Lower Your 1998 Saturn S-Series Car Insurance Cost

People who are new to shopping for insurance online will discover buying cut-rate car insurance is not as easy as it seems.

It’s important to shop coverage around every six months because rates are constantly changing. Just because you had the best rates on S-Series coverage a couple years back other companies may now be cheaper. There is too much inaccurate information about car insurance online, so I’m going to show you some proven techniques to slash your car insurance rates.

The purpose of this article is to help you learn how to get online quotes. If you have car insurance now, you will be able to reduce your rates substantially using this information. But vehicle owners must know how insurance companies determine prices and use this information to your advantage.

How to save on Saturn S-Series insurance

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not even be aware of. Certain discounts will be applied when you complete an application, but a few need to be specially asked for before being credited.

  • Sign Early and Save – Select companies give a discount for signing up prior to your current policy expiration. It can save you around 10%.
  • Theft Prevention System – Anti-theft and alarm systems can help prevent theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
  • Save over 55 – Mature drivers may be able to get reduced rates on S-Series coverage.
  • No Accidents – Drivers with accident-free driving histories can earn big discounts when compared with frequent claim filers.
  • Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.
  • Employee of Federal Government – Simply working for the federal government may qualify you for a discount on S-Series coverage with a few insurance companies.
  • Military Discounts – Having a deployed family member can result in better rates.

It’s important to note that most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it may seem like you could get a free insurance policy, you’re out of luck. But any discount will reduce the amount you have to pay.

For a list of insurers who offer insurance discounts, click here to view.

Compare the Market for Insurance Coverage

The are a couple different ways of comparing price quotes from local insurance coverage companies. By far the easiest way to find the cheapest 1998 Saturn S-Series insurance rates involves getting comparison quotes online. This can be accomplished in several different ways.

  1. The easiest and least time consuming way to compare a lot of rates at once is an all-inclusive rate comparison (click to open form in new window). This type of form saves time by eliminating multiple quote forms for each company. A single, simple form will get you rate comparisons from all major companies. This is perfect if you don’t have a lot of time.
  2. A more time consuming way to analyze rates consists of visiting the website for every company you want to comare and complete a new quote form. For example, we’ll pretend you want to compare Nationwide, Allstate and State Farm. You would have to go to every website to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is quicker. To view a list of companies in your area, click here.
  3. The hardest way of comparing rate quotes is to waste gas driving to insurance agents’ offices. The internet makes this process obsolete unless you prefer the professional advice of a local agent. It is possible to comparison shop your insurance online and get advice from an agent in your area and you’ll learn how to do that later.

However you get your quotes, double check that you are using apples-to-apples coverages with every price quote. If the quotes have different liability limits it’s not possible to find the best deal for your Saturn S-Series. Quoting even small variations in coverage limits may result in a large different in cost. And when comparison shopping, more quotes will increase your chances of finding a lower rate.

Tailor your coverage to you

When it comes to choosing coverage, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Every insured’s situation is different.

Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.

  • Am I covered if I hit my neighbor’s mailbox?
  • What happens if I owe more than my 1998 Saturn S-Series is worth?
  • How do I buy GAP insurance?
  • Is borrowed equipment or tools covered if stolen or damaged?
  • Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
  • Is my Saturn S-Series covered if I use it for business?
  • When should I drop full coverage on my 1998 Saturn S-Series?

If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form.

Auto insurance coverage specifics

Understanding the coverages of your policy can help you determine appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)

This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your Saturn S-Series.

Since many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked. Frequently the UM/UIM limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP pay for bills for things like prosthetic devices, nursing services and funeral costs. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Collision insurance

This pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage protects against claims such as hitting a parking meter, crashing into a building and rolling your car. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Comprehensive insurance

This pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against things like damage from getting keyed, theft, rock chips in glass and falling objects. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.

Liability

This coverage will cover damage that occurs to other’s property or people in an accident. This coverage protects you against claims from other people. It does not cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You might see values of 100/300/100 which means $100,000 bodily injury coverage, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Occasionally you may see one number which is a combined single limit which provides one coverage limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability coverage protects against things like court costs, medical services and loss of income. How much liability should you purchase? That is a personal decision, but buy as much as you can afford.

Spend less. Save more.

As you shop your coverage around, never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In too many instances, someone sacrificed collision coverage and found out when filing a claim that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your strategy should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

Insureds who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including being labeled a high risk driver, delays in responding to claim requests, high prices and even policy non-renewal. Whatever your reason, finding the right insurance provider is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.

Cheaper 1998 Saturn S-Series insurance can be purchased online and with local insurance agents, and you should be comparing both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who do not offer online quoting and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

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