Lower Your 2013 Toyota Prius Plug-in Insurance Cost

Looking for lower insurance rates for your Toyota Prius Plug-in? Did you make the mistake of buying overpriced insurance? You’re in good company because many drivers feel the same as you.

There is such a variety of car insurance companies to choose from, and even though it’s nice to be able to choose, lots of choices makes it harder to compare rates.

Buying car insurance is easy if you know what you’re doing. If you currently have car insurance, you will be able to save some money using these methods. Nevertheless, car owners need to have an understanding of how insurance companies price online insurance and use this information to your advantage.

Use discounts to get cheaper car insurance rates

Car insurance is not cheap, but companies offer discounts that can dramatically reduce your bill. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time you complete a quote, but a few must be manually applied before you will receive the discount. If you don’t get every credit available, you are not getting the best rate possible.

• First Accident Forgiveness – Not a discount per se, but some companies like Geico and Liberty Mutual will let one accident slide before hitting you with a surcharge if you are claim-free prior to being involved in the accident.
• Use Seat Belts – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to use a seat belt can save up to 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
• Early Signing – Select companies give a discount for renewing your policy before your current policy expires. It’s a savings of about 10%.
• Save with a New Car – Buying a new car model can be considerably cheaper because new vehicles keep occupants safer.
• Discounts for Multiple Vehicles – Purchasing coverage when you have multiple cars or trucks with one company could earn a price break for each car.
• Senior Citizen Discount – Drivers over the age of 55 may receive reduced rates for Prius Plug-in insurance.
• Homeowners Discount – Just being a homeowner may trigger a policy discount on car insurance since home ownership means you have a higher level of financial diligence.

You should keep in mind that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, that’s just not realistic. Any qualifying discounts will definitely lower your overall bill.

Some of the insurance companies who might offer these money-saving discounts possibly include:

• American Family
• Nationwide
• MetLife
• 21st Century
• Farmers Insurance
• Allstate

Double check with each insurance company how many discounts you can get. Depending on the company, some discounts might not apply in your area. For a list of insurance companies with significant discounts, click this link.

Tailor your insurance coverage coverage to you

When choosing adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different so this has to be addressed. For example, these questions might point out if your situation would benefit from professional advice.

• Am I covered when using my vehicle for business?
• What is covered by UM/UIM coverage?
• What exactly is covered by my policy?
• Are rental cars covered under my policy?
• What if I don’t agree with a claim settlement offer?
• How high should deductibles be on a 2013 Toyota Prius Plug-in?

If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

The coverage is in the details

Knowing the specifics of a insurance policy aids in choosing the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Insurance terms can be difficult to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Shown next are the usual coverages available from insurance companies.

Uninsured or underinsured coverage

This provides protection from other drivers when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family and damage to your Toyota Prius Plug-in.

Since many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is very important.

Comprehensive protection

Comprehensive insurance covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as fire damage, a broken windshield and damage from flooding. The most a insurance company will pay at claim time is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Collision protection

This coverage covers damage to your Prius Plug-in from colliding with another car or object. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision coverage pays for claims such as driving through your garage door, colliding with a tree, crashing into a building and damaging your car on a curb. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Medical expense coverage

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for bills such as pain medications, nursing services, hospital visits, ambulance fees and doctor visits. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants as well as if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP coverage is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Liability auto insurance

This coverage will cover damage or injury you incur to other people or property in an accident. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for damage to your own property or vehicle.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see values of 25/50/25 which means $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property.

Liability coverage pays for things such as medical services, medical expenses and court costs. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford.

Buy online or local, you save

When shopping online for car insurance, make sure you don’t sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are many occasions where someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits and learned later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The proper strategy is to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.

Cheaper 2013 Toyota Prius Plug-in insurance is possible on the web and from local agencies, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some companies do not offer rates over the internet and usually these small insurance companies work with local independent agents.

For more information, feel free to browse the articles below:

• Tools for Teen Driving Safety (State Farm)
• Understanding Limits and Deductibles (Allstate)
• Winter Driving (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Safe Vehicles for Teens (iihs.org)
• What Does No-Fault Insurance Cover? (Allstate)
• Should I Purchase an Umbrella Liability Policy? (Insurance Information Insitute)