Kent Car Insurance

Kent is a thriving community of 92,411 as of the 2010 Census.

It is growing rapidly as a center for transportation and industry aided by its location nineteen miles south of Seattle and nineteen miles northeast of Tacoma. Proximity to the Sea-Tac airport and major transportation sites has made the area the fourth largest manufacturing and distribution area in the United States.

The vitality of this community draws new residents and families to the area. New residents need to consider insurance options to secure their financial stability and security in this community.

Purchasing insurance is a major investment in this stability. Knowing facts, figures, and purchasing strategies can help you save money as well as acquire the insurance that fits your needs.

Enter your zip code now to find car insurance coverage to meet the requirements in Kent!

The Importance of Doing Research

The Internet provides excellent resources for research about auto insurance, companies, and agencies to approach, but the best place to begin is with your friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and co-workers.

Personal experience with insurance is the best source of information about insurance choices.
Collect data about the insurance companies recommended, and then research your options through the Internet.

Financial stability and a good customer service record are important for choosing an insurance company.

Financial stability indicates that the insurance company will be available to pay claims even in a catastrophic situation. There are a number of places to seek this information.

• State Department of Insurance website for information about Washington Insurance
• National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) –as a source for ratings and complaints about insurance companies
• Rating services endorsed by the State of Washington

Required Minimum Liability Limits in Washington

In the State of Washington, you have the following options concerning auto insurance:

• Carry liability insurance that meets the state's minimum requirements
• Deposit $60,000 with the State of Washington
• Purchase a bond through a bonding agency

Purchasing insurance is by far the least expensive of the choices.

Unable to Purchase Auto Insurance

If you cannot purchase automobile insurance, there is another option for residents of the State of Washington. The Washington State Legislature has created a special plan to offer auto insurance to hard-to-insure drivers.

Recognize that this type of coverage is offered at a higher premium than for other drivers, so it is not the most desirable way of obtaining insurance.

To obtain quotes for this coverage, go to the Automobile Insurance Plan. Do not, however, assume that you are uninsurable through normal processes until you are informed of such by an insurance company or agency.

Recommended Insurance Limits of Liability

State legislatures set the limits of liability for each state's minimum limits. They set them at lower limits in order to make insurance affordable for low-income individuals.

The unfortunate fact, though, is that the limits of liability need to be higher in order to protect you financially. The following coverage and limits of liability are recommended:

• $100,00 per person in Bodily Injury liability (this coverage pays for bodily injury or death to others if you are judged legally responsible for an accident)
• $300,000 per accident in Bodily Injury liability

If you add, this can pay for up to three other individuals if they are injured or killed in an accident.

• Property Damage liability – This coverage pays for damages to the property of others if it is damaged in an accident for which you are legally responsible.
• Uninsured Motorists Coverage - One Hundred Thousand Dollars per person and Three Hundred Thousand Dollars per accident to pay for injury to you or others in your household if you are injured by someone without insurance. Up to 17% of the individuals who drive do not have car insurance and this protects you.
• Medical Payments Coverage – Pays for emergency medical treatment for you and members of your household in the event of an accident. These bills may be covered by your medical insurance, but may be in doubt.
• Personal Injury Protection (PIP) - added to your policy to pay for medical expenses, wage loss, loss of services, and funeral expenses. This coverage applies no matter who is at fault. You can choose not to purchase this coverage because it does overlap other recommended coverage.

Be aware that bodily injury liability provides coverage for doctor bills, hospital bills, rehabilitation if necessary, as well as any legal and attorney fees incurred. Therefore, the limits recommended are more responsive to current medical costs than those set by the legislature.

Protection for Your Own Property

Most of us borrow money to purchase our vehicles and the companies that lend the money to us require that we carry insurance to protect their interest in the vehicle we bought. Liability insurance does not cover your own property, so you need to buy other insurance to protect your property.

There are two kinds of physical damage coverage:

• Collision coverage – Pays for damage to your car if another vehicle runs into it, you run into another vehicle, or collide with an object
• Comprehensive coverage – Pays for damage to your vehicle for almost everything but collision, things such as theft, fire, vandalism, hail, water, falling objects, damage caused by an animal, and glass damage

A deductible is subtracted from each loss under this type of coverage.

The deductibles vary from $250 to $1000, depending upon your choice and the needs of your lender. Be careful, even though you receive a discount for deductibles, to choose your deductible carefully because you must be able to afford the cost of the deductible to maintain your vehicle.

Information You Will Need for Car Insurance Quotes

You'll need the following information to provide to the insurance company to apply for a quote for car insurance:

• Dates of birth, drivers license numbers, full names, and addresses for each member of your household-be careful not to skip young drivers
• Make, model, and VIN number for all owned vehicles
• Usage of automobiles – i.e. commuting 8 miles per day, 5 days per week; average mileage for each vehicle
• Limits of liability and physical damage you wish to purchase for each vehicle

Optional coverage you may wish to purchase to further protect yourself:

• GAP coverage
• Towing and labor
• Roadside Assistance

Be sure to request the same coverage from all the companies from which you request quotes to do a good job of comparison.

Saving Money on Car Insurance

There are a number of factors that insurance companies take into consideration for ratings. Being aware of these factors helps you save money.

• Credit Rating – insurance companies have a formula for appraising credit ratings
• Driving records – the more citations you have, the more you will pay for insurance
• Good student discounts – usually available for students who have a B or better overall grade point average
• Defensive driving courses – for those 65 or older
• Other discounts are usually available – ask your insurance agent.

Collect at least three insurance quotes and compare them carefully. Getting written quotes helps you do comparisons and enables you to keep them from year to year.

Compare the quotes to the information you have collected about the insurance companies and their reliability. Be aware that slight differences in premium may be offset by an excellent rating for the insurance company.

When you receive your policy, be sure to read it carefully to make sure you understand what you have purchased. Remember that you have duties to the insurance company as much as they do toward you.

Now that you know the requirements for your state, enter your zip code for FREE into the quote tool below to compare car insurance rates today!