Sick and tired of paying out the nose to buy car insurance? Your situation is no different than most other car owners. Companies like State Farm, Allstate, Geico and Progressive increase brand awareness with TV and radio ads and it can be hard to ignore the flashy ads and find the best price available.
It’s a great practice to shop coverage around periodically because insurance rates change frequently. Even if you think you had the lowest rates for Highlander insurance two years ago you will most likely find a better rate today. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because we’re going to demonstrate the proper way to find great coverage at a great price.
Lowering your 2014 Toyota Highlander insurance coverage rates can be surprisingly simple. You just have to take the time comparing price quotes online with multiple companies. This can be done using a couple different methods.
It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but ensure you’re using identical coverages and limits for each comparison quote. If you compare different values for each quote it will be next to impossible to decipher which rate is best.
Insuring your fleet can be pricey, buy you may qualify for discounts to help offset the cost. Some trigger automatically at the time of quoting, but some may not be applied and must be asked about before you get the savings. If you don’t get every credit you qualify for, you’re just leaving money on the table.
It’s important to note that most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. So when the math indicates you could get a free car insurance policy, companies don’t profit that way. Any amount of discount will cut your premiums.
For a list of providers who offer car insurance discounts, follow this link.
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that can help you get better auto insurance rates.
The following are some of the factors that factor into your rates.
When it comes to buying the best insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Each situation is unique so your insurance needs to address that. These are some specific questions could help you determine whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form or click here for a list of insurance companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and may give you better protection.
Understanding the coverages of your insurance policy helps when choosing the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. Below you’ll find the normal coverages available from insurance companies.
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)
Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims like hitting a deer, damage from flooding, falling objects, a broken windshield and hitting a bird. The maximum payout a insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your 2014 Toyota Highlander.
Since many drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Usually these coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Liability insurance
This coverage protects you from damage that occurs to people or other property by causing an accident. It protects YOU against other people’s claims, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have values of 50/100/50 which means a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, $100,000 for the entire accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Some companies may use one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which provides one coverage limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability coverage protects against things like legal defense fees, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and pain and suffering. How much liability coverage do you need? That is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible.
Insurance for medical payments
Med pay and PIP coverage kick in for bills such as doctor visits, EMT expenses, chiropractic care, ambulance fees and X-ray expenses. They can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers both the driver and occupants as well as if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP coverage is only offered in select states and may carry a deductible
Collision protection
Collision coverage pays for damage to your Highlander caused by collision with another car or object. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage protects against things such as colliding with another moving vehicle, sideswiping another vehicle, crashing into a building, colliding with a tree and hitting a mailbox. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible to bring the cost down.
We’ve covered many ways to shop for 2014 Toyota Highlander insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more companies you get rates for, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Drivers may discover the most savings is with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. They may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than their larger competitors like State Farm, Geico and Nationwide.
As you restructure your insurance plan, you should never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are too many instances where an insured dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to discover later that the savings was not a smart move. Your strategy should be to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.
Budget-conscious insurance is possible on the web in addition to many insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance providers do not provide online quoting and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.