Whether you live in the City of Roses or in the ‘burbs in Oregon, if you have a car you want to get rid of you want to get the most out of selling it. Right now the used car market is booming. Instead of going the easy route and trading it in at a dealership, you may be able to get more money selling on the private market. Here’s how to sell a car in Oregon and what you should know.
Step 1: Prepare your vehicle
The first thing you want to do is prepare your vehicle for selling. That means cleaning out your car and removing your belongings and any trash. Getting a car wash, buffing out any scratches, and putting in a car air freshener. While you may not be able to replicate the new car smell, you can freshen it up and prepare it for a new home. Getting your car prepared ahead of time and nice and clean can help you sell your vehicle faster and get a better deal.
Step 2: Take pretty photos of your car
After your car is clean and organized, it’s time to take pretty photos of your car. Your car’s photos are the first impression a buyer gets. You need to give them enough incentive to even want to see the car.
Think of it like a dating app, but for cars. You don’t join a dating app and put up just any photos. You put up photos that make you look good and represent you well. Do the same for your car. Take full interior photos and exterior photos and remember, it’s all about angles and lighting!
Step 3: List your vehicle on various car marketplaces
Now that you have photos, it’s time to list your vehicle on various car marketplaces. You can place car ads on:
Facebook Marketplace
OfferUp
AutoTrader
Be sure to write compelling copy about the car and the more detail the better! Think like a dating app, but instead of selling yourself, you’re selling a car. Also, like a dating app, expect that many people will waste your time with one-off messages or questions that are already answered in your listing. But be patient and entertain serious buyers by replying in a timely fashion and with details as needed.
Step 4: Say yes to an inspection if asked
How do you separate the flakes and the serious buyers when it comes to selling a car in Oregon? Well, the serious buyers typically want an inspection. The buyer is usually on the hook for this and may bring the car to a mechanic of their choice, but you still want to be a willing participant and help out with the coordination. While it’s an added step, it means they’re serious.
Step 5: Get your documents in order
If you have a buyer that’s interested, to start selling a car in Oregon you want to get your documents in order first. Get the owner’s manual ready, any vehicle history records, etc. You also want to gather your title, get the Oregon DMV selling a car Bill of Sale Form and the Statement of Lien Satisfaction form, if you’ve paid off your car loan.
If you don’t have your car title, you’ll need to get a replacement title and can fill out an Application for Replacement. It’ll take about a week to get a replacement title and you’ll have to pay a fee, based on your car.
Step 6: Sign the back of the title or the Bill of Sale to transfer ownership
As part of selling a car in Oregon, you need to officially transfer ownership in one of two ways, per the Oregon DMV:
You also want to make sure your lienholder signs the front of the title if you had a loan on the vehicle. It needs to be paid off and signed off by the lienholder in order to sell.
Doing one of these two steps is integral to complete the Oregon DMV selling a car process.
Step 7: Report the sale using DMV2U within 10 days
After accepting the money and transferring the title, you need to report the sale of the vehicle using DMV2U online within 10 days. You’ll need the VIN number to make that happen.
If you’d rather have a paper trail, you can fill out the Notice of Sale Form and mail it here:
DMV 1905 Lana Ave NE Salem, OR 97314
This is important as it releases you of any liability with the car. So if there is any type of infraction with the vehicle, the DMV knows you’re not the owner anymore. The buyer also needs to do their part in transferring the title to make it all official.
The bottom line
If you’re interested in figuring out how to sell a car in Oregon, take these seven steps to get started. Once you complete the seven steps, make sure to report the sale to finalize the Oregon DMV selling a car process. After selling a car in Oregon, it might be time to buy a new car and get affordable car insurance. You can check out rates and providers like Metromile, which offers pay-per-mile insurance so you don’t pay more than you need to, ever. You pay for utilities based on usage, and gas by the gallon. Why not pay for insurance by the miles you actually drive? Grab your free quote today.
—Melanie Lockert is a freelance writer, podcast host of the Mental Health and Wealth show, and author of Dear Debt. She’s a cat mom to two jazzy cats, Miles and Thelonious, an amateur boxer, music lover, and needs coffee to function.
We spent the spring and early summer months at Metromile refreshing our values to make sure they were aligned with who we are, the work we’re doing, and the future we’re building. The end result? Five updated value statements that express how we operate and treat each other:
Create fiercely loyal customers.
Invent the future
Be intellectually persistent
Be outcome oriented
Nurture diversity, inclusion, and belonging
When we put our values in writing and commit to them, we’re saying something about what’s important to us as an organization, but also what’s important to our stakeholders, customers, and employees.
The best way to introduce our values is to let Metromilers speak for themselves. After all, values don’t mean much without the people who believe in them.
Nurture Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging
“I’ve never worked at a company that is so involved in making sure that there is equality across the board…that there are women represented in leadership, that there are other backgrounds represented in leadership.”
Megan Kurin is a Senior Process Manager at Metromile. She works with Enterprise customers – often other insurers – who are interested in licensing Metromile’s technology. Megan works across a wide variety of departments and outside organizations, and is a self-described ‘insurance geek.’
“Metromilers really do look at people from the work product that they do versus who they are,” Megan said. “I think that’s really important, especially as a woman in the insurance industry, I feel like I can always belong. I feel like I could always speak up and have a voice.”
For Brandie Smith, a Senior Principal User Researcher at Metromile, the belonging part of diversity, inclusion, and belonging stands out.
“The company found it so important to create environments where everyone feels like they belong. That to me is really important to commit to as a company value because if it’s not happening, we can point to that value and say, ‘it needs to happen.’”
Brandie also appreciates that everyone is held accountable for living our diversity, inclusion, and belonging value.“ Rather than leaving it up to one person to fight against it, we have this stake in the ground. It shows it’s important to us and we expect everybody to contribute.”
Having that stake in the ground is key, Megan said, not just as a company goal, but as a part of daily work.
“There are always groups that are driving more conversations about it. It’s easier because it’s just present every day. I don’t always have to be thinking, ‘okay, how do we get more women in leadership’? Or ‘how do we get more backgrounds in leadership’? We have a team that consistently works to make sure it stays that way and that we continue to get better and learn more.”
For Kailee Rackham-Wojtasek, a Customer Experience Trainer at Metromile, it’s clear that diversity, inclusion, and belonging are central to Metromile’s culture.
