Compare 2005 Saturn VUE Car Insurance Rates

No one in their right mind looks forward to buying insurance coverage, especially when the cost is way too high.

Online insurance companies like Geico, Farmers Insurance and State Farm continually hit you with fancy advertisements and consumers find it hard to ignore the promise of big savings and do the work needed to find the best deal.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you should be able to reduce your rates substantially using these methods. Finding affordable coverage is easy if you know what you’re doing. Although consumers must learn the way insurance companies sell insurance online.

How to compare insurance coverage quotes

To find cheap prices, there are a couple of ways of comparing rate quotes from different companies. The fastest way to comparison shop is to jump online and get quotes. This can be done in a couple of different ways.

  1. The first (and easiest) way to find the lowest comparison rates is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This form keeps you from doing multiple quote forms to each individual insurance coverage company. Taking the time to complete one form gets you coverage quotes from multiple low-cost companies.
  2. Another way to find better pricing requires a trip to the website of each company and request a quote. For sake of this example, we’ll assume you want rates from Auto-Owners, Liberty Mutual and Progressive. You would need to spend time on each company’s site to enter the same coverage data repeatedly, which is why most consumers use the first method.

    For a handy list of car insurance company links in your area, click here.

Whichever way you choose to compare rates, make sure you use identical coverage information with each company. If you compare mixed coverages it will be impossible to determine which company has the best rates. Quoting even small variations in coverage limits could throw off the whole comparison. Keep in mind that comparing all the rates in your area helps you find more affordable rates. Some companies don’t provide rate quotes online, so it’s important to compare price estimates from the smaller companies as well.

Insurance discounts are available to reduce your rates

Some companies don’t necessarily list every disount available in a way that’s easy to find, so the following list contains some of the more common and also the more inconspicuous discounts that you can inquire about if you buy insurance online.

  • Online Discount – Certain companies provide a small discount for buying your policy over the internet.
  • Mature Driver Discount – Older drivers can get a small decrease in premiums on VUE coverage.
  • Discount for Good Grades – Performing well in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you up until you turn 25.
  • Save with a New Car – Adding a new car to your policy can save you some money since new vehicles have better safety ratings.
  • Drive Less and Save – Low mileage vehicles can qualify you for discounted prices on garaged vehicles.

Discounts reduce rates, but you should keep in mind that most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. If you do the math and it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, you aren’t that lucky.

Large insurance companies and their offered discounts can be read below.

  • Farm Bureau policyholders can earn discounts including renewal discount, driver training, youthful driver, multi-vehicle, 55 and retired, and multi-policy.
  • MetLife has discounts for defensive driver, claim-free, good student, accident-free, multi-policy, and good driver.
  • Progressive may offer discounts for good student, continuous coverage, multi-policy, homeowner, and online signing.
  • AAA offers discounts including multi-policy, education and occupation, good driver, good student, anti-theft, multi-car, and AAA membership discount.
  • American Family includes discounts for early bird, air bags, Steer into Savings, bundled insurance, and multi-vehicle.
  • Geico offers discounts for military active duty, federal employee, multi-policy, anti-lock brakes, emergency military deployment, seat belt use, and multi-vehicle.
  • State Farm may have discounts that include safe vehicle, accident-free, multiple policy, good student, and student away at school.

Before purchasing a policy, check with every insurance company how many discounts you can get. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not be available to policyholders in your area. If you would like to see a list of insurance companies that have a full spectrum of discounts, click here to view.

Informed consumers can cut insurance costs

Lots of things are used in the calculation when quoting car insurance. Most are fairly basic such as traffic violations, but other factors are less obvious like where you live or your commute time.

The factors shown below are some of the most rate-impacting factors that factor into rates.

  • Amount of liability insurance – The liability section of your policy will provide protection in the event that a jury decides you are liable for an accident. Your policy’s liability insurance provides you with a defense in court up to the limits shown on your policy. This coverage is relatively inexpensive compared to comp and collision, so do not skimp.
  • Do you save by driving less? – Driving more miles annually the higher your rate. Most companies calculate rates based upon how the vehicle is primarily used. Cars and trucks left parked in the garage qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. It’s a smart idea to ensure your insurance coverage declarations sheet is showing the correct usage. An improperly rated VUE is just wasting money.
  • Premiums also based on gender – Over time, data shows that females take fewer risks when driving. That doesn’t necessarily mean that men are worse drivers. Men and women are responsible for at-fault accidents at about the same rate, but the males cause more damage. Not only that, but men also get cited for more serious violations like reckless driving and DUI. Male drivers age 16 to 19 tend to get in the most accidents and therefore have the most expensive insurance coverage rates.
  • Save money by having multiple policies – Most major insurers give better rates to people that purchase more than one policy such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Even if you already get this discount, drivers will still want to compare other insurance prices to ensure the best deal.There is a chance you can find better rates by buying insurance from more than one company.
  • Only buy what you need – Insurance policies have a lot of extra coverages you can purchase but may not be useful. Insurance for things like rental car reimbursement, towing, and extra equipment coverage are examples of these. These coverages may sound good initially, but if you don’t need them remove them from your policy.
  • lapses raise insurance coverage rates – Not having insurance is a big no-no and companies may charge more for letting your coverage have a gap. Not only will you pay higher rates, failure to provide proof of insurance could result in a steep fine or even jail time.
  • Does your employer cost you more? – Occupations such as doctorspolice officers and dentists are shown to have higher premium rates in part from stressful work requirements and extremely grueling work hours. On the flip side, professions such as professors, athletes and homemakers pay lower than average rates on VUE coverage.

Everyone needs different insurance coverages

When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s needs are different so your insurance needs to address that. These are some specific questions can help discover if you will benefit from professional help.

  • Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
  • Do I need an umbrella policy?
  • Do I need rental car coverage?
  • Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
  • What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
  • Is my state a no-fault state?
  • Does liability extend to a camper or trailer?
  • What exactly is covered by my policy?
  • Does insurance cover damages from a DUI accident?
  • Is motorclub coverage worth it?

If you can’t answer these questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Smaller companies may have the best rates

Insurance providers like State Farm and Allstate continually stream ads in print and on television. All the companies tend to make the same promise that drivers can save some big amount after switching your insurance policy to them. Is it even possible that every company can give you a better price? This is the trick they use.

Different companies have specific guidelines for the driver that will generate a profit. A good example of a preferred risk might be a married male, has a clean driving record, and drives newer vehicles. Any driver who fits that profile may get the lowest premium rates and most likely will cut their rates substantially.

Insureds who are not a match for those standards will be charged a more expensive rate and business not being written. The trick is to say “drivers that switch” but not “all drivers who get quotes” will save that much if they switch. That’s why companies can make those claims. That is why you need to get insurance quotes as often as possible. You cannot predict which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

Auto insurance policy coverages for a Saturn VUE

Understanding the coverages of your policy can help you determine appropriate coverage for your vehicles. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. These are typical coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.

Comprehensive or Other Than Collision

Comprehensive insurance pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for things such as hitting a deer, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, theft and vandalism. The highest amount a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.

Liability coverage

This coverage provides protection from damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property by causing an accident. This coverage protects you against claims from other people. It does not 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. You commonly see limits of 100/300/100 which means a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and property damage coverage for $100,000.

Liability can pay for things like repair costs for stationary objects, structural damage, medical expenses, loss of income and funeral expenses. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but you should buy higher limits if possible.

Medical costs insurance

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for immediate expenses like hospital visits, pain medications and doctor visits. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not universally available but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

UM/UIM Coverage

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for medical payments for you and your occupants and also any damage incurred to your Saturn VUE.

Since many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family.

Collision protection

Collision coverage covers damage to your VUE resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision insurance covers claims such as rolling your car, hitting a mailbox, hitting a parking meter and scraping a guard rail. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

And the best car insurance company is…

More affordable car insurance is definitely available both online in addition to local insurance agencies, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best selection. A few companies don’t offer online quoting and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

We’ve covered quite a bit of information on how to compare 2005 Saturn VUE insurance rates online. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the better your chances of lowering your auto insurance rates. Consumers may even find the best rates are with a small mutual company. These smaller insurers can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate, Geico and Progressive.

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