When buying auto insurance in Hillsboro, there are a lot of options and choosing the right Hillsboro auto insurance agent is harder than just using the same insurance agent as your neighbor. For this article’s sake, it’s assumed you require not only a professional licensed agent, but you also want the best rates possible.
With companies like independent agents, Allstate and State Farm having local Hillsboro offices, consumers have a hard time knowing which auto insurance agent will provide you with the cheapest rates and the best coverage. To help decide, you can use insurance quotes online to get a list of insurance agencies from which to choose.
Comparing prices from Hillsboro agents
Professional agents can answer important questions and give you peace of mind. The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is the fact that you can find the best rates but still work with a licensed agent. And providing support for small agencies is important particularly in Hillsboro.
After filling out this short form, the quote information gets sent to companies in Hillsboro who will give you bids for your coverage. There is no reason to leave your house as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. How’s that for easy! Get lower rates and an insurance agent to talk to.
Captive agents vs. Independent agents
When finding a good insurance agency, you need to know there are two types of agencies to choose from. Agents are either captive or independent.
Independent Agents
Independent insurance agents do not work for one specific company so they can insure your vehicles with lots of companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To move your coverage to a new company, your agent can switch companies and you won’t have to switch agencies. When shopping rates, you should always contact multiple independent agents to get the best comparison.
The following is a short list of independent agencies in Hillsboro that may be able to provide price quotes.
Eric C Carlson Agency – 2605 SE Tualatin Valley Hwy #B – Hillsboro, OR 97123 – (503) 846-9676
Lisa Ritchie Agency Inc – 2020 NW Aloclek Dr # 113 – Hillsboro, OR 97124 – (503) 533-8330
Nw Insurance Group Inc – 3301 NE Cornell Rd # D – Hillsboro, OR 97124 – (503) 640-6060
A Lee Sellers Agency – 2205 NE Cornell Rd – Hillsboro, OR 97124 – (503) 648-2780
Vrtiska Insurance Svc – – Hillsboro, OR 97123 – (503) 681-7639
Captive Agents
Captive agencies are contracted to one company and some examples include American Family, State Farm and Allstate. They generally cannot place coverage with different providers so always compare other rates. They are usually quite knowledgeable on their company’s products which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
Below is a short list of captive insurance agencies in Hillsboro who can help you get price quotes.
Allstate Insurance – 1095 NE 25th Ave # A – Hillsboro, OR 97124 – (503) 648-1612
State Farm Insurance – 4950 NE Belknap Ct # 109 – Hillsboro, OR 97124 – (503) 681-2118
American Family Insurance – 5035 NE Elam Young Pkwy # 100 – Hillsboro, OR 97124 – (503) 846-0973
Farmers Insurance Group – 400 E Main St # 170 – Hillsboro, OR 97123 – (503) 648-8541
For a complete listing of captive agencies in Hillsboro, click here to link.
Choosing an insurance agency requires more thought than just the premium amount. These are valid questions to ask:
- Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
- Will your rates increase after a single accident?
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Oregon?
After getting answers to your satisfaction to any questions you have and a good coverage price, chances are good that you have found an insurance agency that meets your needs to properly service your auto insurance policy.
Aren’t online-only companies cheaper?
Licensed agents are a valuable resource, but you also have the option of buying Oregon car insurance direct from companies that only sell online. Even companies, such as Farmers Insurance and State Farm, that sell primarily through agents also allow consumers to get a quote and buy online, so keep that in mind if you prefer not to work with an agent.
If you’re uncomfortable with having to choose coverages yourself when buying direct, that is quite common when buying online the first time. Online companies that require consumers to choose their own coverages all provide contact methods to answer your questions.
Is pricing better online? Many people swear by it, but it’s difficult to answer because of the fact that insurance companies use many factors that influence how your policy is priced. It’s often assumed that a consumer who buys direct saves the commission normally paid to an agent. In reality, advertising and marketing take a lot of money and that can cost more than having to pay agents.
A tidy conclusion
Discount auto insurance can be purchased from both online companies in addition to many Hillsboro insurance agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance companies do not provide online quoting and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.
Insureds who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including policy non-renewal, questionable increases in premium, not issuing a premium refund and an unsatisfactory settlement offer. Whatever your reason, switching auto insurance companies can be pretty painless.
Some additional reading
More information is located on the website for the Oregon Insurance Division found here. Visitors are able to find disaster information, view agent and company licensing information, view a list of available companies, and find out which companies have the most complaints.
The following information may also be useful.
