New Drivers License Expiration Dates and Renewal Periods in Washington

As of December 17, 2018, the Washington State Insurance Commissioner has changed when your Washington drivers license expires.

In keeping with the National Insurance Producer Registry's (NIPR) recommended best practices and to further the Insurance Commissioner office's commitment to being more uniform with other state insurance departments, Washington state has changed the expiration date for individual licensees from your birth date to the end of your birth month.

For example, if your birthday is March 2nd, 2018, in the past your license would expire on that day. Now it won't expire until the end of your birth month, in this case March 31st.

If your driver's license does expire before you renew it, you can still renew, but if it has been expired for more than 60 days, you'll have to pay a $10 late fee in addition to the renewal fee.

To renew your driver's license in Washington, it will cost you $54 for a standard driver license.

Increased Renewal Period

Prior to the effective date of the new rule change, licensees were able to submit their renewal applications and insurers were able to submit their appointment renewals 60 days prior to the expiration date. This is referred to as the "renewal window." 

Under the new rule change, this renewal window will extend to 90 days prior to the expiration date rather than 60 days. Insurers and licensees will receive email notification of their opportunity to access their license or appointment renewals.

If you have any questions about your license renewal, call 360-725-7144 or renew online at https://www.dol.wa.gov/driverslicense/renew.html

And if you also need to renew your auto insurance, call SAV-ON Insurance at 888-867-2866 and find out how much money we can save you or go online to www.sav-on.com and make an appointment at the office of your choice!

How To Choose the Right Auto Insurance Deductible

When quoting auto insurance for clients, we frequently discuss how to choose the right deductible. Let's take a few minutes to share this information here on our blog, too.

A deductible is the amount you pay out-of-pocket when you have a claim.  If you have a $500 collision deductible and have an accident, then you would pay $500 towards repairing your vehicle and insurance would cover the rest.

The deductible you choose directly relates to the amount of money you spend on premiums each month. The higher the deductible ($250, $500, $1,000), the lower your monthly cost.

So, what's the best choice for you? Cheaper price or lower out-of-pocket expense?

First, look at how much you have in your emergency savings.  Do you have enough cash available to cover a higher deductible if you had to pay it?  If the answer is no, then you’re better off paying a little extra each month, because in the event of an accident you might have trouble coming up with the higher deductible amount.

Compare the cost savings. When we run a quote, we can show you several different options. Ask your SAV-ON agent to run the premium based on several different deductibles so you can see the actual dollar cost savings.

You can always change your mind.  If you’re short on cash now, but know you could afford more out-of-pocket costs next year, you’re always able to lower your deductible at that time.  Keep your deductible in a comfortable range and you’ll always be well protected! 

Call SAV-ON Insurance at 888-867-2866 for more information and a personalized quote!  

Jobs and School are Important, but Beware the Dangers of Drowsy Driving

If you've got a job while attending school, that's money in your pocket. Congratulations! Work is an important step toward independence and learning time management skills, leadership and patience. These are valuable skills that you can't learn in school.

However, if you are driving to work or back home -- sometimes late after a long, tiring shift -- you run a much greater risk of being inattentive behind the wheel, or even falling asleep! Two-thirds of drowsy driving crashes involve drivers under 30, with males outnumbering females five-to-one.

Usually a combination of overscheduled lives and natural sleep patterns are to blame. Teens, in particular, tend to feel awake later in the evening, meaning they often go to bed too late and get the sleep they need on weekdays. Practice-weary athletes, students juggling classes and jobs, and straight-A overachievers are among those most likely to drive when they are overly tired.

Many students cram for important exams late into the night or early morning, and can be fatigued the next day after the adrenaline (and caffeine) wear off. This can be a dangerous situation when they attempt to drive after they get through the stress of the test.

To help ensure that you stay awake between "Drive" and "Park", sleep experts at the National Sleep Foundation urge you to cultivate good sleep habits. That includes a regular bedtime, no electronics at least 30 minutes before bed, no caffeine after lunchtime, and an understanding that it's OK to say no sometimes to new commitments.

Signs of sleep deprivation in teens include regular naps of more than 45 minutes, relying on caffeine to wake up and stay awake during the day, and sleeping two or more hours later on weekends than on weekdays. If you find yourself nodding off during the day, you're overdoing it and need to work on easing up on your schedule. You don't want to end up in an accident.