Cheap 1996 Volkswagen Passat Insurance Rates

Overwhelmed by the wide range of car insurance choices? You have so many choices that it can be a big hassle to find the best rates.

It is always a good idea to take a look at other company’s rates before your next renewal because car insurance prices trend upward over time. Despite the fact that you may have had the best quotes for Passat coverage a few years ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because we’re going to show you one of the easiest ways to find lower rates on car insurance.

Get cheaper rates with these discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don’t list every discount they offer in a way that’s easy to find, so the list below gives a summary of some of the best known and the more hidden credits that you can use to lower your rates. If you do not double check each discount available, it’s possible you qualify for a lower rate.

  • No Claims – Claim-free drivers have much lower rates when compared with frequent claim filers.
  • Theft Deterent – Vehicles equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems are less likely to be stolen and will save you 10% or more.
  • Good Driver Discounts – Drivers who don’t get into accidents may save up to 50% more for Passat coverage compared to rates paid by drivers with frequent claims.
  • Senior Citizen Rates – Seniors may be able to get a small decrease in premiums for Passat coverage.
  • Data Collection Discounts – Drivers that enable data collection to look at driving patterns by using a telematics device like In-Drive from State Farm and Progressive’s Snapshot could save a few bucks if they exhibit good driving behavior.

Don’t be surprised that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. A few only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won’t be that lucky.

To see a list of insurance companies that have a full spectrum of discounts, click here.

How you can control Volkswagen Passat insurance prices

Lots of things are part of the calculation when premium rates are determined. Some factors are common sense like a motor vehicle report, but some are less apparent like your continuous coverage or your financial responsibility.Consumers need to have an understanding of a few of the rating criteria that aid in calculating your insurance coverage rates. When consumers understand what determines premiums, this enables you to make decisions that may reward you with lower rates.

The following are most of the major factors used by insurance companies to determine premiums.

  • Big city or small town – Living in areas with lower population is a good thing when insuring your vehicles. Fewer drivers on the road means fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. Drivers in populated areas have traffic congestion and longer commutes to work. More time commuting means a statistically higher chance of an accident.
  • Keep rates low by being claim-free – If you are the type of insured that files lots of claims don’t be surprised to see much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Auto insurance companies award discounts to policyholders who are not frequent claim filers. Your insurance policy is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • Credit rating impacts premiums – Having a good credit score is a large factor in calculating your premium rate. Therefore, if your credit history is lower than you’d like, you could potentially save money when insuring your 1996 Volkswagen Passat by taking the time to improve your credit score. People that have high credit scores tend to file fewer claims than drivers who have worse credit.
  • Drive less and pay lower prices – The higher the miles on your Volkswagen in a year the higher your rate. Most companies apply a rate based upon how much you drive. Cars and trucks that have low annual miles can get a lower rate than vehicles that are driven to work every day. It’s a good idea to make sure your insurance coverage declarations sheet correctly shows the proper vehicle usage. Improper usage on your Passat can result in significantly higher rates.
  • Less chance of injury means lower prices – Cars with five star safety ratings tend to have lower insurance rates. Safer cars help reduce the chance of injuries in an accident and better occupant protection means less money paid by your insurance company passed on to you as lower rates. If your Volkswagen has at least an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website you are probably receiving a discount.
  • Raise your comp and collision deductibles for better prices – Physical damage insurance, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, is used to repair damage to your vehicle. Some coverage claims would be collision with another vehicle, vandalism, and rolling your vehicle. Your deductibles state the amount of money you are required to spend in the event of a claim. The larger the amount the insured has to pay upfront, the bigger discount you will receive for Passat coverage.
  • Driving citations inflate rates – Being a careful driver can have a huge impact on auto insurance premiums. Drivers with clean records get better rates than their less careful counterparts. Even one ticket can bump up the cost by twenty percent. Drivers who get careless violations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may be required to file a SR-22 with their state’s licensing department in order to prevent their license from being revoked.

Insurance coverage can be complex

When choosing adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a “perfect” insurance plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.

For example, these questions may help highlight if you might need professional guidance.

  • Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
  • What is medical payments coverage?
  • How do I insure my teen driver?
  • Does liability extend to a camper or trailer?
  • Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
  • Will filing a claim cost me more?
  • Who is covered when they drive my 1996 Volkswagen Passat?
  • How many claims can I have before being cancelled?
  • Why am I required to buy liability insurance?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form.

Insurance coverage breakdown

Having a good grasp of your insurance policy can help you determine the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Coverage for liability

This protects you from injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people in an accident. This insurance protects YOU against claims from other people. Liability doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see liability limits of 50/100/50 that translate to a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property.

Liability can pay for claims like structural damage, bail bonds and legal defense fees. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford.

Comprehensive coverage

This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against things like damage from a tornado or hurricane, fire damage and hitting a bird. The maximum payout your insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage

Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection from other drivers when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits, their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family.

Medical payments coverage and PIP

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for bills for chiropractic care, nursing services and ambulance fees. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Auto collision coverage

This coverage will pay to fix damage to your Passat caused by collision with another car or object. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision coverage pays for claims like damaging your car on a curb, sideswiping another vehicle, hitting a parking meter, colliding with another moving vehicle and driving through your garage door. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. You can also choose a higher deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

A little work can save a LOT of money

When getting car insurance quotes online, never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In too many instances, an accident victim reduced physical damage coverage only to discover later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your objective should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the lowest possible cost, but do not skimp to save money.

Cheap 1996 Volkswagen Passat insurance is available both online and from local insurance agents, so you need to shop car insurance with both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies may not offer internet price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.

Throughout this article, we presented quite a bit of information on how to shop for 1996 Volkswagen Passat insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your car insurance rates. Consumers could even find that the lowest rates are with a lesser-known regional company.

Much more information about auto insurance is available at these links: