What Makes Car Insurance Rates Expensive in Seattle, WA
By: Gokul Menon October, 14, 2019
Seattle is the largest city in the state of Washington. It is a seaport city located on the West-Coast of the U.S. The state of Washington has an average insurance rate of $1,200 per annum. The U.S Census Bureau places the population at roughly 745,000. Seattle is rapidly adding to its population with an increase of 17,500 between 2016-17. Car Owners in Seattle pay as low as $655 and as high as $1,844 per year. Gavop found that car owners in Seattle can save upto $480 by comparing rates and reviews. Car insurance rates are influenced by several factors such as age and gender of the driver. It is also influenced by the make of the car, the cost of additional parts and location within the city.
The average cost of car insurance in Seattle is $1,194, which is slightly lower than the state average of $1,200. Insurance in Seattle is more expensive than the neighboring cities of Longview and Spokane. While Longview, WA, has an average rate of $982, insurance in Spokane is slightly higher at $1,014.
It is reported that over half the crimes committed in Seattle are related to auto theft. Sodo, Downtown Commercial, and Georgetown have the highest rates of auto theft in Seattle. The lowest rates are in Madison Park, South Beacon Hill, and Commercial Harbour Island. Car insurance is expensive in areas where crime rates are high. Hence, the location of the car owner becomes important.
Gender and age are also crucial factors in determining the rate of one’s insurance. Teenage male drivers are considered to be unsafe drivers, resulting in expensive insurance for this age group. A male teenager pays $866 more than a female teenager post DUI. Married women are considered to be the safest of the lot. The average cost of insurance for a married woman in Seattle is $1,062. This is less than both the average of the city and the state. The difference between the cost of car insurance for the above mentioned demographic is a staggering $2,080. Married men pay $1,492, $430 more than married women. Besides, car insurance costs less for senior women when compared to senior men. While senior women pay $1289, senior men pay a slightly lesser amount.
Bundling should be the go-to option if one wants to obtain car insurance at lesser rates. Car owners who own 2 vehicles can get their cars insured for $2,269, while the cost of insuring 3 cars is only $3,463. A higher deductible need not always mean greater benefits. This depends on the make of one’s car. Gavop’s analysis revealed that paying a higher deductible on car insurance for a Toyota Sequoia SR5 and a Porsche 911 Carrera 4S did not reap any profitable benefits. In fact there were no savings, despite higher deductibles.
Savings one derives from car insurance is dependent on multiple factors. This becomes clearer with the following stats. A 75-year-old male senior, residing on SE 276th Way, only manages to save $524, while a 78-year-old female senior, living in S 228th PI, manages to save $962 through her insurance. This is different from the earlier analysis. This could largely be due to the location of these car owners in Seattle and the make of the car they drive. While the former drives a 2007 Ford Fusion SE, the latter uses a 2010 Nissan Rogue S. For example, a 33-year-old woman from Tamarack Dr S, saves upto $685 a year, a 26-year-old married woman, from 118th Way SE, manages to save $992 a year.
It is clear from this that one’s savings from insurance is influenced by factors beyond one’s vehicle make and model. An informed decision keeping multiple factors in mind along with some solid comparison would help one in discerning which insurance is best suited for their requirement.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gokul Menon
Gokul works as a writer at Gavop. He holds an M.A. in Comparative Literature from the University of Hyderabad and a Bachelor’s in English from Madras Christian College. He has been a part of a couple of theatre groups, like Masquerade Youth Theatre and Theatre No. 59 and enjoyed being a part of Literary and Debating circles in Chennai. Gokul is an avid reader and has presented a few academic papers. He spends more time on Goodreads, than on any other social media platform.
