2011 Subaru Legacy Insurance Cost

Pretty sure you bought an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you you’re not alone.

Online insurance companies like Geico and Progressive continually bombard you with ad campaigns and it is difficult to see through the deception and do the work needed to find the best deal.

Seven things that influence your insurance premiums

Lots of things are considered when quoting car insurance. Some are obvious such as traffic violations, but some are more obscure such as your credit history or your financial responsibility.

  • Drivers with good credit save – Having a bad credit score is a large factor in determining premium rates. Insureds with high credit scores tend to be better risks to insure than drivers with poor credit. If your credit history is low, you could potentially save money when insuring your 2011 Subaru Legacy by improving your rating.
  • Where you reside can impact rates – Having an address in less populated areas has definite advantages when trying to find low car insurance rates. Drivers who live in large cities have to deal with much more traffic and higher rates of accident claims. Fewer people means a lower chance of having an accident in addition to fewer liability claims.
  • Lower prices with GPS tracking and theft deterrents – Selecting a car model with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Systems that thwart theives like OnStar, LoJack tracking, and tamper alarms all help prevent car theft and help bring rates down.
  • A insurance coverage policy lapse can increase insurance coverage rates – Driving any period of time without insurance can get your license suspended and you may have a hard time finding new coverage because you let your coverage have a gap. In addition to paying higher premiums, not being able to provide proof of insurance could result in a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
  • Low mileage costs less – The more miles you rack up on your Subaru each year the higher your rate. Almost all companies charge rates based upon how much you drive. Vehicles that are left in the garage receive lower rates compared to those used for work or business. Having the wrong rating on your Legacy may be costing you higher rates. Ask your agent if your insurance coverage declarations sheet is rated on how each vehicle is driven, because it can save money.
  • Too many policy claims and you’ll pay more – If you are the type of insured that files lots of claims you shouldn’t be surprised to get increased rates or even have your policy non-renewed. Companies provide most affordable rates to policyholders who are not frequent claim filers. Your car insurance is intended to be relied upon for larger claims.
  • Low coverage deductibles mean high rates – The deductibles you choose define the amount you are required to spend if the claim is covered. Insurance for physical damage to your car, also known as collision and other-than-collision, covers damage that occurs to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply are rearending another vehicle, collision with a deer, and damage from wind. The higher the amount the insured is willing to pay, the lower your rates will be for Legacy coverage.

Cheaper rates with these discounts

Some insurers don’t always publicize every possible discount in an easy-to-find place, so we researched both the well known as well as the least known credits that may apply to you.

  • First Accident Forgiveness – but a few companies such as Geico and Allstate may permit one accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you are claim-free before the accident.
  • Anti-lock Brake System – Cars, trucks, and SUVs that have anti-lock braking systems have fewer accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
  • Policy Bundle Discount – If you can bundle your auto and homeowners insurance with the same company you may earn over 10 percent off each policy depending on the company.
  • Save with More Vehicles Insured – Insuring all your vehicles on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
  • Low Miles Discount – Driving less could qualify for cheaper insurance coveragerates.
  • Auto/Life Discount – Not all insurance coverage companies offer life insurance, but some may give you a discount if you purchase a life policy as well.
  • Buy New and Save – Adding a new car to your policy is cheaper because newer models are generally safer.
  • Cautious Driver Discount – Insureds without accidents may receive a discount up to 45% for Legacy coverage compared to accident prone drivers.
  • Student Driver Training – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver’s ed class in school.
  • Early Signing – A few companies allow discounts for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiration. This can save 10% or more.

One thing to note about discounts is that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. Despite the fact that it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.

A list of insurance coverage companies and a selection of discounts include:

  • Progressive has discounts for continuous coverage, homeowner, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, good student, online signing, and online quote discount.
  • The Hartford offers discounts for vehicle fuel type, good student, defensive driver, anti-theft, and bundle.
  • Mercury Insurance may include discounts for age of vehicle, location of vehicle, accident-free, professional/association, annual mileage, multi-car, and good student.
  • Geico discounts include seat belt use, daytime running lights, air bags, good student, military active duty, defensive driver, and driver training.
  • AAA may have discounts that include multi-policy, multi-car, pay-in-full, good driver, good student, education and occupation, and AAA membership discount.
  • State Farm has savings for multiple autos, good driver, Drive Safe & Save, student away at school, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and good student.

Before you buy a policy, ask each company to give you their best rates. Some of the discounts discussed earlier may not apply everywhere.

Beware of misleading insurance coverage ads

Well-known insurance coverage companies like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm constantly bombard you with ads in print and on television. They all try to convey promises that drivers can save some big amount after switching to their company. Is it even possible that every company can charge lower premium rates?

Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the type of customer that will add to their bottom line. For example, a desirable risk might have to be over the age of 40, has no claims, and has a high credit rating. A customer that hits that “sweet spot” receives the best prices and is almost guaranteed to pay quite a bit less when switching companies.

Insureds who don’t measure up to those standards will have to pay a higher premium and this results in the customer buying from someone else. The trick is to say “people who switch” but not “all drivers who get quotes” save that much when switching. That is how companies can make claims like that. That is why it’s extremely important to do a rate comparison at every renewal. Because you never know which company will be your best fit.

Insurance can be complex

When it comes to choosing adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Every situation is different so this has to be addressed. For example, these questions may help highlight if you might need professional guidance.

  • How can I get high-risk coverage after a DUI?
  • How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in my state?
  • Why do I only qualify for high-risk insurance?
  • Do I need added coverage for expensive stereo equipment?
  • Where can I find high-risk insurance?
  • Should I buy more coverage than the required minimum liability coverage?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

Auto insurance 101

Learning about specific coverages of a insurance policy aids in choosing the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Insurance terms can be ambiguous and coverage can change by endorsement. Below you’ll find the usual coverages found on the average insurance policy.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – Med pay and PIP coverage pay for expenses for things like hospital visits, doctor visits and prosthetic devices. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers all vehicle occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Collision coverage – Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your Legacy resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision insurance covers things like crashing into a ditch, driving through your garage door, scraping a guard rail and crashing into a building. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Comprehensive insurance – This will pay to fix damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against things such as hitting a deer, falling objects and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The maximum amount a insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) – This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your 2011 Subaru Legacy.

Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.

Liability car insurance – Liability coverage can cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property by causing an accident. It protects YOU from claims by other people, and does not provide coverage for damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have limits of 50/100/50 which means a limit of $50,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery.

Liability can pay for things such as funeral expenses, bail bonds and loss of income. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy higher limits if possible.

Keep this in mind

We covered a lot of tips how to compare 2011 Subaru Legacy insurance car insurance rates online. It’s most important to understand that the more rate comparisons you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding cheap auto insurance. Consumers may even find the biggest savings come from some of the lesser-known companies. Regional companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than the large multi-state companies such as Progressive or Geico.

When buying insurance coverage, make sure you don’t buy poor coverage just to save money. In many cases, an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage and discovered at claim time that it was a big mistake. Your objective should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate, but do not skimp to save money.

Even more information can be found at these sites: