Save on 2010 Honda Element Insurance Rates

I really doubt anyone looks forward to paying for insurance, particularly when they could lower their rates if they shopped around.

Insurance companies such as Allstate, Progressive and GEICO all claim big savings, bombarding you with ad campaigns and it is difficult to separate fact from fiction and find the best price available.

It’s a good habit to compare premium rates before your policy renews since prices trend upward over time. Despite the fact that you may have had the best rates on Element insurance two years ago there is a good chance you can find better rate quotes now. Ignore everything you know about insurance because you’re going to learn one of the quickest ways to find better rates and still maintain coverage.

If you have car insurance now, you will most likely be able to cut costs considerably using these methods. Buying car insurance is not rocket science. Nevertheless, vehicle owners can benefit by having an understanding of how big insurance companies price insurance differently.

Honda Element insurance cost factors

When buying insurance it’s important to understand some of the factors that help calculate your premiums. If you understand what determines premiums, this allows you to make good choices that can help you get lower premium levels. Multiple criteria are considered when premium rates are determined. Some are obvious such as your driving record, although some other factors are more obscure such as your credit history and annual miles driven.

  • Where you reside factors in – Having an address in a rural area can save you money if you are looking for the lowest rates. Fewer drivers translates into fewer accident claims and a lower car theft rate. People who live in big cities tend to have much more traffic and more severe claims. More time on the road means higher likelihood of an accident.
  • Getting married pays dividends – Having a wife or husband can get you a discount when buying insurance. It may mean you are less irresponsible and insurance companies reward insureds because being married results in fewer claims.
  • Do females or males drive better? – Statistics demonstrate that females tend to be a little less risky than males. The data does not necessarily mean that women are better drivers. Both genders are responsible for fender benders at a similar rate, but males have costlier accidents. In addition to higher claims, males also have more aggressive citations like driving under the influence (DUI). Male teenagers are most likely to cause an accident and therefore pay the highest rates.
  • Extra coverages can cost a lot – Insurance policies have a lot of add-on coverages you can purchase if you don’t pay attention. Things like rental car reimbursement, towing coverage, and extra life insurance coverage could be just wasting money. The coverages may be enticing when discussing your needs, but if you have no use for them remove them from your policy.
  • Higher prices for stressful jobs – Careers such as military personnel, social workers and miners tend to have higher premium rates attributed to stressful work requirements and lots of time spent away from family. Conversely, jobs such as professors, engineers and retirees have the lowest average rates on Element insurance.
  • Expect high rates for teens – Teenage drivers are known to be more careless behind the wheel therefore insurance rates are much higher. Older people have been proven to be more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and get fewer tickets.
  • How much liability – Liability coverage is the protection if you are found to be at fault for damages from an accident. Liability provides legal defense to defend your case. Liability is cheap compared to comp and collision, so do not skimp.
  • Bad credit hurts insurance rates – A driver’s credit rating factor in your rate calculation. So if your credit can use some improvement, you could save money insuring your 2010 Honda Element if you improve your credit rating. Insureds that have good credit tend to be more responsible than drivers with bad credit.

Lower-cost car insurance quotes with discounts

Car insurance is not inexpensive, but companies offer discounts to cut the cost considerably. Some discounts will apply at the time of quoting, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked about prior to receiving the credit.

  • Accident Forgiveness Coverage – This one isn’t a discount, but companies like Progressive, State Farm and GEICO allow you one accident before your rates go up if you are claim-free for a certain period of time.
  • Resident Student – Any of your kids who live away from home at college and leave their car at home can receive lower rates.
  • Paperless Signup – Some insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying a policy and signing up online.
  • Student Discounts – Excelling in school can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts until age 25.
  • Multi-policy Discount – If you combine your auto and home policies and insure them with the same company you will save over 10 percent off each policy depending on the company.
  • Defensive Driver – Passing a defensive driving course can save you 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
  • Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars with ABS braking systems or traction control can reduce accidents so you can save 10 percent or more.
  • Multiple Vehicles – Buying coverage for several vehicles on one policy can get a discount for every vehicle.
  • Seat Belts Save – Drivers who require all occupants to buckle their seat belts may be able to save a few bucks off PIP or medical payments premium.

One thing to note about discounts is that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Despite the appearance that you could get a free car insurance policy, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.

If you would like to choose from a list of companies that offer multiple discounts, follow this link.

The largest companies are not always cheapest

Insurance providers like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO continually stream ads in print and on television. They all seem to tend to make the same promise about saving some big amount if you move your coverage. How does every insurance company save you money? It’s all in the wording.

Insurance companies have specific criteria for the type of driver that is profitable for them. One example of this type of risk profile might have to be over the age of 40, carries full coverage, and has a short commute. Any driver that hits that “sweet spot” will most likely get cheap prices and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Drivers who don’t measure up to those standards will probably be forced to pay a higher rate with the end result being the customer buying from someone else. Company advertisements say “people that switch” not “all people who quote” will save that much if they switch. That is how insurance companies can confidently state the savings. This emphasizes why drivers should get insurance quotes from several different companies. Because without a comparison, you cannot know which company will give you the biggest savings.

Tailor your insurance coverage coverage to you

When choosing the right insurance coverage, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s needs are different so your insurance should reflect that Here are some questions about coverages that might point out if your insurance needs would benefit from professional advice.

  • Do I have coverage if my license is suspended?
  • Are all vehicle passengers covered by medical payments coverage?
  • Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?
  • Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
  • Should I buy full coverage?
  • What is medical payments coverage?
  • What is UM/UIM insurance?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Auto insurance coverages

Having a good grasp of your policy can be of help when determining the right coverages for your vehicles. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring. These are the normal coverages found on the average insurance policy.

Collision – Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your Element from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage protects against things such as crashing into a building, colliding with another moving vehicle, driving through your garage door and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. Another option is to bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Comprehensive or Other Than Collision – This pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against things such as falling objects, damage from getting keyed, fire damage and vandalism. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

UM/UIM Coverage – This protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your 2010 Honda Element.

Since many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.

Liability car insurance – This can cover damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property that is your fault. This insurance protects YOU against other people’s claims, and does not provide coverage for your own vehicle damage or injuries.

Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show liability limits of 50/100/50 which stand for $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and property damage coverage for $50,000.

Liability coverage protects against claims like structural damage, legal defense fees, court costs, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and medical services. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible.

Medical costs insurance – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for immediate expenses like nursing services, dental work, ambulance fees and pain medications. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers all vehicle occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Be a Smart Shopper

As you prepare to switch companies, you should never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In many instances, an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to discover later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your objective should be to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest cost and still be able to protect your assets.

In this article, we covered a lot of ways to reduce 2010 Honda Element insurance car insurance rates online. The key thing to remember is the more you quote insurance, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the lowest car insurance rates are with the least-expected company. Regional companies may cover specific market segments cheaper as compared to the big name companies such as Progressive and GEICO.

Some insurance coverage companies may not provide online quoting and these smaller providers prefer to sell through independent agents. Discount 2010 Honda Element insurance can be found from both online companies in addition to many insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from.

Much more information about insurance coverage can be read on the following sites: