Lower Your 2013 MINI Cooper Insurance Rates

Searching for cheaper insurance for your MINI Cooper can be a painful process, but you can use a few tricks to find lower rates.

There is a better way to shop for insurance so we’re going to tell you the quickest way to quote coverages for a new or used MINI and find the cheapest rates from local insurance agents and online providers.

It’s a good habit to compare premium rates quite often because prices fluctuate regularly. If you had the best rates for Cooper coverage six months ago other companies may now be cheaper. Forget all the misinformation about insurance because you’re going to learn the proper way to remove unneeded coverages and save money.

Car insurance quotes comparison

Getting a cheap price on 2013 MINI Cooper insurance is not rocket science. You just have to take a couple of minutes to compare free insurance quotes from online providers. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in several different ways.

1. Experts agree that the best way to get the best comparison quotes is to use a rate comparison form click to view form in new window. This style of form keeps you from doing separate quotation requests for every company. Filling out one form will get you rate comparisons from all major companies. Just one form and you’re done.
2. A harder way to compare prices requires a trip to each company website to complete their respective quote request forms. For instance, let’s assume you are doing a rate comparison from Geico, Esurance and American Family. In order to get each rate, you would have to visit each site and enter your policy data, and that explains why we recommend the first method. For a handy list of car insurance company links in your area, click here.

You can use whichever method you prefer to find lower rates, just try to use the exact same coverage limits on every quote you get. If each company quotes different liability limits it will be next to impossible to make an equal comparison.

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Auto insurance discounts help slash rates

Auto insurance is easily one of your largest bills, but you might find some hidden discounts that could help you make your next renewal payment. Certain credits will be shown at the time you complete a quote, but once in a while a discount must be specially asked for in order for you to get them.

• Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars and trucks that have anti-lock braking systems prevent accidents so companies give up to a 10% discount.
• Discount for Life Insurance – Not all companies offer life insurance, but some may give you a small discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
• No Charge for an Accident – but companies like State Farm and Allstate will forgive one accident without getting socked with a rate hike with the catch being you have to be claim-free before the accident.
• Claim Free – Claim-free drivers can save substantially as opposed to bad drivers.
• Multi-car Discount – Purchasing coverage when you have primary and secondary vehicles on a single policy can reduce rates for all insured vehicles.

While discounts sound great, it’s important to understand that most discounts do not apply the the whole policy. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. Even though the math looks like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you won’t be that lucky. But all discounts will lower the cost of coverage.

A list of auto insurance companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts can be read below.

• State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including safe vehicle, anti-theft, multiple autos, Drive Safe & Save, multiple policy, and good driver.
• American Family may offer discounts for early bird, good driver, Steer into Savings, multi-vehicle, air bags, and bundled insurance.
• AAA has discounts for pay-in-full, education and occupation, multi-policy, multi-car, anti-theft, AAA membership discount, and good student.
• Geico may include discounts for membership and employees, driver training, good student, multi-policy, anti-lock brakes, seat belt use, and federal employee.
• Mercury Insurance includes discounts for good driver, multi-policy, professional/association, annual mileage, age of vehicle, multi-car, and accident-free.
• Farmers Insurance has savings for alternative fuel, bundle discounts, teen driver, homeowner, early shopping, and youthful driver.
• Progressive discounts include online signing, good student, homeowner, multi-vehicle, online quote discount, and multi-policy.

If you need lower rates, check with all companies you are considering which discounts can lower your rates. Discounts may not apply to policyholders in your area. To choose auto insurance companies that offer many of these discounts, click here to view.

How your Cooper insurance rates are determined

Part of the auto insurance buying process is learning some of the elements that come into play when calculating your premiums. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay, this allows you to make educated decisions that may result in lower auto insurance prices.

Listed below are a partial list of the pieces auto insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

• Safer vehicles cost less to insure – Vehicles with high crash test scores get lower rates. Safer cars have better occupant injury protection and better occupant protection means your insurance company pays less passed on to you as lower rates. If your MINI has ratings of a minimum an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website you are probably receiving a discount.
• Cheaper auto insurance rates for prior coverage – Not having insurance can get you a ticket and auto insurance companies will penalize you for letting your insurance lapse. And not only will your rates increase, the inability to provide proof of insurance may earn you a steep fine or even jail time.
• Good drivers pay better prices – Drivers who don’t get tickets receive lower rates than their less careful counterparts. Getting just one moving violation may cause rates to rise by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who have license-revoking tickets like reckless driving or DUI may need to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with the DMV in their state in order to keep their license.
• City dwellers may pay more – Residing in less populated areas can be a good thing when shopping for auto insurance. Fewer drivers means less chance of accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft. Urban drivers regularly have more aggressive driving styles and higher rates of accident claims. Spending more time driving means higher likelihood of an accident.
• How do annual miles impact costs? – The more you drive your MINI every year the higher the price you pay to insure it. A lot of companies rate vehicles based upon how much you drive. Autos that are left in the garage get more affordable rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Make sure your auto insurance coverage properly reflects the correct usage, because improper ratings can cost you money. A policy that improperly rates your Cooper may be costing you.
• High deductibles lower prices – Physical damage insurance, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, helps pay for damage to your vehicle. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be collision with another vehicle, collision with an animal, and damage from a fallen tree branch. Comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles tell how much you are required to spend out-of-pocket before your auto insurance pays a claim. The more damage repair cost you’re willing to pay, the lower your rates will be for Cooper coverage.

Which is the best insurance?

When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a one size fits all plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different.

These are some specific questions may help highlight if you might need an agent’s assistance.

• Is my teenager covered with friends in the car?
• Should I get collision insurance on every vehicle?
• Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
• Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
• Am I covered if I hit my neighbor’s mailbox?
• Is motorclub coverage worth it?
• What is medical payments coverage?
• What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
• Who is covered when they drive my 2013 MINI Cooper?
• Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and you can get the answers you need.

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Don’t be fooled by advertising claims

Drivers can’t get away from ads that promise big savings from companies such as Geico, State Farm and Progressive. They all tend to make the same promise that drivers will save a bundle if you switch your policy.

How does every insurance company make almost identical claims? It’s all in how they say it.

Most companies have specific guidelines for the type of customer that will most likely be profitable. A good example of this type of driver might be between 30 and 50, has a clean driving record, and does not commute to work. Someone who fits that profile will get a cheap rate quote and will probably cut their rates if they switch.

Potential insureds who do not match those criteria will get higher rates which results in business not being written. The trick companies use is to say “drivers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save money. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently lure you into getting a quote.

Because of these techniques, you really should quote coverage with many companies. It’s just too difficult to predict the company that will have the best premium rates.

Car insurance policy coverages for a MINI Cooper

Understanding the coverages of a car insurance policy aids in choosing the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Car insurance terms can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement.

Collision coverage – This covers damage to your Cooper from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage protects against claims such as hitting a mailbox, sideswiping another vehicle and crashing into a ditch. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also raise the deductible to bring the cost down.

Liability insurance – Liability insurance provides protection from damage that occurs to people or other property. This insurance protects YOU against claims from other people, and doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have values of 50/100/50 that translate to $50,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property. Another option is one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which combines the three limits into one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability insurance covers things such as emergency aid, repair costs for stationary objects, medical expenses and bail bonds. How much liability coverage do you need? That is up to you, but buy as much as you can afford.

Comprehensive coverages – This will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims like falling objects, a broken windshield and rock chips in glass. The most your car insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.

Coverage for medical payments – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for expenses for things like funeral costs, pain medications, X-ray expenses and dental work. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover all vehicle occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Uninsured and underinsured coverage – This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. This coverage pays for medical payments for you and your occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Usually the UM/UIM limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.

Compare but don’t skimp

Drivers leave their current company for many reasons like unfair underwriting practices, policy cancellation, extreme rates for teen drivers and even denial of a claim. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, switching companies can be pretty painless.

When shopping online for auto insurance, make sure you don’t reduce needed coverages to save money. There are too many instances where an accident victim reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits and learned later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your strategy should be to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest cost, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.

Budget-conscious 2013 MINI Cooper insurance can be bought both online and with local insurance agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some auto insurance companies may not have rates over the internet and these small insurance companies prefer to sell through local independent agents.

Additional learning opportunities

• Booster Seat Ratings (iihs.org)
• Avoiding Deer Collisions (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Auto Crash Statistics (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Understanding Your Insurance Deductible (Insurance Information Insitute)
• What is a Telematics Device? (Allstate)

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

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