Cheap 2018 Kia Optima Insurance Rates

Looking for the cheapest car insurance rates? Shoppers have many options when shopping for the lowest priced Kia Optima insurance. You can either spend your time calling around trying to get quotes or utilize the internet to make rate comparisons.

There is a better way to buy car insurance and we’ll show you the proper way to price shop coverage for a new or used Kia and obtain the lowest possible price from local insurance agents and online providers.

Consumers should take time to compare prices once or twice a year since insurance prices change regularly. If you had the best quotes for Optima coverage a few years ago you can probably find a better rate now. There is a lot of bad information regarding car insurance online, but in just a couple of minutes you can learn some great ideas on how to find cheap car insurance.

Eight factors that determine insurance costs

Part of the auto insurance buying process is learning a few of the rating criteria that aid in calculating your policy premiums. If you have a feel for what influences your rates, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that can earn you cheaper rates. Many things are used when premium rates are determined. Some factors are common sense such as your driving history, although others are more obscure like your continuous coverage or your vehicle rating.

Shown below are some of the things that factor into your rate level.

  • Increase deductibles and save – The deductibles are how much you are willing to pay out-of-pocket if a claim is determined to be covered. Physical damage insurance, also known as collision and other-than-collision, insures against damage to your car. Examples of covered claims are colliding with a stationary object, damage caused by hail, or theft of your vehicle. The more expense the insured has to pay upfront, the bigger discount you will receive for Optima coverage.
  • Big cities have higher premiums – Being located in small towns and rural areas can save you money when shopping for auto insurance. Fewer drivers on the road translates into fewer accidents. People who live in big cities regularly have more road rage incidents and much longer commute distances. Longer commute distances means a statistically higher chance of an accident.
  • Coverage lapses lead to higher prices – Going without insurance will be a guaranteed way to increase your renewal premiums. In addition to paying higher premiums, being ticketed for driving with no insurance could earn you a fine, jail time, or a revoked license. Then you may be required to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with your state DMV.
  • Single drivers take more risk – Having a spouse can actually save you money on your policy. Having a spouse is viewed as being more stable financially it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married are more cautious.
  • Lower premiums for safer vehicles – Cars with high safety ratings tend to have better insurance rates. These vehicles reduce the chance of injuries and reduced instances of injuries means lower claim amounts and cheaper rates on your policy. If your Kia Optima scored at minimum an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website it may cost less to insure.
  • Stay claim-free and save – If you tend to file frequent claims, you can look forward to either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Insurance companies provide discounts to insureds that do not abuse their auto insurance. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for the large, substantial claims.
  • Policy add-ons add up – There are a ton of additional extra coverages you can purchase on your auto insurance policy. Add-on coverages like vanishing deductibles, accident forgiveness, and extra equipment coverage are examples of these. The coverages may be enticing at first, but if they’re wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
  • Deter car thieves – Selecting a car model with an alarm system can save you some money. Anti-theft features such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system can thwart auto theft and help lower rates.

Drivers save money with with these discounts

Some insurance providers don’t always publicize the entire discount list very clearly, so the list below details some of the more common and also the lesser-known savings tricks you should be using when you buy car insurance online. If you do not check that you are getting every discount available, you are just wasting money.

  • Discount for Home Ownership – Just owning your own home can earn you a little savings because maintaining a house means you have a higher level of financial diligence.
  • Waiver for an Accident – Not really a discount, but a few companies such as Liberty Mutual, Allstate and State Farm will turn a blind eye to one accident without the usual rate increase if your claims history is clear before the accident.
  • Early Switch Discount – Some larger companies give discounts for buying a new policy before your current policy expires. Ten percent is about the average savings.
  • Resident Student – Any of your kids living away from home attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle may be insured at a cheaper rate.
  • Defensive Driving Course – Successfully completing a course in defensive driving is a good idea and can lower rates and make you a better driver.

