2008 Audi S4 Insurance Cost – 5 Tips to Save

If you’re new to shopping for auto insurance quotes online, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of online car insurance companies and websites all advertising big savings.

It’s a good idea to check car insurance prices occasionally because car insurance prices change quite often. Even if you got the best deal on S4 coverage at your last renewal other companies may now be cheaper. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the easiest way to get good coverage at a lower rate.

If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to cut costs considerably using these tips. Pricing the best coverage can be fairly easy. But consumers must understand how the larger insurance companies market on the web and apply this information to your search.

How to compare insurance coverage rate quotes

To find cheaper auto insurance quotes, there are several ways to obtain and compare prices from companies that offer insurance coverage in your state. One of the best ways to do a complete rate comparison consists of obtaining rate quotes online. This can be accomplished by using one of the methods below.

• One of the simplest ways to get quotes for comparison is to use a rate comparison form click to view form in new window. This quick form keeps you from doing separate quotation requests for each price estimate. One quote request gets you price quotes from many national carriers. Recommended for those who want to invest the least amount of time.
• A more time consuming way to shop for insurance coverage online requires a trip to the website of each company and fill out their own quote form. For examples sake, let’s say you want to compare Progressive, Safeco and Travelers. To do that, you would have to spend time going to each site individually to input your insurance information, which is why first method is reommended. To view a list of companies in your area, click here.

It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just make sure you are using exactly the same coverage limits and deductibles for each price quote. If the quotes have differing limits it’s impossible to make a fair rate comparison. Just slight variations in insurance coverages or limits could skew the results. And when price shopping your coverage, getting more free quotes helps increase your odds of locating a lower rate than you’re paying now. Not every company provides online rate quotes, so it’s recommended that you also compare price quotes from the smaller companies as well.

Slash your insurance coverage rates with these five discounts

Insurance coverage is not inexpensive, but companies offer discounts that could help you make your next renewal payment. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time of quoting, but occassionally some discounts must be asked about before you get the savings.

• Discount for Good Grades – Performing well in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The discount lasts up to age 25.
• Defensive Driver – Taking time to complete a course teaching defensive driving skills could cut 5% off your bill and easily recoup the cost of the course.
• Federal Employees – Having worked for a branch of the government may qualify for a discount when you quote auto insurance on S4 coverage depending on your company.
• Early Renewal Discounts – A few insurance companies allow discounts for signing up prior to the expiration date on your current policy. Ten percent is about the average savings.
• Anti-lock Brakes – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles have fewer accidents and will save you 10% or more.

A little disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies wouldn’t make money that way.

Large insurance coverage companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts can be read below.

• Geico offers discounts for membership and employees, military active duty, anti-theft, five-year accident-free, good student, seat belt use, and emergency military deployment.
• USAA discounts include multi-policy, military installation, driver training, family discount, and good student.
• Progressive may have discounts that include multi-policy, online signing, multi-vehicle, online quote discount, good student, and continuous coverage.
• American Family offers discounts including defensive driver, bundled insurance, early bird, air bags, multi-vehicle, TimeAway discount, and mySafetyValet.
• Esurance may offer discounts for Pac-12 alumni, emergency road assistance, anti-theft, Switch & Save, good student, safety device, and good driver.
• Farmers Insurance has savings for pay in full, teen driver, bundle discounts, alternative fuel, youthful driver, and multi-car.
• State Farm has discounts for driver’s education, Drive Safe & Save, good driver, good student, defensive driving training, safe vehicle, and multiple policy.

If you are trying to find cheap auto insurance quotes, ask every insurance company how many discounts you can get. Depending on the company, some discounts may not be available everywhere.

You are unique and your insurance should be too

When choosing coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a “perfect” insurance plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.

These are some specific questions might help in determining whether you might need professional guidance.

• Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
• Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
• Is my Audi S4 covered if I use it for business?
• What if I total my 2008 Audi S4 and owe more than it’s worth?
• When would I need rental car insurance?
• Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
• Do I need medical payments coverage since I have good health insurance?
• When can my company non-renew my policy?
• Do I need motorclub coverage?
• Do I need replacement cost coverage?

If you can’t answer these questions but one or more may apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form.

Car insurance advertising gotchas

Respected companies like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm constantly bombard you with ads in print and on television. All the ads make the point of big savings if you move your car insurance policy to them. How does every car insurance company cost less than your current company? You have to listen carefully.

All companies require specific criteria for the type of customer that will add to their bottom line. For instance, this type of insured may be over the age of 35, carries high limits, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A customer who matches that profile may get the lowest premium rates as well as save if they switch.

Potential insureds who don’t measure up to the requirements will probably have to pay higher rates which leads to the customer not purchasing. If you listen to the ad wording, they say “drivers that switch” but not “all drivers who get quotes” save that much. This is how insurance companies can confidently make those statements.

Because each company has a different risk profile, you really need to compare price quotes frequently. It’s impossible to know with any certainty which company will have the best auto insurance rates at this point in time.

Coverages available on your policy

Knowing the specifics of your policy can help you determine the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. Car insurance terms can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)

Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your Audi S4.

Due to the fact that many drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea. Usually your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.

Comprehensive insurance

This covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as vandalism, damage from getting keyed and hitting a deer. The most a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Coverage for collisions

Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from colliding with another car or object. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision coverage protects against claims such as driving through your garage door, damaging your car on a curb, crashing into a building and backing into a parked car. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. It’s also possible to increase the deductible to bring the cost down.

Coverage for liability

Liability coverage protects you from damage that occurs to people or other property by causing an accident. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You commonly see values of 25/50/25 that means you have $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000. Another option is one number which is a combined single limit which provides one coverage limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability insurance covers things such as bail bonds, pain and suffering, loss of income and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much liability coverage do you need? That is up to you, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for short-term medical expenses for prosthetic devices, dental work, X-ray expenses and chiropractic care. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers both the driver and occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Best coverage at the best price

We’ve covered a lot of information how to compare 2008 Audi S4 insurance premium rates online. It’s most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even discover the biggest savings come from the least-expected company.

Affordable 2008 Audi S4 insurance can be bought on the web and with local insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who may not have internet price quotes and these smaller companies sell through local independent agents.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are a lot of situations where an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage and learned later that it was a big mistake. Your focus should be to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.

For more information, take a look at the articles below:

• If I File a Claim will My Insurance Go Up? (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Auto Theft Statistics (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Prom Night Tips for Teen Drivers (State Farm)
• When is the Right Time to Switch Car Insurance Companies? (Allstate)
• Preventing Carjacking and Theft (Insurance Information Insitute)
• How to Avoid Common Accidents (State Farm)