Lower Your 1997 Audi A8 Insurance Cost

No normal person rejoices having to buy insurance, in particular when they are paying too much.

Insurance companies such as State Farm, Allstate, Geico and Progressive persitently shower you with fancy advertisements and it can be hard to ignore the flying pigs and cute green geckos and find the best price available.

It is always a good idea to do rate comparisons quite often due to the fact that insurance prices tend to go up over time. Even if you got the best price for A8 coverage six months ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Block out anything you think you know about insurance because you’re about to learn one of the best ways to properly buy coverages while reducing your premium.

Get more affordable insurance costs by understanding these factors

Smart consumers have a good feel for a few of the rating criteria that play a part in calculating the price you pay for car insurance. If you have some idea of what impacts premium levels, this allows you to make good choices that can earn you much lower annual insurance costs. Many different elements are taken into consideration when you quote your car insurance policy. Some are obvious like an MVR report, but others are less obvious like your vehicle usage or how financially stable you are.

• When should you not file a car insurance claims? – If you’re an insured who likes to file claims you shouldn’t be surprised to get increased rates or even have your policy non-renewed. Insurance companies generally give lower rates to people who do not file claims often. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of major claims that would cause financial hardship.
• Liability protection is critical – Liability insurance provides coverage if ever you are responsible for physical damage or personal injury to other. It provides legal defense which can cost a lot. It is affordable coverage when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not skimp.
• Bump up physical damage deductibles to lower rates – Comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles state the amount of money you are required to spend out-of-pocket if the claim is covered. Insurance for physical damage to your car, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, insures against damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be a windshield broken by a bird, collision with a deer, and damage caused by road hazards. The more of the claim the insured is willing to pay, the bigger discount you will receive for A8 coverage.
• Avoid traffic tickets – How you drive can have a huge impact on auto insurance premiums. Good drivers tend to pay less for car insurance compared to bad drivers. Having a single citation can increase the cost of insurance to the point where it’s not affordable. Drivers who have received multiple tickets like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may need to maintain a SR-22 with their state motor vehicle department in order to legally drive.
• Safer the car lower the rate – Vehicles with good safety scores are cheaper to insure. Safer cars reduce the chance of injuries and better occupant protection means your insurance company pays less passed on to you as lower rates. If your Audi is rated at a minimum four stars on Safercar.gov you are probably receiving a discount.
• Only buy extra policy coverages you need – Insurance policies have a lot of extra coverages that can add up if you don’t pay attention. Coverage for things like rental car coverage, accident forgiveness, and additional equipment coverage may be costing you every month. The coverages may be enticing initially, but if you’ve never needed them in the past eliminate them to save money.

Compare free insurance quotes

When comparison shopping, there are several ways to get quotes from different companies. The easiest way by far to comparison shop is to get quotes online. This can be done in a couple of different ways.

• If you are pressed for time, the simplest way to find low rates is a comparison rater form (click to open form in new window). This easy form saves time by eliminating repetitive form entry for each company. One quote request will return quotes direct from many companies.
• Another way to analyze rates requires you to visit each individual company website to complete their respective quote request forms. For instance, we’ll pretend you want to compare prices for Allstate, 21st Century and Farmers. In order to get each rate, you would have to navigate to each company’s site and punch in your information repeatedly, which is why the first method is more popular. For a handy list of car insurance company links in your area, click here.
• If you have time to kill, the last way to quote and compare insurance rates is to drive around to insurance agencies in your area. The fact that you can get quotes online has reduced the need for local agents unless you require the trained guidance that you can only get from talking to an agent. If you prefer, some companies allow you to get prices online but purchase the actual policy in an agency.

The method you choose is up to you, but ensure you are comparing apples-to-apples coverage data for every quote you compare. If you are comparing unequal deductibles or liability limits you will not be able to decipher which rate is best. Even a minor difference in coverages can result in a big premium difference. It’s important to know that comparing a large number of companies helps increase your odds of locating more affordable insurance.

