Lower Your 2009 Audi A3 Insurance Rates

Shoppers have a choice when shopping for the lowest priced Audi A3 insurance. You can either waste hours driving around trying to get quotes or use the internet to compare rates.

There are both good and bad ways to buy car insurance and we’ll show you the absolute fastest way to quote coverages on a Audi and find the cheapest rates either online or from local insurance agents.

Do you qualify for discounts?

Some providers don’t always publicize every disount available in a way that’s easy to find, so the list below contains both the well known as well as the least known car insurance savings.

• Club Memberships – Participating in a qualifying organization may earn a discount on your bill.
• New Vehicle Savings – Adding a new car to your policy may earn a small discount since newer models have better safety ratings.
• Drive Safe and Save – Drivers who don’t get into accidents may save up to 50% more on A3 insurance than drivers with accidents.
• Homeowners Savings – Just being a homeowner can save you money because owning a home requires a higher level of personal finance.
• No Claim Discounts – Good drivers with no accidents can save substantially as opposed to accident-prone drivers.
• ABS Braking Discount – Cars with ABS and/or traction control can avoid accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.

Remember that most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.

A few companies who might offer many of the previously listed discounts include:

• Geico
• MetLife
• Progressive
• Travelers
• SAFECO
• AAA

Before purchasing a policy, check with all the companies to apply every possible discount. Depending on the company, some discounts might not apply in your area. To find providers that offer multiple discounts, click this link.

Buy Audi A3 insurance at a discount

Multiple criteria are used when you get a price on insurance. Most are fairly basic such as your driving history, but some are less obvious like your vehicle usage or your vehicle rating.It’s important that you understand a few of the rating criteria that go into determining your premiums. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay, this allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with big savings.

The itemized list below are most of the major factors utilized by car insurance companies to help set your prices.

• More traffic means higher claims – Residing in small towns and rural areas can be a good thing when buying auto insurance. Fewer drivers and short commutes means a lower chance of having an accident and lower theft and vandalism rates. Residents of big cities tend to have more traffic problems and much longer commute distances. The longer drive time statistically corresponds to a higher accident and claim rate.
• Traffic violations will cost you – How you drive can have a huge impact on auto insurance premiums. Just one moving violation can bump up the cost by as much as thirty percent. Careful drivers receive lower rates compared to drivers with tickets. People who have severe tickets such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may find they need to file a SR-22 with their state motor vehicle department in order to keep their license.
• An active claims history can cost more – Insurance companies give better rates to people who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can pretty much guarantee either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Your car insurance is designed for larger claims.
• Never let your policy expire – Letting your insurance expire is a guaranteed way to increase your rates. And not only will insurance be more expensive, getting caught without coverage may result in a license revocation or jail time.
• Miles driven impacts prices – The more miles you rack up on your Audi in a year the higher your rates will be. Almost all companies apply a rate based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars and trucks that sit idle most of the time qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. A policy that improperly rates your A3 is just wasting money. Make sure your declarations sheet is rated on how each vehicle is driven.

Don’t assume everyone needs the same car insurance coverage

When it comes to buying coverage, there isn’t really a “perfect” insurance plan. Every insured’s situation is different.

For instance, these questions can aid in determining if your insurance needs would benefit from professional advice.

• Is extra glass coverage worth it?
• Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
• Does coverage extend to my business vehicle?
• What is the rate difference between pleasure use and commuting?
• At what point should I drop full coverage?
• Can I afford low physical damage deductibles?
• What is UM/UIM insurance?
• Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
• Is my 2009 Audi A3 covered for flood damage?
• Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?

If you can’t answer these questions then you might want to talk to an agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form. It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.

Car insurance advertising gotchas

Drivers can’t avoid all the ads that claim the cheapest auto insurance rates from the likes of State Farm, Geico and Progressive. All the companies state the claim about savings if you switch to them.

How can each company say the same thing? This is how they do it.

All companies quote their cheapest rates for the type of driver that earns them the highest profit. A good example of a profitable customer might be described as a married male, has had continuous coverage, and has a high credit rating. Any new insured that fits those parameters receives the best rates and most likely will save a lot if they switch.

Potential insureds who do not fit this stringent profile will probably have to pay higher prices which translates to the customer buying from someone else. The trick is to say “customers who switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” will save that much if they switch. That’s why companies can truthfully make it sound like they have such great premium rates.

This really drives home the point why drivers must do a price quote comparison at every renewal. It is just not possible to predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.

Coverages available on your policy

Knowing the specifics of insurance can help you determine the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Insurance terms can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring.

Medical payments coverage and PIP

Med pay and PIP coverage kick in for short-term medical expenses like ambulance fees, chiropractic care, hospital visits and dental work. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Coverage for liability

This provides protection from damage or injury you incur to a person or their property by causing an accident. This coverage protects you against other people’s claims. It does not cover your injuries or vehicle damage.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You might see values of 100/300/100 that means you have a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Some companies may use one number which is a combined single limit which combines the three limits into one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability insurance covers things like repair costs for stationary objects, bail bonds, loss of income, court costs and legal defense fees. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but buy higher limits if possible.

Collision coverage

Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your A3 resulting from a collision with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision insurance covers claims like rolling your car, backing into a parked car and hitting a mailbox. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. Another option is to bump up the deductible to bring the cost down.

Comprehensive coverage

Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as vandalism, hitting a bird, theft, falling objects and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The most you’ll receive from a 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 coverage

This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea. Most of the time your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

A fool and his money are soon parted

We’ve covered many tips how you can save on 2009 Audi A3 insurance. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the most savings is with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.

People switch companies for a variety of reasons including an unsatisfactory settlement offer, extreme rates for teen drivers, delays in responding to claim requests or even not issuing a premium refund. Regardless of your reason, switching companies is actually quite simple.

Low-cost 2009 Audi A3 insurance can be purchased online as well as from independent agents, so get free auto insurance quotes from both of them to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who may not provide rate quotes online and usually these small, regional companies sell through independent agencies.

Additional detailed information can be read in these articles:

• Understanding Car Crashes Video (iihs.org)
• Avoiding Deer Collisions (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Think You’re a Safe Driver? (State Farm)
• Five Mistakes to Avoid (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Auto Insurance Learning Center (State Farm)