“We are a united front. I’ve worked at a lot of places which profess to have strong culture and values, but there is no company-wide alignment on those values. I never have any doubt that I can reach out to a Metromiler with my questions or curiosities.”
Metromile Recruiter Brigitte Garay agrees, saying “Because we understand the value that everyone brings regardless of age, race, sexual orientation etc., nurturing, diversity, inclusion, and belonging is who we are daily.”
“It’s literally in the fabric of being a Metromiler”
* * *
Thanks for sharing your perspective, Metromilers. Look out for more on the other four values.
You’re reviewing your monthly expenses and combing through the list and aside from food and housing, there’s one number that jumps out at you — your car insurance. If you’ve checked your car insurance bill and wondered “Why is my car insurance so high?!”, there are a variety of reasons. Read on to learn what factors make up your car insurance rate and why your car insurance might be expensive.
The type of car insurance you have
If you look at your bill and let out a deep sigh and think “Why is car insurance so expensive?” it might have something to do with the type of insurance you have.
Traditional car insurance rates take into account a number of factors that we’ll go over later, but you typically pay a standard monthly premium. You pay the same amount regardless of how much you drive.
In many cases, that doesn’t make the most sense. When you drive more, you’re taking on more risk. But the converse is also true. If you drive less, you take on less risk and there is less wear and tear on the vehicle. Given we’re in pandemic times and many people have made the shift to working from home, you might be driving less than you ever have. Why wouldn’t you want to be rewarded for that?
The good news is you can be if you use pay-per-mile auto insurance. Pay-per-mile auto coverage with Metromile offers you the ability to pay a low base rate each month while paying just several cents for each mile you drive up to 250 miles per day. You pay for gas by the gallon, why not pay for insurance based on the miles you actually drive and not for anything more?
Using Metromile, on average customers have saved $741 per year*. Imagine putting that money in the stock market, toward your student loans, or for a fun vacay. The type of insurance you have can heavily impact how much you pay for car insurance.
Your location
You know the saying “location, location, location” when it comes to real estate evaluations? Your location and where you live affect not only real estate values but also your car insurance.
Consider how where you live might add additional risk factors that play into your car insurance rate. For example, do you live in a congested, population-dense city where the streets are narrow, parking is hard to come by, and break-ins are fairly commonplace? Or do you live somewhere more rural, where the streets are wide, there are more covered garages, and fewer instances of theft and damage? The weather where you live may also impact the rate as well.
As you can see, there are many factors that are location-dependent that ultimately affect your car insurance rate. Car insurance providers use data from your zip code to make risk assessments about your area.
How old you are
In some cases, you might think age is “just a number” but that’s not the case when it comes to car insurance. If you’re a younger driver, you’re much more likely to have a higher car insurance premium compared to someone with more years of experience under their belt.
Why? Well, it comes down to experience and risk. As a younger driver, you have less experience on the road and have a higher likelihood of an accident. In fact, according to CDC data, car accidents are the second leading cause of death for teens in the United States.
The risk of dying in a car accident is about three times higher for teens ages 16 to 19 compared to drivers who are 20 and older. Teen male drivers within the 16 to 19 age group were two times more likely to die in a car accident compared to female drivers. On top of that, the risk of a car accident is higher for teens within the first few months of getting a driver’s license.
Your driving history
If you’re scratching your head thinking “Why is car insurance so expensive?” the first thing you want to consider is your driving history. Your driving history, or driving record, may play a big role in your car insurance rate.
For example, if you have an at-fault accident or a speeding ticket on your record, that can affect how much you pay for car insurance. In fact, the financial site Bankrate.com states that drivers can see an average car insurance premium increase of 38% after an at-fault accident.
When you get car insurance, there are different types of coverage you can get. For example, if you get comprehensive coverage and collision coverage, that will be at a higher price than liability only. Comprehensive, collision and liability in one policy can protect your finances in case of an accident.
Those policies are higher priced because they cover more and help recoup costs for damages you may incur in case of an accident. Typically, you simply pay the car insurance deductible and your car insurance provider covers the rest.
According to financial site WalletHub.com, liability coverage is on average 64% lower on its own than when combined with collision and comprehensive coverage. Most states require minimum liability coverage. While that may be more affordable, you also get what you pay for. So if you get in an accident, the financial burden may fall mostly on you.
Credit-based insurance score
Your credit score and credit report aren’t just for applying for a loan or credit card. In fact, some states allow use of your credit information as a factor when determining car insurance premiums as part of creating a credit-based insurance score. The reasoning is that those with poor credit or no credit typically have a higher likelihood of filing a claim, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
If you think this is an unfair metric to determine credit-based car insurance scores, there are some states that agree and have banned the use of credit scores in some capacity as it relates to car insurance.
If you’re not in those states, the best way to boost your credit score is to make payments on your loans on time and in full, when possible. Some states may not use your credit score to set the car insurance rate but may have restrictions based on whether your policy can be canceled or non-renewed due to your credit.
Your car’s make and model
Do you dream of driving a corvette or mustang? You may end up paying more for car insurance because of it. In fact, your car’s make and model affect your car insurance rate. All of these factors play into the safety of the vehicle as well as how likely they are to get stolen.
Cars that tend to be fancier and more expensive also have higher rates, as do newer cars and electric cars. So if you’re thinking of buying a car, you might want to consider how the make and model will affect your car insurance rate.
Your insurance record
If you want to know why is car insurance so expensive, you also want to consider your insurance record. Having car insurance is important as a driver. If there are gaps in coverage, even for a short period of time, it may impact your car insurance premium in certain states. If you switch car insurance providers, make sure there isn’t a lapse in your car insurance coverage.
The number of miles you drive
Do you drive a lot? That could impact your car insurance premium as well. Every time you get on the road, you’re gambling a bit with safety. The more miles you drive, the more risk you have which insurance providers have to take into account.
When you sign-up for car insurance, you might have to provide the number of miles you drive per year which can affect your rate. If your mileage shifts, it makes sense to contact your car insurance provider. If you don’t drive that often, pay-per-mile insurance can make a lot more sense for your budget.
The bottom line
If you’ve ever wondered “Why is my car insurance so high?” now you know there are many factors that affect how costly your premium is. There are some things that are out of your control but there are other things you can do to make car insurance more affordable. If you’re a low-mileage driver, check out pay-per-mile auto insurance. Don’t pay a penny more than you need to and only pay for the miles you drive, along with an affordable base rate. Get your free quote today.
