2002 Kia Spectra Insurance Rates

Comparison shopping for more affordable auto insurance might be hard for drivers who have little experience online price comparisons. With more and more insurance companies available, it can easily be a burden to lower your prices.

Consumers need to do rate comparisons occasionally because prices are variable and change quite frequently. If you had the best deal on Spectra coverage two years ago you may be paying too much now. There are a lot of ways to save on auto insurance on the internet, but in just a couple of minutes you can learn a bunch of ideas how to buy auto insurance cheaper.

If you currently have car insurance, you will be able to reduce your rates substantially using these methods. This article will let you in on how to get online quotes and some money-saving tips. But vehicle owners must learn how the larger insurance companies market insurance on the web and apply this information to your search.

Insurance companies offer money-saving discounts

Some companies don’t always list every disount available very well, so we break down a few of the more common and the more hidden credits available to bring down your rates.

• ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles prevent accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• Theft Prevention System – Vehicles equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft so companies will give you a small discount.
• Senior Citizen Rates – If you’re over the age of 55, you may be able to get a small decrease in premiums on Spectra coverage.
• Pay Now and Pay Less – By paying your policy upfront as opposed to paying monthly you can avoid the installment charge.
• Memberships – Having an affiliation with a professional or civic organization may earn a discount on your next insurance statement.
• Early Switch Discount – A few larger companies give discounts for renewing your policy before your current coverage expires. You may see this discount when you get car insurance quotes online.
• Discount for Multiple Policies – If you combine your auto and homeowners policies and insure them with the same company you could get a discount of up to 20% and get you cheap car insurance.
• Safety Course Discount – Passing a safe driver class could earn you a small percentage discount and easily pay for the cost of the class.

We need to note that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, insurance companies aren’t that generous.

Auto insurance companies who may offer these benefits include:

• Progressive
• The Hartford
• Mercury Insurance
• Geico
• AAA
• State Farm

If you are trying to find inexpensive car insurance quotes, ask every prospective company which discounts can lower your rates. Discounts may not be offered in your area. To see a list of insurance companies with the best insurance discounts, click this link.

Smart buyers can slash their insurance rates

When buying insurance it’s important to understand some of the elements that come into play when calculating the level of your policy premiums. When you understand what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this allows you to make good choices that may reward you with lower premium levels. Lots of factors are part of the calculation when you quote your car insurance policy. Some of the criteria are obvious like your driving record, but some are less obvious like where you live or your financial responsibility.

• Your address can modify price – Choosing to live in a rural area can save you money when buying insurance. Residents of big cities have to deal with congested traffic and much longer commute distances. Fewer drivers translates into fewer accident claims and a lower car theft rate.
• Improve your credit history and save – Having a good credit score is a large factor in calculating your insurance rates. If your credit score is not that good, you could be paying less to insure your 2002 Kia Spectra by repairing your credit. Drivers who have good credit tend to be more responsible than drivers with poor credit.
• Fewer miles means better costs – The more miles you rack up on your Kia annually the higher your rate. Most companies apply a rate based upon how much you drive. Cars that have low annual miles qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. Verify your insurance declarations sheet reflects the correct driver usage, because it can save money. Incorrect rating for your Spectra is just wasting money.
• High coverage deductibles save money – Physical damage deductibles tell how much you are willing to pay out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. Physical damage coverage, aka comp and collision, protects your car from damage. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be a windshield broken by a bird, animal collisions, and having a roll-over accident. The more of the claim you’re willing to pay, the less your insurance will be on Spectra coverage.
• Tickets can be expensive – Your driving record has a big impact on rates. Even a single moving violation may cause rates to rise twenty percent or more. Attentive drivers get better prices than people who have multiple driving citations. Drivers unfortunate enough to have dangerous tickets like DUI or willful reckless driving may be required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with the DMV in their state in order to keep their license.

Do I just need basic coverages?

When buying the best car insurance coverage, there is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s needs are different.

For instance, these questions can aid in determining if you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• What is the ISO rating for a 2002 Kia Spectra?
• Is motorclub coverage worth it?
• Do I have newly-aquired coverage?
• When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
• When would I need rental car insurance?
• Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
• Can my babysitter drive my car?
• Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
• How does medical payments coverage work?
• When should I not file a claim?

If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with an agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.

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

Insurance companies such as State Farm, Geico and Progressive seem to constantly run television and radio advertisements. They all seem to state the claim that drivers will save a bundle just by switching to them. It sounds good, but how can they all charge lower premium rates?

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer they prefer to insure. An example of this type of driver should be between the ages of 40 and 55, has a low-risk occupation, and does not commute to work. Any person who matches that profile will get the preferred rates and as a result will probably save some money.

Drivers who do not match those standards must pay higher premium rates and this results in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say “people that switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save that much when switching. That is how companies can truthfully make those claims.

That is why it is so important to compare price quotes frequently. It’s just too difficult to predict which company will have the lowest rates for your situation.

Detailed coverages of your car insurance policy

Understanding the coverages of car insurance can be of help when determining the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy.

UM/UIM Coverage – This coverage gives you protection from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family and damage to your Kia Spectra.

Since many drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is very important. Most of the time your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.

Collision coverages – Collision insurance pays for damage to your Spectra from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You have to pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage pays for things such as backing into a parked car, colliding with another moving vehicle, hitting a mailbox, damaging your car on a curb and scraping a guard rail. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. You can also bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Comprehensive or Other Than Collision – This pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for claims like damage from flooding, hitting a bird and rock chips in glass. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Coverage for liability – Liability insurance provides protection from damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property that is your fault. It protects YOU against claims from other people. Liability doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see limits of 25/50/25 which stand for a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and property damage coverage for $25,000. Another option is a combined single limit or CSL which provides one coverage limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability coverage pays for claims like medical expenses, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, funeral expenses, structural damage and medical services. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford.

Medical costs insurance – Med pay and PIP coverage reimburse you for bills like dental work, prosthetic devices and doctor visits. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants and also covers getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Final considerations

People switch companies for a number of reasons such as extreme rates for teen drivers, policy non-renewal, poor customer service and even policy cancellation. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new insurance company can be pretty painless.

Budget-friendly insurance coverage is available online as well as from independent agents, so you need to shop car insurance with both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who may not offer rate quotes online and most of the time these small, regional companies only sell coverage through independent agents.

When getting car insurance quotes online, it’s a bad idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. There have been many cases where an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

More tips and info about insurance coverage can be found at these sites:

• Auto Insurance 101 (About.com)
• Driving in Bad Weather (Insurance Information Insitute)
• How to Avoid Staged Accidents (State Farm)
• Cellphones, Texting and Driving (iihs.org)