selection.
It’s well known that car insurance companies want to keep you from shopping around. Drivers who shop around for a cheaper policy are very likely to buy a different policy because the odds are good of finding good coverage at a lower price. Surprisingly, a recent survey revealed that consumers who shopped around saved approximately $860 a year compared to other drivers who never shopped around.
If finding discount rates on Toyota Echo insurance is why you’re reading this, then understanding how to shop and compare insurance coverage can save money and time.
When comparison shopping, there are several ways to compare prices from companies that offer car insurance in Oregon. One of the best ways to find cheaper rates is to get quotes online.
Getting free rates online is quite simple, and it takes the place of having to call or drive to and from local insurance agencies. The ability to buy insurance online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you have a need for the trained guidance of a licensed agent. Although you can get prices online and get advice from an agent in your area.
Keep in mind that having more price comparisons helps improve the odds of finding the best price.
The auto insurance companies shown below provide quotes in Portland, OR. If multiple companies are listed, it’s highly recommended you click on several of them to get the most competitive price.
Auto insurance does more than just repair your car
Despite the high cost, insuring your vehicle is required by state law in Oregon and it also provides benefits you may not be aware of.
- Most states have mandatory insurance requirements which means you are required to carry a minimum amount of liability protection in order to drive the car legally. In Oregon these limits are 25/50/20 which means you must have $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $20,000 of property damage coverage.
- If you took out a loan on your vehicle, more than likely the lender will have a requirement that you buy full coverage to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the bank may buy a policy for your Toyota at a much higher premium rate and require you to fork over the higher price.
- Insurance safeguards your car and your assets. It will also reimburse you for medical bills for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability insurance will also pay to defend you if you cause an accident and are sued. If your Toyota gets damaged, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of insuring your Echo outweigh the cost, specifically if you ever have a liability claim. According to a survey of 1,000 drivers, the average driver is overpaying more than $850 per year so we recommend shopping around once a year at a minimum to ensure rates are competitive.
Why Informed Drivers Pay Less for Toyota Echo Insurance
Many factors are used in the calculation when premium rates are determined. Some factors are common sense such as traffic violations, but some are less apparent like where you live and annual miles driven.
The factors shown below are most of the major factors used by companies to determine your prices.
Do you really need to file those claims? – Companies in Oregon give better rates to insureds who are not frequent claim filers. If you’re an insured who likes to file claims you can look forward to increased rates or even have your policy non-renewed. Auto insurance is meant to be used in the event of claims that you cannot pay yourself.
Little extras can really add up – There are quite a few optional add-on coverages you can purchase when buying car insurance. Coverages for personal injury protection, accidental death, and extra life insurance coverage are probably not needed. These may sound like a good investment when buying your policy, but if you’ve never needed them in the past eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
Safer the car lower the rate – Cars with five star safety ratings tend to have better insurance rates. These vehicles reduce the chance of injuries and fewer serious injuries means less claims paid and thus lower rates. If your Toyota Echo scored at minimum an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website you may be receiving a better rate.
Increase deductibles and save – Comp and collision deductibles are how much you are required to spend in the event of a claim. Insurance for physical damage, also called ‘full coverage’, insures against damage to your car. Examples of some claims that would be covered could be collision with another vehicle, animal collisions, or theft of your vehicle. The more damage repair cost you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your car insurance will be.
Gender and insurance coverage prices – Statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. Now that doesn’t mean females are better drivers. Women and men get in auto accidents at about the same rate, but the male of the species get into accidents with more damage. Men also statistically receive more costly citations such as driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving recklessly. Teenage male drivers have the highest risk to insure and therefore pay the highest rates.
Vehicle features that cut premiums – Driving a car with an alarm system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention features like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems help track and prevent car theft and help bring rates down.
Pay lower prices if you’re married – Getting married may save some money when buying car insurance. Having a significant other means you’re more stable financially it has been statistically shown that being married results in fewer claims.
The higher your credit score the lower your rates – Your credit score can be a huge factor in determining premium rates. Therefore, if your credit score is lower than you’d like, you could pay less to insure your Toyota Echo if you improve your credit rating. People that have excellent credit scores tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers with worse credit.
Insurance discounts help lower rates for Toyota Echo insurance in Portland
Companies that sell car insurance don’t necessarily list their entire list of discounts very clearly, so we researched a few of the more common and also the lesser-known credits that you can use to lower your rates. If you don’t get every credit possible, you’re paying more than you need to.
- 55 and Retired – Older drivers are able to get a discount up to 10%.
- Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for multiple cars on one policy could earn a price break for each car.
- Drivers Education – Teen drivers should complete a driver education course as it can save substantially.
- First Accident Forgiveness – This isn’t a discount exactly, but a handful of insurance companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums so long as you haven’t had any claims for a specific time period.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars, trucks, and SUVs equipped with ABS or steering control are safer to drive and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts may earn rate discounts of 25 to 30%.
- Use Seat Belts – Forcing all vehicle occupants to buckle up can save up to 15% off the medical payments premium.
Don’t be surprised that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. Even though it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you aren’t that lucky.
A few companies that may include most of the discounts above may include but are not limited to:
Before buying, ask every prospective company which discounts they offer. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not be offered in your area. If you would like to choose from a list of insurers that offer the discounts shown above in Oregon, click here.
When in doubt talk to an agent
When buying coverage online or from an agent for your vehicles, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.
For example, these questions may help highlight whether or not you might need an agent’s assistance.
- What does UM/UIM cover?
- Is my state a no-fault state?
- Am I covered if my car is in a flood?
- How can I get high-risk coverage after a DUI?
- How much will a speeding ticket raise my rates?
- Are my custom wheels covered?
- Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
- What does medical payments coverage do?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.
Local Portland insurance agents
Certain consumers still like to get professional advice from a licensed agent and that is not a bad decision One of the great benefits of comparing insurance online is you can get lower rates but still work with a licensed agent.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this short form, your insurance data is instantly submitted to local insurance agents in Portland that provide free Portland auto insurance quotes for your business. You won’t need to find an agent on your own since rate quotes are delivered to you instantly. You’ll get the best rates and a licensed agent to work with. In the event you want to compare rates from a specific insurance company, don’t hesitate to visit that company’s website to submit a rate quote request.
Deciding on a company requires more thought than just a cheap quote. These are some questions you should get answers to.
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
- How often do they review policy coverages?
- Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
- Do they have cheaper tiers of coverage?
- Are they paid to recommend certain coverages?
- Are they able to provide referrals?
- Do they have a Better Business Bureau rating in Portland?
What type of Portland auto insurance agent is right for you?
When finding a reliable insurance agent, it helps to know the two types of agencies that you can choose from. Insurance agents can be categorized as either independent or exclusive.
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
These agents can only place business with one company and examples are Farmers Insurance and State Farm. These agents are unable to place coverage with different providers so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Exclusive agents are usually quite knowledgeable in insurance sales which aids in selling service over price.
Shown below are Portland exclusive insurance agents that can give you price quotes.
Michael G Ferguson – State Farm Insurance Agent
736 NW 12th Ave #100 – Portland, OR 97209 – (503) 227-1393 – View Map
Doug Menely – State Farm Insurance Agent
8606 SE 17th Ave – Portland, OR 97202 – (503) 238-1903 – View Map
Kilong Ung – State Farm Insurance Agent
4000 SE 82nd Ave #1400 – Portland, OR 97266 – (503) 777-6762 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agencies do not sell for just one brand so they can write business with any number of different companies and get you the best rates possible. If they quote lower rates, an independent agent can move your coverage and that require little work on your part.
When comparing rate quotes, you absolutely need to get quotes from a couple of independent agencies so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare.
Listed below is a short list of independent agents in Portland that can give you comparison quotes.
Propel Insurance
888 SW 5th Ave #1170 – Portland, OR 97204 – (503) 467-7540 – View Map
Fournier Group
510 SW 5th Ave #701 – Portland, OR 97204 – (503) 251-2255 – View Map
Nationwide Insurance: Eric L Weber Agency
4415 NE Sandy Blvd Ste 200 – Portland, OR 97213 – (503) 249-7667 – View Map
Ratings for Oregon auto insurance companies
Picking a highly-rated auto insurance provider is hard considering how many different companies sell coverage in Portland. The company information below may help you choose which car insurance companies to look at comparing price quotes from.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | 98 | 100 | 100 | 94% | A++ | 98.6 |
| American Family | 98 | 89 | 100 | 86% | A | 95.4 |
| State Farm | 88 | 93 | 96 | 90% | A++ | 92.4 |
| The Hartford | 94 | 92 | 90 | 89% | A+ | 91.7 |
| AAA Insurance | 88 | 89 | 95 | 91% | A | 91.2 |
| GEICO | 84 | 93 | 93 | 89% | A++ | 90.3 |
| The General | 89 | 91 | 89 | 88% | A- | 90 |
| Titan Insurance | 90 | 87 | 91 | 95% | A+ | 89.6 |
| Progressive | 84 | 91 | 93 | 87% | A+ | 89.5 |
| Mercury Insurance | 88 | 91 | 90 | 85% | A+ | 89.4 |
| Allstate | 85 | 90 | 92 | 88% | A+ | 89.3 |
| Nationwide | 87 | 88 | 84 | 90% | A+ | 88.7 |
| Liberty Mutual | 84 | 87 | 93 | 88% | A | 88.5 |
| 21st Century | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88% | A | 86.7 |
| Esurance | 85 | 80 | 95 | 87% | A+ | 85.9 |
| Safeco | 85 | 85 | 85 | 86% | A | 85.8 |
| Travelers | 80 | 87 | 87 | 83% | A++ | 85.2 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||||||
Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
How much can you save?
Lower-priced Toyota Echo insurance in Portland is attainable online and from local insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance companies may not provide the ability to get quotes online and usually these regional carriers provide coverage only through independent insurance agents.
Drivers change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including denial of a claim, poor customer service, policy non-renewal and even high prices. Regardless of your reason, switching companies is easier than you think.
When shopping online for insurance, never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are too many instances where someone dropped full coverage and found out when filing a claim that the savings was not a smart move. Your goal is to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate.
Helpful articles
- Safe Vehicles for Teens (iihs.org)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for High Risk Drivers in Portland? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Portland Auto Insurance for a Jeep Grand Cherokee? (FAQ)
- How Much is Auto Insurance for Drivers Requiring a SR22 in Portland? (FAQ)
- What is the Cheapest Auto Insurance in Portland, Oregon? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Low Income Drivers in Portland? (FAQ)
- What Does No-Fault Insurance Cover? (Allstate)
- Where can I buy Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Self-driving cars won’t replace humans (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Hybrid vehicles cost insurers more (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)