Melanie Lockert is a freelance writer, podcast host of the Mental Health and Wealth show, and author of Dear Debt. She’s a cat mom to two jazzy cats, Miles and Thelonious, an amateur boxer, music lover, and needs coffee to function.
*Average annual car insurance savings by new customers surveyed who saved with Metromile in 2018.
There are certain big life changes that come with a lot of paperwork. Two examples are moving and also buying a car. In both instances, you’ll have to deal with updating your records. If you recently made the move to Washington or purchased a vehicle there, you’ll want to update your vehicle registration and make sure you’re in good standing. Read on to learn how to register a car in Washington and why it’s important.
Do you have to register a car in Washington?
You may think that you just need your driver’s license to legally drive but that’s not exactly true. While you do need your license, you also need to register the car you’re driving as well and likely have car insurance as well.
In fact, all states legally require that drivers register their car within the state they live in. When you register your car, you’re creating a paper trail that shows that you own your specific vehicle.
It’s used if you get pulled over and need to verify your identity and prove your ownership of the vehicle. Registering a car also is a way for local transportation authorities to collect fees related to you driving on the road.
Who needs to register car in Washington?
If you recently made the move to Washington, you’ll need to update to Washington state vehicle registration. Just like you need to update your address with the post office, your shipping and billing address when you shop online, and your health insurance, you’ll also need to update your car registration.
If you purchased a vehicle in Washington and live there, your registration is likely taken care of for you if you bought it at a dealership. However, if you bought used from a private party, you likely need to take care of registering the car yourself.
How to register a car in Washington?
If you need to register a car in Washington, the process will vary slightly depending if you moved or purchased a vehicle — though the processes in Washington for registering after a move and registering after a car purchase are pretty similar.
If you’re new to the Evergreen State, you’ll need to get a Washington driver’s license first then register your car in the state and update your license plates. New residents are required to do this within 30 days of establishing residency. You’ll also need:
To fill out an Odometer Disclosure Statement, depending on your car model (models from 2010 or older aren’t required to do this but models from 2011 or newer are)
To fill out and submit a Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale, if you’ve been living in another state and the car has been registered and owned for less than 90 days
To bring your current Certificate of Title (if you financed your car and are making payments, the lender should fax a copy of the title to the licensing office. Once it’s paid in full, you can apply for a Washington title.)
To submit payment for registration
To get your Washington license plate (in the office will be right away, by mail will take up to three weeks)
To consider creating a Good to Go! Account, if you travel on bridges or certain routes that require tolls,
If you purchase a car from a dealership, typically they’ll handle title and registration for you. But if you purchased a used car from a private party, here’s how to register your car:
After purchasing a vehicle from a private party, you have 15 days to transfer the ownership and get your records updated. If not, you could face penalty fees amounting to $50 on the 16th day and $2 per day every day after that, up to a maximum of $125.
How much does it cost to register a car in Washington?
Registering a car costs money but each state and each situation will vary. According to the Department of Licensing (DOL) site, “Fees are different for every situation and are calculated many ways. Everyone starts with the basic fees of $43.25 and things like vehicle weight, location, and taxes determine your final amount.”
Lastly, you may need to pay additional fees if you live in King, Pierce, or Snohomish counties in the form of a Regional Transit Authority (RTA) Tax. This is calculated based on the MSRP and a specific depreciation schedule set by the law. The equation to calculate the RTA tax based on DOL info is:
Current year – year of vehicle + 1 = years of service (value decreases each year in service) Original MSRP x depreciated percentage = Depreciated value (based on years in service) Depreciated value x 1.1% (current RTA rate) = RTA amount due.
Is proof of insurance required to register car in Washington?
If you have a vehicle that needs to be updated with a Washington state vehicle registration, you need to have proof of insurance, self insurance, certificate of deposit, or a liability bond. A 2019 law mandated that Washington drivers carry some form of minimum liability coverage. The requirements are:
$25,000 to cover injury or death to another person
$50,000 to cover injuries or death for multiple people
$10,000 to cover damage to another party’s property
Getting car insurance is one of the easiest ways to cover this requirement. If you’re on the road and caught driving without insurance you may be hit with a fine of $550 or more. If you get into an accident, you may be on the hook for any damages and your license could be suspended.
The bottom line
Moving or buying a car can be a big life milestone. It can also mean doing additional paperwork to make sure you’re all set. By using this guide, you can learn how to register a car in Washington and make sure you get all your records updated to Washington state car registration.
If you’ve recently moved or just want to shop around, now is a great time to check your car insurance rate. If you don’t drive that often, you may be a low-mileage driver and get the most out of pay-per-mile insurance where you pay a nominal base rate and several cents each mile you drive. Check out your rate with Metromile to see if it’s the right fit for you.
Melanie Lockert is a freelance writer, podcast host of the Mental Health and Wealth show, and author of Dear Debt. She’s a cat mom to two jazzy cats, Miles and Thelonious, an amateur boxer, music lover, and needs coffee to function.
If you’re one of the millions of workers who started working from home during the pandemic, you might have initially found it a fun opportunity to work in your PJs and have some more autonomy. While working from home has its perks, staying focused to actually get work done can be a challenge without the traditional office environment, community, or support of the workplace. If you want to learn how to be productive working from home, here are 10 tips for working remotely.
1. Figure out a schedule that works for your family
If you have a family at home, working from home can come with some challenges. You may be taking care of children and dropping them off at school, managing mealtimes, and more. Discuss a schedule with your family that can help you manage work and life. You can review shared responsibilities and have a shared calendar to delegate tasks and times to try and make work more manageable.
2. Schedule office hours in advance
If you’re trying to figure out how to stay productive at home, one of the best tips for working remotely is to schedule office hours in advance. In line with the first tip, you want to create a schedule with your family and then have specific hours or days you’re available for meetings, phone calls, etc.
Being available at all times can be distracting and take you away from your important work. Having set hours or days to take calls and meetings can help you get things done and mentally shift to other tasks.
3. Have a dedicated workspace
If you want to know how to be productive working from home, the key is to have a dedicated workspace only for working.
The first few times you work from bed or the couch can be fun, like you’re getting away with something. But after a while, there can be a disconnect between your mind and your body. Working from bed or the couch tells your body it’s time to relax, which can create resistance in your mind when it’s time to get down to work.
That’s why having a dedicated workspace is key. Even if it’s a small table or desk, having your own area that is just for work can help provide a cue that it’s time to work. It can also make it easier to “turn off” when you’re done with work.
4. Establish a morning routine to ease into work
When you work from home, the boundaries between work and life can become blurred. You might feel like you need to rush to your computer right after you wake up or check your email right away. Here’s a tip: don’t. Learninghow to stay productive at home requires that you have some boundaries and create a routine that works for you.
Establish a morning routine that prioritizes your mental health and lets you ease into work at the appropriate time. Depending on your work, you may or may not still be working from “9 to 5”. Regardless of the hours you’re keeping, doing something in the morning for you and creating a specific cue to start working can help.
For example, you could drink a glass of water, shower, read for 15 minutes and meditate for 5 minutes. When you have your cup of coffee and open your laptop after that, you’re primed to work. Establishing a routine can make sure you’re still taking time for yourself while also easing into work.
5. Write down your top three tasks for the next day
Have you ever sat down at your desk and wondered, “What should I work on today?” and feel like there’s so much going on you don’t know where to start? Or perhaps you’ve worked all day and wondered “What did I even get done today?!”
Working from home can be a time warp, so you want to make sure you’re getting your most important tasks done. After each day of work, write down your top three most important tasks for the next day. If you don’t get them all done, carry one over to the next day. But try to keep it to three important things. That can make your tasks manageable and help keep you focused and not get stuck doing busy work like emails.
6. Carve out regular breaks
Working from home can save you time and money because you no longer have commuting time. But that doesn’t mean you should work more and it certainly doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take breaks.
It can seem counterintuitive, but taking breaks will actually make you more productive. You’re a human being with a finite amount of energy and mental capacity. Imagine a cell phone that isn’t charged. If your phone is at 10% battery, you’re not going to commit to a long phone call. Why would you do that if that’s how you’re feeling energy-wise?
Research has shown that staying focused for 52 minutes and taking a break for 17 minutes can help boost productivity. You could employ the Pomodoro Technique, which is when you work for 25 minutes and take a 5-minute break.
Something that helps me is using FocusMate, a virtual coworking program where you connect with someone for a 50-minute work session. I then take a ten minute break and start again. I typically schedule three sessions back-to-back before taking a longer break.
7. Cut out the distractions
We’ve all been there. You think you’re going to check your email, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or TikTok “really quick”. Then an hour later you find yourself watching cat videos or reading about celebrity gossip, or worse “doomscrolling” about the four different global crises going on simultaneously. Ack!
Sadly, we can’t rely on our own internal motivation and willpower. You can block distracting sites such as social media using Self Control for Macs or Freedom. You can also use RescueTime, which tracks where you’re really spending time on your computer. It’s basically like a time budget that shows where you’re actually spending your time.
8. Check your email 2-3x a day
Sometimes email can feel like playing a game of digital ping pong with no winners. While it’s easy to keep your email open at all times and stay on top of what’s coming in, it can be seriously distracting when you’re trying to get actual work done.
Of course, email is part of nearly everyone’s job in some way, but it’s likely not their core task. So instead of keeping your email open all day and being in a reactive state every time you get a notification, try to check your email only two to three times a day. Consider 10am, 1pm, and 4pm so you have solid blocks of time to get other work done.
9. Talk to your employer about ergonomic equipment
The good thing about working at an office is that it has all the equipment and supplies you need to work comfortably.
At home that might not be the case. If you’re struggling with wrist pain or it’s difficult to work on your laptop, ask your employer to see if it’s possible to get ergonomic equipment that can help your comfort and productivity. You may need an ergonomic mouse, chair, a special monitor or printer. Whatever would make working at home easier for you, ask your employer about it.
10. Meal prep in advance
When you work at an office it’s easy to stop at the local coffee shop or diner to get a bite for lunch or breakfast. When you work from home, you don’t have that option. So you may resort to either going hungry or get distracted by cooking and cleaning for too long.
To help combat that, try meal prepping ahead of time. For example, you can choose each Sunday to make lunches for the week. Perhaps you make burrito bowls or salads. Whatever your fancy is, make it in bulk ahead of time and eat it throughout the week. Need some inspo? Here are 20+ meal prep options from Delish.com.
Bottom line
Learning how to be productive working from home can take some adjustment and practice. Using these 10 tips for working remotely, you can aim for a better work-life balance while prioritizing your important work.
Melanie Lockert is a freelance writer, podcast host of the Mental Health and Wealth show, and author of Dear Debt. She’s a cat mom to two jazzy cats, Miles and Thelonious, an amateur boxer, music lover, and needs coffee to function.
If you’re already a Metromile customer, there’s a great chance that you’re a low-mileage driver. Paying for the miles you drive is just one of the perks of being a Metromile customer and low-mileage driver.
Another major perk of driving less? You might be able to keep the time and money spent on car maintenance down to a reasonable amount.
Have you ever brought your car to the mechanic for one thing, only for them to give you a list of problems you weren’t aware of? You might even wonder if they’re trying to take advantage of you.
But here’s the thing: Because you don’t drive as often, your car might not need maintenance as frequently as more heavy drivers. So you might be able to get away with things like fewer oil changes. You might also save time on other things like flushing the transmission fluid or replacing the coolant and antifreeze.
Let’s take a closer look at what you might be able to skip and what you might still want to do to keep your vehicle in good shape.
Are you a low-mileage driver?
First, let’s start off with something important — what being a low-mileage driver actually means. If you don’t drive that often, you’re likely considered a low-mileage driver, but how is that defined? While there are no hard and fast rules, as a general rule of thumb, you are most likely a low-mileage driver if you are clocking fewer than 40 miles per day or fall into the following categories:
You’re retired and no longer commute to and from work
You have an extra vehicle that doesn’t get driven much
If you fall into one of these camps and realize that you don’t drive your car very often, there are some things you can do to ensure you’re getting the most bang for your buck when having your vehicle serviced.
What low-mileage drivers can do in the short term
If you don’t drive that often, here are six tips for what you can do in the short term within the next six months.
1. Change the oil as needed
If you don’t drive that often, you might have a conundrum on your hands and wonder about oil change time vs mileage. Should you get an oil change every six months or every 7,500 miles?
If you don’t drive that much, you might want to focus more on the time equation and do periodic check-ins with your oil. Your best bet is to look at your car manual and if you have a newer car, only change your oil when you get an alert.
2. Get regular check-ups for your vehicle.
You’ll still want to take the car to your auto repair shop at least every six months to monitor the condition of your vehicle. Surprised? Things can go wrong if your car isn’t driven regularly (yep, even if it’s garaged!).
