Take Inventory and Save Time on Claims

By anticipating a claim, you could save yourself time and money! This website makes it easy: KnowYourStuff.org. It allows you to upload photos, receipts, appraisals, and descriptions for free.

Features include taking inventory room-by-room and also points out what to take inventory of.

Most importantly, all your information is stored in a secure location online in the event that your home is destroyed-- making it easy to get your information from anywhere at anytime.

Kriedler Speaks Out About Canceling Coverage

WA Insurance Commissioner Mike Krielder gave these tips recently on the State Insurance Website and adds "In today’s economy, people are cutting corners wherever they can, but cancelling your insurance is not the answer. Instead, shop around to find a lower rate. I continue to be surprised by how much some consumers save simply by shopping around. It will save you money now and could protect you from complete financial ruin in the future."

• Compare rates – You may save money just by making a few extra calls or getting a couple more online quotes. Make sure you provide the same information to each insurer so rates are directly comparable.
  
  
• Ask about discounts – Discounts can vary widely between companies. For example, many insurers offer a lower premium if they also cover your home. Others charge less if your vehicle has safety features such as antilock brakes, airbags and automatic seat belts. You may save even more if your car has an alarm or anti-theft device. And if you have young drivers in your household, be sure to ask if good-student discounts are available.
  
  
• Increase your deductible – This is the amount you'll pay out of pocket if you have to make a claim. Raising it to $500 or $1,000 can mean lower premiums.
  
  
• Drop some coverage – If your vehicle is paid off, consider dropping the comprehensive and collision coverage. Be aware, though, that your insurer won’t pay for damages to your car if you are in an accident.
  
  
• Consolidate payments – Pay your premium in full every six months to avoid fees for financing monthly payments.
  
  
• Drive safely – If you have a good driving record, without tickets and accidents, you will pay less for insurance.

SAV-ON Insurance has been helping you, the consumer for 43 years by shopping from 30+ companies to find you the best rate. Our Graduate Department will check every 6 months (or at your renewal) to check rates for you. We saved our own insureds 36% last year by moving them into Preferred Companies.

You could be a SAV-ON Graduate! Call us for a quote: 1-888-867-2866, e-mail info@sav-on.com, or fill out our Quik Quote Form online!

4 Major Seattle Cities at Flood Risk

Renton, Auburn, Kent, and Tukwila run a large risk at being flooded this fall and winter after 40 years without a problem. The last was in December 1959 which flooded some houses up to their second floors.

The culprit is the flood-control dam on the Green River. The Army Corps of Engineers who built the Howard Hanson Dam cannot decipher what caused a 10-foot-wide, 6-foot-deep depression in an abutment to the rock and earthen dam, but see that it could be a catastrophic issue.

For now, the Corps will store less water behind the dam until engineers can figure out what caused the problem and how to fix it. To achieve this, essentially all rainwater from storms will be released into the Green River. This runs a risk of overwhelming levees that protect Renton, Auburn, Kent, and Tukwila.

Officials from the possibly affected cities, the Corps, and King County have been telling businesses and residents to buy flood insurance and have an evacuation plan.
"We need to prepare for a long-term possibility that over the next few flood seasons we may experience anywhere from significant to catastrophic flooding, depending on the event," said Dana Hinman, a Auburn city spokeswoman.

A larger number of homes and businesses could be hurt in flood-prone parts of Kent, where about 50,000 people work and 22,000 people live, said Mayor Suzette Cooke. She said the damaged abutment "clearly raises our level of concern" about levees downstream that haven't been certified as meeting federal standards.

There is chance that I-405 could be severely flooded, and Highway 167 and two main rail lines could be severed.

Although there is a good chance some repairs could be made by fall, people in these high risk areas need to put careful consideration into buying flood insurance.

Many don't realize, flood insurance does not go into effect for 30 days from the date written and the rates are all the same-- because flood is only offered through FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). Also, it's important to note that during most catastrophic times, companies will put a "moratorium" on writing new policies. Therefore, you have to be prepared.


SAV-ON can quote and write flood insurance. You can get a quote by calling 1-888-867-2866, e-mailing info@sav-on.com, or filling out our Quik Quote Form.

Huge thanks to Seattle Times Newspaper

PEMCO Throws Appreciation Party For SAV-ON

Last Saturday, SAV-ON Insurance and PEMCO met up at Acme Bowl in Tukwila in appreciation of breaking records last year.

You can check out all the photos by going to our MySpace: www.myspace.com/savoninsurance or Facebook!

New Car Shopping Tips Part 2

You can do several things to ensure you get the best value possible when shopping for a new car. If you have a good relationship with a dealer, you’re in great shape. Otherwise, here are some tips:

Determine a Fair Price
First determine the fair price. Edmunds and FightingChance are both resources for finding this information. And furthermore, we've tracked down a spreadsheet to help determine what you want at the price you can afford. Click here.

Use The Competition
After finding the fair price, fill out a free quote request from the following: InvoiceDealers, Cars.com, Yahoo!Autos, Autos.com, Edmunds.com, MyRide.com and CarsDirect.
You'll shortly be contacted by the internet sales manager. Tell them up front that you are working with multiple dealers. Give them the details on the car you are looking to purchase, and ask them to give you a bottom line price including all dealer fees. At this point, tell the dealer that you will not be trading in a car. If the subject of financing or special financing deals come up, tell them you will deal with this later and are only interested in the price of the car, not what your monthly payment will be.

