Compare 2010 Toyota Prius Insurance Quotes

Looking for cheaper insurance coverage rates for your Toyota Prius? I can’t think of a single person who rejoices having to buy insurance coverage, in particular when they could find better rates elsewhere.

You have multiple auto insurance companies to choose from, and even though it’s nice to have multiple companies, lots of choices makes it harder to find the lowest cost provider.

The purpose of this post is to teach you how to effectively get price quotes and some tricks to saving. If you currently have car insurance, you should be able to save some money using these methods. But drivers need to have an understanding of how insurance companies price insurance differently because it can help you find the best coverage.

How do insurance providers determine Toyota Prius insurance premiums?

Many factors are part of the calculation when quoting car insurance. Some are obvious such as traffic violations, although others are more transparent like where you live or your vehicle rating.

• Lower rates with theft deterrents – Choosing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can save you a little every year. Advanced theft deterrents such as OnStar, LoJack tracking, and tamper alarms help track and prevent your car from being stolen.
• Tickets will cost you – Only having one driving citation could increase your next policy renewal by twenty percent. Drivers who don’t get tickets receive lower rates compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers unfortunate enough to have multiple violations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence might be required by their state to maintain a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to legally drive a vehicle.
• Safer occupants lowers premiums – Safer cars cost less to insure. The safest vehicles reduce occupant injuries and reduced instances of injuries means less claims paid and thus lower rates.
• Job stress can affect insurance rates – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for insurance? Careers like doctors, social workers and financial analysts tend to have higher rates than the rest of us due to intense work requirements and lots of time spent at work. Conversely, professions such as professors, historians and homemakers have the lowest average rates for Prius insurance.
• Only buy what you need – There are a ton of additional coverages you can purchase if you aren’t careful. Coverage for things like rental car reimbursement, better glass coverage, and membership fees may not be needed and are just wasting money. They may seem like a good idea at first, but your needs may have changed so think about removing them and cutting costs.
• Stay claim-free and save money – Insurance companies award better rates to drivers who are not frequent claim filers. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can pretty much guarantee either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Your insurance policy is intended to be relied upon for more catestrophic claims.
• Premiums are lower the older you get – Mature drivers are shown to be more cautious, file fewer claims , and usually have better credit.Inexperience drivers have been known to be more careless in a vehicle therefore insurance rates are much higher.

Low cost insurance prices

There are a variety of methods to shop for insurance, and some are less labor-intensive and much quicker. You could waste a few hours talking about coverages with insurance agencies in your area, or you can utilize the web to get rates in a matter of minutes.

Many companies participate in an industry program that allows shoppers to enter their policy data once, and each company returns a rated price determined by their information. This eliminates the need for form submissions to every company.

To compare rates now click to open in new window.

The only downside to using this type of form is that you can’t choose which companies to get pricing from. So if you want to choose individual companies to compare, we put together a list of insurance companies in your area. View list of insurance companies.

Take whichever approach you prefer, but be sure to compare exactly the same coverage information on every price quote you get. If the quotes have different values for each quote it’s impossible to get a fair rate comparison. Having just a slight variation in limits may result in a large different in cost. Keep in mind that obtaining a wide range of quotes gives you a better chance of getting the best price. Some regional insurers cannot provide online rate quotes, so you need to compare prices from them as well.

Lower rate quotes by receiving discounts

Buying insurance coverage is not cheap, but you might already qualify for some discounts to cut the cost considerably. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time you complete a quote, but occassionally some discounts must be requested specifically before you will receive the discount.

• Driver Education Discount – Teen drivers should take driver’s ed class as it will make them better drivers and lower rates.
• Defensive Driver Discounts – Taking part in a course that instructs on driving safety could save 5% or more and also improve your driving technique.
• Multi-line Discount – Insurance carriers who offer life insurance give a break if you buy life insurance.
• Multiple Vehicles – Having multiple cars or trucks on a single policy could earn a price break for each car.
• Anti-lock Brake System – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles are safer to drive and the ABS can save up to 10%.
• Government Employees – Federal government employees could qualify for a slight premium decrease for Prius insurance with certain companies.
• Homeowners Pay Less – Being a homeowner can help you save on insurance coverage since home ownership is proof that your finances are in order.
• Good Driver Discount – Drivers who avoid accidents could pay up to 40% less for Prius insurance compared to rates paid by drivers with frequent claims.

You should keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. Most only cut specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. So even though you would think all those discounts means the company will pay you, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.

Some companies who might offer these money-saving discounts are:

• State Farm
• Liberty Mutual
• American Family
• Progressive
• Farmers Insurance
• Auto-Owners Insurance
• SAFECO

Double check with every prospective company to give you their best rates. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not be offered in your area. To locate insurance companies that have a full spectrum of discounts, follow this link.

Your insurance coverage should be tailored to you

When it comes to buying coverage, there isn’t really a single plan that fits everyone. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.

• Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
• Is there coverage for injuries to my pets?
• What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
• Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
• How high should my medical payments coverage be?
• Do I need added coverage for expensive stereo equipment?
• I have health insurance so do I need medical payments coverage?
• When would I need additional glass coverage?
• How much liability coverage do I need in my state?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

Insurance coverages 101

Having a good grasp of a insurance policy can help you determine the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement. Listed below are typical coverages found on the average insurance policy.

Comprehensive auto coverage

This pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive insurance covers things like fire damage, falling objects, rock chips in glass, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and vandalism. The highest amount a insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage

This coverage provides protection when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. This coverage pays for medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your Toyota Prius.

Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is very important. Frequently the UM/UIM limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.

Medical payments and PIP coverage

Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for short-term medical expenses like EMT expenses, X-ray expenses, nursing services, surgery and pain medications. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if you do not have health coverage. It covers all vehicle occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Liability insurance

This can cover injuries or damage you cause to people or other property that is your fault. It protects YOU from legal claims by others. It does not cover your injuries or vehicle damage.

Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see liability limits of 100/300/100 that translate to a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a limit of $100,000 paid for damaged property. Alternatively, you may have a combined limit which combines the three limits into one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability coverage pays for things like structural damage, bail bonds, court costs, attorney fees and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible.

Coverage for collisions

This covers damage to your Prius resulting from a collision with an object or car. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision can pay for claims like scraping a guard rail, rolling your car and hitting a mailbox. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also increase the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

In the end, you save

You just learned a lot of information how to shop for 2010 Toyota Prius insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get rates for, the better chance you’ll have of finding cheaper insurance. You may be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from an unexpected company. They often have lower rates on specific markets compared to the large companies like Allstate or State Farm.

When shopping online for insurance, it’s very important that you do not sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In too many instances, drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits and found out when filing a claim they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best cost while still protecting your assets.

Even more information is located in these articles:

• Where can I buy Insurance? (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Help Your Teen Be a Better Driver (State Farm)
• Understanding Limits and Deductibles (Allstate)
• Shopping for a Safe Car (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Alcohol Impaired Driving FAQ (iihs.org)