Car Insurance Quotes Washington

Reader’s Question:

I just bought a car here in Washington State. What’s my grace period for getting car insurance to avoid getting a penalty?

Jenny

Seattle WA

There’s no grace period for a liability coverage according to the Insurance Commissioner of Washington state. Also, the grace period to adding another vehicle to your insurance policy would be different from one company to another. It is important then to check with your insurer the maximum time required to file or add your newly bought vehicle to your existing policy. Most dealers would often require a physical damage coverage before it leaves the dealership.

If you’re replacing an old car to your policy, most insurers would extend that existing policy to your new car. If you’re adding a new car to your policy, you could inquire whether they would extend your existing policy for a certain amount of time or should you add the new vehicle to your policy with the required coverage.

If you’re just about to get an insurance policy on your car, then it is more practical to give your preferred auto insurance company an update on the type of car you’re planning to buy before it actually leaves the dealership. Request your dealership a fax of the car information to work with your insurer the practical coverage to apply.

Washington Auto Insurance Company

Reader’s Question:

Hi there. I would like to know if my Washington auto insurance company will notify me if they will not be renewing my policy before it policy will expires? I hope they do so I would have more time to find other company.

Michelle

East Seattle, WA

 

Generally yes, most Washington auto insurance company will notify you in advance whether they will not going to renew your policy.

In Washington State auto insurance companies are required to provide a twenty (20) day written notice with regards to non-renewal of a personal auto car insurance policy and a ten (10) written notice for cancellation due to non-payment of premium.

If you would like to know more information regarding this I suggest that you contact states insurance regulator. They will be able to give you more understanding what the insurance laws in your state regarding cancellation or non renewal notice or Washington auto insurance companies. They will also be able to inform you how much time are given to policyholders once the insurance company decides not to renew them.

Will Traffic Tickets Affect My Auto Insurance Rates in Washington

Reader’s Question:

I’ve had a few traffic violation citations here in Washington State. How will my driving history affect my vehicle insurance policy rates? The latest violation I had happened 2 months ago.

Anthony,

Bellevue, WA

The Washington State Office notes that auto insurance companies must compute the vehicle insurance rates based on the dollar amount. This base rate must be adjusted according to certain factors determined by the auto insurance company. These are gender, age, marital status, model and make of the vehicle, driving history, credit history, claims history, and geographical area. The vehicle insurance carrier may impose an additional charge if you have been in an accident or you have violated a traffic rule. This is referred to as a surcharge.

The WA Department of Leasing (DOL) notes that convictions and violations or infractions will be kept in your driving record for five years upon the conviction date. For collisions, this will be recorded in your MVR. The record will show who are involved in the incident, whether one or none of the involved parties were parked when the incident happened, the persons affected and the type of injury it caused them. For private vehicles, the incident will stay in the driver’s record for 5 years, while for commercial vehicles, it’s 10 years.

In WA, the auto insurance company decides on how long the violations or accidents could affect a driver’s vehicle’s insurance rate. However, most insurance companies will rate you based on your moving violations for a period of 3, 5 or 7 years, depending on the frequency of occurrence of the violations and accidents.

Auto Insurance Liability Coverage Washington

Reader’s Question:

I know that my auto insurance company will take care of me when I meet an accident, and that they’ll also take care of the damages to the occupants of the other car, too. However, what would happen if the other driver sues me? Would my auto insurance policy cover this? I have liability coverage

Kevin

Seattle, WA

Kevin, if you have liability insurance coverage, then your insurance policy will cover the damages done by the accident which you caused. If you did not cause the accident, then the other guy’s insurance policy will cover the damages. If the other driver guy decides to go to court, then your liability insurance coverage will still take care of your fees.

Liability insurance covers the expenses that the legal battle that results from the accident will cause. If you get sued in Washington, your auto insurance company will defend you in court. Be rest assured that your auto insurance company will hire a competent lawyer to defend you in court. The insurance will do its best to find a very good lawyer to represent you as the auto insurance company is also obligated to handle the legal payouts if ever the insured party loses the legal battle.

If you lose in court, the auto insurance company will pay for the fines/payments imposed by the court. It is because of this nature of liability insurance coverage that makes this crucial to motorists and even other professionals such as doctors and businessmen. Liability insurance coverage takes care of you when you figure in an accident, it also takes care of the other people who were affected by the accident and it takes care of you even after the accident.

Beginner Driver Auto Insurance Washington

Reader’s Question:

I’m a beginner driver, and I just got my driver’s permit a couple months back here in Washington. Last night, I was driving home from my part-time job. I didn’t see a kid that was on his trike till it was almost too late. The kid’s okay, but I crashed the car into someone’s mailbox. Will I have to pay for the guy’s mailbox myself, or will the auto insurance company cover this? I’m not insured, but hoping I can use my parents’ auto insurance.

Leo

Bellingham, WA

Oh, well, they say there’s always a first time for everyone. It’s a really great thing that you had the presence of mind to avoid hitting the kid even if you are just a beginner driver. He must have been so scared when he realized what happened!

Of course, hitting some guy’s mailbox instead isn’t the best way to go. And you will be expected to repair anything that you damage. I suggest you tell your parents about it and help them get in touch with their auto insurance provider in Washington. In general, you do not need your own auto insurance as you do not have your own license yet and you do not have your own vehicle, as well. So you should be covered under your parent’s auto insurance since you were driving their vehicle. However, some auto insurance companies require their policy holders to have all people driving the vehicle listed in the policy. Also, most states in the USA require different amount of liability insurance, so if your parents have this, then this should be able to cover the cost of the repair for the mailbox. The thing is if they only got liability insurance, then you can repair the mailbox but not the damages on the car. So, check to see if they also got collision insurance as this part will shell out the cash for repairs to the vehicle. Otherwise, I hope your job pays you more than enough because you’ll be the one paying for repairs to the car. Next time, please drive safely and keep your eyes on the road.

Auto Insurance Discounts in Washington

Reader’s Question:

My name is Watson from Spokane, Washington. . I speak for every car owner here when I ask: How can we get ourselves a cheaper auto insurance premium? Discounts, discounts, discounts.

Watson

Spokane, WA

Spoken like a true Washingtonian. Sorry, just had to say that. Now that it’s out of my system, let’s go to your question.

How to get cheaper insurance premium? Most, if not all, insurance companies extend discounts for various reasons. If you have had no accidents listed in your insurance history in the last three to five years, you will get a discount. If you buy other policies (homeowners, renters) from the same company, you will get multiline discount. If you own more than one car and you get insurances from the same auto insurance company for all of them, that’s another discount for you (multi vehicle discount). Buy a very safe car, one with side airbags, for example, you get a discount for it. Some companies will look at what you do and give you discounts. They would offer discounts to teachers, engineers and scientists with good driving records. They have noticed that educators, scientists, and engineers are generally good drivers and that they tend to be meticulous and take care of their vehicles. Also, insurance companies are aware that some occupations have lower risks than others. Teaching and farming are at the top of the list of low risk jobs. In a nutshell, it’s still about risk factor. Insurance companies look at your risk factor, if it’s low, you’re okay.

 

I Need Cheap SR22 DUI Auto Insurance in Washington State

Reader’s Question:

I would appreciate if someone could give me details on SR22 requirements for Washington state. I think I need one due to DUI.

Sam

Seattle, Washington WA

In the State of Washington, if you commit a violation or an accumulation of violations, such as reckless driving, driving under the influence (DUI) or (DWI), or refusal to test, at fault accidents or driving without insurance, the Washington DMV will mandate proof of financial responsibility in the form of SR-22 insurance. This insurance is also known as high-risk auto insurance for some auto insurance companies in Washington WA. Washington state requires for SR22 to be temporary, usually running from two to three years.
Not all auto insurance company sell SR22 insurance in Seattle, Washington. SR22 requirement for can be met in two ways: owner policy or non-owner policy. The non-owner SR22 policy will release the license if there is no car to cover by the insured, or if there is already insurance in place. Be wary though that premiums in more urban parts like Seattle could a bit higher, so a broad form SR22 is usually best. Moreover, this type of policy runs 12 months in length, and is typically $300-$600 per year in Seattle, WA.
It is good to know that there is no communication necessary between the insured and his/her regular insurance company regarding the non-owner or broad-form SR22 purchased through some companies in Seattle, WA. As almost a beneficial case always, paying a bit extra for an additional policy should pay off in the long run, and is certainly the most convenient way to fulfill the requirement in Washington WA.