Six Minute Guide for Finding the Best Toyota Prius Insurance

Consumers have lots of choices when looking for affordable Toyota Prius insurance. They can either waste time driving around getting price quotes or save time using the internet to find the lowest rates.

There are both good and bad ways to find car insurance online so you’re going to learn the absolute fastest way to get price quotes for your Toyota and locate the best price possible either online or from local insurance agents.

It’s important to compare rates yearly because prices change frequently. Even if you got the lowest price six months ago you can probably find a lower rate today. There is too much inaccurate information about car insurance online, so I’m going to show you some great ways to stop overpaying for insurance.

Pricing the lowest cost protection is not that difficult. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using these techniques. Although drivers do need to understand how big insurance companies price online insurance and take advantage of how the system works.

How to Get Cheap Car Insurance

There are several ways to get rate comparisons from local car insurance companies. The best method to find the lowest Toyota Prius rates involves getting comparison quotes online. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.

1. The easiest and least time consuming way to find the lowest comparison rates is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This type of form prevents you from having to do boring form submissions for each company you want a rate for. Just one form will get you rate comparisons from car insurance companies with the best prices. Just one form and you’re done.
2. Another way to compare rate quotes is spending the time to visit the website for each individual company and request a quote. For sake of this example, let’s say you want to compare GEICO, Esurance and American Family. To get each rate you have to go to every website and enter your policy data, and that’s why the first method is more popular. For a list of links to insurance companies in your area, click here.

Which method you use is up to you, but make darn sure you compare identical information for every quote you compare. If you compare different liability limits you can’t possibly determine the lowest rate for your Toyota Prius. Slightly different coverages can mean a large discrepancy in price. And when comparing car insurance rates, know that obtaining a wide range of quotes provides better odds of getting the best price.

Toyota Prius insurance rate factors

Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that play a part in calculating the price you pay for car insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.

Shown below are some of the factors that insurance companies take into consideration when determining the rates you pay.

How many coverages with the same company – Some insurance companies give discounts to customers who have multiple policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even if you’re getting this discount you still need to compare other company rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.

Don’t let your coverage lapse – Not having insurance is a misdemeanor and your next policy will cost more because you let your coverage lapse. Not only will rates go up, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance may earn you a license revocation or jail time.You may have to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with your state DMV.

Are you male or female? – Statistics have proven that women are safer drivers than men. Now that doesn’t mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Both sexes have accidents in similar percentages, but men tend to have more serious accidents. Men also get more serious tickets such as DWI and reckless driving.

Small claims can cost you – Insurance companies generally give lower rates to insureds who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you file claims often, you can expect either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Your insurance policy is designed for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.

Your occupation can affect rates – Occupations like lawyers, social workers and financial analysts are shown to have higher average rates because of high stress levels and long work days. Conversely, occupations like pilots, engineers and retirees pay the least.

Where you live – Residing in small towns and rural areas has it’s advantages when insuring your vehicles. Urban drivers tend to have congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Less people living in that area means reduced accidents.

Cut your premium with discounts

Car insurance is not cheap, but you can get discounts that you may not even be aware of. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time of purchase, but a few need to be requested specifically before they will apply.

• Government Employees – Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off with certain companies.
• Anti-lock Brakes – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can avoid accidents and will save you 10% or more.
• Low Mileage – Low mileage vehicles can earn a substantially lower rate.
• E-sign – A few companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying your policy over the internet.
• Accident Waiver – Certain companies will forgive one accident before your rates go up if you are claim-free for a set time period.
• Clubs and Organizations – Participating in a qualifying organization may earn a discount on your policy.
• Discount for New Cars – Buying coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
• Own a Home – Being a homeowner can save you money because maintaining a house is proof that your finances are in order.
• Discount for Swiching Early – Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching policies prior to your current policy expiring. The savings is around 10%.
• Multi-policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with one company you could get a discount of at least 10% off all policies.

Keep in mind that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Most cut individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So when it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it just doesn’t work that way. Any amount of discount will bring down the amount you have to pay.

What is the best insurance coverage?

When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a best way to insure your cars. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.

For example, these questions might point out whether or not your insurance needs might need professional guidance.

• Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
• Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
• Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
• What are no-fault laws?
• Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
• Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
• How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be my state?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form.

One last thing about your coverage

When trying to cut insurance costs, make sure you don’t sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. Too many times, consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage only to find out they didn’t have enough coverage. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

Affordable Toyota Prius insurance can be found online in addition to most insurance agents, so compare prices from both to get a complete price analysis. Independent insurance agents are able to place your coverage with regional insurance providers who do not offer you the ability to get quotes online.

We just showed you many ways to lower your Prius rates and it’s important to understand that the more you quote, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may be surprised to find that the best prices are with some of the smallest insurance companies.