2012 Kia Soul Insurance Quotes

Have you had enough of not being able to afford to insure your Kia every month? You’re in the same situation as most other car owners.

Consumers have many auto insurance companies to pick from, and although it’s nice to have multiple companies, having more insurance companies makes it harder to find the lowest cost provider.

Smart consumers take time to compare prices every six months since insurance rates are rarely the same from one policy term to another. If you had the lowest rates for Soul coverage a few years ago other companies may now be cheaper. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the tricks you need to know to eliminate unnecessary coverages and save money.

This article will help you learn how to get online quotes and some tricks to saving. If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to cut costs considerably using this information. Nevertheless, car owners do need to understand how insurance companies price insurance differently and use this information to your advantage.

Elements that influence Kia Soul insurance rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that go into determining insurance coverage rates. Knowing what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

Listed below are a partial list of the pieces companies use to determine rates.

  • Don’t skimp on liability – Liability insurance is the protection in the event that a jury decides you are liable for personal injury or accident damage. It will provide you with a defense in court which can cost thousands of dollars. Liability is cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.
  • No coverage gaps is important – Driving your car without having proper coverage is against the law and your next policy will cost more because you let your coverage lapse. Not only will you pay more, failure to provide proof of insurance will get you a revoked license or a big fine.
  • Do you need the policy add-ons? – There are a ton of add-on coverages you can purchase on your insurance coverage policy. Things like personal injury protection, better glass coverage and additional equipment coverage are some examples. They may seem like a good idea when you first buy your policy, but now you might not need them so remove them from your policy.
  • Your car’s features help determine rates – Choosing a vehicle with an alarm system can get you a discount on your insurance coverage. Anti-theft devices like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can thwart your vehicle from being stolen.
  • Rural vs Urban Areas – Choosing to live in a rural area can save you money when talking about insurance coverage. Drivers who live in large cities have to deal with traffic congestion and much longer commute distances. Less people living in that area means fewer accidents.

The quickest method to get policy rate comparisons takes advantage of the fact most larger insurance companies participate in online systems to quote your coverage. The only thing you need to do is give them some information including if a SR-22 is required, how much school you completed, if the car is leased, and your job. That rating information is then sent to multiple different insurance companies and you will get price comparisons quickly.

Ads can be misleading

Insurance companies such as Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm constantly bombard you with ads in print and on television. They all seem to have a common claim that you’ll save big if you switch your coverage to them. How do they all claim to save you money? This is how they do it.

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that is profitable for them. For instance, a driver they prefer might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, a clean driving record, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer who meets those qualifications gets the lowest rates and most likely will save when switching.

Drivers who don’t measure up to these standards will have to pay a higher premium which usually ends up with business not being written. The ads say “people who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save money. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently state the savings.

Because of the profiling, drivers should compare many company’s rates. It’s not possible to predict which company will fit your personal profile best.

You probably qualify for some discounts

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but there are discounts available to help offset the cost. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time of purchase, but some must be asked about in order for you to get them.

  • Claim Free – Good drivers with no accidents pay less compared to bad drivers.
  • Safety Course Discount – Taking part in a course in driver safety could cut 5% off your bill depending on where you live.
  • 55 and Retired – Mature drivers may receive better insurance coverage rates for Soul coverage.
  • Good Student Discount – Performing well in school can save 20 to 25%. The good student discount can last well after school through age 25.
  • Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Low mileage vehicles could qualify for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
  • Homeowners Pay Less – Simply owning a home can help you save on insurance coverage because of the fact that having a home is proof that your finances are in order.
  • Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems can reduce accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
  • Paperless Signup – A few companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up over the internet.
  • Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts can save up to 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
  • Drivers Education – Have your child successfully complete driver’s ed class in school.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most discounts do not apply the the whole policy. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. Even though it may seem like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies wouldn’t make money that way. Any qualifying discounts will bring down the amount you have to pay.

Companies that may have these money-saving discounts include:

Double check with all companies you are considering which discounts they offer. All car insurance discounts might not apply in your state.

There’s no such thing as the perfect policy

When buying adequate coverage, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Every insured’s situation is different so your insurance needs to address that. For instance, these questions could help you determine whether or not you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

  • When should I buy a commercial auto policy?
  • Do I need replacement cost coverage?
  • Why do I need rental car insurance?
  • Which is better, split liability limits or combined limits?
  • Should I rate my 2012 Kia Soul as pleasure use or commute?
  • Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
  • What discounts do I qualify for?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Detailed coverages of your car insurance policy

Learning about specific coverages of a car insurance policy aids in choosing which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring. Listed below are the usual coverages found on the average car insurance policy.

Collision coverage

This covers damage to your Soul resulting from colliding with an object or car. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision can pay for claims such as hitting a mailbox, sustaining damage from a pot hole, scraping a guard rail, rolling your car and crashing into a ditch. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to increase the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)

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

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as falling objects, damage from a tornado or hurricane, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and damage from getting keyed. The maximum amount a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.

Liability insurance

This will cover injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people. It protects you against claims from other people. It does not cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Liability coverage has three limits: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You commonly see liability limits of 50/100/50 that translate to $50,000 bodily injury coverage, a total of $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Alternatively, you may have one number which is a combined single limit which combines the three limits into one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability coverage pays for claims such as repair costs for stationary objects, structural damage, pain and suffering and legal defense fees. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but consider buying as much as you can afford.

Insurance for medical payments

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for short-term medical expenses like surgery, EMT expenses, dental work and chiropractic care. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover both the driver and occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance

This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your Kia Soul.

Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is very important. Frequently the UM/UIM limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.

Shop. Compare. Save.

In this article, we covered many tips how you can reduce 2012 Kia Soul insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more you quote, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even find the best price on car insurance is with an unexpected company. These companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas than their larger competitors like Allstate and Progressive.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s very important that you do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where an accident victim reduced full coverage to discover at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The aim is to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.

To learn more, link through to the resources below: