Making monthly payments for expensive Nissan Altima auto insurance rates is no better than getting teeth pulled and most drivers blindly pay the outrageous rates without knowing why the price is so inflated. Some auto insurance companies charge more than others to insure sedans, so if you don’t regularly perform rate comparisons, you’re pouring money down the drain with every monthly payment.
Cutting your auto insurance rates is not rocket science. Consumers just need to take a couple of minutes getting comparison quotes provided by online insurance companies. This can be accomplished using a couple different methods.
The recommended way to get quotes for comparison is to use a rate comparison form click to view form in new window. This form keeps you from doing repetitive form submissions for every auto insurance company. One simple form gets rate comparisons from multiple low-cost companies.
A slightly less efficient method to get quotes online is going to each individual company website and complete a new quote form. For examples sake, we’ll assume you want to compare rates from State Farm, Allstate and Progressive. To get rate quotes you would need to visit each site and enter your policy data, which is why most consumers use the first method. For a handy list of car insurance company links in your area, click here.
The least recommended method of comparing rate quotes is driving to different agent offices. Shopping for auto insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you want the trained guidance of a local agent. Drivers can comparison shop online but still have the advice of a local agent and we’ll cover that in a bit.
Whichever way you use, make sure you use exactly the same coverages and limits with every price quote. If you have different deductibles you can’t possibly make a fair comparison for your Nissan Altima.
Complexity of Nissan Altima insurance rates
Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that come into play when calculating your auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.
The list below includes some of the factors used by your company to calculate prices.
- Safe vehicles cost less to insure – Cars with high safety ratings tend to have better insurance rates. The safest vehicles protect occupants better and fewer injuries means less money paid by your insurance company and more competitive rates for policyholders. If your Nissan Altima is rated at least an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website you are probably receiving a discount.
- Don’t sacrifice liability coverage – The liability section of your policy is the coverage that protects you when you are found to be at fault for personal injury or accident damage. It provides legal defense coverage starting from day one. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so drivers should carry high limits.
- Older drivers pay less – Older drivers are more cautious drivers, tend to file fewer claims and are safer drivers. Young drivers tend to be more careless behind the wheel and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher.
- Men fork out a little more – Statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, don’t assume that women are BETTER drivers than men. Women and men have accidents at about the same rate, but the men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also statistically have more aggressive citations such as reckless driving.
- Performance level impacts rates – The type of vehicle you are buying insurance for makes a big difference in determining your rates. Since the Nissan Altima falls in the sedan class, insurance will be about the same compared to average rates. Low performance passenger cars generally receive the lowest base rates, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
- One company can mean more discounts – The majority of auto insurance companies provide better rates to policyholders who have multiple policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can be ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. Even if you’re getting this discount it’s still a good idea to comparison shop to verify if the discount is saving money.
- Drive less and save money – The more you drive each year the higher your rate. Almost all companies rate vehicles based upon how you use the vehicle. Autos left parked in the garage can get a lower rate compared to those used for work or business. Make sure your auto insurance policy is rated on the correct driver usage, because it can save money. If your policy improperly rates your Altima may be wasting your money.
- Don’t get talked into coverage you don’t need – There are a lot of additional coverages that can waste your money on your Altima policy. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, accident forgiveness and additional equipment coverage may be wasting your money. These may sound like a good investment initially, but now you might not need them so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
Pay less by taking advantage of these eight discounts
Car insurance can cost a lot, but there could be available discounts to cut the cost considerably. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time you complete a quote, but some must be requested specifically prior to receiving the credit. If you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you are paying more than you should be.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Buying insurance for multiple cars or trucks with the same company can get a discount on all vehicles.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents may save up to 50% more than drivers with accidents.
- Lower Rates for Military – Having a family member in the military can result in better rates.
- Auto/Life Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give better rates if you take out a life insurance policy as well.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Keeping the miles down on your Nissan can qualify you for better rates on cars that stay parked.
- Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems help deter theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Braking Control Discount – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control prevent accidents and will save you 10% or more.
- 55 and Retired – If you’re over the age of 55, you can possibly qualify for a small decrease in premiums.
A little note about advertised discounts, some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears you could get a free auto insurance policy, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any amount of discount will reduce the amount you have to pay.
Your coverage should be tailored to you
When buying the best auto insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s so your insurance needs to address that. These are some specific questions might point out if your insurance needs might need professional guidance.
- Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
- Can I afford to pay high deductible claims out of pocket?
- Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
- Does my personal auto insurance policy cover using my vehicle for business use?
- I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
- Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
- Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
- Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
- What are the financial responsibility laws my state?
- What happens if I owe more than my Nissan Altima is worth?
If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.
But I prefer to buy car insurance from an agent
Some people prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is a personal choice. Licensed agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and give you peace of mind. One of the best bonuses of getting online price quotes is you can get better rates but also keep your business local. And supporting local agencies is important espcially in small towns and cities.
Once you complete this simple form, your information is emailed to insurance agents who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no need to drive around due to the fact that quote results will go directly to your email. How cool is that?!
Quote more, save more
We just covered a lot of techniques to shop for Nissan Altima insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the best price on auto insurance is with the smaller companies. These companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.
Cheaper Nissan Altima insurance is available from both online companies as well as from independent agents, and you need to price shop both so you have a total pricing picture. Independent agents can write coverage with smaller companies that don’t always offer online price quotes.