3. Make sure your tires stay in good shape.
If you don’t drive that often, you want to keep your tires in good shape. Tires can lose air from lack of movement and create low tire pressure. You want to maintain appropriate tire pressure as noted in your vehicle’s owner manual. Also, check for any damages, cracks, or punctures if your car is being stored and not driven for a period of time.
4. Drive the car at least once a month.
Your car is literally a well-oiled machine and a modern marvel of technology. It’s not meant to be stored away without moving at all for long periods of time. Think of the phrase “use it or lose it” when it comes to your car. If you don’t drive that often, make sure you start your car and drive on the highway for at least 15 miles once a month. Doing so will make sure the juices are flowing correctly and keep your car running smoothly for years to come.
5. Check for furry visitors or other stowaways in your vehicle.
Have you ever noticed how animals love to hide in small, tight quarters? Well, your car can become home to a furry stowaway. Car engines make nice little homes for furry creatures like mice, squirrels, and rats, especially during the colder months as they look for warm places to stay. Be sure to check your exhaust pipe and other crevices.
Check the condition of the fuel lines and other rubber components under the car to make sure little critters haven’t chewed through anything or created any damage.
6. Install a carbon eliminator.
Another thing you can do in the short term is to add a carbon eliminator to your gas tank yearly to avoid any carbon build-up.
What is a carbon eliminator, you ask? It removes tough carbon deposits from rings, valves, ports, and combustion chambers to improve engine performance, reduce fuel consumption, restore power and extend engine life.
What low-mileage drivers can do in the long-term
If you don’t drive that often, there are also some actions you can take in the long term. These are things you should do every six months to a year.
1. Check your air filter
Your air filter is an important protective measure to keep any extraneous debris or matter from hitting the engine. Making sure the air filter is working properly helps lower emissions while also boosting fuel efficiency. You can also review your owner’s manual to see how often you should replace your air filter. But if it looks filthy or broken, it’s time to make a change.
Checking the air filter and ventilation system can also help you find any unwanted stowaways that may be hiding as well.
2. Review your fluid levels
While you might want to check your oil in the short term, in the long term you also want to review your other fluid levels. For example, check the antifreeze levels as well as brake fluid. These things can deteriorate with age and not be at optimal levels. Checking every six months or so should help keep your car in good condition.
3. Consider checking your spark plugs
When it comes to powering your vehicle, your spark plugs play an important role. These plugs activate the gas and air to get your car going and if they’re not working well your car could end up losing power. Check your owner’s manual to see if and when this is needed. If you feel your engine power is wearing off, consult a professional for help.
4. Look at your car battery
If you don’t drive that often, your car battery may not be used that often either. A car battery is an integral part of a car and is responsible for getting things started and moving. In certain weather conditions or lack of use, your car battery may have a weak signal so it’s always good to test the car battery and make sure it’s good to go.
5. Scan your serpentine belt
Your serpentine belt is a long, snake-like belt (hence the name) that keeps many parts of your car functioning. These parts include AC, power conditioning pump, the vehicle’s alternator, and more. Scan the belt to make sure there is no damage like any cracks or breaks. If there is damage, you want to get it replaced ASAP.
Some things you may not need to do as a low-mileage driver
There are some actions you might not need to take as a low-mileage driver that might surprise you. As it turns out, there are things that a low-mileage driver like you doesn’t need to do very often (or at all).
You might not need to flush your transmission fluid
You may rarely need to flush your transmission fluid because most car manufacturers now use fluid good enough for 100,000 miles or more, what they sometimes call a “lifetime.” You can do a check-up and review your owner’s manual to check, but this may not be needed.
You might not need to change your oil as much as you think
If you’re reviewing oil change time vs mileage as part of your car maintenance it’ll depend on how much you drive. You may want to change your oil twice a year, but depending on how much you drive and the type of car you have, and oil you use, you may be able to get away with less.
It used to be the norm for vehicle owners to schedule an oil change every 3,000 miles. However, with modern lubricants, most newer engines have recommended oil change intervals of 5,000 to 7,500 miles. If your engine requires full-synthetic motor oil, it might go as far as 15,000 miles between services. For low-mileage drivers, you might need an oil change once a year or less often!
Switching out windshield wipers
Unless your windshield wipers are actually broken, there’s no need to replace them just because you don’t drive that much. Make sure they’re functioning properly, but beyond that, they don’t need to be replaced unless there’s an issue.
Replacing tires
If you don’t drive that often, you may lose tire pressure and need a refill of air but that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to replace the tires completely. Check your owner’s manual. If there’s a hole or a flat, of course, replace the tires. But it’s not something you may need to do all the time just because you don’t drive that often.
Why is maintenance important for a car’s health?
Car maintenance is important. It’s like going to the doctor for preventative care. If you’re a healthy person, you might not need to go to the doctor as often as someone who gets sick all the time. But doctors still recommend you go in for an annual exam to make sure nothing has changed. The same is true with your car.
Regardless of how often you drive, it’s still essential to get your car checked out now and then to make sure things are running smoothly. In the long run, routine car maintenance can help you avoid car troubles down the road.
But it’s just a matter of how often you need to bring your car into the auto shop for a tune-up. For low-mileage drivers, you might be able to go longer in-between visits without risking damage to your vehicle.
How can low-mileage drivers save money with pay-per-mile car insurance?
If you don’t drive that often, you may be considered a low-mileage driver and may be able to save money with pay-per-mile car insurance.
As a low-mileage driver, not only could your car need less frequent maintenance, but you could also save money with a pay-as-you-go auto insurance policy that charges you based on how many miles you drive.
At Metromile, you end up paying a small base rate every month, regardless of how much you drive, to help keep your vehicle covered, plus a few cents per mile. But typically, most of your premium is based on the actual number of miles you drive. So the less you drive, the more you could save. Why pay for more miles than you actually drive?
Take a look at the average annual car insurance savings enjoyed by new Metromile customers:
Miles Driven Per Year
Per Month
Per Week
Savings*
10,000 miles
833 miles
192 miles
$541
6,000 miles
500 miles
115 miles
$741
2,500 miles
208 miles
48 miles
$947
The bottom line
If you don’t drive very often, you want to maintain your vehicle and keep it in good shape. You also want to save money where you can.
To find out just how much you could save, get a free auto insurance quote from Metromile to see how much you could save with pay-per-mile auto insurance.
