Lower Your 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara Insurance Cost

Expensive insurance coverage can sap your accounts and put a big crunch on your finances. Performing a price comparison can help to cut your insurance bill.

Companies like Progressive, State Farm and GEICO all promote huge savings with TV and radio ads and it can be hard to not get sucked in by the cute commercials and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

If you have a policy now or are looking for a new policy, you can learn to cut your premiums while maintaining coverages. Choosing the best insurance company for you is not that difficult. Drivers only need to know how to find the lowest price online.

Cheaper rates by applying discounts

Companies do not advertise every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we researched some of the more common and the more hidden auto insurance savings. If you don’t get every credit available, you’re paying more than you need to.

  • Distant College Student Discount – College-age children who attend college more than 100 miles from home and do not take a car to college could get you a discount.
  • Defensive Driving Course – Taking a class that teaches defensive driver techniques may get you a small discount and also improve your driving technique.
  • Claim Free – Drivers who stay claim-free are rewarded with significantly better rates on insurance quote in comparison with drivers who are more careless.
  • Accident Forgiveness Coverage – Not really a discount, but companies like GEICO, Progressive, and Allstate may permit one accident without getting socked with a rate hike with the catch being you have to be claim-free for a specific time period.
  • Memberships – Being in a civic or occupational organization may earn a discount on your bill.
  • Payment Method – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time rather than paying in monthly installments you could save 5% or more.

Keep in mind that most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. If you do the math and it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, that’s just not realistic.

Companies and their offered discounts are included below.

  • American Family may include discounts for early bird, Steer into Savings, bundled insurance, TimeAway discount, accident-free, and defensive driver.
  • Farm Bureau discounts include 55 and retired, multi-policy, safe driver, multi-vehicle, renewal discount, good student, and youthful driver.
  • State Farm has discounts for good student, multiple autos, Steer Clear safe driver discount, accident-free, passive restraint, safe vehicle, and student away at school.
  • Travelers may offer discounts for home ownership, hybrid/electric vehicle, multi-car, multi-policy, and good student.
  • The Hartford may have discounts that include bundle, air bag, good student, driver training, defensive driver, and vehicle fuel type.
  • GEICO offers premium reductions for anti-theft, emergency military deployment, multi-policy, defensive driver, good student, and military active duty.
  • Progressive includes discounts for good student, multi-policy, homeowner, online signing, online quote discount, and continuous coverage.

When comparing rates, check with each company how you can save money. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not be offered everywhere. To see a list of providers with significant discounts, follow this link.

Choices you make can impact your insurance costs

A large part of saving on car insurance is knowing some of the factors that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. When you understand what controls the rates you pay, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that could help you find big savings.

  • Too many claims will drive premiums up – If you are the type of insured that files lots of claims don’t be surprised to see increased rates or even have your policy non-renewed. Companies provide the lowest premiums to people that do not abuse their auto insurance. Your car insurance is meant to be used in the event of the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
  • Single drivers take more risk – Walking down the aisle can get you a discount on your policy. Marriage usually means you are more responsible and it’s statistically proven that drivers who are married file infrequent claims.
  • Obey driving laws and save – Having just one moving violation could increase your next policy renewal by as much as twenty percent. Drivers who don’t get tickets pay less for auto insurance as compared to those with violations. People who have serious tickets like DUI, reckless driving or excessive speeding are required to maintain a SR-22 with their state motor vehicle department in order to drive a vehicle legally.
  • Prevent car insurance policy lapses – Having a gap between insurance policy dates is a quick way to pay more for car insurance. In addition to paying higher premiums, being ticketed for driving with no insurance could earn you a steep fine or even jail time.

Your auto insurance coverage should be tailored to you

When choosing the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s situation is a little different and your policy should reflect that. These are some specific questions might point out whether your personal situation may require specific advice.

  • Is a new car covered when I drive it off the dealer lot?
  • Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
  • Am I better off with higher deductibles on my 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara?
  • Should I bundle my homeowners policy with my auto?
  • When would I need rental car insurance?
  • If my 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
  • Am I insured when driving a different vehicle?
  • Should I get collision insurance on every vehicle?
  • Do I get a pro-rated refund if I cancel my policy early?
  • Are all vehicle passengers covered by medical payments coverage?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.

Car insurance ads bend the truth

Consumers can’t ignore all the ads that claim the cheapest premium rates by Progressive, Allstate and GEICO. All the ads advertise claims that people will save if you switch your coverage to them.

Is it even possible that every company can charge less that you’re paying now? Just pay attention to how they say it.

Most companies quote their cheapest rates for the right customer that will not have excessive claims. One example of a profitable risk profile may need to be between 30 and 50, is a homeowner, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. Any new insured that hits that “sweet spot” will qualify for the lowest rates and will also save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who may not quite match these criteria will have to pay more expensive rates which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. If you pay close attention to the ads, they say “drivers that switch” but not “all drivers who get quotes” save that much money. That is how companies can truthfully advertise the savings. This really illustrates why you really need to do a price quote comparison at every renewal. It’s not possible to predict which car insurance company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Car insurance coverages 101

Knowing the specifics of your car insurance policy can be of help when determining which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. Car insurance terms can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy. These are typical coverage types found on the average car insurance policy.

Auto liability – This coverage provides protection from damage or injury you incur to other’s property or people. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others. Liability doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. Your policy might show values of 25/50/25 which stand for a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a total of $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property.

Liability coverage pays for things such as medical expenses, court costs and legal defense fees. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible.

Collision coverages – Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision coverage pays for claims like damaging your car on a curb, backing into a parked car, sustaining damage from a pot hole, rolling your car and hitting a parking meter. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for short-term medical expenses for ambulance fees, hospital visits and funeral costs. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not available in all states and may carry a deductible

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) – This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea.

Comprehensive insurance – Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for things such as a broken windshield, hitting a bird, damage from a tornado or hurricane and hail damage. The maximum amount your car insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Save your cold hard cash

Budget-friendly car insurance is possible from both online companies in addition to local insurance agencies, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best selection. Some insurance companies may not provide rates over the internet and most of the time these smaller providers only sell coverage through independent insurance agents.

In this article, we covered a lot of information how to reduce 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara insurance premium rates online. It’s most important to understand that the more companies you get prices for, the higher your chance of finding affordable insurance. You may be surprised to find that the lowest priced car insurance comes from the least-expected company. Some small companies may only write in your state and offer lower prices as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.

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