2001 Oldsmobile Alero Insurance Rates – 6 Discounts for Cheapest Quotes

Searching for better car insurance rates for your Oldsmobile Alero? Being forced to pay for overpriced car insurance premiums can deplete your bank account and force you to make tough financial choices. Comparing rates annually can be a smart way to make ends meet.

Since you have so many different company options, it can be diffult for drivers to find the lowest cost car insurance company.

It’s a great practice to shop coverage around yearly since insurance prices are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Despite the fact that you may have had the best price for Alero insurance a few years ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you’re going to get a crash course in how to use online quotes to remove unneeded coverages and save money.

How to buy insurance

There are several ways to shop for insurance, but one way is less time-consuming than others. You can waste a few hours (or days) talking about coverages with local insurance agents in your area, or you can utilize online quoting to achieve your goal.

Many companies take part in a program where prospective buyers complete one form, and each participating company can provide price quotes determined by their information. This system prevents you from having to do repetitive form submissions for every insurance company. To find out how much you’re overpaying now click here (opens in new window).

The single downside to using this type of form is you can’t choose which companies you want pricing from. If you wish to select from a list of companies to request quotes from, we have a page of insurance companies in your area. View list of insurance companies.

The approach you take is up to you, just ensure you are comparing the same deductibles and coverage limits for each quote you get. If each company quotes higher or lower deductibles it will be nearly impossible to truly determine the lowest rate.

But the ad said I’d save 15% in 15 minutes!

Drivers can’t ignore all the ads for cheaper insurance by companies like Allstate, Geico and Progressive. They all try to convey promises that you’ll save big after switching to their company.

Is it even possible that every company can give you a better price? Here is the trick they use.

Different companies have specific criteria for the type of driver that will be a good risk. An example of a profitable insured may need to be over the age of 50, owns their home, and drives a lower-performance vehicle. Any driver that matches those criteria will get low rates and will most likely cut their rates if they switch.

Potential customers who do not fit these standards must pay higher premiums which results in the customer not buying. If you pay attention, the ads say “drivers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” will save that much if they switch. That’s why companies can truthfully claim big savings.

Because every company is different, you really need to quote coverage with many companies. Because you never know which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

Cheaper insurance rates with discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don’t necessarily list every available discount very clearly, so the list below contains both the well known and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using when you buy insurance online.

• Telematics Devices – Drivers that enable driving data submission to study when and where they use their vehicle by using a telematic data system such as Snapshot from Progressive or Drivewise from Allstate could possibly reduce rates if they have good driving habits.
• ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Cars, trucks, and SUVs that have steering control and anti-lock brakes prevent accidents and will save you 10% or more.
• Discounts for New Vehicles – Buying a new car model may earn a small discount because newer models keep occupants safer.
• Good Student Discount – A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. You can use this discount normally up to age 25.
• Discount for Low Mileage – Fewer annual miles on your Oldsmobile could earn substantially lower insurancerates.
• Driver Education Discount – Reduce the cost of insurance for teen drivers by having them enroll in driver’s education in school.

As a footnote on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. Despite the appearance that having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it’s just not the way it works.

Popular insurance companies and the discounts they provide are included below.

• State Farm has discounts for accident-free, multiple policy, anti-theft, student away at school, and good driver.
• Geico may have discounts that include good student, emergency military deployment, five-year accident-free, seat belt use, daytime running lights, federal employee, and multi-policy.
• Liberty Mutual includes discounts for preferred payment discount, new graduate, teen driver discount, new move discount, safety features, multi-car, and good student.
• The Hartford may include discounts for bundle, defensive driver, vehicle fuel type, anti-theft, air bag, driver training, and good student.
• MetLife may offer discounts for good student, accident-free, good driver, multi-policy, and defensive driver.
• Progressive offers discounts including homeowner, multi-vehicle, good student, continuous coverage, online signing, and multi-policy.

When comparing rates, check with each company or agent to give you their best rates. A few discounts may not apply everywhere. To find insurance companies who offer free insurance quotes, click here to view.

Tailor your insurance coverage to you

When choosing proper insurance coverage, there really is no “best” method to buy coverage. Every insured’s situation is different so this has to be addressed. For instance, these questions can aid in determining if your situation would benefit from professional advice.

• Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
• Do I need motorclub coverage?
• What is UM/UIM insurance?
• What is an SR-22 filing?
• Can I rent a car in Mexico?
• Is my camper covered by my car insurance policy?
• I don’t drive much so do I pay less?

If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form or click here for a list of insurance companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and can provide invaluable advice.

Parts of your insurance policy

Learning about specific coverages of insurance can help you determine which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Shown next are typical coverage types available from insurance companies.

Medical payments coverage and PIP – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for short-term medical expenses for things like chiropractic care, funeral costs and ambulance fees. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover all vehicle occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not universally available but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage – This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your Oldsmobile Alero.

Due to the fact that many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family. Usually these coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Liability insurance – Liability insurance will cover damage or injury you incur to people or other property. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others. It does not cover your injuries or vehicle damage.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show liability limits of 100/300/100 which stand for $100,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Alternatively, you may have one number which is a combined single limit which limits claims to one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability insurance covers claims like bail bonds, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and funeral expenses. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford.

Comprehensive coverage – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims like damage from flooding, hitting a deer, theft, damage from getting keyed and hitting a bird. The maximum amount your insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Collision coverages – This pays for damage to your Alero from colliding with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision can pay for claims like hitting a mailbox, crashing into a building, driving through your garage door and damaging your car on a curb. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Quote often and quote early

We covered many ways to reduce 2001 Oldsmobile Alero insurance car insurance rates online. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the higher your chance of finding cheap insurance. You may be surprised to find that the best car insurance rates are with the smaller companies. They may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates compared to the large companies like Progressive or Geico.

When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s a bad idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are too many instances where consumers will sacrifice comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to regret that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your objective should be to buy enough coverage at the best possible price while not skimping on critical coverages.

More detailed insurance coverage information is available by following these links:

• Smart Auto Insurance Tips (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Speed and Speed Limit FAQ (iihs.org)
• Choosing a Car for Your Teen (State Farm)
• Child Safety Seats (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Prom Night Tips for Teen Drivers (State Farm)
• Auto Insurance Basics (Insurance Information Insitute)