It’s important to understand that many deductions do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only cut individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. Even though it may seem like all those discounts means the company will pay you, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.

A few popular companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts are shown below.

  • Progressive offers discounts for online quote discount, homeowner, good student, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and online signing.
  • The Hartford has discounts for anti-theft, driver training, good student, bundle, defensive driver, vehicle fuel type, and air bag.
  • Mercury Insurance policyholders can earn discounts including multi-policy, anti-theft, good driver, accident-free, ease of repair, and multi-car.
  • Geico offers discounts including membership and employees, seat belt use, defensive driver, federal employee, and military active duty.
  • AAA may have discounts that include AAA membership discount, multi-car, anti-theft, education and occupation, good driver, good student, and multi-policy.
  • State Farm may offer discounts for Steer Clear safe driver discount, multiple autos, passive restraint, good student, and defensive driving training.

Before purchasing a policy, check with all companies you are considering what discounts are available to you. Some credits may not be available everywhere. To see a list of insurers that offer many of these discounts, click this link.

Why you might not save $404 a year

Drivers can’t get away from ads for insurance savings by companies like State Farm, Allstate and Geico. All the companies make the point about savings just by moving your insurance coverage to their company.

How can each company say the same thing?

All the different companies quote the lowest rates for a prospective insured that will be a good risk. A good example of a desirable risk might have to be over the age of 35, has no tickets, and has great credit. Someone that fits those parameters will most likely get cheap car insurance rates and will cut their rates if they switch.

Insureds who fall short of these stringent criteria will be quoted a higher rate and this results in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. If you pay close attention to the ads, they say “customers who switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save the amount stated. This is how companies can make it sound like they have such great prices.

This really emphasizes why it is so important to compare price quotes frequently. Because you never know which insurance companies will give you lower premium rates than your current company.

Your situation helps dictate your coverage

When it comes to buying coverage, there really is no single plan that fits everyone. Each situation is unique.

Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine whether you will benefit from professional help.

  • What is UM/UIM insurance?
  • Is my teenager covered with friends in the car?
  • When should I remove comp and collision on my 2018 Kia Optima?
  • Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
  • Can I afford low physical damage deductibles?
  • Do I have coverage when making deliveries for my home business?

If you can’t answer these questions but one or more may apply to you 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 only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.

Insurance policy specifics

Having a good grasp of insurance can be of help when determining which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be difficult to understand and coverage can change by endorsement.

Collision coverage – This coverage will pay to fix damage to your Optima caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision coverage protects against things such as crashing into a building, sideswiping another vehicle, colliding with a tree and colliding with another moving vehicle. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. You can also bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Coverage for liability – This can cover damages or injuries you inflict on a person or their property by causing an accident. This coverage protects you against other people’s claims, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You commonly see policy limits of 100/300/100 which stand for a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Some companies may use a combined single limit or CSL which provides one coverage limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability can pay for claims like emergency aid, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, pain and suffering, attorney fees and loss of income. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford.

UM/UIM Coverage – Your UM/UIM coverage provides protection from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. It can pay for injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your 2018 Kia Optima.

Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Frequently the UM/UIM limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.

Medical costs insurance – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for bills for funeral costs, chiropractic care, X-ray expenses, ambulance fees and surgery. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers both the driver and occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not universally available and may carry a deductible

Comprehensive or Other Than Collision – This will pay to fix damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as theft, fire damage and hitting a deer. The maximum amount your insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.

More choices the merrier

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, never buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced physical damage coverage to discover at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The ultimate goal is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest cost.

Cheap 2018 Kia Optima insurance is available from both online companies as well as from insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance companies don’t offer rate quotes online and many times these regional carriers work with independent insurance agents.

Insureds switch companies for many reasons like poor customer service, not issuing a premium refund, high prices and extreme rates for teen drivers. It doesn’t matter what your reason, switching insurance companies is easier than you think.

To learn more, take a look at these articles: