Cheaper 1998 Nissan Altima Car Insurance Rates

Looking for the cheapest auto insurance rates for your Nissan Altima? Are you irritated from scraping nickels together each month for auto insurance? Your situation is no different than many other consumers. Insurance companies such as Geico, Farmers Insurance and State Farm persitently shower you with catchy ads and it is difficult to ignore the flying pigs and cute green geckos and find the best price available.

Find discounts on insurance coverage

Companies don’t always advertise every disount available very clearly, so we researched a few of the more common and also the more inconspicuous discounts that you can inquire about if you buy insurance online.

• First Accident Forgiveness – but a handful of insurance companies allow you one accident without getting socked with a rate hike as long as you don’t have any claims for a set time period.
• Federal Employees – Having worked for a branch of the government could provide a small rate reduction on Altima coverage with some insurance coverage companies.
• Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to buckle up can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
• Savings for New Vehicles – Buying a new car model can save up to 30% because new model year vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
• Safe Driver Discounts – Insureds without accidents can pay as much as 50% less on Altima coverage as compared to drivers with claims.
• Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Low mileage vehicles may enable drivers to earn discounted premium rates on garaged vehicles.
• Defensive Driving Course – Completing a driver safety course could possibly earn you a 5% discount if you qualify.
• Claim Free – Good drivers with no accidents can save substantially in comparison with drivers who are more careless.

One thing to note about discounts is that most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like you could get a free insurance coverage policy, you aren’t that lucky.

Companies who might offer these discounts include:

• State Farm
• Geico
• Liberty Mutual
• The Hartford
• MetLife
• Progressive

If you are trying to find cheaper insurance quotes, ask every prospective company to apply every possible discount. Savings may not be offered in your area. If you would like to see a list of insurance coverage companies that offer some of these discounts, click this link.

Tailor your insurance coverage to you

When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage, there really is no single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s situation is unique and your policy should reflect that. Here are some questions about coverages that might point out whether or not you might need an agent’s assistance.

• Do I have newly-aquired coverage?
• Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
• Should I rate my 1998 Nissan Altima as pleasure use or commute?
• Am I covered if I hit my neighbor’s mailbox?
• Is upholstery damage covered by car insurance?
• Should I file a claim if it’s only slightly more than my deductible?
• Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
• Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my 1998 Nissan Altima is totaled?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It’s fast, free and can provide invaluable advice.

Auto insurance advertising gotchas

Consumers can’t get away from all the ads that claim the lowest premium rates by State Farm, Geico and Progressive. All the companies advertise claims of big savings if you change to their company.

That’s great but how can every company make the same claim? This is the way they can do it.

Companies require specific criteria for the right customer that will most likely be profitable. One example of this type of insured could be over the age of 50, has a low-risk occupation, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Anybody that fits those parameters is entitled to the best price and will save money with a new company.

Consumers who fall short of this stringent profile will get higher prices and ends up with the customer not purchasing. The trick companies use is to say “people that switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” can save as much as they claim. That’s why insurance companies can make those claims. Because of this risk profiling, you really need to compare free insurance quotes often. Because you never know which company will have the best car insurance rates at this point in time.

Insurance coverage breakdown

Understanding the coverages of your policy can be of help when determining appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. These are the usual coverages found on the average insurance policy.

Liability coverages – Liability coverage will cover damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property in an accident. This coverage protects you from claims by other people. It does not cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

It consists of three limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You commonly see liability limits of 100/300/100 which means a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery.

Liability can pay for things such as medical services, funeral expenses, repair costs for stationary objects and attorney fees. How much coverage you buy is a personal decision, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford.

Comprehensive or Other Than Collision – Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. A deductible will apply then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive coverage pays for things such as fire damage, hail damage, damage from getting keyed, a broken windshield and hitting a deer. The highest amount a insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

UM/UIM Coverage – This coverage gives you protection from other drivers when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Due to the fact that many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea.

Medical costs insurance – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for bills such as EMT expenses, funeral costs, doctor visits, ambulance fees and X-ray expenses. They can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. It covers all vehicle occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP coverage is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Collision – Collision coverage covers damage to your Altima resulting from a collision with another car or object. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision insurance covers claims such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, scraping a guard rail, colliding with a tree and sideswiping another vehicle. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also raise the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

More quotes. Lower rates.

When shopping online for insurance, don’t be tempted to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are many occasions where an insured cut comprehensive coverage or liability limits and discovered at claim time that it was a big mistake. Your objective should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the lowest possible cost, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.

Cheaper 1998 Nissan Altima insurance is possible both online and with local insurance agents, so get free insurance quotes from both of them to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies do not provide price quotes online and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through local independent agents.

Other information

• Collision Insurance Coverage (Nationwide)
• Eight Auto Insurance Myths (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Get the Right Protection (InsureUonline.org)
• Distracted Driving (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Older Drivers FAQ (iihs.org)