Feel like you’re a prisoner to an overpriced insurance policy? Believe me when I say you are not the only one feeling buyer’s remorse.
It’s an obvious conclusion that insurance companies don’t want policyholders to compare prices from other companies. People who get comparison quotes at least once a year are likely to move their business because they have good chances of finding a policy with more affordable rates. A recent insurance study discovered that consumers who shopped around every year saved on average $865 annually as compared to drivers who never compared other company’s rates.
If finding the best rates on Lexus IS 300 insurance in Toledo is your objective, then having some insight into how to get free comparison quotes and analyze insurance coverage can help you succeed in finding affordable rates. Insurance companies such as Allstate and Progressive all claim big savings, bombarding you with ads and it can be hard to not get sucked in by the cute commercials and do the work needed to find the best deal.
If you have a policy now or are just looking to switch companies, you can follow these tips to cut your premiums without having to cut coverage. Locating the most cost-effective insurance policy in Toledo is not rocket science. Smart buyers just have to learn the tricks to shop for insurance from many companies at once.
Learn How to Find Insurance More Affordably
It’s important that you understand the different types of things that play a part in calculating the price you pay for insurance. If you know what impacts premium levels, this allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get cheaper rates.
The list below includes a partial list of the pieces used by companies to determine rates.
- Bad credit will cost you – Your credit history is a big factor in your rate calculation. Drivers with very high credit ratings tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers with lower ratings. If your credit history leaves room for improvement, you may save money insuring your Lexus IS 300 if you clean up your credit.
- Combine policies with the same company – Many companies afford a discount to policyholders who consolidate policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, you may still want to get quotes from other companies to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still save even more even if you have your coverage with different companies
- Your age impacts your rates – Older drivers are more cautious drivers, tend to cause fewer accidents, and usually have better credit. Young drivers are known to be easily distracted with other occupants in the car so insurance rates are higher.
- Males tend to take more risk – Over the last 30 years, statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn’t necessarily mean that females are better drivers. Females and males cause at-fault accidents at about the same rate, but the males tend to have more serious accidents. In addition to higher claims, males also get more serious tickets like driving under the influence (DUI).
The companies in the list below can provide price quotes in Ohio. To locate cheap car insurance in Toledo, OH, it’s highly recommended you visit two to three different companies in order to find the most competitive rates.
Three good reasons to insure your IS 300
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Lexus in Toledo, buying insurance is not optional due to several reasons.
- The majority of states have minimum liability requirements which means state laws require a specific minimum amount of liability protection if you want to drive legally. In Ohio these limits are 25/50/25 which means you must have $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
- If you have a lien on your IS 300, it’s guaranteed your bank will require you to have comprehensive coverage to protect their interest in the vehicle. If the policy lapses, the bank may insure your Lexus at an extremely high rate and make you pay the higher price.
- Insurance protects not only your Lexus IS 300 but also your financial assets. It also can pay for medical transport and hospital expenses for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, will also pay to defend you if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, your insurance policy will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of insuring your car greatly outweigh the cost, particularly if you ever have a claim. The average driver in Ohio overpays as much as $830 a year so compare rate quotes at every renewal to make sure the price is not too high.
Verify you’re earning every discount
Companies offering auto insurance don’t list the entire discount list in a way that’s easy to find, so the list below gives a summary of a few of the more common in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits available to bring down your rates.
- Seat Belts Save – Drivers who always wear seat belts and also require passengers to use a seat belt can save 10% or more on medical payment and PIP coverage.
- Discount for Swiching Early – A few companies offer discounts for buying a policy before your current coverage expires. It can save you around 10%.
- Air Bag Discount – Options like air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts as much as 30%.
- 55 and Retired – Mature drivers can possibly qualify for a small discount on rates.
- Telematics Data – Toledo drivers who agree to allow companies to study where and when they drive through the use of a telematics system such as Progressive’s Snapshot may get a rate reduction if they exhibit good driving behavior.
Don’t be surprised that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like all the discounts add up to a free policy, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.
Some companies that may include these discounts are:
Check with every prospective company how many discounts you can get. A few discounts might not be offered on policies in Toledo. To locate providers with discount rates in Ohio, click here to view.
Insurance agent or online?
A lot of people prefer to go talk to an agent and that is a personal choice. Most agents will help you protect your assets and help file insurance claims. The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is you can get cheaper auto insurance rates but still work with a licensed agent.
