No one in their right mind looks forward to buying car insurance, especially knowing the cost is way too high. Lots of auto insurance companies contend for your hard-earned dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates to find the absolute lowest cost out there.
Automobile Insurance Quotes
Finding lower car insurance rates isn’t really that difficult. All you need to do is take a couple of minutes getting comparison quotes provided by online insurance companies. This is very easy and can be done using a couple different methods.
- The fastest way to compare a lot of rates at once would be an industry-wide quote request form like this one (opens in new window). This easy form saves time by eliminating separate forms to each individual car insurance company. One form submission will get you rate comparisons from many national carriers.
- A more difficult way to shop for car insurance online is spending the time to visit each individual company website to complete their respective quote request forms. For sake of this example, we’ll assume you want comparison quotes from Allstate, State Farm and GMAC. To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site and enter your information, and that’s why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in your area, click here.
It’s up to you which method you use, but compare the exact same information with every price quote. If the quotes have mixed coverages it will be impossible to make a fair comparison for your Saturn LS1.
Don’t pay full price with these discounts
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but there could be available discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time of purchase, but a few need to be asked for before they will apply. If they aren’t giving you every credit you qualify for, you are throwing money away.
- Use Seat Belts – Requiring all passengers to use a seat belt can save 10% or more off your medical payments premium.
- Early Switch Discount – Some companies give discounts for signing up before your current policy expires. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Fewer annual miles on your Saturn could qualify for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings of up to 25% or more.
- Claim Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay much less when compared with drivers who are more careless.
- Distant Student – Kids in college who live away from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle may qualify for this discount.
- Defensive Driving Course – Taking part in a defensive driving course could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.
- Drivers Ed for Students – Require your teen driver to take driver’s ed class in school.
- Homeowners Discount – Owning a home may earn you a small savings because maintaining a house shows financial diligence.
- Multi-policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with one insurance company you may save up to 20% off your total premium.
A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way. But all discounts will cut the amount you have to pay.
For a list of providers with the best car insurance discounts, click this link.
Your personal situation dictates your coverage
When buying the best car insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a single plan that fits everyone. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and your policy should reflect that. These are some specific questions can help discover whether you would benefit from professional advice.
- When would I need additional glass coverage?
- When should I not file a claim?
- What happens if I owe more than my Saturn LS1 is worth?
- Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
- Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
- Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
- Will my vehicle be repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
If you can’t answer these questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It is quick, free and can provide invaluable advice.
Why you might be paying too much to insure your Saturn LS1
Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that help determine the rates you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates enables informed choices that may reward you with big savings.
The following are a partial list of the pieces car insurance companies consider when setting rates.
- Drive a safer car and pay less – Vehicles with good safety scores get lower rates. The safest vehicles reduce injuries and lower injury rates translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims passed on to you as lower rates. If your Saturn LS1 earned at least four stars on Safercar.gov or an “acceptable” rating on iihs.org you may qualify for a discount.
- Don’t let your coverage lapse – Driving your car without having proper coverage is illegal and you will pay a penalty because you let your coverage lapse. And not only will your rates increase, but not being able to provide proof of insurance will get you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
- High credit ratings translate to low rates – Having a bad credit rating is a large factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. Consumers who have good credit tend to be less risk to insure than drivers who have lower credit scores. If your credit score can use some improvement, you could be paying less to insure your Saturn LS1 by improving your rating.
- Lower rates with optional equipment – Choosing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Anti-theft devices such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can thwart your vehicle from being stolen.
- Bump up deductibles to save – The deductibles define the amount you are willing to pay out-of-pocket before a claim is paid by your company. Physical damage insurance, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply could be running into the backend of another car, damage from fire, and burglary. The more you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your car insurance will be for LS1 insurance.
- Drive less and save money – Driving more miles in a year the more you will pay for car insurance. The majority of insurers rate vehicles based on their usage. Autos left parked in the garage receive lower rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. If your policy improperly rates your LS1 may be costing you. Make sure your car insurance coverage shows the proper vehicle usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
- Don’t buy coverages you don’t need – There are a ton of extra coverages that can waste your money when buying car insurance. Coverages for personal injury protection, accident forgiveness and term life insurance may be wasting your money. These may sound like a good investment at first, but if they’re wasting money eliminate them to save money.
- Do you have a high stress job? – Did you know your job can affect your rates? Occupations like doctors, architects and dentists tend to pay the highest average rates due to job stress and long work hours. Other professions such as actors, historians and homemakers have the lowest average rates for LS1 insurance.
The car insurance bait and switch
Drivers constantly see and hear ads for cheaper car insurance by companies like GEICO, State Farm and Progressive. All the ads say the same thing that you’ll save big if you switch to them.
How do they all say the same thing? It’s all in the numbers.
All the different companies have a certain “appetite” for the driver that earns them a profit. For instance, a desirable insured might be between 30 and 50, has no prior claims, and has a short commute. A propective insured that hits that “sweet spot” will get the preferred rates and most likely will cut their rates substantially.
Potential customers who fall outside the requirements will have to pay higher prices which leads to the customer not buying. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” not “people who quote” save that much. This is how insurance companies can confidently make the claims of big savings.
Because of the profiling, you need to compare as many rates as you can. It’s impossible to know which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.
One last thing
You just read a lot of information how to save on Saturn LS1 insurance. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may be surprised to find that the best prices are with some of the smallest insurance companies. Some small companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than their larger competitors like Progressive and GEICO.
Cheaper Saturn LS1 insurance can be found online as well as from independent agents, so you should compare both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies don’t offer online quoting and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In many instances, drivers have reduced liability coverage limits to discover at claim time that it was a big mistake. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford.
