Car Insurance - How to get the best rate?

[Tab]

I google a bit and too my surprise I didn't find any good resources

How much are you paying for car insurance?

My provider wants ~$1,400 / year for Liability, Comprehensive and Collision Coverage with a $500 deductible for a 2004-2008 small sedan with less than 100k. I haven't a ticket in 5 years and haven't had an accident in 8 year. No DUIs.

This strikes me as expensive, what's the best way to go about shopping other than cramming out of my personal information into a ton of websites?

 

[Fenixgoon]

how old are you? is your vehicle commonly involved in accidents and/or theft?

your best bet is simply to figure out what coverage you want, and then go to a million different insurers and find out who gives you the best rest.

many places will also give you discounts for multiple policies (cars, houses, etc)

 

[fstime]

Shop around, insurers like to be sneaky sometimes and raise your rate by $50-60 dollars for no reason each policy renewal. They try to get that amount where it's not a little bit, but also not a big enough increase to get you to search for better quotes.

Go to all the big name websites like Geico, State Farm, All-State, Liberty Mutual, and run the online quote system. I switch providers more times than I can remember. Around $500/6 months for a brand new car with full coverage sounds reasonable.

They is usually a big discount for multiple cars, 2 car coverage costs lets say around 1.4 times more than single car coverage so more bang for your buck. If the vehicles are not used for work or school commutes, you can list them as pleasure vehicles. Low yearly mileage of say, 5,000 miles/year will also help.

Make sure you are at least at $250,000 bodily injury coverage, I prefer 500K-1M+ but it all depends on how many assets you own and what you could lose in court if it came to that.

 

[jlee]

+1 to shop around.

I have yet to find anyone who can beat Progressive. I just bought homeowners' insurance from another company who wanted to quote me on auto - they were ~30% cheaper on home, but could not compete with auto. <3 Progressive...I've been with them for over five years now. No one comes close.

Your luck will vary, of course - quotes will vary a lot by company. I just happened to find one that's consistently very good to me.

 

[JCH13]

+2 to shop around

I haven't found anyone who beats Nationwide for me, including USAA. They have a nice set of discounts that makes my insurance quite inexpensive that I didn't find at other companies.

 

[Jimzz]

Not sure why no one has told you to shop around yet, duh.


But what year, make, model, your age, any accidents/tickets, credit score(not joking), zip code (not joking here either), and how long has you been driving?

 

[Greenman]

Credit score also has a an impact on rates. I found this out while shopping for insurance, the agent said he would have to run my credit. I refused to allow it, and explained that I was going to pay in advance, I didn't want credit. It took a while but he finally explained to me that rates were based on credit score as well as history.

 

[Ferzerp]

Credit score also has a an impact on rates. I found this out while shopping for insurance, the agent said he would have to run my credit. I refused to allow it, and explained that I was going to pay in advance, I didn't want credit. It took a while but he finally explained to me that rates were based on credit score as well as history.

Not all insurers do this. Mine doesn't (Farm Bureau). Not that it would matter, but I know they don't. I monitor my credit and the never have checked.

 

[waggy]

1)shop around
2) turn 25
3) get married


that's what made mine drop like a rock.

 

[Tab]

I'm 27 in March.

I had an accident when I was 17 or 18 that was mine fault and maybe 1 or 2 speeding tickets for going less than 10 miles over the speed limit. These were over 5 years ago.

I was looking at a 2006 Sentra SE-R.

 

[maddogchen]

when you guys shop around, do you usually do it over the phone or online?

I tried online and only got higher prices and was wondering if i might get better offers if I call them?

 

[JCH13]

I got the lowest prices through calling.

 

[Jimzz]

when you guys shop around, do you usually do it over the phone or online?

I tried online and only got higher prices and was wondering if i might get better offers if I call them?

Both.
We shop around once a year and usually do 4-5online and 2-3 by phone.

 

[ViviTheMage]

shop around about once a year, state farm can never be beat for me at least.

 

[Mermaidman]

nm

 

[96Firebird]

That seems like a lot to me... I pay ~$1000/year for 2 cars, one with full coverage ($500 deductible). I am also under 25, and have an accident on my record.

I have heard some companies check your credit score as well as take education in to consideration. I have good credit and a bachelor's degree, so that might help me a bit.

 

[billyjak]

I would find a local independent insurance agent, they always have a better deal.
Look for the word independent when searching.

 

[bamx2]

Add to the list-

Also,if you belong to a credit union find out in they have any member discounts for insurance.

 

[gorb]

Get in with USAA somehow

I've shopped around and while I can get cheaper insurance with some other companies, it's also with much less coverage. I have a stupid amount of liability coverage, but I only save a couple bucks a month reducing it so I don't bother.

2013 Civic EX
Bodily Injury Liability - $500,000/$1,000,000
Property Damage Liability - $100,000
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists Bodily Injury - $300,000/$500,000
Personal Injury Protection - $100,000
Medical Payments - $100,000
Comprehensive Deductible - $250
Collision Deductible - $500
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists Property Damage - $100,000/$250 deductible
Accident Forgiveness
Rental Reimbursement - $30/$900
Towing & Labor

$714.06/6 months

 

[Ferzerp]

Get in with USAA somehow

I've shopped around and while I can get cheaper insurance with some other companies, it's also with much less coverage. I have a stupid amount of liability coverage, but I only save a couple bucks a month reducing it so I don't bother.

2013 Civic EX
Bodily Injury Liability - $500,000/$1,000,000
Property Damage Liability - $100,000
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists Bodily Injury - $300,000/$500,000
Personal Injury Protection - $100,000
Medical Payments - $100,000
Comprehensive Deductible - $250
Collision Deductible - $500
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists Property Damage - $100,000/$250 deductible
Accident Forgiveness
Rental Reimbursement - $30/$900
Towing & Labor

$714.06/6 months

You're paying more for a civic than I do for a gt 500.

 

[sze5003]

There's no good answer to this. It depends where you live and your age and history. I pay 140 a month for a 2011 lancer. 50/100 full coverage. Under and uninsured motorist included. Geico..I also live in Philly where it has one of the highest rates in the country

 

[gorb]

You're paying more for a civic than I do for a gt 500.

There are obviously other variables. Your driving history, coverage, where you live, and your age.

I just did a quote for a 2013 GT500 with the same coverage and the 6 month premium would be $1,081.90.

 

[KentState]

You're paying more for a civic than I do for a gt 500.

Really can't compare insurance by just vehicle. Plus the plastic, unrefined, ox-cart suspension, dead guy name on back, non-European car of yours doesn't compare to a Civic. (All in jest I'm still shaking my head after the Top Gear episode)

 

[toronado97]

It seems to be completely random to me honestly. I've been with Progressive since I was a teenager, paying 32 bucks a month for liability/uninsured motorist only on a 95 beretta. When I bought the Mazda 3 I started shopping around because Progressive told me it would be 180 a month to insure it. For comparison, Geico offered me 87 a month on the same car. I've been with this company for a decade and a half, and they let another insurance company undercut their rates by almost 100%. I ended up with State Farm, who has a much better claims division than Geico, and I'm paying 101 a month. I figure the extra 15 bucks is worth the peace of mind.