2018 Toyota Highlander Car Insurance Cost – 5 Ways to Save

Looking for lower insurance rates for your Toyota Highlander? Are you kicking yourself for buying overpriced insurance? Don’t sweat it because there are many consumers feeling the pinch from expensive insurance. Insurance companies such as State Farm, Progressive and Geico continually hit you with catchy ads and it is challenging if not impossible to ignore the flying pigs and cute green geckos and find the best price available.

If you are insured now or need a new policy, you can use these tips to get lower rates and still get good coverage. Finding affordable coverage is not rocket science. Vehicle owners just need to understand the most effective way to get comparison quotes on the web.

Ways to get insurance coverage rate quotes

Finding cheaper insurance coverage quotes can be surprisingly simple. The only thing you need to do is invest a few minutes comparing rates provided by online insurance companies. Comparing prices online can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

• One of the simplest ways consumers can make multiple comparisons is an all-inclusive rate comparison click to view form in new window. This easy form eliminates the need for separate quotes for each company you want a rate for. In just a few minutes this one form will return quotes from multiple low-cost companies.
• A less efficient way to shop for insurance coverage online is to take the time to go to the website for every company you want to comare and repeat the quote process. For example, let’s say you want to see prices from USAA, Farmers and Liberty Mutual. You would need to visit each site and repeatedly enter your information, which can take a lot of time. For a handy list of car insurance company links in your area, click here.
• The most difficult method to shop rates is physically going to and from local insurance agencies. The ability to get quotes online has reduced the need for local agents unless you require the professional assistance of a local agency. If you prefer, some companies allow you to price shop online and get advice from an agent in your area.

The approach you take is up to you, just try to use nearly identical coverage limits and deductibles for each comparison quote. If you use differing limits you can’t possibly make a fair comparison for your Toyota Highlander.

Do auto insurance companies bend the truth?

Consumers constantly see and hear ads that claim the cheapest car insurance rates by companies like Geico, State Farm and Progressive. They all seem to tend to make the same promise about how much you will save after switching to them.

How does every company give you a lower rate?

All companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that earns them the highest profit. One example of a preferred risk may be between the ages of 30 and 45, has had continuous coverage, and insures a new vehicle. Any new insured who meets those qualifications receives the best premium rates and is almost guaranteed to save a lot if they switch.

People who do not match these criteria may receive higher premium rates and ends up with the customer buying from a different company. Company advertisements say “drivers that switch” not “everyone who quotes” save money. This is how companies can truthfully claim big savings.

This really drives home the point why you absolutely need to compare as many free car insurance quotes as you can. It is impossible to predict with any certainty which company will have the best premium rates at this point in time.

Take advantage of every auto insurance discount

Auto insurance is not an enjoyable expense, but you might be missing out on some discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Many discounts should be triggered when you purchase, but some need to be specially asked for in order for you to get them.

• Discount for Passive Restraints – Factory options such as air bags or automatic seat belts could see savings of 25 to 30%.
• Sign Early and Save – A few larger companies allow discounts for signing up before your current expiration date. Ten percent is about the average savings.
• Employee of Federal Government – Active or former government employment may reduce rates when you quote car insurance for Highlander insurance with a few auto insurance companies.
• Driver Education Discount – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to complete a driver education course in high school.
• Driver Safety – Taking time to complete a class that teaches defensive driver techniques could save 5% or more and easily pay for the cost of the class.

One last thing about discounts, most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. If you do the math and it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it just doesn’t work that way. But all discounts will help lower your policy premium.

To see a list of insurance companies that offer discounts, click here.

How to know if you need help

When choosing the best auto insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s needs are different so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions could help you determine whether or not you will benefit from professional help.

• I don’t drive much so do I pay less?
• What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
• When would I need additional glass coverage?
• Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
• Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
• Is my camper covered by my car insurance policy?
• How high should deductibles be on a 2018 Toyota Highlander?
• Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
• What is the ISO rating for a 2018 Toyota Highlander?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and may give you better protection.

Car insurance coverages 101

Knowing the specifics of a car insurance policy can help you determine appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Car insurance terms can be impossible to understand and coverage can change by endorsement. Below you’ll find the usual coverages found on most car insurance policies.

Uninsured or underinsured coverage – Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your 2018 Toyota Highlander.

Since many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage should not be overlooked. Frequently these limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.

Medical expense coverage – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for bills like doctor visits, funeral costs and nursing services. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states and may carry a deductible

Liability coverages – Liability insurance protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on a person or their property. It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You might see policy 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 a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Another option is one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which limits claims to one amount without having the split limit caps.

Liability coverage protects against claims like pain and suffering, loss of income, repair costs for stationary objects and medical expenses. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but consider buying as much as you can afford.

Collision coverage – Collision insurance pays for damage to your Highlander resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage pays for claims such as crashing into a ditch, hitting a parking meter, hitting a mailbox, backing into a parked car and scraping a guard rail. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Comprehensive protection – This covers damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as damage from a tornado or hurricane, rock chips in glass, fire damage and damage from flooding. The maximum payout 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.

Affordable insurance is out there

You just read a lot of ways to compare 2018 Toyota Highlander insurance premium rates online. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. You may be surprised to find that the lowest premium rates come from a small local company. These companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than the large multi-state companies such as Progressive or Geico.

When shopping online for insurance coverage, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to find out they didn’t have enough coverage. The proper strategy is to find the BEST coverage at the best possible price while not skimping on critical coverages.

Some companies don’t offer online quoting and these small, regional companies only sell coverage through independent insurance agencies. Cheaper 2018 Toyota Highlander insurance can be found online and from local agencies, so compare prices from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from.

Much more information about insurance coverage can be read at the links below

• Red Light Cameras (State Farm)
• Airbag FAQ (iihs.org)
• Auto Theft Statistics (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Prom Night Tips for Teen Drivers (State Farm)