It’s safe to conclude that car insurance companies don’t want policyholders to compare prices from other companies. Drivers who shop for lower rates are highly likely to move their business because there is a significant possibility of finding coverage at a cheaper rate. A recent survey revealed that consumers who compared rates once a year saved about $865 a year as compared to drivers who don’t make a habit of comparing rates.
If finding low prices for Volkswagen Atlas insurance in Toledo is your ultimate target, then having some insight into how to shop for coverage rates can make shopping around easier.
Truthfully, the best way to get low-cost auto insurance rates in Toledo is to compare prices once a year from insurers that sell auto insurance in Ohio.
Step 1: Spend a few minutes and learn about how companies set rates and the factors you can control to prevent rate increases. Many policy risk factors that result in higher rates such as traffic citations, accidents, and a not-so-good credit history can be controlled by paying attention to minor details.
Step 2: Compare price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive and direct companies can only give prices from one company like Progressive and State Farm, while agents who are independent can quote rates from multiple sources.
Step 3: Compare the quotes to the premium of your current policy and see if there is a cheaper rate in Toledo. If you can save some money, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
Step 4: Provide proper notification to your current company of your intention to cancel your current coverage. Submit payment along with a signed and completed policy application to the new insurer. Be sure to keep the new certificate of insurance in an accessible location in your vehicle.
The most important part of shopping around is to use the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on every quote request and to quote with every company you can. This provides a level playing field and many rates to choose from.
The best way to compare insurance rates from multiple companies is to understand most insurance companies participate in a system to give free rates quotes. To start a quote, the only thing you need to do is spend a couple of minutes providing details such as if the car is leased, your general credit rating, if it has an anti-theft system, and which vehicles you own. That rating information is automatically sent to many of the top insurers and you should receive rate quotes almost instantly.
To find the cheapest Volkswagen Atlas insurance rates, click here and find out if you can get cheaper insurance in Toledo.
The companies shown below are our best choices to provide comparison quotes in Toledo, OH. In order to find cheap auto insurance in Ohio, it’s a good idea that you visit several of them to find the most competitive auto insurance rates.
Protect your Atlas and other assets
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Volkswagen in Toledo, paying for car insurance may not be optional for several reasons.
- Just about all states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means state laws require specific limits of liability insurance coverage if you drive a vehicle. 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 your Atlas has a loan, more than likely the lender will make it a condition of the loan that you buy full coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If the policy lapses, the bank may buy a policy for your Volkswagen at a more expensive rate and force you to reimburse them much more than you were paying before.
- Car insurance protects both your vehicle and your assets. It will also reimburse you for hospital and medical expenses that are the result of an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you cause an accident and are sued. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of having car insurance definitely exceed the price paid, especially if you ever need it. Unknowingly, the average driver overpays more than $865 each year so it’s very important to do a rate comparison at least once a year to ensure rates are inline.
Insurance Rate Influencing Factors
Many things are part of the equation when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are obvious such as your driving record, although some other factors are not quite as obvious like where you live and annual miles driven. Part of the car insurance buying process is learning the rating factors that go into determining your premiums. If you have a feel for what controls the rates you pay, this enables you to make decisions that can earn you lower rates.
Marriage reduces risk – Being married helps lower the price on your policy. It generally demonstrates drivers are less irresponsible and insurance companies reward insureds because married drivers get in fewer accidents.
Drive less and save – The more you drive your Volkswagen each year the higher the price you pay to insure it. Most companies calculate prices partially by how you use the vehicle. Autos used primarily for pleasure use can get a lower rate as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. A policy that improperly rates your Atlas may be costing you higher rates. It’s a smart idea to ensure your vehicle rating shows annual mileage.
Men drivers tend to cost more – The statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. However, this does not mean women are BETTER drivers than men. Males and females get in accidents at a similar rate, but guys have costlier accidents. Men also receive more costly citations such as DWI and reckless driving.
Adjust comp and collision deductibles and save – Comp and collision deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend if a claim is determined to be covered. Physical damage coverage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, protects your car from damage. A few examples of covered claims are rear-ending another vehicle, vandalism, and damage from wind. The more expense the insured is willing to pay, the lower your rates will be.
More performance means higher rates – The performance level of the car you are buying insurance for makes a big difference in determining your rates. Economy passenger cars normally have pretty low rates, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
Deter theft and pay less – Selecting a car model with a theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Theft deterrent systems such as GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all help prevent auto theft.
Prices may be higher where you live – Being located in less populated areas can save you money when insuring your vehicles. City drivers tend to have much more traffic and longer commute times. Fewer drivers corresponds to lower accident rates in addition to fewer liability claims.
Lower rate quotes on Volkswagen Atlas insurance in Toledo with these insurance discounts
Insurance is easily one of your largest bills, but you might be missing out on some discounts that could drop your premiums quite a bit. Some discounts will apply at the time you complete a quote, but a few must be asked about before they will apply.
