Lower Your 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse Insurance Quotes

Have you had enough of trying to scrape together enough money to keep your car insured? You are no different than many other consumers. Big-name insurance companies like State Farm, Progressive and Geico all claim big savings with catchy ads and consumers find it hard to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

Smart consumers take time to compare rates as often as possible because insurance coverage rates change frequently. Even if you think you had the lowest rate for Eclipse coverage a year ago you can probably find a lower rate today. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding insurance coverage online, but you can learn some of the best ways to find cheap insurance coverage.

If you have a policy now or are looking for a new policy, you can learn to reduce the price you pay while maintaining coverages. Buying car insurance is easy if you know what you’re doing. Drivers only need an understanding of the best way to shop their coverage around online.

Smart choices result in lower insurance premiums

It’s important that you understand a few of the rating criteria that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for insurance. If you have a feel for what determines base rates, this helps enable you to make changes that may result in cheaper rates.

  • Drive fewer miles and save – The more you drive your Mitsubishi every year the higher your rates will be. The majority of insurers calculate prices based upon how much you drive. Cars that sit idle most of the time cost less to insure than vehicles that have high annual mileage. Having the wrong rating on your Eclipse can result in significantly higher rates. Verify your insurance policy shows the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.
  • Never let your coverage expire – Not having insurance can get your license suspended and as a result your rates will increase for letting your insurance lapse for non-payment. In addition to paying higher rates, getting caught without coverage can result in a revoked license or a big fine.
  • Safer cars lower prices – Cars with five star safety ratings cost less to insure. These vehicles help reduce the chance of injuries in an accident and any reduction in injury severity translates directly to fewer claims and cheaper rates on your policy.
  • Limits of liability insurance – The liability section of your policy will afford coverage when you are responsible for an accident. Your policy’s liability insurance provides for a legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Liability insurance is quite affordable as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not skimp.
  • Frequent claims increase prices – If you are the type of insured that files lots of claims you can expect much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Companies generally give cheaper rates to policyholders who file claims infrequently. Your insurance policy is intended for the large, substantial claims.

These discounts can slash car insurance rates

Companies that sell car insurance do not advertise every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so the list below details both the well known and the harder-to-find ways to save on car insurance.

  • Paper-free Discount – A handful of insurance companies will provide an incentive for buying your policy digitally online.
  • Discount for New Cars – Adding a new car to your policy can cost up to 25% less because newer models keep occupants safer.
  • Military Rewards – Having a deployed family member may qualify for rate reductions.
  • Distant Student – College-age children who attend college more than 100 miles from home and do not have a car can receive lower rates.
  • Good Student – Getting good grades can earn a discount of 20% or more. The discount lasts up until you turn 25.
  • Passive Restraints – Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts may qualify for discounts of 25 to 30%.
  • Anti-lock Brake System – Cars equipped with ABS or steering control can avoid accidents and the ABS can save up to 10%.
  • Responsible Driver Discounts – Insureds without accidents may save up to 50% more for Eclipse coverage than drivers with accidents.

One thing to note about discounts is that some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So even though it sounds like you could get a free car insurance policy, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.

A partial list of companies who may offer most of the discounts above include:

If you are trying to find cheaper car insurance quotes, ask all companies you are considering to give you their best rates. Some discounts may not apply in your area. To locate car insurance companies with the best car insurance discounts, click here to view.

When do I need an agent’s advice?

When choosing proper insurance coverage, there is no one size fits all plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so this has to be addressed. Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine whether or not you might need professional guidance.

  • Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
  • Am I covered if I hit a deer?
  • Can I get a multi-policy discount?
  • Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
  • Am I covered when driving someone else’s vehicle?
  • Does insurance cover tools stolen from my truck?
  • What is UM/UIM insurance?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may 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 or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and may give you better protection.

Auto insurance 101

Knowing the specifics of auto insurance can help you determine the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Shown next are typical coverages available from auto insurance companies.

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers

Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle when other motorists either have no liability insurance or not enough. It can pay for medical payments for you and your occupants and also any damage incurred to your 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse.

Since many drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage should not be overlooked.

Medical expense insurance

Med pay and PIP coverage pay for expenses for pain medications, nursing services, ambulance fees and EMT expenses. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. It covers all vehicle occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Comprehensive (Other than Collision)

This coverage will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive insurance covers things such as hitting a bird, damage from flooding, rock chips in glass and theft. The highest amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Auto liability

Liability insurance provides protection from damage or injury you incur to people or other property by causing an accident. This coverage protects you from claims by other people. It does not cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have limits of 50/100/50 that translate to $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $50,000.

Liability coverage protects against claims such as funeral expenses, loss of income and pain and suffering. How much liability coverage do you need? That is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford.

Collision coverage protection

This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision coverage protects against claims like sideswiping another vehicle, backing into a parked car, crashing into a building, sustaining damage from a pot hole and scraping a guard rail. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to increase the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Take this to the bank

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s a bad idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. There are too many instances where an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to regret at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your aim should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price while still protecting your assets.

We covered a lot of tips how to lower your 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse insurance rates. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better likelihood of getting affordable car insurance. Consumers could even find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a small mutual company. Regional companies may have significantly lower car insurance rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like State Farm or Progressive.

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