2018 Toyota Prius Insurance Quotes

Finding cheaper prices on Driversauto insurance could be nearly impossible for drivers new to online price comparisons. People have so many options that it can be a difficult mission to find a more affordable company.

Seven things that affect your insurance rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that play a part in calculating the price you pay for insurance. When you understand what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this helps enable you to make changes that can earn you lower insurance prices. Lots of things are considered when premium rates are determined. Some factors are common sense such as your driving history, although some other factors are less obvious like your continuous coverage or your commute time.

  • Single vs. married – Being married actually saves money when shopping for insurance. Marriage demonstrates that you tend to be less irresponsible and statistics prove married drivers tend to have fewer serious accidents.
  • Lower rates with a multi-policy discount – Most companies will give better rates to policyholders that have more than one policy in the form of a multi-policy discount. This can amount to five, ten or even twenty percent. If you currently are using one company, consumers should still compare other company rates to guarantee you are still saving the most. You may still save even more than the discount even if you have your coverage with different companies
  • Men pay higher costs – Statistics show that females tend to be a little less risky than males. That doesn’t necessarily mean that females are better at driving than males. Men and women tend to get into auto accidents in similar numbers, but the males cause more damage. Not only that, but men also get ticketed for serious violations such as reckless driving.
  • Premiums increase with driving tickets – Being a careful driver has a huge affect on how much you pay. Even one chargable violation could increase your next policy renewal twenty percent or more. Careful drivers have lower premiums than their less careful counterparts. People who have multiple tickets such as reckless driving or DUI may be required to complete a SR-22 with their state DMV in order to prevent their license from being revoked.
  • Cheaper insurance rates using theft deterrents – Buying a car with a theft deterrent system can help lower your premiums. Anti-theft devices like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can thwart auto theft and help lower rates.
  • Your employer is a factor – Jobs such as lawyersairline pilots and emergency personnel are shown to have higher average rates because of intense work-related stress and lots of time spent away from family. On the other hand, professions such as professors, students and retirees have the lowest average rates on Prius coverage.
  • Raise physical damage deductibles and save – Deductibles for physical damage tell how much the insured will be required to pay if a claim is determined to be covered. Insurance for physical damage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of covered claims are colliding with a stationary object, vandalism, or theft of your vehicle. The more money you pay before a claim is paid (deductible), the less your company will charge you for insurance on Prius coverage.

How to buy insurance

When comparison shopping, there are several ways to compare rate quotes from many available insurance companies in your state. By far the easiest way to lower the rate you pay for 2018 Toyota Prius insurance is to use the internet to compare rates. This can be done in a couple of different ways.

  1. Without a doubt, the easiest way to get quotes is a comparison rater form click to view form in new window. This form saves time by eliminating boring form submissions for each price estimate. One form gets rate comparisons from many national carriers.It’s the quickest way to get rates.
  2. A more time consuming way to get quotes online requires a trip to each company website to complete a price quote. For sake of this example, we’ll pretend you want to see prices from Geico, 21st Century and Progressive. To find out each rate you need to spend time on each company’s site and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is quicker.

    For a list of companies in your area, click here.

  3. The final way to find cheaper rates to different agent offices. The ability to quote online makes this process obsolete unless you require the professional guidance that can only be provided by a licensed insurance agent. Although, it is possible comparison shop your insurance online and have a local agent actually service the policy.

It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but make sure you are using the exact same quote data with each company. If each company quotes different values for each quote it will be impossible to determine the lowest rate for your Toyota Prius. Just a small difference in coverages can result in a big premium difference. And when comparing insurance rates, know that comparing more rates from different companies will enable you to find more affordable rates.

Insurance myths debunked

Insurance companies such as Allstate and Progressive continually stream ads on television and other media. They all seem to make the point that you’ll save big after switching your policy. How is it possible that every company can save you money? Just pay attention to how they say it.

Insurance companies quote their best rates for the type of driver that earns them the most money. A good example of a profitable customer might have to be a married male, has a clear driving record, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. Any driver that fits those parameters is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save if they switch.

