2003 Toyota Prius Insurance Rates – 8 Tricks for Best Quotes

Looking for the cheapest insurance coverage rates for your Toyota Prius? Comparison shopping for insurance coverage is challenging for beginners to comparing rates online. You have so many options available that it can quickly become a challenge to find the best price.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but there are discounts available to help offset the cost. Certain discounts will be applied when you purchase, but some may not be applied and must be specially asked for prior to getting the savings.

  • Memberships – Participating in certain professional organizations may earn a discount when buying car insurance on Prius coverage.
  • Sign Early and Save – A few companies offer discounts for switching policies before your current expiration date. It can save you around 10%.
  • Good Student – Getting good grades can earn a discount of 20% or more. The good student discount can last until age 25.
  • Military Rewards – Being deployed with a military unit could be rewarded with lower premiums.
  • Safe Drivers – Safe drivers may receive a discount up to 45% less on Prius coverage than their less cautious counterparts.
  • Discount for Life Insurance – Select insurance companies reward you with lower rates if you buy life insurance from them.
  • Drivers Education – Have your child successfully complete driver’s ed class in school.
  • Anti-lock Brakes – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can avoid accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.

Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates adding up those discounts means a free policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any qualifying discounts will help reduce your premiums.

To see a list of companies who offer car insurance discounts, follow this link.

The fastest way that we advise to compare rate quotes is to realize all the major auto insurance companies participate in online systems to give free rates quotes. The one thing you need to do is provide a small amount of information like if you require a SR-22, how much coverage you want, how your vehicles are used, and how much school you completed. That rating information is instantly sent to many highly-rated insurers and you receive quotes immediately.

When might I need an agent?

When it comes to choosing adequate coverage, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.

For instance, these questions may help you determine if your situation will benefit from professional help.

  • Does insurance cover tools stolen from my truck?
  • Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
  • Can I afford low physical damage deductibles?
  • When would I need additional glass coverage?
  • What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
  • Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
  • Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in my state?
  • Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form.

Detailed coverages of your insurance policy

Learning about specific coverages of your policy can help you determine the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy.

Auto collision coverage

Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your Prius resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You will need to pay your deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision insurance covers things such as crashing into a building, rolling your car, backing into a parked car, crashing into a ditch and scraping a guard rail. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection from other drivers when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your Toyota Prius.

Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea. Usually these limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.

Comprehensive coverage

Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive insurance covers things such as rock chips in glass, damage from a tornado or hurricane, damage from flooding, hitting a deer and theft. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Medical payments coverage and PIP

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for expenses like prosthetic devices, rehabilitation expenses, nursing services and dental work. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover all vehicle occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Liability car insurance

This coverage can cover damage that occurs to other people or property in an accident. It protects YOU from legal claims by others, and doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. Your policy might show values of 25/50/25 which stand for $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and $25,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Some companies may use a combined limit which provides one coverage limit without having the split limit caps.

Liability can pay for things like repair bills for other people’s vehicles, medical expenses, structural damage and pain and suffering. How much liability coverage do you need? That is your choice, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford.

Saving money is sweet as honey

We just showed you a lot of ways to save on 2003 Toyota Prius insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more rate quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the lowest rates come from a smaller regional carrier.

As you prepare to switch companies, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, an insured dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to discover later they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your goal should be to get the best coverage possible at the best price.

Consumers change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including delays in responding to claim requests, policy cancellation, an unsatisfactory settlement offer or even poor customer service. Regardless of your reason, finding a great new company is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.

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