2012 Toyota Prius Car Insurance Cost – 10 Discounts for Best Prices

Being forced to pay for high-priced auto insurance premiums can empty your budget, especially in this economy. Performing a rate comparison is an excellent way to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket.

Popular companies such as Progressive, State Farm and Geico continually hit you with catchy ads and consumers find it hard to ignore the flying pigs and cute green geckos and do the work needed to find the best deal.

You should take the time to get comparison quotes occasionally since insurance prices are variable and change quite frequently. If you had the lowest rates on Prius coverage six months ago there is a good chance you can find better rate quotes now. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because you’re about to learn the easiest way to eliminate unnecessary coverages and save money.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using this information. Choosing the best insurance company for you is quite easy. But vehicle owners need to learn the way insurance companies sell online because it can help you find the best coverage.

You may qualify for discounts

Some providers don’t always advertise all disounts very clearly, so here is a list some of the best known as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using when you buy insurance online.

• Own a Home – Just being a homeowner can earn you a little savings due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof of financial responsibility.
• College Student – Any of your kids who live away from home to go to college and won’t have access to an insured vehicle may be able to be covered for less.
• Telematics Data Discounts – Insureds who allow data collection to track driving habits by using a small device installed in their vehicle such as Snapshot from Progressive or Drivewise from Allstate might get better premium rates if they have good driving habits.
• Discount for Swiching Early – Select companies give a discount for switching companies prior to your current policy expiration. You can save around 10% with this discount.
• Payment Method – If you pay your bill all at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you can actually save on your bill.
• Use Seat Belts – Drivers who always wear seat belts and also require passengers to buckle their seat belts can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
• Save over 55 – Drivers that qualify as senior citizens may qualify for a discount up to 10% on Prius coverage.
• No Charge for an Accident – Not really a discount, but a handful of insurance companies will turn a blind eye to one accident before your rates go up if you are claim-free prior to the accident.
• Defensive Driving Course – Passing a course that instructs on driving safety could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily pay for the cost of the class.
• Paperless Signup – A few larger online companies will give you a small discount for buying your policy online.

Drivers should understand that some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like you can get free auto insurance, you won’t be that lucky.

Popular auto insurance companies and a partial list of their discounts are shown below.

• State Farm may offer discounts for good student, driver’s education, safe vehicle, Steer Clear safe driver discount, multiple policy, and student away at school.
• Esurance offers discounts for renters, multi-policy, online shopper, online quote, and emergency road assistance.
• Progressive has discounts for continuous coverage, multi-policy, online signing, homeowner, online quote discount, and multi-vehicle.
• Liberty Mutual may include discounts for newly married, new move discount, multi-policy, new vehicle discount, safety features, and exclusive group savings.
• Auto-Owners Insurance may have discounts that include paperless, air bags, anti-lock brakes, company car, safe driver, group or association, and multi-policy.
• Geico has savings for five-year accident-free, military active duty, air bags, multi-vehicle, emergency military deployment, seat belt use, and membership and employees.

When getting free insurance quotes, it’s a good idea to all companies you are considering which credits you are entitled to. Some discounts listed above may not be offered in your area. To see a list of providers who offer free auto insurance quotes, click here.

Enter your zip code below to view companies that have cheap auto insurance rates.

 Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Insurance coverage advertisements

Geico, State Farm and Progressive consistently run ads on TV and radio. They all seem to make an identical promise about how much you will save after switching your policy. How does each company have lower policy pricing? Here is how they do it.

Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver they prefer to insure. For instance, this type of insured could possibly be between the ages of 30 and 50, has other policies, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote that fits those parameters receives the best prices and therefore will save when switching.

Potential insureds who don’t meet these criteria will see higher rates which translates to the customer buying from someone else. The trick is to say “drivers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much when switching. This is how companies can advertise the savings. Because every company is different, you really need to get insurance quotes as often as possible. Because you never know with any certainty which company will fit your personal profile best.

There’s no such thing as the perfect auto insurance policy

When buying proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Every situation is different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For example, these questions may help highlight whether you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• How can I get high-risk coverage after a DUI?
• Am I covered if I hit a deer?
• What vehicles should carry emergency assistance coverage?
• How high should deductibles be on a 2012 Toyota Prius?
• Should I buy only the required minimum liability coverage?
• I don’t drive much so do I pay less?
• Is borrowed equipment or tools covered if stolen or damaged?
• Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
• Which companies will insure high-risk drivers?

If you can’t answer these questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.

Detailed coverages of your insurance policy

Having a good grasp of your insurance policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Below you’ll find the usual coverages available from insurance companies.

Comprehensive protection – This will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as damage from a tornado or hurricane, theft, damage from getting keyed and a broken windshield. The maximum amount your insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Medical expense coverage – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for short-term medical expenses for ambulance fees, doctor visits and hospital visits. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance plan or if you lack health insurance entirely. They cover all vehicle occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Uninsured or underinsured coverage – Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits, their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.

Liability – This provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property by causing an accident. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see limits of 25/50/25 which stand for $25,000 bodily injury coverage, $50,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property.

Liability insurance covers claims such as funeral expenses, medical services, loss of income and bail bonds. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford.

Collision coverages – This pays for damage to your Prius from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage protects against things like colliding with another moving vehicle, crashing into a building, colliding with a tree, driving through your garage door and hitting a parking meter. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. Another option is to bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Enter your zip code below to view companies that have cheap auto insurance rates.

 Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Better coverage you can count on

While you’re price shopping online, you should never skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are a lot of situations where an insured cut physical damage coverage to discover at claim time that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The ultimate goal is to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate.

A few companies do not offer rates over the internet and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through independent agents. More affordable insurance coverage can be bought both online and with local insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best selection.

More information can be found on the following sites:

• Preventing Carjacking and Theft (Insurance Information Insitute)
• If I File a Claim will My Insurance Go Up? (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Distracted Driving (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Airbag FAQ (iihs.org)

Enter your zip code below to view companies that have cheap auto insurance rates.

 Secured with SHA-256 Encryption