Potential customers who fall short of these criteria will be quoted a higher premium which leads to the prospect going elsewhere. The trick is to say “drivers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much when switching. That’s why insurance companies can confidently lure you into getting a quote. Because each company has a different risk profile, you absolutely need to get price quotes at each policy renewal. You cannot predict which insurance company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Lower rate quotes with these car insurance discounts

Some providers don’t always publicize the complete list of policy discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so here is a list some of the best known as well as the least known credits available to bring down your rates.

  • New Vehicle Savings – Buying a new car instead of a used car can be considerably cheaper because newer vehicles keep occupants safer.
  • Low Mileage – Maintaining low annual mileage could qualify for lower rates due to less chance of an accident.
  • Multi-Vehicle Discounts – Purchasing coverage when you have several vehicles on one policy could earn a price break for each car.
  • Military Discounts – Having a family member in the military may lower your premium rates slightly.
  • College Student – College-age children who live away from home at college and leave their car at home could get you a discount.
  • Good Student – Being a good student may save you up to 25%. The good student discount can last up to age 25.
  • Own a Home – Just being a homeowner can help you save on car insurance because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
  • No Charge for an Accident – This one is not really a discount per se, but some insurance companies may permit one accident before raising your premiums if you have no claims prior to the accident.
  • Life Insurance Discount – Not all insurance carriers offer life insurance, but some may give you a small discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.

Drivers should understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. So even though you would think all those discounts means the company will pay you, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.

The best car insurance companies and their offered discounts can be found below.

  • Travelers discounts include student away at school, driver training, continuous insurance, save driver, home ownership, multi-policy, and payment discounts.
  • 21st Century may offer discounts for teen driver, anti-lock brakes, homeowners, air bags, student driver, and early bird.
  • State Farm offers premium reductions for accident-free, passive restraint, good driver, safe vehicle, student away at school, multiple policy, and multiple autos.
  • Geico may have discounts that include anti-lock brakes, good student, membership and employees, five-year accident-free, and daytime running lights.
  • SAFECO may include discounts for teen safe driver, teen safety rewards, drive less, homeowner, and anti-theft.
  • AAA offers discounts including good student, AAA membership discount, education and occupation, multi-car, and pay-in-full.

When getting a coverage quote, ask all companies you are considering which discounts they offer. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not be offered in your area. To view companies who offer cheap car insurance quotes, follow this link.

Car insurance can get complicated

When buying the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a one size fits all plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different.

These are some specific questions may help you determine whether you could use an agent’s help.

  • How do I insure my teen driver?
  • Should I buy more coverage than the required minimum liability coverage?
  • Are rental cars covered under my policy?
  • Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in my state?
  • Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
  • What is covered by UM/UIM coverage?
  • What can I do if my company denied a claim?
  • Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
  • Am I covered if I break a side mirror?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you may need to chat with an agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.

Insurance coverages explained

Understanding the coverages of your policy can be of help when determining which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. Insurance terms can be difficult to understand and coverage can change by endorsement.

Medical expense insurance

Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP pay for short-term medical expenses such as EMT expenses, dental work and hospital visits. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to you and your occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Liability insurance

Liability insurance provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property in an accident. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others. Liability doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show liability limits of 25/50/25 which means $25,000 bodily injury coverage, $50,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property.

Liability coverage pays for claims like emergency aid, legal defense fees, court costs and structural damage. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford.

Auto collision coverage

This pays for damage to your Prius caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision insurance covers claims like hitting a mailbox, damaging your car on a curb and crashing into a building. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible to bring the cost down.

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers

This provides protection when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your 2018 Toyota Prius.

Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision)

Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive insurance covers things such as theft, damage from a tornado or hurricane, rock chips in glass and hail damage. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Knowledge is power

Lower-priced 2018 Toyota Prius insurance can be purchased both online as well as from independent agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some car insurance companies may not provide the ability to get quotes online and many times these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through independent insurance agencies.

As you restructure your insurance plan, don’t be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are a lot of situations where consumers will sacrifice liability coverage limits only to find out that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The aim is to find the BEST coverage at the lowest possible cost and still be able to protect your assets.

You just learned many tips how you can get a better price on 2018 Toyota Prius insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more companies you get premium rates for, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even discover the most savings is with some of the lesser-known companies.

Additional detailed information can be found by following these links: