Cheap 2008 Kia Optima Car Insurance Quotes

Being forced to pay for overpriced car insurance premiums can eat up your funds and require stricter spending habits. Getting a rate comparison is a great way to make sure you’re not throwing money away.

Big-name insurance companies like GEICO and Progressive persitently shower you with advertising and it is challenging if not impossible to separate fact from fiction and take the time to shop coverage around.

Six factors that influence insurance prices

Many things are used when pricing auto insurance. Most are fairly basic such as traffic violations, but other criteria are not quite as obvious like your vehicle usage and annual miles driven.

Long commutes cost more – The more you drive your Kia in a year the higher your rate. A lot of companies charge rates based on how the vehicle is used. Autos that do not get driven very much can get a lower rate than cars that get driven a lot. Having an incorrect usage rating on your Optima may be costing you. Ask your agent if your insurance coverage policy properly reflects the proper vehicle usage.
Rates and your address – Being located in a small town has definite advantages when shopping for auto insurance. People who live in big cities have more aggressive driving styles and a longer drive to work. Lower population translates into fewer accidents and lower theft and vandalism rates.
Liability coverage – The liability section of your policy is the coverage that protects you if ever you are determined to be liable for causing personal injury or damage in an accident. Liability insurance provides legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so buy as much as you can afford.
Single vs. married – Being married may earn you lower rates on insurance coverage. Marriage means you’re more mature and responsible and it’s statistically proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
Policy add-ons may be wasting money – There are a ton of additional extra coverages that sound like a good idea at the time if you aren’t careful. Things like roadside assistance, accident forgiveness, and additional equipment coverage may be costing you every month. They may seem like a good idea when deciding what coverages you need, but if you’ve never needed them in the past eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
Never go without insurance coverage – Letting your insurance expire will be a guaranteed way to increase your insurance coverage rates. And not only will your rates increase, the inability to provide proof of insurance will get you a fine, jail time, or a revoked license. You may have to file a SR-22 with your state motor vehicle department.

Cut your car insurance rates with discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don’t list the complete list of policy discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the following list contains a few of the more common and also the more inconspicuous credits available to you.

Waiver for an Accident – Not necessarily a discount, but a few companies such as GEICO and Liberty Mutual will turn a blind eye to one accident without getting socked with a rate hike if you have no claims prior to being involved in the accident.
Discounts for Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who require all occupants to fasten their seat belts could cut 10% or more on the premium charged for medical payments and/or PIP.
Club Memberships – Being in specific professional or occupational memberships or organizations is a good way to get lower rates when shopping for car insurance.
Paperwork-free – Some of the larger companies will give a small break for signing up online.
Policy Bundle Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles and insure them with the same company you could save over 10 percent off each policy depending on the company.
Save over 55 – Older drivers could receive a slight reduction on a auto insurance quote on Optima insurance.
Passive Restraints – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts may get savings of 20% or more.

We need to note that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though it sounds like adding up those discounts means a free policy, nobody gets a free ride.

Large car insurance companies and some of their more popular discounts can be found below.

American Family has savings for good driver, good student, TimeAway discount, Steer into Savings, and air bags.
State Farm includes discounts for Drive Safe & Save, driver’s education, passive restraint, student away at school, safe vehicle, and accident-free.
21st Century may have discounts that include theft prevention, homeowners, student driver, teen driver, 55 and older, defensive driver, and air bags.
Travelers may include discounts for continuous insurance, payment discounts, good student, new car, and multi-car.
GEICO offers discounts for federal employee, five-year accident-free, emergency military deployment, membership and employees, and daytime running lights.

It’s a good idea to ask all the companies how many discounts you can get. A few discounts might not apply in your area.

Can switching companies really save?

Popular car insurance providers such as State Farm and Allstate continually stream ads on television and other media. They all seem to seem to make the promise that drivers can save some big amount if you move your coverage. How can each company charge less that you’re paying now? This is how they do it.

Companies look for specific characteristics for a prospective insured that will add to their bottom line. For example, this type of risk profile may be over the age of 35, insures multiple vehicles, and has excellent credit. A customer getting a price quote who fits those characteristics receive the lowest rate quotes and will save if they switch.

Drivers who are not a match for the requirements will see a more expensive rate which results in the customer not purchasing. The ad wording is “drivers that switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save that much money. That’s why insurance companies can advertise the savings.

Because of these techniques, you really need to compare rate quotes every year. You cannot predict the company that will have the lowest auto insurance rates for your situation.

You are unique and your auto insurance should be too

When choosing the right insurance coverage, there isn’t really a “perfect” insurance plan. Each situation is unique so your insurance should reflect that Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight whether your personal situation may require specific advice.

Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
What is the minimum liability in my state?
When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
Are my friends covered when driving my car?
Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
Do I have coverage when making deliveries for my home business?
Will filing a claim cost me more?
Does coverage extend to Mexico or Canada?
Does coverage extend to my business vehicle?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

The coverage is in the details

Knowing the specifics of your policy helps when choosing the right coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be difficult to understand and coverage can change by endorsement. These are typical coverages found on the average insurance policy.

Liability – Liability insurance provides protection from damage or injury you incur to other people or property. It protects YOU from legal claims by others, and doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have values of 100/300/100 that means you have $100,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Some companies may use one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which limits claims to one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability can pay for claims like pain and suffering, medical expenses, attorney fees and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but consider buying higher limits if possible.

Comprehensive auto coverage – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as damage from getting keyed, rock chips in glass, hitting a deer, damage from a tornado or hurricane and hitting a bird. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Collision – This coverage covers damage to your Optima resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision coverage protects against things like rolling your car, hitting a mailbox, scraping a guard rail, driving through your garage door and crashing into a ditch. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. You can also bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your Kia Optima.

Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage is very important. Usually the UM/UIM limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.

Medical payments and PIP coverage – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for bills for chiropractic care, funeral costs and doctor visits. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not universally available but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Saving money makes a lot of cents

We just presented many tips how you can get a better price on 2008 Kia Optima insurance. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get prices for, the better likelihood of getting the cheapest auto insurance. Consumers could even find that the most savings is with a smaller regional carrier. Smaller companies may only write in your state and offer lower prices than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.

When shopping online for car insurance, make sure you don’t reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many cases where drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits and found out when filing a claim they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your objective should be to buy enough coverage at the best cost while not skimping on critical coverages.

Cheaper 2008 Kia Optima insurance is definitely available from both online companies and from local insurance agents, and you should be comparing both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance providers don’t offer online rate quotes and most of the time these regional insurance providers work with local independent agents.