Save with these discounts

Car insurance companies don’t always publicize their entire list of discounts very well, so we took the time to find both well-publicized and the more hidden credits available to lower your premiums when you buy auto insurance online. If you do not check that you are getting every discount you deserve, you’re just leaving money on the table.

• Good Driver Discounts – Drivers who avoid accidents could pay up to 40% less for A8 coverage than drivers with accidents.
• Discount for Life Insurance – Not all car insurance companies offer life insurance, but some may give you a lower price if you buy a life policy as well.
• Theft Prevention System – Vehicles that have factory alarm systems and tracking devices are less likely to be stolen and will save you 10% or more.
• First Accident Forgiveness – This isn’t a discount exactly, but companies like Liberty Mutual, Allstate and State Farm will let one accident slide without the usual rate increase if you are claim-free for a certain period of time.
• Home Ownership Discount – Just owning your own home may trigger a policy discount on car insurance because of the fact that having a home demonstrates responsibility.

While discounts sound great, it’s important to understand that many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though you would think you could get a free car insurance policy, it just doesn’t work that way. Any qualifying discounts should definitely cut your policy premium.

Some of the larger companies that may offer quotes with these discounts include:

• State Farm
• American Family
• Geico
• 21st Century
• Progressive

Before purchasing a policy, check with every insurance company to give you their best rates. Depending on the company, some discounts may not apply to policies in your area. To choose companies with the best car insurance discounts, click this link.

Special considerations

When it comes to buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Every situation is different and your policy should reflect that. For example, these questions might help in determining whether or not you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• How much underlying liability do I need for an umbrella policy?
• Am I covered if hit by an uninsured driver?
• If my 1997 Audi A8 is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
• Am I getting all the discounts available?
• Should I buy full coverage?
• What if I don’t agree with a claim settlement offer?
• What is an SR-22 filing?
• Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
• Is my custom paint covered by insurance?

If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to 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.

Car insurance 101

Having a good grasp of your insurance policy can help you determine appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and coverage can change by endorsement. Below you’ll find typical coverage types available from insurance companies.

Collision coverage protection

This coverage covers damage to your A8 from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision coverage pays for things like crashing into a ditch, colliding with another moving vehicle and hitting a parking meter. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from lower value vehicles. Another option is to choose a higher deductible to bring the cost down.

Comprehensive insurance

Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive insurance covers things such as fire damage, vandalism, damage from a tornado or hurricane, damage from getting keyed and damage from flooding. The highest amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection when other motorists either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your 1997 Audi A8.

Since many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Usually these coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Med pay and PIP coverage kick in for short-term medical expenses for things like dental work, hospital visits, surgery, funeral costs and rehabilitation expenses. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance plan or if you do not have health coverage. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Auto liability insurance

Liability insurance will cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property by causing an accident. It protects YOU from legal claims by others. It does not cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have values of 100/300/100 that means you have $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Some companies may use a combined single limit or CSL which limits claims to one amount without having the split limit caps.

Liability insurance covers claims like structural damage, bail bonds and medical services. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but buy as much as you can afford.

Get your money’s worth

We just presented some good ideas how to compare 1997 Audi A8 insurance rates online. It’s most important to understand that the more rate quotes you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding affordable auto insurance. You may be surprised to find that the lowest rates are with the smaller companies. These companies may only write in your state and offer lower car insurance rates than their larger competitors like Allstate or State Farm.

Some insurance companies may not provide price quotes online smaller providers sell through independent agents. Affordable 1997 Audi A8 insurance can be found online in addition to local insurance agencies, so compare prices from both in order to have the best chance of saving money.

When getting auto insurance quotes online, never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are many occasions where someone dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits and learned later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your objective should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate, but do not skimp to save money.

More tips and info about insurance is located in these articles:

• Teen Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Auto Insurance Facts and Statistics (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Teen Driving Statistics (Geico)
• Insurance Losses by Make and Model (iihs.org)