Get Your Financing In Check
Before anything, you need to find out your credit score by going to Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. This determines your APR.
The dealership is not the only place where you can get new car financing! Try online lenders Up2Drive and FirstAgain.com. No credit or poor credit? Try AutoCreditFinders

Find Your Trade-In Value
Use Kelley Blue Book or NADA to find out your private resale or trade in value. You should determine what will work best for you.

Let The Negotiations Begin
The key to getting an accurate offer from the dealer is to request that they give you the out-the-door cash price excluding rebates, incentives or trade-in's. The price should include all dealer added fees. At the beginning, don't let them use your trade-in or financing as part of the negotiation.

Tell the dealer that you will be paying cash and you will be selling your existing car on your own. Get the starting price from each dealer that you have made contact with. Then, take the lowest price and contact each of the other dealers. Tell them, another dealer offered me $XXXX.XX and ask if they can beat it. After round 2, take the lowest offer and repeat. At some point, they will stop going lower. You can tell that it is a fair price, by using the free "offer" spreadsheet, as well as forcing the dealers to compete against each other. Once the dealers have stopped lowering the price, contact the dealer which gave you the lowest price and say you would like to purchase the vehicle.

Now is the time to negotiate your trade-in value (unless you decided to sell it on your own). If the dealer doesn't offer you something close to the Kelly Blue Book price threaten to walk. Once you have agreed upon a fair trade-in value or decide to sell it yourself, you are ready to negotiate your financing.

NEVER NEGOTIATE BASED ON MONTHLY PAYMENT
Only negotiate based on the interest rate of the loan. There are many “games” the dealer can play with loan term and down payments amount. By this point you should have your quote from Up2Drive or FirstAgain.com. Tell the dealer what rate they have offered you and ask if they can beat it. There is a good chance they will say "we can't beat the rate but if you finance with us you can get a $1500 rebate.” You have to be very careful here. Sometimes it is better to take the lower rate instead of the higher rate with the rebate. Use the spreadsheet, to figure out which is better. If the dealer offers you better financing, by all means, take it. If the Up2Drive deal is better, follow the instructions to use the check that you should have in hand to complete the transaction. Some dealers will try and scare you away from using Up2Drive by saying their checks bounce and they won't take it. This is not true. Tell them either they can take the check or you will find another dealer that will.


HUGE thanks to Jeff's CarBuyingTips.com

Daylight Savings Time Reminder!

Remember to set your clock back Saturday night! Daylight savings time starts Sunday morning at 2am.

Accident Near our Des Moines Location

A two car accident involving a third parked car held up traffic and brought some onlookers yesterday to try to figure out just what happened near our Des Moines location.

Speculators believe that the white SUV clipped the passenger rear of the other SUV causing the other driver to swerve due to the rain and mixed snow or possibly over-correct driving right over the sidewalk bending a railing over a parked car.

We wish the involved parties all the best.


Click images for larger version

Don't Be Fooled!

Other companies, agencies, and brokers have used similarities to our brand, our name, and even our logo.

We've been in business for more than 40 years and we're not going anywhere. Don't let flailing companies trick you by riding our coattails.

Don't be fooled by others using red hats, "SAVE ON INSURANCE" slogans, and even using layouts and similar ads!

We're the original SAV-ON Insurance and you can place your trust with us.

Graduate Results: February

These are savings for our February Graduates off their 6 month policies!

Alla D. of Tacoma - $1546   WOW!!!
Derendida V. of Kirkland - $813
Mario G. of Tukwila - $807
Lyubov K. of Kent - $754
Alfredo H. of Federal Way - $721
Julie D. of Issaquah - $621
Bonifacio G. of Mountlake Terrace - $619
Noe R. of Seattle - $526
Jason D. of Maple Valley - $498
Raul M. of Everett - $494

OUR TOP SAVERS SAVED AN AVERAGE OF $1479 PER YEAR!! And all our savers saved an average of 38%!


Do you know how the program works? We have a special department dedicated to looking at clients with "high risk" policies and work to move them to lowest-cost "preferred" companies.

It's the cornerstone of what we do and our clients happiness to show for it!

New Car Shopping Tips Part 1

You can do several things to ensure you get the best value possible when shopping for a new car. If you have a good relationship with a dealer, you’re in great shape. Otherwise, here are some tips:

Don't Wait Until Your Old Car Breaks Down Before Shopping For A New One
If you’re desperate for a new car, you might not make the best decision. It’s always best to allow yourself time to get exactly what you need.

Become Informed
There are many Web sites you can visit to get information, quotes, and prices for new cars. Autoweb.com, Vehix.com, and CarsDirect.com are just a few. Go to a search engine like Yahoo! or Google to find others. Then take a look at those sites to discover the features you want and what different cars cost. Visit dealers to check models and options. Knowledge is power, and the more you know the better choice you’ll make.

Buy At The Right Time Of Year
In general, there are two times during the year that are the best to buy a new car. One is the last two weeks of December. With everyone out buying holiday gifts, attending parties, and traveling, the traffic at car dealerships is down. That motivates dealers to cut costs, and there usually are year-end sales records they’re trying to break. Another good time is July to October, because that’s when dealers clear out last year’s models so they can sell the new model year. However, with the economic situation, many are finding now is a great time too!

Set A Price You Can Afford, And Don't Pay More
If you can remain firm in your price, you stand a better chance of paying the price you want. Dealers have many ways to make a deal profitable. Some you may never be aware of, such as factory-to-dealer incentives.

Thank You to Pemco Insurance Company