How Much Does 1997 Pontiac Bonneville Insurance Cost?

Want better insurance rates for your Pontiac Bonneville? Expensive insurance can eat up your accounts and maybe even restrict other spending. Comparing cost estimates can lower your rates and help to make ends meet.

Since consumers have many different company options, it can be diffult for drivers to locate the lowest price insurance company.

Save with these money-saving discounts

Buying car insurance is not cheap, but you may find discounts to help offset the cost. Most are applied when you purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked about before they will apply.

  • Accident Forgiveness Coverage – This isn’t a discount exactly, but certain companies permit an accident without the usual rate increase as long as you don’t have any claims for a specific time period.
  • Good Grades Discount – Maintaining excellent grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts up to age 25.
  • Telematics Data – Drivers who agree to allow driving data submission to study driving habits by using a small device installed in their vehicle such as Allstate’s Drivewise and State Farm’s In-Drive system could save a few bucks if they have good driving habits.
  • Good Driver Discounts – Safe drivers can save up to 40% or more on their insurance coverage quote on Bonneville insurance compared to rates paid by drivers with frequent claims.
  • Homeowners Discount – Just owning your own home can earn you a little savings because of the fact that having a home is proof that your finances are in order.
  • New Vehicle Savings – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can get you a discount because newer models keep occupants safer.

As is typical with insurance, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Most only apply to individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. Even though it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don’t profit that way. Any amount of discount will help lower your policy cost.

A partial list of companies who might offer these money-saving discounts may include but are not limited to:

Check with each company or agent the best way to save money. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not apply in your area. For a list of insurance companies who offer free car insurance quotes, click this link.

Smart buyers can lower their insurance premiums

The best way to find cheaper insurance is to take a look at the factors that go into determining insurance rates. If you know what determines base rates, this allows you to make good choices that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

Shown below are some of the items that factor into your premiums.

  • Liability claims can be big – A critical coverage on your policy, liability insurance is the protection when you are responsible for physical damage or personal injury to other. It will provide you with a defense in court to attempt to prove you were not liable. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to physical damage coverage, so insureds should have plenty of protection for their assets.
  • Prices and your address – Being located in small towns and rural areas may provide you with better prices when shopping for auto insurance. People who live in big cities have to deal with more aggressive driving styles and more severe claims. Less people living in that area means less chance of accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
  • Too many claims and you’ll pay more – Car insurance companies give most affordable rates to policyholders who are claim-free. If you’re an insured who likes to file claims you can pretty much guarantee much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Your car insurance is meant to be used in the event of larger claims.
  • Are females or males drivers cheaper? – Over the last 50 years, statistics have shown that females take fewer risks when driving. The data does not necessarily mean that men are worse drivers. They both have fender benders at a similar rate, but the men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also get more serious tickets such as reckless driving. Males from age 16 to 21 have the highest risk to insure and are penalized with high insurance rates.
  • Car plus home equals more savings – Lots of insurance companies will give better rates to buyers that purchase more than one policy such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. The discount can be ten or even fifteen percent. Even if you already get this discount, it’s always a smart idea to get quotes from other companies to ensure the best deal.
  • Safer vehicles cost less to insure – Safer cars get lower rates. These vehicles reduce injuries and lower injury rates means less claims paid which can mean better rates for you.

Do I need special coverages?

When choosing proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s needs are different so your insurance needs to address that. For example, these questions might help in determining if you might need professional guidance.

  • How much can I save by bundling my policies?
  • Do I have coverage if my license is suspended?
  • Am I better off with higher deductibles on my 1997 Pontiac Bonneville?
  • How do I buy GAP insurance?
  • When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
  • Should I buy only the required minimum liability coverage?
  • What can I do if my company denied a claim?
  • Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
  • Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in my state?

If you’re not sure about those questions, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Auto insurance coverages and their meanings

Understanding the coverages of your policy can help you determine which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring. These are typical coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.

Collision coverage – This coverage covers damage to your Bonneville resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision can pay for claims like sustaining damage from a pot hole, backing into a parked car and crashing into a building. This coverage can be expensive, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also choose a higher deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance – This coverage gives you protection from other motorists when they do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family and damage to your Pontiac Bonneville.

Due to the fact that many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is very important.

Auto liability – This coverage provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to people or other property. This coverage protects you from claims by other people, and doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show liability limits of 25/50/25 which means a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property.

Liability can pay for claims such as bail bonds, legal defense fees, loss of income, medical expenses and repair costs for stationary objects. How much liability should you purchase? That is a personal decision, but consider buying higher limits if possible.

Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision) – This pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims like hail damage, falling objects, a broken windshield and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Insurance for medical payments – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for expenses like funeral costs, ambulance fees, dental work, EMT expenses and pain medications. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance plan or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to you and your occupants and also covers getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not available in all states and may carry a deductible

A fool and his money are soon parted

As you prepare to switch companies, you should never reduce needed coverages to save money. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to regret that it was a big error on their part. Your strategy should be to buy enough coverage at the best price and still be able to protect your assets.

Lower-priced insurance can be found online in addition to many insurance agents, so you need to shop insurance coverage with both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance providers may not provide the ability to get quotes online and these smaller companies sell through local independent agents.

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