Upon completion of this short form, your information is emailed to local insurance agents in Toledo that provide free Toledo car insurance quotes to get your business. You won’t need to search for any insurance agencies because quoted prices will be sent to you instantly. In the event you want to get a rate quote for a specific company, you just need to visit that company’s website and give them your coverage information.
Finding the right company shouldn’t rely on just the price. Any good agent in Toledo should know the answers to these questions.
- Is working in the agency their full-time job?
- Do they have cheaper tiers of coverage?
- Do they see any coverage gaps in your plan?
- Which insurance company do they prefer to write with?
- Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
- Are they actively involved in the community?
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
If you are wanting to find local Toledo agents, there are a couple of different types of agencies that you can select. Toledo agents can be classified as either exclusive or independent (non-exclusive). Both types can sell car insurance policies, but it’s important to point out the difference in how they write coverage because it can influence your agent selection.
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Exclusive agents can only provide pricing for a single company like State Farm, Allstate, and Farm Bureau. They usually cannot shop your coverage around so they have to upsell other benefits. These agents are highly trained in insurance sales which helps them compete with independent agents.
Shown below are exclusive insurance agencies in Toledo who may provide you with price quote information.
Farmers Insurance – Patrick Hogan
3700 N Holland Sylvania Rd – Toledo, OH 43615 – (419) 517-5579 – View Map
Jeff Traudt – State Farm Insurance Agent
2828 Central Ave – Toledo, OH 43606 – (419) 473-3276 – View Map
Allstate Insurance: Yark Insurance Agency
6019 Central Ave b – Toledo, OH 43615 – (419) 842-7660 – View Map
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Agents that elect to be independent are not restricted to one company and that allows them to write policies through many different car insurance companies and get you the best rates possible. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply switch companies in-house and you won’t have to switch agencies.
If you need lower rates, you will want to get rate quotes from several independent insurance agents for the best price selection.
The following is a short list of independent agencies in Toledo that can give you rate quotes.
Nationwide Insurance: AOK Ins and Financial Services LLC
4452 Heatherdowns Blvd – Toledo, OH 43614 – (419) 472-9405 – View Map
Gus Badra Insurance Agency
3454 Oak Alley Court, Suite 106 A, Toledo 43606 – Suite 106 A, OH 43606 – (419) 469-5522 – View Map
Mann Insurance
3005 Douglas Rd – Toledo, OH 43606 – (419) 255-0040 – View Map
Toledo car insurance companies
Ending up with the best car insurance provider can be a challenge considering how many companies sell insurance in Ohio. The company rank data shown next can help you choose which coverage providers to look at purchasing a policy from.
Top 10 Toledo Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Value
- USAA
- GEICO
- AAA Insurance
- Erie Insurance
- State Farm
- Liberty Mutual
- Safeco Insurance
- Allstate
- 21st Century
- Travelers
Top 10 Toledo Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Claims Service
- Progressive
- Travelers
- Liberty Mutual
- Nationwide
- USAA
- GEICO
- AAA Insurance
- Safeco Insurance
- Esurance
- The General
In Summary
When you buy Toledo car insurance online, it’s a bad idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are too many instances where an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to regret at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your objective should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Some car insurance companies may not have online quoting and many times these small insurance companies work with independent agents. Cheap Lexus IS 300 insurance in Toledo is definitely available both online in addition to local insurance agencies, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection.
How to find the cheapest rates for Lexus IS 300 insurance in Toledo
The most effective way to get budget car insurance rates in Toledo is to compare prices once a year from insurance carriers who sell auto insurance in Ohio.
- Get a basic knowledge of how insurance works and the changes you can make to keep rates down. Many policy risk factors that are responsible for high rates such as careless driving and an unacceptable credit history can be improved by paying attention to minor details.
- Request rate estimates from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct and exclusive agents can provide rates from a single company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agencies can quote prices from multiple insurance companies.
- Compare the new rates to your existing coverage to see if a cheaper rate is available. If you find a lower rate and switch companies, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
The critical component of shopping around is that you use identical deductibles and limits on each price quote and and to get rate quotes from as many auto insurance providers as possible. Doing this ensures the most accurate price comparison and maximum price selection.
Additional information is located at these links:
- Think You’re a Safe Driver? (State Farm)
- Vehicle Insurance in the U.S. (Wikipedia)
- What is Covered by an Auto Insurance Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Understanding Car Crashes Video (iihs.org)