Quick Guide to Buying Coverage Online for a Subaru Legacy

Have you had enough of trying to scrape together enough money to pay your car insurance bill each month? You’re in the same situation as many other drivers.

Insurance companies such as GEICO, Farmers Insurance and State Farm continually bombard you with ads and it can be hard to see past the corporate glitz and take the time to shop coverage around.

Why your Subaru Legacy insurance rates may be high

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that help determine auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to big savings.

The following are some of the items used by your company to calculate prices.

Special features that cut premiums – Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft features like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all hinder your vehicle from being stolen.
Do you have a high stress job? – Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupations such as real estate brokers, executives and financial analysts have higher average rates attributed to high stress and long work hours. Conversely, occupations such as farmers, engineers and homemakers get better rates for Legacy coverage.
Add-on coverages can add up – There are a lot of extra bells and whistles that can waste your money on your Legacy policy. Coverages like vanishing deductibles, accident forgiveness and motor club memberships are some examples. These may sound like a good investment when you first buy your policy, but if you don’t need them get rid of them and save.
One company can mean more discounts – Some companies provide better rates to people who carry more than one policy in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, it’s still a good idea to compare rates to verify if the discount is saving money. Drivers may still find a better deal by buying insurance from more than one company.
Do you know you’re credit rating? – Credit rating is a big factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. Drivers with good credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers with lower ratings. If your credit can use some improvement, you could potentially save money when insuring your Subaru Legacy by improving your credit score.
A lapse in coverage is a bad thing – Not having insurance can get your license suspended and as a result your rates will increase for letting your coverage lapse. Not only will you pay more, failure to provide proof of insurance will get you a license revocation or jail time.You may then be required to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with your state motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
A clean driving record saves money – Whether or not you get tickets has a huge affect on how much you pay. Only having one citation can bump up the cost forty percent or more. Drivers who don’t get tickets tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. Drivers with serious tickets like DUI or reckless driving are required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to continue driving.
What are your deductibles? – Physical damage coverage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, protects your Subaru from damage. Some examples of claims that would be covered are a windshield shattered by a rock, damage caused by hail, or theft. Your deductibles are the amount of money you are required to spend out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. The more the insured has to pay upfront, the lower your rates will be for Legacy coverage.

Take advantage of discounts

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but companies offer discounts to help offset the cost. Some trigger automatically when you complete an application, but lesser-known reductions have to be inquired about before being credited.

Good Student Discount – This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. The good student discount can last until age 25.
Save over 55 – Mature drivers may receive reduced rates for Legacy coverage.
Sign Online – A handful of insurance companies may give you up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.
Air Bag Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings of more than 20%.
Student in College – Children who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have a car can receive lower rates.

Consumers should know that many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous. But any discount will cut your overall premium however.

To choose insurance companies with the best auto insurance discounts, click here to view.

Your local neighborhood insurance agent

Certain consumers prefer to visit with an insurance agent. One of the great benefits of comparing insurance prices online is the fact that you can find lower rates but also keep your business local. Supporting local insurance agencies is important particularly in small towns and cities.

For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), your information is submitted to local insurance agents who will battle for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to drive around since price quotes are sent directly to your email. How’s that for easy! You can find the lowest rates and work with a local agent.

Types of insurance agents

When looking for local agents, you need to know there are two types of agencies to choose from. Insurance agencies can either be independent (non-captive) or captive. car insurance

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Independent agents are not required to write business for one company so they can insure your vehicles with many different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If you are not satisfied with one company, the business is moved internally without you having to go to a different agency.

When shopping rates, it’s recommended you include several independent insurance agents to ensure the widest selection of prices.

Agency Captives

These agents write business for a single company and some examples include Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They are unable to compare other company’s rates so they have to upsell other benefits. These agents are well schooled on their products and sales techniques and that can be a competitive advantage.

To view a complete directory of insurance agents, click here.

Picking an auto insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just a low price. These are valid questions to ask:

Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
How often do they review policy coverages?
Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
Can glass repairs be made at your home?

Upon getting positive responses for all questions you ask as well as a affordable price, chances are good that you have found a car insurance agent that meets your needs to service your policy.

Save 15 percent in 15 minutes? Is it for real?

Auto insurance providers like State Farm, GEICO and Progressive continually stream ads on television and other media. They all make the same claim of big savings after switching your policy. How can each company say the same thing?

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the right customer that is profitable for them. For instance, a desirable insured might be between the ages of 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who meets those qualifications receives the best rates and therefore will pay quite a bit less when switching companies.

Potential customers who do not match this ideal profile will be quoted a higher premium which usually ends up with business not being written. Company advertisements say “drivers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much money. This is how insurance companies can advertise the savings.

This emphasizes why you absolutely need to compare many company’s rates. It’s just too difficult to predict which auto insurance company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Is my situation unique?

When buying proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no single plan that fits everyone. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. These are some specific questions may help you determine if your insurance needs might need professional guidance.

How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in my state?
Does my insurance cover my expensive audio equipment?
If my Subaru Legacy is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
Are rental cars covered under my policy?
Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
Should I file a claim if it’s only slightly more than my deductible?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

In Summary

We just showed you a lot of ways to reduce Subaru Legacy insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. Consumers could even find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a small mutual company. Regional companies often have lower prices on specific markets as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm and Allstate.

While you’re price shopping online, make sure you don’t skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There have been many cases where someone dropped full coverage and discovered at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The aim is to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.