2011 Toyota Matrix Insurance Rates

Buyers have options when searching for low-cost Toyota Matrix insurance. You can either waste hours contacting agents getting price quotes or leverage the internet to get rate quotes.

There is a right way and a wrong way to find insurance online so we’re going to tell you the quickest way to quote coverages for a Toyota and get the cheapest rates.

This information will let you in on the most effective way to quote insurance and some tips to save money. If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using these techniques. Vehicle owners just need to understand the proper methods to get comparison quotes online.

How to get free insurance coverage quotes online

Most larger insurance companies make it easy to get coverage prices online. Getting quotes can be done by anyone because you just enter your personal and coverage information into a form. After you submit the form the quote system sends out for credit information and your driving record and gives you a price quote determined by many factors.

This simplifies rate comparisons, but having to visit different websites and type in your information is monotonous and tiresome. Unfortunately, it is important to get many rate quotes if you want to find a lower rate.

A more efficient way to find lower prices uses one form that analyzes rates from multiple companies. This type of form saves time, reduces the work, and makes online quotes much easier to do. After sending your information, your coverage is rated and you can select any one of the quote results.

If you find a better price you can click and sign and purchase the new policy. The entire process takes just a few minutes to complete and you will know how your current rates stack up.

To compare rates now, click here to open in new window and enter your information. If you currently have coverage, we recommend that you enter the limits and deductibles as shown on your current policy. This helps ensure you will have a fair comparison based on similar coverages.

Can you really save if you switch?

Drivers can’t get away from all the ads that promise big savings for switching from the likes of State Farm, Allstate and Geico. They all tend to make the same promise of big savings just by switching to their company.

It sounds good, but how can they all charge you a lower premium?

All the different companies have underwriting criteria for the driver that is profitable for them. An example of a desirable insured may need to be between 25 and 40, has no tickets, and drives a car with an anti-theft system. Any customer that fits those parameters will get very good rates and is almost guaranteed to pay quite a bit less when switching companies.

People who are not a match for the requirements will get a higher rate and the customer not buying. The wording the ads use say “drivers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much. This is how insurance companies can lure you into getting a quote.

This emphasizes why it’s extremely important to get price quotes at each policy renewal. Because you never know the company that will give you lower rates than your current company.

Six factors that influence insurance prices

Part of the car insurance buying process is learning the different types of things that are used to determine the price you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with lower rates. Many different elements are taken into consideration when premium rates are determined. Some are obvious like an MVR report, but some are more transparent like your vehicle usage or your financial responsibility.

Shown below are a few of the things companies use to determine rates.

• Prices can be impacted by your job – Occupations like lawyerspolice officers and stock brokers tend to pay higher rates than the rest of us in part from high stress and lengthy work days. On the flip side, occupations such as actors, engineers and homemakers pay the least for Matrix insurance.
• Insurance companies don’t like frequent insurance claims – If you file a lot of claims you can definitely plan on higher premiums or even policy non-renewal. Auto insurance companies give discounts to people who are claim-free. Auto insurance is designed for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
• Urban areas may pay more – Living in less populated areas of the country can save you money when talking about car insurance. Fewer people translates into fewer accidents. Drivers in populated areas tend to have congested traffic and more severe claims. The longer drive time means higher likelihood of an accident.
• Advanced GPS tracking and theft deterrents – Buying a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can save you some money. Anti-theft features such as vehicle immobilizer systems, OnStar, and tracking devices like LoJack all help stop vehicle theft.
• Little extras can really add up – There are a ton of extra coverages that sound like a good idea at the time on your car insurance policy. Coverage for things like personal injury protection, towing, and term life insurance may be wasting your money. You may think they are a good idea when deciding what coverages you need, but if they’re wasting money think about removing them and cutting costs.
• Teenagers vs. mature drivers – Teen drivers have been known to be easily distracted when driving so car insurance rates are higher. Older drivers are shown to be more cautious, tend to cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers.

Verify you’re receiving every discount

Car insurance can be pricey, but there may be some discounts to help offset the cost. Most are applied at the time you complete a quote, but occassionally some discounts must be specifically requested prior to receiving the credit. If you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you’re paying more than you need to.

• Accident Waiver – This isn’t a discount exactly, but companies like Geico, Progressive, and Allstate will turn a blind eye to one accident without getting socked with a rate hike so long as you haven’t had any claims prior to the accident.
• Payment Discounts – If you pay your bill all at once rather than paying monthly you can actually save on your bill.
• Senior Citizen Discount – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you can get a slight reduction on a insurance quote for Matrix insurance.
• Defensive Driver Discount – Passing a driver safety course may get you a small discount and easily pay for the cost of the class.
• Good Drivers – Drivers without accidents may save up to 50% more for Matrix insurance than drivers with accident claims.
• Theft Deterent System – Anti-theft and alarm system equipped vehicles help deter theft and will qualify for a discount on a insurance quote.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So even though it sounds like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it doesn’t quite work that way.

A few of the larger companies and a partial list of their discounts are included below.

• Geico offers discounts for federal employee, membership and employees, anti-lock brakes, defensive driver, military active duty, and air bags.
• MetLife discounts include multi-policy, defensive driver, accident-free, claim-free, and good driver.
• Progressive offers premium reductions for online signing, online quote discount, multi-policy, continuous coverage, multi-vehicle, homeowner, and good student.
• Travelers has discounts for driver training, save driver, early quote, multi-car, and hybrid/electric vehicle.
• SAFECO policyholders can earn discounts including anti-lock brakes, anti-theft, accident prevention training, multi-car, bundle discounts, drive less, and homeowner.
• AAA includes discounts for good driver, multi-car, education and occupation, good student, and multi-policy.

Before purchasing a policy, check with every company which discounts you qualify for. Some credits may not be available in your state. For a list of car insurance companies that offer discounts, follow this link.

When should I discuss my situation with an agent?

When buying proper insurance coverage, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.

Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining whether your personal situation might need an agent’s assistance.

• Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
• What is an SR-22 filing?
• Am I covered if I break a side mirror?
• What is covered by UM/UIM coverage?
• Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
• Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions then you might want to talk to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and may give you better protection.

Car insurance coverage considerations

Learning about specific coverages of your car insurance policy can help you determine the right coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring.

Collision coverages – Collision coverage pays for damage to your Matrix resulting from colliding with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage protects against things like rolling your car, sideswiping another vehicle and colliding with another moving vehicle. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Comprehensive coverages – Comprehensive insurance covers damage from a wide range of events other than collision. A deductible will apply then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as damage from flooding, damage from a tornado or hurricane, falling objects, rock chips in glass and damage from getting keyed. The maximum payout your car insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.

Auto liability insurance – Liability insurance protects you from damage that occurs to other’s property or people. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others. Liability doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show liability limits of 100/300/100 that means you have $100,000 bodily injury coverage, $300,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $100,000 paid for damaged property. Occasionally you may see a combined limit which combines the three limits into one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability coverage protects against things like emergency aid, pain and suffering, attorney fees, loss of income and legal defense fees. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying higher limits if possible.

Coverage for medical payments – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for short-term medical expenses like nursing services, X-ray expenses, prosthetic devices, dental work and chiropractic care. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state and may carry a deductible

Uninsured and underinsured coverage – Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your Toyota Matrix.

Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family. Most of the time your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.

Shop smart and save

People leave their current company for a number of reasons such as extreme rates for teen drivers, not issuing a premium refund, unfair underwriting practices or lack of trust in their agent. Whatever your reason, finding a new company is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.

Some insurance companies may not have online quoting and many times these regional insurance providers work with independent agents. More affordable insurance coverage can be bought from both online companies and from local insurance agents, so you need to compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from.

As you restructure your insurance plan, make sure you don’t reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, someone dropped full coverage only to regret at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. The goal is to get the best coverage possible at the lowest possible cost and still be able to protect your assets.

For more information, feel free to visit these articles:

• Auto Crash Statistics (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Five Tips to Save on Auto Insurance (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Booster Seat Ratings (iihs.org)
• Protect Yourself Against Auto Theft (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Medical Payments Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
• What is Covered by an Auto Insurance Policy? (Insurance Information Insitute)