- Resident Student – Youth drivers who are enrolled in a college that is more than 100 miles from Toledo and don’t have a car may qualify for this discount.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Some insurance companies give lower premium rates if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
- Renewal Discounts – Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching policies prior to the expiration date on your current Atlas insurance policy. You may see this discount when you get Toledo auto insurance quotes online.
- Organization Discounts – Participating in qualifying employment or professional organizations is a simple method to lower premiums on insurance.
- Passenger Safety Discount – Factory options such as air bags or automatic seat belts can get savings of more than 20%.
- Military Rewards – Having a deployed family member could be rewarded with lower prices.
- Cautious Driver Discount – Drivers who don’t get into accidents can pay as much as 50% less than their less cautious counterparts.
- Auto/Home Discount – If you combine your homeowners and auto policies and place coverage with the same company you could earn a discount of as much as 10 to 15 percent.
- Senior Citizen Discount – Seniors may be able to get better insurance rates.
- No Claim Discounts – Good drivers with no accidents get the best insurance rates in comparison with accident-prone drivers.
Discounts reduce rates, but you should keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. A few only apply to individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it may seem like all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies don’t profit that way.
Some of the insurance companies that possibly offer these benefits possibly include:
Before purchasing a policy, check with each company how you can save money. Some discounts listed above might not be offered in your state. To choose providers that offer multiple discounts in Toledo, follow this link.
When do I need an agent’s advice?
Keep in mind that when it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different so your insurance needs to address that.
Here are some questions about coverages that might help in determining whether you would benefit from professional advice.
- Why do I only qualify for high-risk insurance?
- If I drive on a suspended license am I covered?
- Can good grades get a discount?
- Is my custom stereo system covered?
- Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
- Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
- Can I rent a car in Mexico?
- Is my Volkswagen Atlas covered for flood damage?
- What is the ISO rating for a Volkswagen Atlas?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form or click here for a list of insurance companies in your area.
Local insurance agents
A small number of people just prefer to get advice from a local agent and doing that can be a smart decision A nice benefit of comparing rates online is that you can obtain cheaper car insurance rates but also keep your business local.
Once you complete this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is instantly submitted to companies in Toledo that give free quotes to get your business. You never need to contact an agency due to the fact that quote results will go instantly to you. It’s the lowest rates without having to waste a lot of time. If you wish to compare prices from a specific insurance company, you would need to search and find their rate quote page and submit a quote form there.
Choosing the best insurance company requires you to look at more than just the premium amount. These are some questions you should get answers to.
- Do they write coverage based solely on cost?
- Will the company cover a rental car if your car is getting fixed?
- Is the agent CPCU or CIC certified?
- How many years have they been established?
- In the event of vehicle damage, can you pick the collision repair facility?
If you prefer to buy auto insurance from a reliable insurance agent, it helps to know the two different types of agents and how they can write your policy. Auto insurance agents are considered either independent or exclusive.
Exclusive Auto Insurance Agencies
Exclusive agents can only provide pricing for a single company and examples are State Farm or Allstate. They generally cannot shop your coverage around so they really need to provide good service. Exclusive agents receive extensive training on sales techniques which helps offset the inability to provide other markets.
Listed below is a list of exclusive insurance agencies in Toledo who may provide you with price quotes.
Allstate Insurance: J. Mark Atkins
5330 Heatherdowns Blvd Ste 203 – Toledo, OH 43614 – (419) 867-8887 – View Map
Scott Wood – State Farm Insurance Agent
4802 N Summit St – Toledo, OH 43611 – (419) 726-3741 – View Map
Nathan Ensey – State Farm Insurance Agent
4024 N Holland Sylvania Rd Ste 6 – Toledo, OH 43623 – (419) 517-8811 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent insurance agents are not limited to a single company so as a result can place your coverage through many companies and get you the best rates possible. If they find a cheaper price, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to do anything.
When comparing rate quotes, we recommend you get some free quotes from several independent agencies to get the best comparison.
The following are Toledo independent insurance agents that are able to give price quote information.
Mann Insurance
3005 Douglas Rd – Toledo, OH 43606 – (419) 255-0040 – View Map
Detlef Insurance
833 Woodville Rd – Toledo, OH 43605 – (419) 693-7458 – View Map
Mouch Insurance Associates, Inc.
3132 W Sylvania Ave – Toledo, OH 43623 – (419) 725-0056 – View Map
You can lower your insurance rates
You just learned many ways to get a better price on Volkswagen Atlas insurance in Toledo. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better likelihood of getting low cost Toledo auto insurance quotes. Consumers could even find that the biggest savings come from an unexpected company. Some small companies may have significantly lower prices on certain market segments than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm or Progressive.
When you buy Toledo auto insurance online, you should never buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many cases, someone dropped full coverage only to regret at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best possible price but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
More information can be found at the links below
- Vehicle Size and Weight FAQ (iihs.org)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for College Graduates in Toledo? (FAQ)
- Honda warning system reduces insurance claims (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- What if I Can’t Find Coverage? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Things to Know Before you Cancel Insurance (Allstate)
- What are my Rights when Filing a Claim? (Insurance Information Institute)