You can also try Ride Along™ for free to get a more accurate rate. Ride Along is a free feature (not insurance coverage) on the Metromile app, which considers your actual driving, including how many miles you drive, to show you how much you could save before purchasing a policy and switching to Metromile.
* Average annual car insurance savings by new customers surveyed who saved with Metromile in 2018.
Whether you currently live in San Francisco, want to live in San Francisco, or plan on traveling to the city by the bay, there are so many ways to get around the city. In fact, the city was named the second-best city for public transportation based on Metromile data, only behind the Big Apple. From the city’s iconic cable cars to the recent bike share trends, there are more options than ever when it comes to getting around in San Francisco. Read on to learn more about San Francisco’s transportation options.
Common forms of San Francisco public transportation
If you need help getting around in San Francisco, you have numerous modes of transport to choose from that fit your budget and lifestyle. Let’s go over the main San Francisco transport options.
1. Muni
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) is the entity that manages the Muni transportation system, which is short for Municipal Railway.
Muni operates several different public transportation options in San Francisco including:
Light rail Metro trains
Muni buses (bonus: they’re fuel-efficient)
The entity also manages historic cable cars (more on that later). Through Muni, more than a million people use the public transportation service as part of getting around San Francisco, according to the SFMTA website.
One of the top San Francisco public transportation options is the Bay Area Rapid Transit, more commonly referred to by its acronym, BART.
The underground (and sometimes underwater!) rail is an engineering marvel, connecting San Francisco with both the East Bay and South Bay.
BART has been around for over 45 years, serving as one of the main ways residents of SF and tourists get around. It’s also a great way to get to and from the San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
The fare for BART is based on the distance you travel, so can vary depending on where you’re going.
One of the most unique and iconic things about San Francisco is its use of cable cars. Cable cars act as another character in the soul of the city and are a must for any tourist visiting the Bay. As a resident, it’s a different way to get around the city and reminds you of the magic in the city.
The historic cable cars are also run by Muni and cost a flat $8 as of September 2021. According to the SFMTA website, there are the cable car routes to choose from:
Cable cars are a quintessential San Francisco experience, having been invented in the city close to 150 years ago and are one of the more delightful ways to get around San Francisco.
4. Driving
Aside from the abundance of public transportation options, it’s possible to drive around the city to get where you need to go as well. Though the city is known for its hills, which can make driving stick a bit tricky, it’s also known for its beautiful geography and historic sites which can make driving a fun way to see the local surroundings.
On top of that, safety is a priority. The city of San Francisco is working toward safety for all people traveling the San Francisco streets with their Vision Zero SF program, which works toward ending traffic-related deaths.
The good news is that the city is relatively small and there are many San Francisco public transportation options, which means you may not need to drive as much as you think.
Residents can benefit from opting for pay-per-mile insurance with Metromile, where you pay a small base rate and pay several cents for every mile you drive up to 250 miles per day. You’re used to paying gas by the gallon, why not pay insurance by the mile? Metromile offers affordable auto insurance coverage for low-mileage drivers.
5. Biking
You don’t have to use four wheels to get around SF, but you can opt for two wheels instead and use a bike. Though San Francisco is well-known as a walkable and public transportation-friendly city, it’s also one of the most bikeable cities in the U.S. as well.
As of 2019, there were 9 miles of additional bikeways added, 670 bike racks were installed and approximately 52,000 cyclists were accounted for during peak periods, according to SFMTA bike data. If your preferred San Francisco transport is a bike, be sure to helmet up!
6. Walking
Who needs wheels when you can use the power of your own two feet? San Francisco city streets were designed for maximum walkability. It’s easy to walk around parts of the city like downtown, Fisherman’s Wharf, and more. Walking can let you see more of the city at your own pace and explore new avenues of discovery.
The city of SF is also committed to creating safer streets for pedestrians and making it easier and better to walk where you need to go.
Emerging San Francisco transport options
Aside from the six most common San Francisco transportation options listed above, there have been new modes of transport that have hit the market in recent years that you can utilize as well.
Privately-owned commuter shuttles
San Francisco is a tech hub and privately-owned commuter shuttles have become a thing. These types of shuttles bring employees to work from specific neighborhoods. One of the most popular is the “Google bus” which transports employees from San Francisco to Mountain View. There are over 125 shuttle stops, according to SFMTA data.
Ride-share options like Uber and Lyft
When it comes to getting around in San Francisco, there are also ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft. Using Uber and Lyft, you can book a car and driver to take you where you need to go with a mobile app.
Using the bike share program
If you don’t have your own bike but still want to get around San Francisco by bike, you’re in luck. The city has a bike share network where you can affordably rent a bike for a short trip. It’s a way to get around the city by bike and can be good if traffic is high and you want to get somewhere fast.
Electric moped
San Francisco also has electric mopeds or e-mopeds that are shared similar to the bike share program. Using a mobile app, you can book a shared moped to get around town. On top of adding one more way to travel around San Francisco, e-mopeds also create no emissions at all so it’s a good choice for the environment.
The bottom line
As you can see, the San Francisco transport options are abundant. Whether you want to choose San Francisco public transportation, your own two feet, or opt for a rideshare program, bike share, or moped share, the city has got you covered. If you live in San Francisco and utilize these options, you may be considered a low-mileage driver. Using traditional car insurance, you may be paying more than you need to. Why pay more when you can pay just for the miles you drive plus a low base rate? It’s time to re-think your auto insurance and get a smarter, more affordable option with pay-per-mile insurance. Check out your Metromile quote today.
Melanie Lockert is a freelance writer, podcast host of the Mental Health and Wealth show, and author of Dear Debt. She’s a cat mom to two jazzy cats, Miles and Thelonious, an amateur boxer, music lover, and needs coffee to function.
Driving can give you a sense of freedom while on the open road. You feel your hands on the wheel, feet on the pedal, and can go full speed ahead wherever you want. There’s one surefire way to kill that vibe and that is dealing with traffic. If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, you know how frustrating and annoying it can be. If you want to avoid traffic or are just curious how your city ranks, we’ve outlined the top 10 cities with the worst traffic.
Our methodology
To rank the cities with worst traffic, we looked at the 2021 Urban Mobility Report and looked at two primary metrics. We looked at the average delays commuters faced due to traffic as well as excess fuel consumption due to congestion. It should be noted that these numbers are based on 2020 data and there were notable changes from 2019, likely due to the pandemic.
In the report, the metrics are described as:
“Yearly Delay per Auto Commuter—Extra travel time during the year divided by the number of people who commute in private vehicles in the urban area” (info on pg 32).
“Excess Fuel per Auto Commuter—Extra fuel consumed during the year divided by the number of people who commute in private vehicles in the urban area” (info on pg 44).
Based on this data we created the list of cities with worst traffic in the U.S. below.
10. Seattle, WA
The Emerald City, also known as Seattle, is well-known for its stunning geography and its signature Space Needle. It’s also highly ranked for public transportation. Even though it’s a walkable city with robust transportation options, it’s ranked number 10 on the list of worst traffic in the U.S.
Though some people have moved out of Seattle during the pandemic, its population growth has been steady over the past few years. According to Washington State Wire, in 2020 “Seattle’s population increased by 13,800 people to 761,100.”
More people mean more people on the road. According to the 2021 Urban Mobility Report, in Seattle, the Yearly Delay per Auto Commuter was 31 hours. Dealing with more traffic led to increased gas consumption as well, with Seattleites using 13 gallons as part of Excess Fuel per Auto Commuter.
Yearly Delay per Auto Commuter = 31 hours
Excess Fuel per Auto Commuter = 13 gallons
9. Detroit, MI
Detroit’s nickname is pretty apt considering it made it to the list of worst traffic cities in the U.S. Often referred to as the “Motor City”, Detroit used to be the hub for the automotive industry with Henry Ford transforming the area.
Detroit ranked ninth on the list of cities with worst traffic, causing commuters to experience yearly delays of 35 hours. When it comes to excess fuel, drivers in Detroit used 13 gallons in excess fuel.
Yearly Delay per Auto Commuter = 35 hours
Excess Fuel per Auto Commuter = 13 gallons
8. Atlanta, GA and Philadelphia, PA (tied)
Atlanta, Georgia is known for its music scene and Philadelphia as the city of brotherly love and its art scene. Both cities serve as cultural hubs and are tied when it comes to the cities with worst traffic.
Both Atlanta and Philadelphia commuters faced annual delays of 37 hours. The cities were also tied when it comes to excess fuel consumption due to congestion, which amounted to 15 gallons.
Yearly Delay per Auto Commuter = 37 hours
Excess Fuel per Auto Commuter = 15 gallons
7. Chicago, IL
Chicago is known for its brutal winters, sports teams, and pizza. On top of that, it holds the title for the most populous city in the Midwest. Even though Chicago has a well-connected public transportation system, it still has lots of traffic as well.
Commuters in Chicago had an annual delay of 39 hours. On top of that, the extra delays and congestion led to excess fuel consumption of 16 gallons.
Yearly Delay per Auto Commuter = 39 hours
Excess Fuel per Auto Commuter = 16 gallons
6. Dallas, TX
Dallas is known for its BBQ, football and is the 9th largest city in the U.S. It also was home to the first convenience store, 7-11, which you probably know of today. Convenience stores are helpful for drivers on the road who want to grab-and-go with a snack or a beverage in hand. Which could come in handy as you might be sitting in your car for a minute because Dallas is ranked sixth on the list of cities with worst traffic in the U.S.
Commuters experienced an annual delay of 40 hours due to congestion. On top of that, Dallas drivers had 16 gallons of excess fuel consumption due to traffic as well.
Yearly Delay per Auto Commuter = 40 hours
Excess Fuel per Auto Commuter = 16 gallons
5. Washington, D.C.
Our nation’s capital is home to many popular tourist attractions, historical sites, and of course, the President. While the city has many public transportation options, the city also has a lot of commuters who live in the nearby DMV area (D.C., Maryland, Virginia).
Unfortunately, D.C has half a million commuters and has some of the longest commute times in the country, according to NPR. D.C. drivers experienced an annual delay of 42 hours. Those delays led to 16 gallons of excess fuel consumption.
Yearly Delay per Auto Commuter = 42 hours
Excess Fuel per Auto Commuter = 16 gallons
4. Los Angeles, CA and San Francisco, CA (tied)
The Golden State is home to two offenders on the worst traffic cities in the U.S. list. Los Angeles and San Francisco are tied in the fourth spot.
LA is well-known for its beaches, entertainment and music industries, and traffic (no surprise!). San Francisco is a tech town and home to the Golden Gate bridge but like D.C. also has a ton of commuters from nearby Bay Area cities.
LA and SF drivers had annual delays of 46 hours due to congestion. The cities differ when it comes to excess fuel consumption with Los Angeles commuters using 14 gallons in excess fuel consumption and San Francisco commuters using 17 gallons.
Yearly Delay per Auto Commuter = 46 hours
LA Excess Fuel per Auto Commuter = 14 gallons
SF Excess Fuel per Auto Commuter = 17 gallons
3. Houston, TX
Houston is home to Beyoncé and NASA and is one of the most diverse places in the U.S. On top of that, the city is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. Considering the large population, it’s no wonder Houston is ranked third on the list for cities with worst traffic.
Houston drivers experienced annual delays of 49 hours. All of that traffic plus delays led to excess fuel consumption of 21 gallons.
Yearly Delay per Auto Commuter = 49 hours
Excess Fuel per Auto Commuter = 21 gallons
2. Boston, MA
Boston is one of the oldest cities in the nation, being founded in 1630 by Puritans fleeing religious persecution. Nowadays, Boston is known for Fenway park, higher ed institutions like Harvard, and the Museum of Fine Arts. While Boston has many options for public transportation, it’s also home to lots of traffic as well. That’s why it comes in the 2nd spot on the list for worst traffic cities in the U.S.
Commuters had annual delays that totaled 50 hours — or more than a full workweek. The extra congestion on the road led to excess fuel consumption of 20 gallons.
Yearly Delay per Auto Commuter = 50 hours
Excess Fuel per Auto Commuter = 20 gallons
1. New York, NY
The Big Apple is well-known for its subway system, museums, Broadway and so much more and is the most populous city in the U.S. The city was recently ranked as the top spot for public transportation by Metromile. Unfortunately, as of 2020, it’s also the top spot for congestion as well. It should be noted that rankings have shifted from 2019 to 2020, likely due to the pandemic as Los Angeles used to hold the top spot in 2019.
Drivers experienced annual delays of 56 hours as of 2020. It also takes the top spot for excess fuel consumption due to traffic, using up 23 gallons.
Yearly Delay per Auto Commuter = 56 hours
Excess Fuel per Auto Commuter = 23 gallons
The bottom line
The pandemic has shifted driving behavior as well as reduced the amount of commuters on the road, but traffic is still a big issue in many major cities. Whether your city made it on the list of cities with worst traffic or not, you want to make sure you’re getting the most affordable car insurance coverage out there. You could only pay for the miles you drive plus a low base rate with pay-per-mile car insurance. Check out your free quote to see about potential savings.
Melanie Lockert is a freelance writer, podcast host of the Mental Health and Wealth show, and author of Dear Debt. She’s a cat mom to two jazzy cats, Miles and Thelonious, an amateur boxer, music lover, and needs coffee to function.
Did you just buy a car in Virginia or recently made a move and now call the state home? If that’s the case, you’re responsible for registering your car in Virginia. If you bought a car at a dealership, this may be taken off your plate. But if you bought a car in Virginia from a private party or moved to the state, you need to update your paperwork. Here’s your guide on how to register a car in Virginia.
Why is registering a car in Virginia required?
Just like you need to obtain your driver’s license to drive a car, you actually are required by law to register your car in the state where you live as well. Why? Besides it being the law, it’s a way to connect you as the driver with your vehicle.
As you can imagine, this can come in handy in cases of theft or loss. Also when you get pulled over, you’re required to hand over your registration as well to prove that you’re the owner of the vehicle.
Who must take part in registering a car in Virginia?
Registering a car in Virginia is a requirement but can be triggered under certain conditions. Typically these conditions are:
You buy a vehicle from a private party
You move to the state of Virginia and must update your records
You’re up for registration renewal
If you purchase a vehicle from a dealership, they typically handle the registration part for you. However, it’s important to note that it can take up to 30 days for the paperwork to process.
What do I need to register my car in Virginia?
If you’re wondering “What do I need to register my car in Virginia?”, here’s a list of things you’ll need to get started:
Your Virginia car title (if you’re new to the state, you’ll need to complete the Application for Title and Registration (VSA 17A)
The Application for Registration form (form VSA 14)
An emissions inspection (if you’re in the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, or Stafford or the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas or Manassas Park, according to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles)
Meet minimum insurance requirements (more on that later)
You’ll need your Virginia driver’s license (if you’re a new resident, you’ll need to apply for a VA license within 60 days of your move)
Get a new vehicle safety inspection sticker, if you’re a new Virginia resident
Obtain new Virginia license plates
You may need to register your car in your locality
Those are the items required when registering a car in Virginia. But let’s review how to register a car in Virginia.
How to register a car in Virginia?
If you’re curious how to register a car in Virginia, here are the steps to get started if you’re a new resident:
Apply for a Virginia driver’s license.
Apply for a Virginia title within 30 days of moving. Complete and submit the Application for Title and Registration (VSA 17A).
You’ll need proof of Virginia residence.
Get a vehicle safety inspection sticker.
Have the Vehicle Price Certification (Bill of Sale) (SUT 1) with signatures from both the seller and buyer.
Once you’re registered, you can sign-up for e-notifications to get registration renewal reminders. You can make the process even easier by applying for registration online. If you’re late, you could be hit with a $10 late fee.
How much does registering a car in Virginia cost?
There are various registration fees you must pay when registering a car in Virginia including:
A $15 titling fee
A fee sales and use tax starting at $75 and up, based on the car’s sale price
A Virginia registration fee between $30.75 to $35.75 for passenger vehicles
Is proof of insurance required for registering a car in Virginia?
The state of Virginia has minimum insurance requirements for its drivers. In order to register your car, you’ll need to have the following minimum insurance coverage:
$25,000 in the case of injury or death for a single person
$50,000 in the case of injury or death for two people or greater
$20,000 in the case of property damage
If you don’t end up doing that you’ll be on the hook for a $500 uninsured motor vehicle fee.
The bottom line
If you got a new set of wheels or moved to Virginia, it’s time to update your car registration. Be sure to gather your documents ahead of time and apply for the state title and make sure the buyer and seller sign the form. If you’re a new resident, getting your license, Virginia title, and minimum car insurance will help you get started.
Melanie Lockert is a freelance writer, podcast host of the Mental Health and Wealth show, and author of Dear Debt. She’s a cat mom to two jazzy cats, Miles and Thelonious, an amateur boxer, music lover, and needs coffee to function.
This past summer Metromile’s Insurance Team launched a paid internship program, recruiting two rising college juniors to assist the team in actuarial work and immediately bringing them on to real-time projects compiling and analyzing data to calculate Metromile’s insurance risks and premiums.
Interns Breanna (L) and Ian (R) spent eight weeks working with Metromile’s Insurance Team.
After members of Metromile’s Insurance and Actuarial Team advertised the internship program to actuarial clubs across college campuses, rising juniors Breanna and Ian were motivated to apply and were chosen from a large pool of talented applicants.
The eight-week program consisted of weekly training sessions around insurance basics, one-on-one check-ins with managers, two main projects centered around actuarial data and product management, and even virtual games on Fridays.
“We got to wear a lot more hats at Metromile than we would at a bigger company and had the chance to see both the data and product management sides of Metromile,” Breanna said, while Ian joked that “the weekly insurance training taught us a lot, probably more than school.”
Breanna, a financial actuarial math major, helped her team create a dashboard to compare Metromile’s rates against industry averages to ensure savings for Metromile customers and strive for the fairest rates in the insurance space. In tandem with her data project, Breanna joined a product management team in forming a rating manual for a new state Metromile is planning to expand into.
Over the summer, Ian helped the Metromile team develop new premium structures and established a new rating system for a state Metromile plans to expand into later this year. And inspired by customer feedback, Ian helped a product management team create a new in-app dashboard to enable customers to monitor policy changes.
For Breanna, it was the people that made her experience so rewarding; her managers and team members were easily accessible for any question – big or small. “My learning curve was huge because I came into this not knowing that much about the specifics of auto insurance, so just being able to see what people were doing every day was super helpful,” Breanna said.
As for Ian, he said that “the past eight weeks have been the most I’ve ever enjoyed learning about something.” At Metromile, Ian felt support and encouragement from his teammates and was able to have a real impact on the insurance team.
We’re so glad we got to work with such great, young talent and introduce them to the world of auto insurance. Thank you, Breanna and Ian, for all your hard work this summer, and good luck with your fall semester!
