2008 Toyota Prius Car Insurance Cost – 10 Savings Tips

Want the cheapest insurance coverage rates for your Toyota Prius? Are you tired of being strong-armed to pay your car insurance bill each month? You are in the same boat as many other drivers.

Consumers have many car insurance companies to choose from, and although it’s a good thing to have a selection, so many choices can make it hard to compare company pricing.

Companies offer discounts so take them!

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but there are discounts available that can drop the cost substantially. Some discounts apply automatically at the time of quoting, but some may not be applied and must be specifically requested prior to receiving the credit.

  • Multi-policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with one insurance company you could get a discount of at least 10% off all policies.
  • Pay Upfront and Save – By paying your policy upfront instead of paying each month you could save up to 5%.
  • More Vehicles More Savings – Insuring multiple cars or trucks on one policy qualifies for this discount.
  • Anti-theft Discount – Anti-theft and alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
  • Federal Government Employee – Being employed by or retired from a federal job may qualify you for a discount on Prius coverage depending on your company.
  • Own a Home – Being a homeowner may earn you a small savings because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
  • Drivers Ed for Students – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to complete a driver education course if offered at their school.
  • Discounts for Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents can pay as much as 50% less on Prius coverage than their less cautious counterparts.
  • Accident Forgiveness – A few companies will allow you to have one accident before your rates go up if you are claim-free prior to the accident.
  • Use Seat Belts – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts could cut 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.

Drivers should understand that most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you’re out of luck. But all discounts will reduce the amount you have to pay.

For a list of insurance companies offering insurance discounts, click here.

Do drivers who switch really save?

Allstate, GEICO and Progressive consistently run television and radio advertisements. All the companies make the same claim that you can save if you change to their company. How can each company claim to save you money? It’s all in the numbers.

All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the driver they prefer to insure. A good example of a preferred risk could be a mature driver, is a homeowner, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Any new insured that hits that “sweet spot” is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save quite a bit of money when switching.

Drivers who fall outside the requirements will have to pay a more expensive rate and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say “drivers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. That’s the way companies can advertise the savings.

Because of the profiling, drivers should get as many comparisons as possible. It is impossible to predict the company that will provide you with the cheapest Toyota Prius insurance rates.

Do I just need basic coverages?

When buying the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Every insured’s situation is different so this has to be addressed. For example, these questions could help you determine if you may require specific advice.

  • Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
  • What is the minimum liability in my state?
  • How much underlying liability do I need for an umbrella policy?
  • Do I need medical payments coverage since I have good health insurance?
  • Do I have coverage for damage caused while driving under the influence?
  • I have health insurance so do I need medical payments coverage?
  • Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?
  • When can my company non-renew my policy?
  • How high should deductibles be on a 2008 Toyota Prius?

If you can’t answer these questions, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Insurance policy coverages for a 2008 Toyota Prius

Learning about specific coverages of insurance can help you determine which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and coverage can change by endorsement. Below you’ll find the usual coverages offered by insurance companies.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)

This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Frequently the UM/UIM limits are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Collision protection

Collision insurance covers damage to your Prius caused by collision with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision can pay for things such as crashing into a ditch, sustaining damage from a pot hole and damaging your car on a curb. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for bills for things like funeral costs, EMT expenses, dental work, X-ray expenses and prosthetic devices. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants as well as getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Comprehensive insurance

This pays for damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for claims like a broken windshield, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, damage from a tornado or hurricane, vandalism and damage from getting keyed. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Liability coverages

This protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property by causing an accident. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You commonly see liability limits of 50/100/50 which stand for a limit of $50,000 per injured person, $100,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Another option is one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which limits claims to one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability insurance covers things such as bail bonds, medical services, funeral expenses, structural damage and repair costs for stationary objects. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but consider buying as large an amount as possible.

In the end, you save

Discount 2008 Toyota Prius insurance is definitely available on the web and with local insurance agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance companies do not offer online price quotes and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

We just presented some good ideas how to reduce insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers could even find that the lowest rates come from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. Regional companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate or State Farm.

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